If you've ever seen the Vacation movies with Chevy Chase there's no way you can forget the Griswolds and cousin Eddie and the hilariously stupid things they did while traveling.
It was funny to watch cousin Eddie use a storm drain as a dump station for his motor home, but it's not quite as amusing when real people are so inconsiderate at real campgrounds.
Everyone Came to Have a Good Time Most people have busy lives and often work stressful jobs, so they go camping as a means of relaxing and getting away from the rigors of everyday life.
They find solace when they pitch a tent beneath the cooling shade of a tree, warm themselves beside a crackling campfire, and sleep under a blanket of glimmering stars.
Perhaps most important of all, camping provides family time.
At the campground there is no work for mom and dad to rush off.
Kids aren't scampering away to school, sports, band practice, or to the mall with friends.
There are no household chores, no television, no internet, no neighbors, and no bills to pay.
You get to spend quality time with the people you care about most.
Sounds perfect, doesn't it? It can be if you have the right attitude, but there is one thing that can throw cold water on your perfect weekend getaway-thoughtless campers.
We've all seen the people who cut in lines at the store or talk on their cell phones in movie theaters and, unfortunately, these people bring their brand of discourtesy to campgrounds as well.
How to Avoid Being That Person There are rules of campground manners that everyone should follow.
Here is a list of the things you never want to be guilty of doing.
The Don'ts of Campground Etiquette The number one complaint I get as a campground manager is about loud noise.
Don't run generators or play music after 10 p.
m.
or whenever the campground's quiet hours are.
If you arrive late, be courteous when setting up your tent.
If you have a large group, keep the late night chatter down.
Diesel trucks and motorcycles can be very loud.
If you have one, make an effort to keep it quiet and turn it off instead of letting it idle.
Never honk your horn just to say hello to someone.
Campgrounds are supposed to be quiet, remember? The second most common source of complaints is dogs.
I'm a dog owner myself, and, like most people, I enjoy the companionship of my pet.
If you want to take your dog camping, be sure that it is properly trained and ready for a new, and sometimes, scary experience.
Don't let your dog bark all night.
Don't let him run free through the campground.
Pick up after your pets; nobody wants to step in dog doo or have to clean it from their campsite.
You may believe your dog is friendly and would never hurt anyone, but dogs can be dangerous, so if Rover isn't well-behaved, leave him at home so nobody gets hurt.
Keep an eye on yourkids.
Don't let them run freely through the campground, becoming nuisances to everyone else.
They are your children and you love them, but not everyone knows them like you do.
Recently, a family staying in one of our campgrounds, let their child wander freely into others' camps.
Luckily there was no stranger danger, but their ever-present guest annoyed several families.
Remember the golden rule; if you came to be with your family, it's likely others want to be with theirs.
No trespassing! Stay out of other people's campsites.
It may be a convenient shortcut to get to a trail, beach, bath house, or playground, but stay out.
Don't let your kids wander through campsites.
Don't shine your flashlight into tents or campers.
Don't use your neighbor's space for storing firewood or parking your bicycles.
Things You Should Do to be Courteous Keep your campsite clean.
Sometimes the wind can blow litter or lawn chairs or kids' toys all over the place.
Be sure to pick up after yourself.
Take time to remove all the junk from your fire pit, even if you weren't the one who put it there.
When you leave your campsite, do a final litter patrol and rake out the area if it needs it.
The next campers will appreciate your efforts.
Be mindful of others when you use public restrooms and showers.
Keep them clean and don't use all the hot water.
If there aren't individual showers, be modest.
You may be comfortable walking around in your birthday suit, but it could have a bit of a creep factor and make others uneasy.
Have a safety talk with your children before you leave home.
Teach them about courtesy, stranger danger, wild animals, and campfire safety.
Always tend yourcampfire.
Whenever it is burning, a responsible adult must remain nearby to keep an eye on it.
If at all possible, keep ten gallons of water and a shovel nearby just in case a spark pops out onto the ground.
Most tents are made of nylon, a material that can easily burn, so keep them well away from the fire.
Be sure to put your fire out completely so it isn't smoldering when you leave.
To be a good neighbor, if the wind is blowing all of your smoke into the next campsite, go ahead and put it out.
Everyone Goes Home Happy These suggestions seem simple enough, but if you've ever been to a crowded campground, you've seen somebody who ignores them.
It only takes one person to spoil the long-awaited weekend trip of dozens of others.
