Park Expansions, New Builds Adding Thousands of Sites

From 2022 to 2024 more than 11,000 new sites for towable and motorized RVs are expected to be built across the country as the campground industry continues to increase in size and scope with both new and expanding parks.

At least 31 new parks are being built in a variety of vacation destinations, from outside the Grand Canyon, Zion and Grand Teton national parks to the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun Country to the Southern California desert, the Texas Gulf Coast and the Florida Keys.

Meanwhile, existing parks in popular locations from the white sand beaches of Alabama to Upstate New York to the Black Hills of South Dakota are expanding, collectively adding thousands of new RV sites and further expanding the number of overnight campsites available for RV owners and other camping enthusiasts across the country.

In addition to the 31 new campgrounds referenced above, Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA), the Billings, Mont.-based franchise network, has another 19 new parks “pending” development in various states across the country, according to Saskia Boogman, KOA’s director of public relations. If all 19 of those parks come to fruition, the number of new parks coming online could jump from 31 to 50, further expanding the campground industry’s footprint across the United States.

At least four KOA campgrounds are expected to open in 2023, including KOAs in Gulfport, Miss.; Panama City Beach, Fla.; Bryan/North College Station, Texas; and at a site near Zion National Park in Utah. Additional KOAs are under construction near Grand Teton National Park, a park that will be branded as the Jackson Hole West / Swan Valley, Idaho, and a campground in McComb, Miss. Last year, KOA opened the Falcon / Colorado Springs KOA.

In terms of new RV sites, KOA added 2,248 RV sites in 2022, including 435 RV sites with patios. KOA also added 359 campsites for either tent campers or rental accommodations, Boogman said.

Based on information WOODALLSCM.com has gathered from the nation’s top park operators and developers in recent weeks, the 31 new parks coming online between 2022 and 2024 include at least 5,422 RV sites and 603 rental units. Meanwhile, the nation’s existing parks are adding at least 3,434 RV sites during the same time period, which boosts the total number of new RV sites to 8,806.

Now add these numbers to KOA’s 2,248 new RV sites and the total number of new RV sites jumps to 11,104. But even this is an undercount because statistics for some of the KOA parks expected to open this year were not included in the numbers released by KOA.

All of these new campsites will complement the estimated 1,520,000 campsites in 12,290 privately owned and operated campgrounds, RV parks and resorts that were already in operation across the U.S. as of 2022, according to a Campground Industry Market Analysis commissioned by the RV Industry Association (RVIA). Even more parks and park expansions are likely to come online in the near future as builders and developers obtain the necessary permits and secure the financing they need for their campground and RV park projects to proceed.

Following are listings of new and expanding parks, based on information WCM has gathered from the nation’s park operators and developers in recent weeks:

New Parks in 2022 and 2023

Alabama

Gulf Shores RV Resort in Gulf Shores: The first 176 RV sites of this park were made available in 2022 along with eight resort cottages. Developed by RVC Outdoor Destinations, the 128-acre park could eventually be expanded to as many as 500 sites.

Red Coach Resort in Toney, north of Huntsville: This park opened just after Easter with 47 sites. But park owners Lee and Joy Brady plan to eventually expand the park to 177 sites at full buildout.

Arizona

River Sands RV Resort in Ehrenberg: This park, which is expected to open early this year, will initially have 265 sites and 10 park model rentals. Amenities will include a swimming pool, hot tub, exercise room and river access. The park is being developed by Plymouth, Minn.-based CRR.

Village Camp Flagstaff in Flagstaff: Roberts Resorts is developing this park, phase one of which will feature 99 RV sites, 23 park model rentals and 26 park models for sale. The property is surrounded on all sides by U.S. Forest Service land with plenty of hiking and ATV trails.

California

Coachella Lakes RV Resort in Coachella: This new 375-acre RV resort with four manmade lakes is scheduled to open in February. Amenities will include two heated swimming pools and hot tubs, pickleball courts, a 24-hour fitness center, a fitness trail, an outdoor exercise circuit and a world-class putting course and a clubhouse, among other amenities. The park has 360 RV sites and 15 park model rentals. The park is being developed by Plymouth, Minn.-based CRR.

