RVing is supposed to be fun, and some simple campground etiquette helps to keep it that way for everyone. If you are starting out or need a refresher, here are 10 tips on minding your camping manners to make your stay enjoyable.

Individual parks usually hand you a copy of their rules when you register, and following these rules is one of the basics of campground etiquette.  Typical guidelines include reduced speed limits on campground roads, unhooking a dinghy before driving to your site, observing quiet hours, etc.

Literally. Pick up after your pets, and do your best to stop excessive or extended barking. Don’t leave dogs unattended or unleashed; not everyone is an animal lover. Good pet-etiquette on your part helps ensure that the many RVers with pets are welcome at campgrounds.

Sometimes it is very clear how to orient the rig on a site; you may even have a cement pad. In many cases, however, the only guidepost will be the hookup for electric and sewer. General campground etiquette is to stay on your side of that hook-up and not have awnings or slide-outs encroaching on the site next door.  Look at the campground map for a clue about preferred orientation or look around you to see how other rigs are angled. You will get the most out of the space you have (and so will your neighbors) if you are all situated the same way.  For campgrounds with no uniformity in the size, shape ,or orientation of sites, the main objective is to park in a way that gets everyone their fair share of privacy and room under their respective awnings. Common sense and campground etiquette go hand in hand.

If you are arriving at a park after normal quiet hours, keep the set-up to the minimum required for the night. Your neighbors will understand that you need to pull in and hook up, but they may very well lose their cool if they have to spend an hour listening to loud conversation, slamming doors, and arguments over how to level the rig.  The same sort of courtesy should be used if you are making an early morning departure.  Plan ahead, and be respectful.

The must be secure.  No torn hoses.  In most places, your sewer connection faces the side where you neighbor has their "patio" area.  

Most campgrounds will not allow washing to avoid wasting water, high water bills, muddy sites, etc., so read the rules.  You usually have to get by with a small bucket and rag and/or waterless cleaner to just do minimal spot cleaning.  If you are lucky enough to find a place where you can really wash the RV, don't waste water and watch the spray.  It's not a bad idea to let you neighbor know ahead of time that you plan to wash your rig.  That way, they can close any windows or put away articles that might inadvertently get wet.

One of the unspoken rules of campground etiquette is that you stay off occupied sites.  For the time a camper is on a site, it is his/her space and  privacy should be respected.  If you are taking a stroll around the campground, the operative word is around.  Srick to roads and pathways, and stay off your neighbors’ area.

Before you light it, make sure it is permitted, and follow any rules the campground may have.  Do not use your firepot as a garbage can.  There is sure to be a trash can available in your rig or on the park premises.  No one likes to pull into a site with a firepot full of someone else’s trash.

Keeping up the neighborhood

Keep it clean. RVing is an outdoor pastime and RVers are generally an easy going lot, but having too much stuff lying around outside of the RV starts to look sloppy. 

Do unto others

When in doubt, follow the golden rule.  If you aren’t sure of the proper campground etiquette for something, think about how you would like to be treated.  If you are concerned that something might bother your neighbor, your best bet is just to ask them.  If you find yourself in a situation where your neighbors or park operators are doing something that you find intolerable, politely address the subject with them.  If that doesn’t work, consider moving to another site or another campground.