s on
wooden platforms at a scout camp beach in
Finland The term 'camp' comes from the
Latin word
campus, meaning "field". Therefore, a campground typically consists of open areas where a camper can pitch a
tent or park a
camper. More specifically, a campsite is a designated area set aside for camping, often requiring a user fee. Campsites typically feature a few (but sometimes no) improvements. Dedicated campsites, known as
campgrounds, usually have some amenities. Common amenities include, listed roughly in order from most to least common: •
Fireplaces or
fire pits in which to build
campfires (this can be a circle of rocks, a metal enclosure, a metal grate, a concrete spot, or even just a hole). •
Road access for
vehicles • A gravel or concrete pad on which to park a vehicle •
Picnic tables • Marked spaces indicating a boundary for one camper or a group of campers • Reservations to ensure there will be available space to camp • Utility hookups, such as electricity, water, and
sewer, primarily for the use of
travel trailers,
recreational vehicles, or similar •
Raised platforms on which to set up
tents •
Piped potable water Campgrounds may include further amenities: • Pit toilets (
outhouses) •
Flush toilets and
showers • Sinks and mirrors in the bathrooms • A small
convenience store • Shower facilities (with or without hot water) • Wood for free or for sale for use in cooking or for a
campfire • Garbage cans or large rubbish bins in which to place refuse Camping outside a designated campsite may be forbidden by law. It is thought to be a nuisance, harmful to the environment, and is often associated with
vagrancy. However some countries have specific laws and/or regulations allowing camping on public lands (see
Freedom to roam). In the United States, many
national and
state parks have dedicated campsites and sometimes also allow impromptu backcountry camping by visitors. U.S.
National Forests often have established campsites, but generally allow camping anywhere, except within a certain distance of water sources or developed areas. Camping may also be prohibited in certain ‘special areas’ of national forests containing unusual landforms or vegetation. And if conditions allow campfires, a campfire permit is required for campfires outside of developed campsites. In Britain, it is more commonly known as
wild camping, and is mostly illegal. However, Scotland has a relaxed view and wild camping is legal in most of Scotland. In many parts of Canada, "roughing it" or "dormir a la belle etoile" (French) is considered to be wilderness camping on government owned, public land known as
crown land and commonly called "the bush". There are no amenities of any kind and typically no development except for possibly logging roads or ATV trails, and few rules beyond the requirement in some provinces to move the site at least 100 metres every 21 days.
RV parks/caravan parks In North America many campgrounds have facilities for
Recreational Vehicles and are also known as RV parks. Similar facilities in the UK are known as
Caravan Parks. The
Kampgrounds of America (KOA) is a large chain of commercial campgrounds located throughout the United States and Canada. Both commercial and governmental campgrounds typically charge a nominal fee for the privilege of camping there, to cover expenses, and in the case of an independent campground, to make a profit. However, there are some in North America that do not charge a use fee and rely on sources such as donations and tax dollars. Staying the night in a
big-box store parking lot is also common (called "
boondocking"), and some retailers welcome RVs to their parking lots.
Trailer parks Frequently confused with campsites, campgrounds and RV parks,
trailer parks are made up of long term or semi-permanent residents occupying mobile homes, park trailers or RVs.
Holiday park , in
South Devon, England The holiday park is a United Kingdom version of the North American trailer park. Created to allow coastal resorts to enable temporary and high-income accommodation to be easily created, under
UK planning laws, no residents are permanent, and the park must be wholly shut to all for at least two months each year. All of the
mobile homes are either available for rent from the land owner, or pitches are leased on a long-term basis from the land owner and the lease's own mobile home placed on the pitch. Permanent sites owners lease includes the provision by the land owner of water, sewerage and general site and grounds maintenance. Some holiday parks includes a small campsite for those touring the area, where they can pay to pitch tents or site touring caravans and motorhomes. Touring campsites have full access to the Holiday parks facilities, including
clothes washing and showering. Most holiday parks include a central entertainments block, which can include a shop, restaurants, and a multi-purpose theatre used for both stage and activity-based entertainment.
Types of holiday park accommodation in the UK ;Caravan Holiday Homes Holiday parks vary in size and type, as do the kinds of accommodation available within them. Caravans are a popular choice with holiday makers, and modern varieties come complete with features like double glazing and central heating, cookers, fridges, showers, hot/cold water supplies, electricity and gas mains input. A standard caravan is a single unit, built to a maximum of 14 feet wide. Other types of mobile home include Lodges and Park Homes which are more expensive than caravans and offer more luxurious features. Higher end Lodges can be built using some of the same methods as traditional bricks and mortar buildings and include familiar materials like plasterboard and tongue and groove walls for an end result that's very similar to a standard house. A standard lodge uses similar materials as a standard caravan such as wood, gypsum board and plywood where the main difference being the extra width. Lodges and Parkhomes can come in sizes up to 22 feet wide and 45 feet long, making them a popular choice with big families and large groups. Holiday homes can be rented on an ad-hoc basis or purchased – caravans can be purchased from around £30,000 while park homes and lodges can cost between £100,000 and £500,000. Once purchased, holiday homes have various ongoing costs including insurance, site fees, local authority rates, utility charges, winterisation and depreciation. Depending on the holiday home and the park these costs can range from £1,000 to £40,000 per year.
Certificated and Certified Locations Certificated and Certified Locations are smaller privately owned caravan sites which have to be approved by the UK based Camping and Caravanning Club, The Caravan Club, and other organisations). These campsites are normally reserved exclusively for Club members. These smaller campsites are allowed to operate under The Public Health Act 1936 and The Caravan and Control of Development Act 1960. ==Backcountry camping==