Colorado

Salida RV Resort in Salida: This new 158-site park has 1,600 feet of Arkansas River frontage as well as access to skiing, hiking, mountain biking and other outdoor sports within 25 minutes of the property. The park has partnered with Champion Homes to offer fully furnished park model sales in two different floor plans as a vacation cabin option and to help solve the local affordable housing crisis in the local community, according to Scott Foos, of Horizon Outdoor Resorts, which is managing the resort.

Florida

Champions Run RV Resort in Ocala: Sunlight Resorts built this park, which recently opened in 2022 with 387 RV sites. Amenities include a full-service tiki bar, a large swimming pool and hot tub, a full fitness center and pickleball courts.

Roserush Luxury RV Resort in Brooksville: Dale G. Seiden, of Open Air Properties LLC, is developing this park, which is expected to open this fall with 50 premium RV sites and 12 luxury glamping tents that will overlook a small lake and fountain. Nearby activities include golf, hiking, biking, mountain biking, ziplining and ATVing.

Santa Fe Palms RV Resort in Gainesville: This 115-site pet-friendly park opened in 2022. Amenities include a swimming pool, a nature walk, pickleball courts and cornhole. High-speed Wi-Fi is also available throughout the park.

Southern Springs RV Resort in Ocala: This park, developed by Alan Wallace, opened in 2022 with 164 sites.

Sun Outdoors Southern Leisure RV Resort in Chiefland: 2022 was the first full year of operation for this 500-site, 55-and-over park. Amenities include a 7,000-square-foot clubhouse, an outdoor kitchen, an Olympic-size swimming pool and spa, bocce ball, pickleball and shuffleboard courts, as well as a sewing and quilting studio.

Sun Outdoors Islamorada in Islamorada: This new 136-site park, which is expected to open in the spring, will feature 82 RV sites and 54 manufactured home sites. Amenities will include a clubhouse with billiards and a fitness room, a swimming pool, a saltwater pool, a manmade beach, fire pit lounges and approximately 47 boat slips.

The Surf RV Resort in Palmetto: This new 449-site luxury RV resort developed by Zeman Homes opened Dec. 1. Amenities include a resort-style swimming pool and tiki bar; a clubhouse and fitness center, pickleball courts and dog parks. Organized activities and special events will also be scheduled throughout the winter months.

Louisiana

Camp Margaritaville RV Resort Breaux Bridge: This new RV resort outside of Lafayette is expected to open this spring and will feature 91 luxury cabins and 422 upgraded RV sites.

Tiger’s Trail RV Resort in Baton Rouge: Construction is underway on this park. “We hope to be open by July with 220 sites and 10 cabins,” said Tommy Ramelli, a partner who is developing the park, which will also feature a dog park, a swimming pool, a lazy river and a fishing pond. The park will eventually have 28 rental units.

New York

The Wild Camping Resort in Chittenango: The Wild Camping Resort is a $10 million planned project that is being constructed on 117 acres less than a mile from The Wild Animal Park and Drive-Thru Safari. The project includes 200 full hookup RV sites, 50 cabins, a pool with a waterpark, a restaurant and an events center. Construction of the resort includes two phases for full buildout. The first phase began in 2022 with completion planned for the summer of 2023.

Pennsylvania

Margaritaville Resort Village Pocono Mountains in Tobyhanna Township: Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville announced plans to start construction this year on a hotel and RV resort complex that will open sometime in mid-2024. The number of sites at the RV resort has not yet been specified.

Tennessee

Cherokee Outdoor Resort and Marina near Vonore: Groundbreaking is expected to take place this year on Cherokee Outdoor Resort & Marina, a 300-site park, combining RV sites, cabins, and glamping accommodations, mimicking original Cherokee huts. The resort is being developed by Amir Harpaz, of Fort Myers, Fla.-based Harp Development, in collaboration with the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. It is expected to open in 2024. Cherokee Outdoor Resort & Marina will be built around an existing 247-seat restaurant and a 210-slip marina, with additional 128 slips to be added on a scenic 48-acre site bordering Lake Tellico. Lake Tellico is a 16,000-acre lake with 357 miles of shoreline and a reputation as being one of the cleanest lakes in East Tennessee. The resort will be one mile from the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum in Vonore, Tenn., which is roughly 36 miles southwest of Knoxville.

