popup tent camping

We now have our time out camper and are ready to use it as much as we can. We are fulltime RVers so are familiar with RV parks and such. However, we are a little astounded at the prices in the campgrounds to use these little tent campers. We have traveled with another couple who are doing the same and some parks let us stay on the same lot and we can split the price. We do use electricity so we expect to pay for that, but to pay the same as for a 50 amp RV seems a little high. Have others of you found this to be true? We are going on a long TN trip in October and are trying to find something reasonable around Smokey Mt. National Park area. Any suggestions? We're still trying to find out what we can eliminate from all our baggage--lol!

We use either the State parks or Corps of Engineers parks. I also have the Golden Access Passport card. Depending on ur age U might look into the Golden Age card. It cuts the price in half. Good luck.

Steve will not meet the age requirement for the Golden Age (now called America the Beautiful) pass for another two years, so we can't get those cheaper. We are not opposed to state or corp parks at all if they are in the area we want to go to. However, we have found that many of them do not have showers and we do like to have bathrooms and a shower. Do they typically let two tent campers in the same site? Thanks for the suggestion.

I have the Golden ACCess because I am a Disabled Vet.... I have never seen a Corp park without showers?? U need to head down south, we take showers here :D
I use the corps parks a lot. there are a lot of them on the river system here...

Good luck and Happy camping.....:yes:

We have a Bunkhouse, about the same footprint as the Time Out, and we have been charged for a RV spot only once. The big difference is that we don't use electricity. If we did I suppose we would have to pay for at least 30 amp. (Can't remember a RV park with just 15 amp service, but a few tent campgrounds have offered 15 amp for a few extra bucks a night.) If you need the amperage, I guess they figure the space is taken no matter is it is a fold-out Time Out tent or a 45' Prevost.

We went to the Smokies a few years ago and camped at Deal's Gap campground right at the south end of the dragon (aka the Crossroads of Time) didn't use it, but they had 15 amp electric outlets at some sites for about $6 mor a night.

As far as eliminating stuff from your baggage, being full-timers you have a good head start on most folks. Here is what I do:
Make a pile of what I want/need to bring. This usually will fill the camper. Divide that pile into two - one pile of stuff I need and really want, and the other pile of stuff I want and might need. I put this pile away. Now, divide the rest into 2 - Really must haves and really, really want. A [I]few[/I] of the really really want gets added to the really must haves, and a few of the really must haves becomes really really want. If it isn't a must have it doesn't go, no matter if I really, really [I]really[/I] want it. I now have 1/4 or less items than I started with. Now there is room for my wife's stuff. :innocent:

She just read this over my shoulder...Please excuse me, I'll be duckin' and runin' now.

Now THAT'S a real mathematical formula!!!:D

[QUOTE=Ozarkryder;17975] Here is what I do:
Make a pile of what I want/need to bring. This usually will fill the camper. Divide that pile into two - one pile of stuff I need and really want, and the other pile of stuff I want and might need. I put this pile away. Now, divide the rest into 2 - Really must haves and really, really want. A [I]few[/I] of the really really want gets added to the really must haves, and a few of the really must haves becomes really really want. If it isn't a must have it doesn't go, no matter if I really, really [I]really[/I] want it. I now have 1/4 or less items than I started with. Now there is room for my wife's stuff. :innocent:
[/QUOTE]
Oh brother, you'll really really [I]really [/I]NEED your vacation, after all that piling and dividing and deciding!

Truth be told, though, I do something sort of like that--starting out with ALL the stuff I want and need to take, then progressively whittling down to the real "needs" plus a few "wants" until it all fits in.

Fortunately for me, the Chief has his own bike and his own bags--I'd NEVER be able to make room for his stuff too. :no::D

Well, the air mattress doesn't work at all for us, so now we take a 3" vinyl covered foam mattress so that takes all the inside room up. So EVERYTHING else goes in a bag on top--we look like ma and pa kettle going down the road. When we get where we're going, it all has to come off the top before we can do anything else. I think this camping thing may be a bumpy ride for us, but we're determined to make this an adventure.