RV Park thoughts, suggestions & ideas.

[EddieWalker]

I am no expert to fence building, but I am thinking an 8 acre high fence is a unique item.

Otherwise I have nothing to contribute as I am a tent man myself.

meledward23,

In the world of RV Parks, it's pretty unique. Here in Texas, it's fairly common. There are lots of hunting ranches here from a few hundred acres to tens of thousands. My idea is to fence in 8 acres and let some animals that are not native to here loose in there. They are proven species that do wll in my climate and are grazers. Unlike zoos, my animals will be chosen for there ability to live here as cheaply as possible. I also don't want any breeding going on, so I'll only have same sex animals of that speices. If you've ever been to Yellowstone and seen a herd of elk, you will notice that everyones taking pictures of the bull with the antlers. If somebody takes 20 pictures, only one will be of the cows. My theory is to give them something that exites them, let them roam freely in the preserve and let the guests find them. If I have 10 animals, you might only see half of them from the store or where ever you might happen to be. To see all of them you will have to walk around the preserve and look for them. I'm leaving stands of trees in place along with a change of elevation that will make it impossible to see it all at one location.

Eddie

 

[WhyNot]

Eddie, Are you going to have an age limit on the rv for perm. sites?

 

[schmism]

consider a popup/tent section. "reserved" if you will...

We love the convience of the popup but dont want a full RV so we still have to hike to a bathroom. which for some campgrounds can be quite far (relitivly speaking at 2 am) the popup/tent section = more seculded, more trees, tigher spots we we arnt lugging around a 53' beast.

 

[rox]

Eddie by dirt bikes I meant mountin bikes. Non motorized. Sorry for not being clear.

 

[EddieWalker]

From my time working in a fish camp (kind of an RV park on the river) I would make the bathrooms, shower rooms etc, all tile or concrete, and have a big honking water hose / fire hose somewhere that I could literally hose everything down the very very oversized drain that I would put in there.

It never ceased to amaze me what folks would do in the bath houses that I had to go clean up.

Plenty of garbage cans.

Something I did at the motorcycle events I held, that was suggested too me by the landowner (an enthusiast) was when someone came in as they were signing in, they recieved a little map, etc, but they also recieved a garbage bag. I was amazed afterwards at what that small, simple cheap act saved me on cleanup after our events. Not sure it would apply in your situation, but it may.

I need to come out to Texas and visit my buddies out there, where are you at? They are here Click to buy Trials Motorcycles and trials bikes with fast shipping I do realize Tx is huge. Oops I just saw you are in Tyler looks about 3 hours north. Need to come visit sometime.

Alan,

You hit on something I feel strongly about. Bathrooms!!! The newer RV Parks are all putting in individual bathrooms. No more locker room setups where you get to share with everyone. New RV's have nice bathrooms, but people still like to be able to use a nice full sized bathroom. It's especially nice if you have small kids or grandkids. My bathrooms are 8x8 with a 4x3 shower, toilet and 3 foot sink. Lots of floor space and lighting with a huge mirror.

I have to use tile for sanitation. If it's concrete, it has to be sealed and those sealers always wear off, so I'm gonna avoid that. The house I live in has five bathrooms on the side just for my tent sites. One will be ADA with all the handles and smooth bottom shower.

The rule of thumb is one toilet for every ten sites. I'll have a few more. hahaha

I like the water hose idea. I wonder if I could put one of those quick connect fasters in on the sink and use that to hose off everything? I worry that a spicket is just asking for somebody to leave it on. Even if I take off the handle, sombody will play with it.

I'm just north of Tyler along Interstate 20. If you did a search for Winona, you'd be real close. Let me know when your in the area. I'm usually here, but I do work other jobs.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[George2615]

Great ideas you have. I did not read all the replies so there may be some duplication.

When we are camping I appreciate an onsite store which you mentioned. People always need the basics. The restaurant idea is good too.

Maybe you could work a deal with a local propane dealer to put in one of those cylinder exchange stations and you could make a commission on tanks.