Great Escapes RV Resort Watts Bar Lake in Loudon: This 308-site Jenkins Organization park is under construction with an anticipated opening in late summer. Amenities will include a clubhouse with a store and cafe, a boardwalk and boat docks on Watts Bar lake, individual bath houses, walking trails, a resort-style pool, dog park, pickleball and sports courts, a water park and an open-air music pavilion by the water.

Rockwood Marina & RV Resort in Rockwood: Nestled on the shore of Watts Bar Lake in eastern Tennessee, this resort features 149 RV sites and 200 marina slips. Guests will have access to the marina, including the ability to rent watercraft directly from the property, fuel their boats and fuel themselves at the onsite grill, according to Foos. Opening in June, the property is ideally located as a destination itself with primary feeding markets of Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga, and just an hour from the sights of Pigeon Forge.

Texas

Camp Margaritaville RV Resort in Crystal Beach: This 204-site park originally opened last summer as the Bolivar Beach Club & RV Resor, but subsequently joined the Camp Margaritaville RV Resort network. The park is located on Goat Island, near Galveston, on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Great Escapes RV Resort Bryan College Station in Bryan: This 371-site Jenkins Organization park opened in 2022.

Great Escapes RV Resort in Elgin: This 208-site Jenkins Organization park is under construction with an anticipated opening in May.

The Pines RV and Cabin Resort in Mount Vernon: This 65-site park opened in June. The park features RV sites with concrete pads, picnic areas and asphalt roads. The park also has six fully furnished cabins, according to park owner Jennifer Adcock.

Windmill RV Ranch in Bertram: This 49-site, 55-and-over, extended-stay park opened in 2022. The park features high-speed fiber optic Internet service at each site and an off-leash dog park.

Parks Adding Campsites and Rental Units in 2022 and 2023

Alabama

Chestnut Bay Resort in Leesburg: The Jenkins Organization is adding 70 RV sites and 30 cabins to this park, with the additions expected to be completed this spring.

Coaches Corner RV Park in Tuscaloosa: This park recently added 22 RV sites, which boosts its total site count to 130 sites, according to park owner Benton Chambliss.

Greensport RV Park and Cabins in Ashville: This 112-site park is adding 78 RV sites as part of an expansion project. The park features a general store and marina on Neely Henry Lake.

Lake Osprey RV Resort in Elberta: This park, located just outside of Gulf Shores, recently added 41 for-sale RV sites. Lake Osprey RV Resort offers deeded lots where owners can build beautiful coach homes. Amenities at Lake Osprey include pool and hot tub, pickleball courts, dog parks, putting greens, recreational lakes, onsite laundry, planned events, clubhouse and meeting areas.

River Ridge Retreat in Guntersville in Guntersville: This park added 31 lakefront RV sites along Lake Guntersville.

Sun Outdoors Orange Beach in Orange Beach: This park is adding 355 sites on roughly 50 acres. The expansion is heavily targeted toward snowbirds. Completion is expected in the springtime.

Arizona

Wagon West RV Park in Salome: Two covered wagon rentals were recently added to this 215-site, 55-and-over RV park.  Park amenities include a nine-hole desert golf course, a radio-controlled car track, a large clubhouse, pool tables and darts, a craft room, a woodshop, and a rock room.

California

Jellystone Park in Lodi: This park added 36 new cabin rentals in 2022.

Sam’s Family Spa in Desert Hot Springs: Five furnished park model RVs were added to this park in 2022 and five more are on the way. Attractions at this park include its mineral spas, which are fed by three natural hot mineral springs that are onsite. The spas are not chlorinated and utilize flow-through technology to constantly recycle the water. The park also has a large freshwater, chlorinated swimming pool. Guests also enjoy fishing and feeding the ducks at the park’s large pond. Peacocks and other waterfowl are on the premises.

Colorado

Colorado Springs KOA in Fountain: The Jenkins Organization added 27 RV sites to this park in 2022, boosting the total to 181 sites.

Delaware

Jellystone Park Delaware Beaches in Lincoln: This park is planning to add 14 cabins in 2023 from Great Outdoor Cottages, according to Blue Water Development Corp.

