If you enjoy meeting people but don't want to feel as though you are intruding on them, a campground is the ideal place to be. Most RVers and campers, you see, are pretty gregarious. They seem to enjoy meeting new people and making friends.
To meet RVers, we suggest that you take two walks around the campground every day. The first walk should take place after most of the travelers have arrived but well before nightfall. You will be able to look at the various types of rigs that have come in and inspect the ingenious camping gadgets and gear that RVers invariably come up with.
This walk also provides an opportunity to meet new people. Just be sure to observe the body language of the campers who are outside. Some will be sitting way to the rear of their campsite with their backs to the road. Obviously, these folks are not particularly interested in socializing at the moment. Other campers will be sitting under their awning. They’ll be facing the road, hats on the back of their heads. They will have a drink in their hand and their dog will be wagging his tail. These folks are ready! A real giveaway is the guy who is sitting so close to the road he has to pull back his feet every time an RV passes by.
A sure fire conversation starter is “Hello.” Works every time. Follow that with an admiring word about their rig, dog or hat and you have just made a new friend. The most popular questions in a campground are “Where are you from?” “Where are you going?” and “Where have you been?” Ask any one of those questions and you'll be thought of as an interesting person. You are interesting because you appear interested.
The second walk of each day should be taken after dark. RVers have a tendency to leave the blinds of their RVs open for an hour or so after dinner. This gives you the opportunity to see how they have decorated the interior of their rig and to see if they have the good sense to drink your brand of .. ahh.... lemonade. Both of these subjects make excellent conversation starters when you see those folks outside the next day.
Many campgrounds and RV parks create opportunities for their guests to socialize. They conduct campfires with story telling, singing and various forms of entertainment. We’ve also seen quilting bees, exercise classes and craft fairs offered at RV parks and campgrounds.
The campground laundry room is a popular place to meet RVers. If you are waiting for your clothes to wash or dry, you might as well start talking to the others who are also waiting for their clothes to wash or dry. We have gotten some of our best camping and traveling information from people we’ve met in campground laundry rooms. This is an excellent way to find out what’s down the road. There is a fifty-fifty chance that the people you are talking with have just come from the direction you are heading. They can clue you in about road and traffic conditions, campgrounds, tourist attractions and good places to eat.
Speaking of places to eat. Have you noticed how many RV parks and campgrounds are now offering their guests the opportunity to buy their morning or evening meal without the bother of leaving the campground. The eating facility may be as simple as a grouping of picnic tables next to an outdoor grill or as elaborate as a full-blown restaurant right on the grounds. What better place to socialize with fellow campers than over a meal?
Start with “hello.” You will discover that RVers are the friendliest bunch of people you will ever have the pleasure of meeting.
Enjoy The Journey!
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