How to Start a Campground or RV Park

1. What type of campground business you want to start? Popular types of campgrounds are seasonal campsites, tent-only campgrounds, year-round campgrounds and campgrounds for RVs.

2. Where do you want to have the park? You may be there for many years, so choose a geographic area you're familiar with and that you enjoy. For example, if you’ve never seen snow you may not want to open an RV camping park in Montana. Now, it’s certainly easier and possibly cheaper to buy an existing RV camping park. Building your own means that you need to outfit each RV area to the cost of up to $20,000 per rental space, which adds up quickly. Add zoning and constructions permits, with the cost of land and insurance, and expenses can easily run up to more than a million. If you have a dream of building a park, it’s important to weigh your options by consulting with real estate firms that specialize in outdoor venues.


3. Do you want a theme? Although it's not necessary, it is a good idea to think carefully about whether you want your RV camping park to have a focus. For instance, some parks cater to business retreats, whereas some others lean toward creating camps that are attractive to groups of children. Thinking this over not only helps inspire you but also shows you more avenues you can market to your target audience. Here are a few ideas:

  • Fly-fishing campground
  • Rafting, canoeing and kayaking campground
  • Motorhome only campground
  • Swimming campground
  • Fitness campground
  • Wheelchair friendly campground
  • Extended stay campground
  • Motorcycles only campground
  • Tent camping only campground
  • Seniors only campground
  • Tiny Homes on wheels campground
  • Trains campground for people who love all things trains
  • Wildlife rehab campground for people who want to see nature up close while animals are rehabilitated
  • Sailing campground for people who want to learn to sail while they’re camping


4. Do you have a business plan? Draw up a sound business plan for your campground business. In it, analyze the competition and feasibility of a campground at the chosen location, and include a construction and development plan to develop the physical part of your campground business. Also describe your management and marketing plans, as well as projected income and start-up costs.

5. Register your campground business with your city to obtain a business license.

6. Obtain construction and development permits with the appropriate city or state department.

7. Put a team together to construct your campground business.  Some things to consider:

  • Develop the landscaping, paving, electrical wiring for RV hookups, plumbing and a dump station for RVs
  • Construct recreational areas such as swimming pools, picnic areas with tables and fire rings, game rooms, a bathhouse, laundry facilities, and an office


During Construction:
8. Build a fully responsive website for your campground business. Include information about your campground and the area with photos and suggestions for activities. Also offer an online reservation where guests can book the dates they want to visit. Write to websites and organizations that list campgrounds to have your campground business added to the list with links to your website.
9. Additional Marketing? Some companies specialize in promoting RV camping parks, and these are worth exploring. By targeting your markets for you via various means, they save time. It used to be enough to have your name in camping guides, but with social media and a much broader market, it’s vital to diversify your approaches to keep your park full. If you wish to try marketing your RV camping park yourself, that's doable, too. Join the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds to be listed. Develop a social media presence, with beautiful pictures of your park and its amenities.
10. Set the fees for your campground business. Though starting a campground business may require a significant investment, remember to keep your pricing competitive to attract the maximum number of visitors.
11. Finally, Hire maintenance and service personnel. Make sure they have experience in the tourism industry, are polite and representative of your business, and are reliable.

Campgrounds/RV Parks