Six Steps to Starting a Successful Campground (Plus Three Creative Ways to use Park Model Cabins)
If you love nature and have a talent for hospitality, there's a profession that might suit you to a T: starting a campground!
Maybe you’ve even thought about this idea before.
At the same time, you may feel apprehensive as a thousand questions flood your brain. How would you get started? How much work would it take? How would you make it profitable?
At Lancaster Log Cabins, we specialize in log park model cabins that provide a unique and cozy lodging experience for campers, and we’re deeply invested in the success of campgrounds!
That’s why Lancaster Log Cabins wrote this article laying out the six steps to starting a prosperous campground with beautiful campsites and cabins
Table of Contents
Step 1: Deciding to Start a Campground
Starting a campground can be exciting and rewarding, but let’s be clear: it’s a lot of work.
That’s not to say it isn’t profitable. In our modern world, people spend most of the day inside working on their computers, and they crave a chance to get out in nature and go camping. Also, during the Covid-19 pandemic, many people who’d never been camping gave it a try just to get out of the house and do something safely.
The result? Camping has exploded in popularity over the last few years.
But while a successful campground can earn a lot and give you a sense of meaning and accomplishment, getting it off the ground can be challenging. You’ll face multiple obstacles, including:
- The high cost of land
- The time and money spent on developing the land
- The money, time, and headaches required to get the proper permits
But if you love nature, connecting with people, and providing meaningful outdoor experiences, your passion will help you overcome these obstacles.
Is it worth it? Are you ready to take the plunge and start a campground?
If so, let’s get started!
Step 2: Research and Planning
A campground requires a significant initial investment. Because of this, it’s essential to start the process by conducting thorough research and creating a solid business plan.
Although your passion can push you through the difficult moments, your ultimate success will depend on how well you plan ahead of time.
As you craft your business plan, here are three areas to research thoroughly:
Research the local market and competition
Think of some areas where you might want to start a campground. What camping opportunities already exist in those areas? What is doing well? What isn’t doing so well?
Then ask yourself: why would people want to come to my campground instead of the ones that are already here?
Maybe you will be closer to local attractions than the other campgrounds or offer better prices.
Maybe you’ll take what’s already doing well and do it even better.
On the other hand, maybe you’ll fill a gap in the market. Perhaps the area only offers rustic camping experiences, but you’ll be the campground that provides glamping options and good wifi.
Whatever direction you go, researching the local market and competition will help you develop a unique selling proposition and attract campers to your site.
Understand the regulatory requirements for starting a campground
Regulations. Building codes. Zoning laws. Fees. Safety requirements.
As much as you may dream of buying a remote piece of land and letting your imagination run wild as you develop it into the campground of your dreams, it’s not that simple. Depending on where you build, you may have to deal with a lot of red tape.
Thoroughly research the local laws where you’re considering a campground. Every area has different laws you’ll need to comply with to avoid legal issues down the road.
Determine the financial feasibility of the project
Finally, your business plan will help determine if your dream campground is financially feasible.
First, estimate the cost of buying the land, getting the necessary permits, developing the land, building the infrastructure (such as restrooms, showers, and park model cabins), and purchasing equipment.
Remember: big projects like this tend to go over budget as you encounter issues you didn’t foresee. Adding 30% to your estimated development and building costs is a good rule of thumb.
Equipment rentals such as boats, kayaks, fishing gear, or bicycles.
- Event hosting, such as weddings or family reunions
- Coin-operated washing machines and dryers
- Vending machines
- Snack shops or dining options
- Selling firewood
- Organized activities such as guided hikes, fishing trips, or outdoor movie nights
Then, assess the potential revenue streams. Your research on the local market and competition will help you estimate how full you can expect your campground to be throughout the year, but remember that it may take a while for a new campground to get there.
Besides tent, RV, and cabin camping spots, here are some other revenue streams you may consider:
Here are some additional resources as you work on a business plan for your campground:
- How to write a 5-star business plan for your campsite: blog post by The Business Plan Shop
- How to write an RV PARK Business Plan: YouTube video by Paul Borosky, MBA
- Campground Business Plan Template: template from growthink
Step 3: Site Selection
The most crucial step to a prosperous campground is choosing the right location! Visitors want a campground with gorgeous scenery, but they also want a place that’s simple to find, far enough from civilization to evoke the feeling of “getting away from it all,” but close enough to get necessary supplies or medical help if needed.
