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I’ve been full-timing for years now, and I’ve tried all different lengths of stay along my various routes — from as little as a day to as long as a year. How long I park it in one location certainly while traveling depends on the size of the city and what the region has to offer in the way of diversions. A week in a small town is just fine — but for most major metropolitan areas, one or two months is my standard. Less time in Dubuque, more time in New York!

The Joy Of Parking It

With eight weeks at your fingertips, you’re not just a tourist trying to cram in all the “sights” before you leave. You can become familiar with the neighborhoods, discover your favorite restaurants, check out some local music, hit the monthly art walk, and find those hidden fun spots that only the natives know about.

Plus, a longer stay puts less pressure on friends you might be visiting in the area. When you “vacation” for just a few days, your hosts feel compelled to fill every second with entertainment so they know that you’ve enjoyed your stay — but when you’re their neighbor for a while, you can plan your social activities more casually. You get together for dinner after work or take a day trip on a weekend — you can be
around for birthdays and anniversaries and holidays. There’s plenty of time for all your friends (even if you’ve got a pile of peeps to see in one town). And it’s a much more reciprocal experience — you can occasionally invite everyone over to grill out or play card games or just hang at your place. I believe at that point, you can legitimately call the place “home.”

Saving A Little Cash

Another good reason to extend your stay is that you will almost certainly get a better rate on your RV park stay if you round it up to a full month. Even with camping club discounts, paying for your nights in onesies and twosies adds up very quickly. The drop in price is exponential — you might pay $65 a night, $300 for a week, but only $500 for the entire month. (Where’s the math in that?) Even if you’re only staying two weeks, say “one month” and you’ll still get the better rate!

Just remember that some RV parks consider a “month” to be from the 1st to the 31st — not the 15th of June to the 15th of July. And if you find a place that you love and want to stay longer, see if you can secure an even deeper discount — my philosophy
is “it never hurts to ask!”

When You’re An In-Betweener

One word of warning — some of the older, less flexible RV parks have a hard time dealing with the couple-of-month stay. It’s crazy, but it’s true. Every once in a while, we run across a park that will happily accommodate you for either a week or a year — but they freak out when you suggest two or three months. It’s like you’re saying “two dollars” and running a switchblade comb through your hair. (Is that too obscure an 80s movie reference for most RVers?)

The reason for this often has to do with a misinterpretation of tenancy laws — a fear on the part of the owners that if you stay for more than a month, you’ll become a squatter and they will never get you out. So they want to classify you as either an “overnighter” who gets full hookups for a couple of days — or a permanent tenant with the utilities in your name (not practical for a traveling full-timer).

If you do want to stay for an extended period and bump up against this problem, offer to fill out a full tenancy application (complete with credit check and references) and to sign a contract that guarantees your stay will be less than six months — it might work. But that’s also why it’s best to get a reservation — to know in advance whether the park can accommodate your request.