Florida

Breezy Oaks RV Park in Bushnell: All 217 sites in this park have been hard-wired with high-speed Internet service. Park owner Mike Wood is also planning to expand the park with another 181 sites available during the winter of 2023-2024.

The Glades Resort in Moore Haven: This central Florida park is adding 97 sites. The park has its own championship nine-hole golf course, an onsite restaurant and its own freshwater marina along the Caloosahatchee River just 14 miles west of Lake Okeechobee, 11 miles west of the Moore Haven lock and 4.5 miles east of the Ortona lock.

Terra Ceia RV Resort in Palmetto: This Encore/Thousand Trails park is currently working on a development project that includes the addition of 190 new full hookup, 50 amp RV sites. The project also features new amenities, including a clubhouse, swimming pool, bathhouse and pickleball courts. Completion is slated in the first half of 2023.

Thousand Trails Orlando RV Resort in Clermont: This Thousand Trails park completed the development of a new section allowing for more than 165 new RV sites in 2020. In addition, the property completed phase two of the development adding another 90 new full hookups, 50 amp RV sites in 2022. Also completed in the plans were new bathhouses and amenity upgrades.

Torrey Trails RV & Golf Resort in Bowling Green: The first 158 RV sites at this luxury resort were completed in 2020. Another 210 RV sites were added in 2022. “We’re in the process of designing phase three and four which will add additional 361 sites for a total of 729,” said Amir Harpaz, a co-owner and developer of the resort, adding that the additional sites will “probably” be added in 2024. The scenic park was built on the site of an existing golf course, which features mature oak trees. Amenities include a 9 hole golf course; a 65,000-gallon swimming pool; a state-of-the-art fitness center with indoor and outdoor sections; tennis, shuffleboard and pickleball courts; a dog park and a doggie splash pool.

Sunshine Travel RV Resort in Vero Beach: This Encore/Thousand Trails park is finalizing an expansion with 24 new full hookups, 50 amp RV sites to be completed early in 2023. In addition, Sunshine Travel also has a new pickleball court.

Travelers Campground in Alachua: Park owner Mike Wood plans to expand this 158-site park with another 50 to 200 sites. All 158 sites have been hard-wired with high-speed Internet service.

Georgia

Jellystone Park in Bremen: The Jenkins Organization is expanding this park by 100 acres and adding another 250 sites and 71 cabins this year. The park is also being rebranded as Jellystone Park West Georgia.

Illinois

Jellystone Park at Pine Lakes in Pittsfield: Four Points RV Resorts is expanding this park with 40 new premium RV sites and 30 cabins, which will increase this park to 260 sites. The park is about 1.5 hours west of St. Louis.

Massachusetts

Jellystone Park at Cranberry Acres in Carver: This park added 60 sites in 2022. The park is also planning to add new cabins and other amenities, according to Northgate Resorts.

New Hampshire

Jellystone Park Lakes Region in Milton: This campground is being expanded to include a new secluded cabin area with 20 new cabin rentals, according to Northgate Resorts.

New Jersey

Jellystone Park South Jersey in Williamstown: This park is planning to add 18 new cabins in 2023, according to Northgate Resorts.

New York

Dream Lake Campground in Warsaw: This 100-site park, which opens the first weekend in May, added 45 new campsites, boosting its overall site count to 145, according to park owner Patty Jarnot. Half of the new campsites will be available for overnight or short-term rentals, with the rest being available for seasonal camping. Other park improvements include a new bear’s playground, the replacement of another bathhouse and laundry facility, and a new 1 3/4-acre fishing pond.

Jellystone Park in Gardiner: This park added 11 new cabins and two-room bungalows in 2022, according to Northgate Resorts.

Trout Run Camp Resort in Wellsville, N.Y.: This year-round park added six new family cabins for a total of 17 log cabins onsite. The park also developed corporate retreat packages, geared for companies seeking a unique location for their off-site training or team-building activities.

Ohio

Cleveland Sandusky Jellystone Park in Nova: The Jenkins Organization added five cabins to this park in 2022.