Here are some things to consider as you select a site for your future campground:
- Accessibility: The site must be easily accessible by car and ideally located near major highways or tourist routes. Roads should be well-maintained and not so narrow and steep that campers can’t maneuver their RVs.
- Zoning restrictions: As we said before, research your local zoning laws before committing to a site! Zoning restrictions may limit what you can offer at a location.
- Proximity to other attractions: Most people won’t drive into the boondocks just to go to your campground. For best results, buy a campground near other attractions such as a popular body of water, a popular hiking area, a historical landmark, or an annual event such as a festival.
- Natural beauty: Finally but most importantly, your campground must be in a gorgeous location! No one camps because they like sleeping on the ground. They want to see trees, waterfalls, and rivers, so they can breathe deeply and let the beauty of nature wash over them.
Step 4: Site Development
Now that you’ve created a business plan and selected your site, it’s time to develop it into an inviting, restful oasis.
Decide on the types of facilities you’ll offer
One way to attract diverse visitors is to offer multiple types of campsites at various price points. Besides tent sites and RV sites, consider offering:
Get creative, and cater to your ideal client!
Plan the infrastructure
Map out where you’ll put the campsites, bathrooms, fire pits, and picnic areas. Choose a layout that maximizes privacy for campers while making it easy for them to get from their car to their campsite.
Bathrooms should be easily accessible so campers aren’t getting lost in the dark. Finally, your whole campground should be simple to navigate with clear signage.
Choose what amenities to offer
Your amenities will differ depending on what type of experience you’re hoping to offer.
For instance, some people go camping to get away from modern technology. However, many campers today want a place that offers wifi. If you’re trying to attract long-term guests who will stay at your campground for weeks or months, wifi is a must since most of those guests work remotely.
Most campgrounds offer some sort of bathroom facilities. However, if you’re trying to attract a clientele not used to rustic life or catering to people who live in their RVs, consider adding showers and laundry facilities.
Figure out what sort of clientele you want to attract, consider what they want, and then plan your amenities accordingly.
Consider Accessibility
Your site should be developed with clear signage and well-maintained roads and paths. If people can’t maneuver their RV into your campground, trust me, they won’t return next year!
Also, make sure your campground is accessible to handicapped people, with handicapped-friendly bathrooms and facilities.
Prepare trails and outdoor activities
Remember: people come to your campground to rest in a beautiful natural setting. Keep this in mind as you prepare outdoor activities for them to do. Invest in:
- Developing trails, especially ones that lead to waterfalls and other natural beauty
- Making rivers and lakes accessible by trails, docks, and boats
Overall, as you develop your campground, do a lot of research by talking to campers about what they want. You may end up adjusting things later depending on your campers’ feedback.
Step 5: Marketing and Promotion
So you’ve bought your dream site and developed it into an attractive campground.
Now what?
Unfortunately, you won’t get many customers unless you learn to market and promote your campground effectively. Marketing may feel daunting, but here are some ways to get the word out!
A website
These days, most people looking for a campground will look online. You should have a website for your campground that includes the following:
- Clear information about where you’re located, plus good directions
- Clear information about your prices (including seasonal pricing)
- Easy-to-use online booking
- Contact information
- Information about the amenities you offer
- Information about local activities
- Any campground rules your customers should be aware of
- Good pictures that showcase the natural beauty of your campground
Other online platforms
Make sure you have up-to-date Google Business information and list your campsite on popular booking sites such as:
You can also use social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram to post personal or candid photos, re-post your guest’s photos, and build a more personal, connected experience.
Local tourism organizations
Although most campsite marketing happens online, it’s still useful to do some things the old-fashioned way! Building relationships with local tourism organizations can help promote the campground to visitors. These organizations include chambers of commerce, visitor centers, and tourist bureaus.
Step 6: Operations and Management
Once your campground is up and running and you’ve put the word out, the success of your campground will depend on the day-to-day operations and management. Here are three areas to focus on:
Staff
If you want customers to leave good reviews and keep coming back, invest in hiring and training friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable staff who will calmly deal with customer complaints.
