So you wanna be a Camp Host? Insider secrets revealed

So you want to spend some time in an RV camp and get your site rental for free?

Sounds like a dream come true to a retired couple that are are travelling across the USA in their fifth-wheel RV, right? But it's very possible because US State Parks, National Parks, the Forest Service, public and private RV campsites all employ seasonal workers.

For free rental of your site, you work the minimum required hours of around 20 - 28 a week, which works out at 2 days between you and your partner, (working the same days) and the rest of the time is yours to relax and continue your exploration of the local area from your RV. You can work for a month or 6 months or even a year depending on the seasons the park is open. If you totally love the place, you might even try to get rehired the following year. You decide. Of course you can work more than the agreed hours and get paid, if that is on offer – that's up to you too. Sometimes you get extras like electricity paid, or free or low cost meals, or free laundry, in lieu of actual payment. Each employer will offer different hours and forms of remuneration.

You can apply in advance on a website like www.workersonwheels.com, which is updated with new jobs every month, for free. Alternatively you can pay a fee to get online access to databases of possible jobs with companies like www.workamper.com

Or you could just surf the net and see what you can find. Third parties are often used to hire for jobs in larger private resorts or federally run National Parks.

What are campsites looking for – generally office admin roles, cleaning and jack of all trades maintenance staff. Some larger sites or state/federal parks have stores/visitor centers so there might be knowledge sharing and retail positions. Some have cabins so there might be housekeeping/handyman/weed-wacking/grass mowing duties. Some even have cafes/restaurants attached so there might be serving/cooking/kitchen jobs available. Some need workers that put in more than 40 hours a week and will pay accordingly. (Pay is generally around minimum wage).

BUT, there are a few things you should think about carefully before applying.

On the days you work, you are going to be responsible for keeping your campsite/park running smoothly. And that is no mean feat. Be prepared to work as little or as much as each individual camp site requires. A note to the conscientious - putting in the extra effort might be important to you, but might not be recognized by your employer. And that works both ways – not putting in extra effort might be expected by your employer but you might not be willing to work beyond your advertised hours. It might be worthwhile thinking what your boundaries are ahead of time. You might be sucked in to doing more hours that you intended if you don't make your expectations clear at the time of interview... which is often over the internet or telephone.

Smaller Federal/State/National Forest camp hosts are pretty much on duty 24/7, as you are often the only couple on duty, and your days off may not be the same as your partner's!

Location: the further off the grid the campsite, the less the amenities for camp hosts. Forest Service Parks and State Parks may not offer full hook up – be prepared to have to collect water and dump waste tanks manually (you can buy cartridges to cart your waste water to a dumping station). You might not have wifi, or TV reception. You might have to drive miles to a decent grocery store. Check out the location and amenities of the site before applying for the job.

Check out average weather conditions http://www.usclimatedata.com/ and elevation and bugs. The last place you want to be if you are susceptible to bug bites is a site in Louisiana; or if you can't deal with high altitude, a site in Leadville in Colorado; or if you can't stand the heat, a place like Payson in Arizona in the summer.

Consider the types of clients you will encounter. Over 55 communities cater to older people that live onsite for the season and tend to be quieter and have organized activities. RV parks on busy roads tend to host overnight passer by's and the change over of sites is constant. State Parks/National Forest parks tend to host weekenders and families with children. They also have a two week limit on site rentals. If you cannot be bothered with the constant turnover, misbehaving children or shushing noisy late night partying, then these parks are not necessarily for you.

If you want to get a feel for the way the RV resort is run, it might be worthwhile reading reviews of the park to get an idea. Check out www.rvparkreviews.com , or www.campendium.com/ or even Trip Advisor. But be careful – choosing a park because it has lots of resident activities might imply a happy park – that is not necessarily the case.

BECAUSE...Miscommunication rules!! What the advert says and what you may be asked to do by the park manager may not be the same. If you retired because you were desperate to leave a frustrating workplace behind, think again. You are signing up to a new manager, and you do not know what you are going to get! You could be lucky or you could be as harassed by your new boss as you were before you left that old working life behind!

If you think you and your efforts are being taken for granted, or you are just unhappy at the way things work out, you can always quit. Since living in the US, I have realized that quitting a job seems to be more acceptable than in the UK. By the same token, being fired is equally OK – and seems to happen a fair amount. The thing is not to feel obliged. There are always more willing camp workers to move in and take your place.

More Lessons learned

Miscommunication rules!! No matter how hard you try to explain the truth of a situation, everyone has their own view which affects their listening/understanding capacity.  People like to moan and are creatures of habit. Everyone has an opinion. You will need to learn to be a good, diplomatic listener.

Separating what you learn from what you pass on – You may have to chose whether to keep management and residents informed, and act as a go-between, or keep yourself to yourself. Management very much dictates what is acceptable but they may not tell you in advance how they want to run their park.

Common problems – WiFi reception issues, noisy/badly behaved campers/neighbours, people who do not pick up their dog poop, noisy dogs, noisy off road vehicles, speed limits, interfering management, breaking rules, not enough or unclear rules, out of hour arrivals, raising rates v making improvements, young versus old, uncontrolled children, intoxicated residents, seasonal long term residents complaining about new visitors.

If you are making reservations or guiding Rvers to their sites, it is imperative you check out the sites first – level sites v non level, trees provide shade but also obstacles to slide outs and awnings. The bigger the rig, the more slide outs, the poorer the turning circle if it is a trailer or a fifth-wheel with a long bed truck reversing the rig – all these factors should concern you when taking bookings or advising people how to park.

OK... I've run out of thoughts. I am rereading this and thinking it sounds terribly negative...

So I need to end with the things that make this the most incredible work place situation you could possibly find.

You could be part of a community. You could stop traveling and settle for a season and grow your own flowers and tomatoes in tubs

Our trailer, plants and bicycles

and take your time exploring the area.

You could find new friends that will be yours for the rest of your life. You could have fun, participating in potlucks,

Getting ready for a pot luck

happy hours, fireside get-togethers, joining residents in games of golf, card games, bocce ball,

Richard playing Bocce Ball

horse-shoes, duck races, shuffleboard, pickleball, water aerobics, line dancing, crafts,

Me and other ladies showing off our hand made night lights

social get-togethers, dancing, live music, and just good old shooting the breeze...

4th July BBQ in the shade

You could see parts of the USA you have dreamed about visiting...you could hike along creeks with new friends...

you could sit at night watching the stars in the most uninhabited place on earth... you could touch artifacts that are a few hundred years old or are as ancient as the rocks that formed this continent... you could watch the sun go down in all its blazing purple orange glory and count your blessings and think this is the best way to retire... ever.

Or maybe not.

Your choice.