Public or Private Campgrounds: Which Should You Choose?

When it comes to camping, you’ve got plenty of options in terms of what campground you’d like to stay at. The two main types of campgrounds are public and private. Public campgrounds are owned and operated by government agencies. Examples of public campgrounds include state park campgrounds, national park campgrounds, municipal campgrounds, state forest campgrounds, national forest campgrounds, projects form the Army Corps of Engineers, and other types as well.

Private campgrounds are campgrounds owned and operated by people or companies in the private sector. Often, these private campgrounds are especially geared toward RVs, although that isn’t always the case.

Public campgrounds are often more common than private campgrounds. Public campgrounds are very often scenic areas, located in an area set aside to preserve the natural environment. Public campgrounds tend to be less expensive than private campgrounds. However, public campgrounds typically don’t have as many amenities available as private campgrounds. In addition, public campgrounds can vary greatly in amenities and quality from one location to the other.

Private campgrounds tend to be more on the expensive end of things. Private campgrounds may be operated by a national chain, or they may be operated by local companies or individuals. Campgrounds that are part of a national chain may offer discounts to people who stay at more than one of their locations. In most cases, you can count on similar amenities and service from one campground in a national chain that you can expect from another campground in the same national chain.

Locating private campgrounds can be something of a challenge, as well. While most state park campgrounds have some sort of Internet presence or another, private campgrounds can be harder to locate. You have to rely on camping directory web sites or on brochures to find many private campgrounds.

If possible, shop around a bit. Check out website reviews of campgrounds. Ask friends or family as to their experiences with a certain campground. The fact of the matter is that some public campgrounds are much nicer than some private campgrounds, and some private campgrounds may be less expensive than some public campgrounds.