RV parks everywhere have different requirements, and some are more finicky than others. From the totally chill to the downright snobby, there is a lot of variation in what you may come across on your
Below, I’ve listed some of the most common reasons I have personally read or discussed with other school bus conversion owners when searching for RV campgrounds.
Much of this information is available on RV campground websites, in the “Rules and Regulations” section; however, I often recommend calling a campground in advance because websites can contain outdated information.
Our Skoolie Journey and Staying in RV Campgrounds
We built our school bus conversion out over 8 months during the pandemic, then hit the road full-time with our family of five. We traveled for 6 months along the East Coast, visiting 12 states along the way.
>> Read why we decided to build a skoolie here <<
During our adventure, we stayed in RV campgrounds in several states, and had positive experiences in all of them, despite the RV park horror stories you hear directed towards the
What are some reasons why skoolies aren’t allowed in RV Parks?
While the list as to why skoolies or school bus conversions may not be allowed in RV campgrounds could be endless, I’ve put together a list of the most common reasons why skoolies are denied entry to stay at an RV park.
Not a Self-Contained RV
Everyone poops. If your skoolie doesn’t have showers and plumbing for waste disposal, a campground may have concerns about how you dispose of your waste or may not have the infrastructure in place with public bathhouses (bathrooms, showers) for you to use during your stay.
Length
If you have a huge rig, like over 29 feet, then you may have difficulty finding campgrounds that can accommodate your size even if they accept alternative RVs.
For example, national parks don’t care if you drive a
Fire Hazard
The DIY nature of a school bus conversion is admittedly a concern for RV park owners and certainly a common fear of newbie
If you are building your rig yourself, I recommend spending a little extra money to have a professional electrician inspect your entire system and draft a certificate of inspection stating that it’s in working order.
Age
If your rig is over 10 years old, then some campgrounds may cite age as a reason to deny you. In those cases, it may be helpful to show a vehicle inspection showing that your rig is in tip-top shape.
Snobbery
Some campgrounds are downright snobby and won’t let you in if you don’t fit into the rest of the community. In those cases, just move along because you probably don’t want to stay there anyway.
Pet Restrictions
Traveling with pets is very common in the RV community; however, if you’re traveling with an uncommon housepet like a pot-bellied pig, then a campground may take issue with allowing farm animals on their property!
More commonly, for more traditional pets like dogs, you may find there are breed restrictions, weight or size restrictions, and vaccination requirements that could affect your pet’s ability to camp in the park.
Bad Paint Job
This is definitely a case of judging a book by its cover, but that is how the cookie crumbles sometimes. This point is closely related to the snobbery point above; however, it is a commonly cited cause I see in forums and Facebook groups as to why a
Membership Only Resorts
Some RV resorts offer memberships, meaning that it’s members pay fees to be apart of the community. This can result in situations like paid members having more pull in who camps in the resort, being given priority camp sites and first availability, or it affects the length of time non-members can camp.
Why Skoolies Aren’t Allowed in RV Parks FAQs
What can I do if an RV park won’t let my skoolie stay at the campground?
The best answer is to leave and find other accommodation. Unfortunately, a business can refuse service for a number of reasons, even if that reason is simply that you are driving a skoolie.
Fortunately, there are far more campgrounds out there that do accept school bus conversions and other alternative recreational vehicles, and being turned away is less common than you may think (though it doesn’t feel great when it happens to you!). Check out this list of skoolie-friendly campgrounds in North America.
Can I camp at an RV park with my dog?
Probably. Nearly all campgrounds allow dogs, but they may have breed restrictions, weight restrictions, or vaccination requirements (like an updated rabies vaccination).
The resorts aren’t checking what’s inside your vehicle; however, if you’re carrying a barnyard animal that needs walks and may surprise the neighbors, expect to have some questions.
It is common within the RV community to travel with pets, especially dogs. Dogs provide their owner with security, and support, and act as a deterrent against burglars.