Managing reservations
To make your campground as profitable as possible, you want to be booked as full as possible, but if you don’t want to accidentally overbook! Of course, demand will be higher at some times of the year than others, so consider offering seasonal rates.
Overbookings can happen if you don’t have a good reservation system or if you list your campsite on multiple websites and forget to update one when a campsite is reserved on another. Make sure to invest in a good reservation system. If you’re listing on multiple websites, you can use a channel manager to keep track.
In addition, make sure you have a plan in place for how to deal with an accidental double booking!
Develop a unique brand
Before you even begin your campground journey, you should know who your ideal customer is and what you’ll be offering. But that may shift somewhat after you’re up and running. Make sure to listen to your customers and develop a unique brand that caters to the needs of your customers and offers something no one else does.
Bonus: Three Creative Ways to Use Park Model Cabins
If you’re struggling to brand your campground, we’re here to help!
At Lancaster Log Cabins, we create high-quality park model cabins made of real wood that will take your customers’ experiences to the next level.
But how can you use these cabins to brand your campground?
Let’s look at the options!
Cater to families
Families love to go camping as an affordable vacation, a way to get their children out in nature, and a fun thing to do together.
However, they may feel daunted by the sheer effort of camping: packing everything they need, setting up tents, dealing with cold, wet children, and trying to cook over a fire (especially if it’s raining!).
That’s why putting park model cabins on your campground can help you cater specifically to families.
Our park model cabins sleep six people, and some come with an additional loft that could house another bed. They also contain a bathroom with a shower, a heating and cooling unit, a stove, a microwave, a refrigerator, and a kitchen sink. With these amenities, families can stay warm, comfortable, clean, well-fed, and out of the rain while still experiencing the benefits of camping in the great outdoors.
Glamping
If your campsite is in an area popular with wealthy tourists or a convenient distance from a big city, consider branding your campsite as a glamping destination.
“Glamping,” which combines the words “glamorous” and “camping,” refers to an upscale camping experience full of glamour and comfort. It’s designed to cater to people who have expensive tastes but still want to experience the tranquility of nature.
Park model cabins work well for glamping accommodations because they contain full kitchens and bathrooms, queen-sized beds, and heating and cooling units, making them much more comfortable than tents!
However, you can’t just slap cheap park model cabins on a piece of land and call it “glamping.” Here are some ways to elevate park model cabins to a full glamping experience:
- Make sure your park model cabin is made from high-quality real wood.
- Outfit your cabin with comfortable, high-quality beds and other furniture.
- Invest in bedding and decor. The goal is for each cabin to look both rustic and elegant.
- Stock the fridge and cabinets with delicious drinks and snacks
- Buy a cabin with a large porch, and outfit it with luxury outdoor furniture
- Make sure the rest of your campground is just as luxurious, with beautiful and comfortable communal areas, delicious dining options, and plenty of outdoor activities.
Offer long-term camping options
If local laws allow it, consider branding your campground as friendly to long-term renters.
Many creative people, such as writers and artists, as well as people who work remotely and people who live semi-nomadically, crave a space where they can live in nature for several weeks or months. Especially in the off-season, having consistent renters can offer excellent financial stability.
Although many longer-term renters have RVs, consider adding park-model cabins as an option. Since park model cabins are basically tiny houses complete with kitchens and bathrooms, they’re perfect for long-term renters who don’t have RVs.
If you want to cater to long-term renters, here are some things you should offer at your campsite:
- Laundry facilities
- Wifi
- Full hookups for RVs
- Showers
- Consider adding a store that sells necessities such as toilet paper
Conclusion
No matter how you choose to brand your campsite, here at Lancaster Log Cabins, we’d love to help you out with our range of park model cabins. We have camping cabins for sale that are high-quality, convenient, and cozy.
But don’t take our word for it! Check out our Google reviews and see what our customers say about our products. And if you want a more thorough look at our cabins, check out our project gallery, or watch a walkthrough video of our Sierra cabin.
We’re located in Pennsylvania, but we sell and ship our cabins throughout the contiguous United States. No matter where you open your campground, we’d love to help you!
Call or email us today with any questions, or stop by and tour our cabins yourself.
We can’t wait to hear from you!