One final thing you can do to make sure you have an enjoyable experience is to be patient with those who, like the Griswolds, don't quite know how to do it right.
It was funny to watch cousin Eddie use a storm drain as a dump station for his motor home, but it's not quite as amusing when real people are so inconsiderate at real campgrounds.
Everyone Came to Have a Good Time Most people have busy lives and often work stressful jobs, so they go camping as a means of relaxing and getting away from the rigors of everyday life.
They find solace when they pitch a tent beneath the cooling shade of a tree, warm themselves beside a crackling campfire, and sleep under a blanket of glimmering stars.
Perhaps most important of all, camping provides family time.
At the campground there is no work for mom and dad to rush off.
Kids aren't scampering away to school, sports, band practice, or to the mall with friends.
There are no household chores, no television, no internet, no neighbors, and no bills to pay.
You get to spend quality time with the people you care about most.
Sounds perfect, doesn't it? It can be if you have the right attitude, but there is one thing that can throw cold water on your perfect weekend getaway-thoughtless campers.
We've all seen the people who cut in lines at the store or talk on their cell phones in movie theaters and, unfortunately, these people bring their brand of discourtesy to campgrounds as well.
How to Avoid Being That Person There are rules of campground manners that everyone should follow.
Here is a list of the things you never want to be guilty of doing.
The Don'ts of Campground Etiquette The number one complaint I get as a campground manager is about loud noise.
Don't run generators or play music after 10 p.
m.
or whenever the campground's quiet hours are.
If you arrive late, be courteous when setting up your tent.
If you have a large group, keep the late night chatter down.
Diesel trucks and motorcycles can be very loud.
If you have one, make an effort to keep it quiet and turn it off instead of letting it idle.
Never honk your horn just to say hello to someone.
Campgrounds are supposed to be quiet, remember? The second most common source of complaints is dogs.
I'm a dog owner myself, and, like most people, I enjoy the companionship of my pet.
If you want to take your dog camping, be sure that it is properly trained and ready for a new, and sometimes, scary experience.
Don't let your dog bark all night.
Don't let him run free through the campground.
Pick up after your pets; nobody wants to step in dog doo or have to clean it from their campsite.
You may believe your dog is friendly and would never hurt anyone, but dogs can be dangerous, so if Rover isn't well-behaved, leave him at home so nobody gets hurt.
Keep an eye on yourkids.
Don't let them run freely through the campground, becoming nuisances to everyone else.
They are your children and you love them, but not everyone knows them like you do.
Recently, a family staying in one of our campgrounds, let their child wander freely into others' camps.
Luckily there was no stranger danger, but their ever-present guest annoyed several families.
Remember the golden rule; if you came to be with your family, it's likely others want to be with theirs.
No trespassing! Stay out of other people's campsites.
It may be a convenient shortcut to get to a trail, beach, bath house, or playground, but stay out.
Don't let your kids wander through campsites.
Don't shine your flashlight into tents or campers.
Don't use your neighbor's space for storing firewood or parking your bicycles.
Things You Should Do to be Courteous Keep your campsite clean.
Sometimes the wind can blow litter or lawn chairs or kids' toys all over the place.
Be sure to pick up after yourself.
Take time to remove all the junk from your fire pit, even if you weren't the one who put it there.
When you leave your campsite, do a final litter patrol and rake out the area if it needs it.
The next campers will appreciate your efforts.
Be mindful of others when you use public restrooms and showers.
Keep them clean and don't use all the hot water.
If there aren't individual showers, be modest.
You may be comfortable walking around in your birthday suit, but it could have a bit of a creep factor and make others uneasy.
Have a safety talk with your children before you leave home.
Teach them about courtesy, stranger danger, wild animals, and campfire safety.
Always tend yourcampfire.
Whenever it is burning, a responsible adult must remain nearby to keep an eye on it.
If at all possible, keep ten gallons of water and a shovel nearby just in case a spark pops out onto the ground.
Most tents are made of nylon, a material that can easily burn, so keep them well away from the fire.
Be sure to put your fire out completely so it isn't smoldering when you leave.
To be a good neighbor, if the wind is blowing all of your smoke into the next campsite, go ahead and put it out.
Everyone Goes Home Happy These suggestions seem simple enough, but if you've ever been to a crowded campground, you've seen somebody who ignores them.
It only takes one person to spoil the long-awaited weekend trip of dozens of others.
One final thing you can do to make sure you have an enjoyable experience is to be patient with those who, like the Griswolds, don't quite know how to do it right.
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