Jellystone Park in North Lawrence: This park added 24 cabins in 2022 and plans to add 61 cabins in 2023, according to Northgate Resorts.

Oregon

Honey Bear by the Sea in Gold Beach: This park is adding 42 new large RV sites with 50 amp service this spring, boosting the park from 98 to 140 sites. In the fall the park plans to introduce six to 10 luxury yurts for glamping and for use as additional guest accommodations, according to USA Camping Company. The park has also added a new high-speed WiFi system.

South Dakota

Custer’s Gulch RV Park and Campground in Custer: Park owners Ray and Elaine Zobel added 30 full hookup RV sites and two bathrooms to their 62-site park in 2022.

Heartland RV Park & Cabins in Hermosa: Park owner Alan Hanks added 16 large full-hookup, pull-through sites to this park in 2022, and he was beginning dirt work for another 36 full-hookup, pull-through sites, which he hopes to add in the future.  The park has over 200 sites. Its amenities include a 5,000-square-foot event center, which provides breakfast and evening food service daily from early May until the end of September. The event center is also used for free live musical entertainment four nights a week and for free wine tasting every Thursday night during the summer camping season.

Texas

Great Escapes North Texas in Perrin: The Jenkins Organization added 55 RV sites to this park in 2022.

Lake Conroe RV Resort in Willis: This Encore/Thousand Trails park, which is located a little over an hour north of Houston, has added 32 new full hookups, 50 amp RV sites as well as 53 park model sites, which were completed in December of 2022. Included with this development is a new pavilion for the resort. Sites are set to be powered up in early 2023.

Majestic Pines RV Resort in Willis: This Roberts Resorts park recently opened a 71-lot expansion that features oversized RV sites with covers to protect RVs from the elements. Park amenities include a swimming pool and hot tub and laundry facilities.

Nueces River RV and Cabin Resort in Camp Wood: This park is adding 38 RV sites with 50 amp service this spring, boosting the park from 72 to 122 sites. The new sites will complement the park’s 19 tent sites, 20 cabins and five shelters. The park is also remodeling the front office and general store, upgrading its Wi-Fi and paving the main through the park. A fall expansion will include the addition of six to 10 glamping yurts, safari tents or modern cabins, according to USA Camping Company.

On the Beach RV Park in Port Aransas: This park is adding 25 large RV sites with 50 amp service, bringing the park from 61 to 86 sites. The completion is anticipate for fall of 2023 or spring of 2024. The park also plans to remodel the front office, update the communal meeting area, add a new WiFi system and update the park’s landscaping, according to USA Camping Company.

On the Lake RV and Cabin Resort in Lake Onalaska: This park plans to add 15 new RV sites in the fall of 2023, bringing the total from 114 to 129 sites. The park will also add another 10 glamping yurts or cabins, bringing the park’s total to 20 rental accommodations, according to USA Camping Company.

Rayford Crossing RV Resort in Spring: This park located just outside The Woodlands, north of Houston, just completed a 154-site expansion in November and another 21 sites in December. Amenities at this Roberts Resorts park include a heated pool and hot tub, game room, dog park, two laundry facilities, a fitness center, clubrooms and library. The park’s Wi-Fi system has also been upgraded with top-of-the-line technology provided by Access Parks.

Virginia

Bethpage Camp-Resort in Urbanna: This Encore/Thousand Trails park recently completed a development project that included the addition of more than 250 RV sites and new amenities, including a pool and pool house with a fitness facility and new exercise equipment. Also finished were a new gatehouse and entrance, and upgrades to bathhouses and the management office space.

Endless Caverns in New Market: This park is adding approximately 81 additional campsites. The park is also planning to add 20 rental cabins from Great Outdoor Cottages, according to Blue Water Development Corp.

Luray RV Resort & Campground on Shenandoah River in Luray: This park is expanding from 42 to 370 sites, a net gain of 328 sites, according to Blue Water Development, which is also adding glamping tents and rental cabins. The expansion also includes an enlarged welcome center, a swimming pool and slides, an outdoor theater, an indoor event space and numerous recreational game areas well as improvements to a pavilion, roadways and landscaping.

Source: https://rvbusiness.com/park-expansions-new-builds-adding-thousands-of-sites/