How do I know if my Skoolie Will Be Allowed to Park at an RV Park?
The best way to know if your skoolie will be allowed to camp at an RV park is to review the “rules and regulations” on their company website to first see if there are any glaringly obvious disclaimers against “alternative vehicles.”
In addition to this, you can check the skoolie-friendly RV campgrounds directory to see if your desired RV park is listed!
Next, you’re going to pick up the phone and call the camp office to chat one-on-one with the office manager. I have often found that what is stated on a website and what is allowed may differ, so speaking with a real person will save you hours of headaches. You can also offer to text or email a photo of your rig and any supporting documents to help, if additional support is needed.
Can I park my Skoolie at a National Park?
Yes, the National Parks in the United States don’t care if you drive a skoolie. The national parks have length restrictions, so you may not be eligible to park if your bus exceeds the requirements.
Unfortunately, length restrictions are one of the most common reasons why skoolies aren’t allowed in RV parks.
Are There Free, Skoolie -Friendly RV Campgrounds?
Yes. Some of our best memories in our skoolie were spent at free campgrounds or staying with friends and family. One of the easiest ways to find free campgrounds that are
The best part of these free,
For overnight stays, most rigs are welcome at commercial warehouse spaces like Wal-Mart, Love’s Gas Stations, and Home Depot.
Discover the difference between Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome, and decide which program is right for you. Personally, we used both!
Did the Reasons Why Skoolies Aren’t Allowed in RV Parks Surprise You?
Having been a part of the
As mentioned, we had an overwhelmingly positive experience when we stayed in RV parks in our
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I’m pretty surprised by some of these – Campgrounds are where I expect things to be inclusive! It’s pretty sad if they don’t let you stay because of paint job, or because your RV/skoolie is too new. Madness!
We often avoid RV parks because we normally park in tents (RV parks tend to have less privacy than provincial campgrounds here, as everyone can pop into their RV!) so I didn’t know they could be so snobby.
Yeah, we were surprised too. Personally, our experiences at RV parks were always positive and they accepted us (with the exception of national parks because we’re too long in most cases). Some other drivers really have some horror stories. Fortunately, I’ve got a directory in the works of skoolie-friendly campgrounds, which is a good resource to have to avoid situations like this.
Interesting. I had never heard of a “skoolie” before until reading this post, despite being a camper myself. I can’t believe that skoolies would be not allowed due to snobbery. Ridiculous….it’s camping lol.
It sounds strange to me to have different rules for every type of vehicle. In my opinion, if it is allowed to participate in traffic it should be the same rules for all vehicles. I wish you all the best in your travels and have lots of skoolie-friendly campgrounds!
I must admit I had to read to find out what a “skoolie” was. And then to see why it was considered so different than other RVs. But after reading this post I do understand some of the reasons why they might be handled differently in some RV parks. A directory of skoolie-friendly RV parks is a great idea.
I never would have thought this, but some of your points make sense (the bathroom one). I would’ve thought with the massive up tick in these the past few years that campgrounds would want the business. I’m sad to see the judgement about the paint though, camping has always been an inclusive and safe place and that bothers me. But I’m glad you’re making a directory in the works so skoolies can find safe places to go!
The reasons why skoolies aren’t allowed definitely shocked me. Helpful and informative post!
This is useful to know, thanks.
I wasn’t familiar with the term “skoolie” so I had to read just to find out what it was!
Interesting read. I had no idea.
I hadn’t heard of skoolies before, but it’s good to hear that there are more campground that allow them than reject them 🙂 Thanks for sharing all of your experience!
It’s quite interesting about the snobbery aspect. I would have thought that RVing is a lower budget way to spend a long time on the road for holiday, sightseeing, or lifestyle. Pulling the “my camper is better than yours” card just seems elitist and , like you said, snobby.
This is something new for me! It’s interesting. It’s just sad for me that skoolies are not allowed in some campgrounds.