Garbage pickup once a day.

Firewood delivery once a day.

Maybe a recreation hall with some video games for the kids. (would close at night to prevent kids from hanging out)

Some campgrounds have cable hookup available if its a fringe area. Some campers have there own dish.

Best of luck with your dream.

 

[EddieWalker]

Going to have fire rings at the sites?
Got a supply of wood to sale?
Tent or popup sites with grass only?

Stuff of the Kids...Keep the kids busy and having fun and they will make mom and dad come back year after year.
Pool or swiming in a clean lake with a scan beach?
playground?
basketball?
Swho silly kid type movies at night in the "clubhouse"
candybar bingo?

rent out things for the kids...like maybe paintball or somekind of strange 3 wheel bike that they will bug mom about wanting to ride.
Dog walks can't be a mile from the campers if you expect people to use them.

chucko,

Yes, I'll have a fire ring and a six foot picnic table. I really like those metal fire rings that you can get at Cabelas with the animals cut into the sides. They are $50 each and really nice. I'm also thinking about a rod in the air to hang a lantern. They seem like something people like to have, but I'm unsure of them still.

Pop ups will be in the pull through sites. I know allot of RV Parks are refusing them as with older rigs, but I think that's a mistake. If you can afford the fee to stay the night, than I'm happy to have you. Too many parks want to call themselves "resorts" and they get these wild ideas. One argument is that the older rigs are not energy efficiant and it costs more for them to stay there. It's a bad argument when you figure what a 45 foot RV draws with 50amps in the heat of summer.

The dog trails are in two areas. One are around the long term sites and the other area just to the side of the lake. From every RV overnight site, it's a short distance. The sites are sort of betweent he lake and store, so they can go in either direction and quickly get there. I've tried very hard to make the layout as gridlike as possible. This makes it cheaper and easier to build, but also very acccesable for my guests. With all the trees that will stay in, it won't look gridlike and I don't think most people will even realize it.

I like the idea of movie night for the kids. I'll make a note on that one!!!!

Candy bingo is another good one!!!!

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[Jimbrown]

Eddie. If you have an area that is kinda not in use where you could put 3 or 4 12X12 pen/stalls that could be used for horses you might be surprised how many takers you would get. I don't know about east texas but out here there is a constant string of people pulling big goose neck horse trailers up and down I-10. I have one. One thing that is far and few between are places where you can stop and unload horses for the night. We call them horse motels. Most of us who pull big trailers kinda use them for RV's also. You just might be surprised how many people this would pull in. The stalls really would not need anything except for water and maybe dumpster to put poop in. We always plan our long trips around friendly horse stopping areas. And any place that has a store, diesel, and food close by is a sure stopping place.

 

[EddieWalker]

Eddie,
Two bays for RV car washes? I am positive, postive you have a reason and have this calcuated but I'm thnking 1 bay is enough to start with. If demand build a second. Perhaps wait and see the revenue first before building a second one.

Rox,

The bays are the cheap part. The equipment is what costs the money and the difference in one bay or two is very minimal after you buy the basics. I have to put the equimpent in a building, so it makes sense to have it in the middle and two pads on either side.

It's such a rare thing for an RV Park to have one that I honestly think that it will be in constant use. One TBN member here who visited me recenlty told me that he paid $80 to have his RV washed recently. They need cleaning and there is no place for people to do this. If I can make $10 on each RV, I'd make a good living on that alone!! hahahahah

The problem is having enough water and sewage to handle this. I have both, so it's not an option. I have the space and there should be a HUGE demand for it.

I'm actually worried that I might have a line of RV's to use it and they might block my road if it gets too long. This is a real concern.

Eddie

 

[gsganzer]

Eddie,
Let me know when you need the animals for your game preserve. We have a relative that breeds all of them (giraffes, zebra's, antelope species etc. etc.) They have a ranch down near San Antonio that you can visit. They'd also be a good resourse for how to care for them. They breed mainly for zoo's, not exotic hunting operations, so the animals they have are extremely tame.