Boondocking, RV Resorts, or State & National Parks: How Full-Time RVers Decide

Off-grid boondocking

Boondocking, off-gridding, and dry camping all describe camping without hookups, so no water, power, or sewer connection. You're relying entirely on what your RV can store and generate on its own. You can do this type of camping on public land (BLM, or Bureau of Land Management, land, or national forest land, for example), at a rest stop or business parking lot, or at a remote location with a great view and no pesky neighbors.

It's often free or close to it, and what you get in return is privacy and some of the best views around. There's no noise from other campers, no scheduled quiet hours, and no limit on how long you stay, within whatever local land rules allow. 

The trade-off is that you’ll be running solely on battery power, solar, and your water and holding tanks, so the length of your stay depends entirely on your RV’s self-sufficiency. There's also no on-site help if something breaks, and often no cell signal either. Off-gridding or boondocking tends to suit RVers who've invested in a power and water setup and value privacy and low cost over convenience.

RV resorts

At the opposite end of the spectrum from off-gridding lie RV resorts. Most resorts feature full-hookup sites, and they often include amenities like pools, clubhouses, fitness centers, organized activities, and sometimes even on-site golf courses or restaurants. Some are part of larger membership networks or affiliated with luxury RV brands, and others are unaffiliated and independently operated.

Resorts are the most expensive camping option of the three covered here, with typical nightly rates that can climb quickly in popular areas or during peak months, though monthly rates bring the price down significantly if you opt for extended stays. That said, you get full hookups, reliable Wi-Fi in most cases, and amenities you won't find anywhere else on this list. Many resorts also have an active social scene, which matters if you're looking to meet other full-time RVers and build your community. 

Beyond cost, you lose the view. Resorts tend to sit closer to towns and cities, and sites can be close together compared to the space you'd get on public or government land. RV resorts tend to appeal to RVers who need reliable connectivity for remote work, aren’t trying to think too hard about hookups, and are looking to recharge, literally and socially, after an off-grid stay.

State & National parks

State and national parks both land in the middle, though they don't behave quite the same way. State parks vary by, well, state. Some offer full or partial hookups, while others are more rustic, so the experience varies widely between parks. National parks tend to be more consistent: most campgrounds inside national parks skip hookups entirely, and many have length or size restrictions on the RVs they can accommodate. Both state and national parks offer, above all else, scenery. Most RVers choose them for the setting, often near lakes, mountains, or major trail systems, not out of convenience.

Cost generally falls below resort pricing for both. However, national park sites may be heavily so sought after, and it can be challenging to get a reservation in the most popular parks. Many full-timers consider parks camping the best value for the experience relative to cost, assuming you are able to secure a reservation.

Once parked, you’ll find these RV campgrounds to be right in the middle ground between off-gridding and resort life: some hookups (more likely at a state park than a national one), well-maintained grounds, access to trails and natural features, and often a quieter, roomier campsite layout than you’ll find at a resort. 

The tradeoff is consistency and planning. Amenities and hookup availability differ from park to park, national park reservations often need to be made months in advance through a centralized system, and popular parks in both categories book up fast during peak season. State and national parks camping tends to suit RVers who want a scenic, reasonably self-sufficient stay without going fully off-grid and who don't mind doing some research and planning.

Most full-time RVers camp in a lot of ways

The truth is that RVing opens up possibilities for people, so you probably don’t want to stick with only one type of camping. You might go off-grid for a few weeks to save money and enjoy the solitude, then head to an RV resort for a week to do laundry, catch up on work, and recharge both batteries and yourself, then spend a stretch at a state or national park for a scenic, moderately priced stay somewhere in between.

The real skill in full-time RV life lies in being flexible enough to move between all kinds of camping as your budget, plans, and need for a shower with real water pressure all shift throughout the year.