The staff of the Good Sam RV Travel Guide and Campground Directory has picked the cream of the crop of RV parks for our list of Top Rated Parks for 2013. The list was pulled from our database of more than 14,000 RV parks, which are listed in the 2013 edition of the print directory and can be found online at GoodSamCamping.com.
The Top Rated Parks list is comprised of RV parks that have each earned a combined Good Sam Rating of 28 points or higher.
The Good Sam Rating System grades campgrounds in three categories: amenities, cleanliness and environment. A park that has scored a perfect 10 in each of our three ratings categories, for example, has a combined score of 30 and appears on the list. A park that has scored a 9 in amenities, 10 in cleanliness and a 7 in environment has a combined score of 26 and won’t appear on our list.
Gauging Park Quality
Parks with high ratings offer a complete experience for RVing guests. For example, the first number of the ratings system evaluates the level of development of RV sites, hookups, recreation, swimming, security, laundry, services, interior roads, registration area and Internet access.
The second number rates the cleanliness and physical characteristics of toilets, walls, showers, sinks/counters/mirrors and floor. If a park achieves a full point in each of the above, it receives a star (*) that indicates exceptionally clean restrooms. Also rated are restrooms’ interior construction, odor, supplies, number of facilities, interior appearance, exterior appearance and location as it relates to park spaces.
The third number appraises the park’s setting and site layout, function and identification of signage, overall exterior building maintenance, noise, trash disposal, litter and debris around the grounds and sites, and appearance of grounds, sites and entrance area.
Who Rates the Parks?
Each campground’s rating is determined by a Good Sam consultant team made up of highly trained RVers who travel thousands of miles each year to personally inspect and rate private RV parks and campgrounds. In all, 40 teams crossed North America in preparation for the 2013 Good RV Travel Guide and Campground Directory, making unannounced visits to the campgrounds and taking a complete tour of each facility to compile their report.
Over the years, the directory’s editors and consultants have used feedback from RVers and individual professionals to hone our ratings system. We believe this evaluation tool accurately gauges a campground’s qualities.
To explore the Top Rated Parks list – click here.
Click here for more information about the 2013 Good Sam RV Travel Guide and Campground Directory. Click here to search for RV parks online.
Glen Price
I'm having a LOT of trouble using this map. The campgrounds aren't popping up any xml/address information when i mouse over them (for example: charlotte, nc). Can you post this as a list somewhere (without the google map)?
Sunny Cordell
really…..what's up with that? Advertising a list and where is it?
Dave Putman
Hey Andre' just go to http://www.goodsam.com
André Boucher
I still have the 2011 Directory RV Parks & Campgrounds and have used it quite often in the past two years to be honest with you I am very satisfied… where can I get the 2013 Directory.
Dave Putman
I agree, you should have the top 10 list and then be able to print the list by state. Most of us already have the directory and you can then use the list to look up the address in the directory.
Jerry L. Norris
Always a different story with Good Sam's – constantly somthing different!
Mary Catherine McDivitt Thorsen
Ditto…
Rudy Aranda
Yea bate and switch.
Lorelei Gobel
GOT AN E-MAIL FROM YOU SAYING YOU HAD A LIST OF THE TOP TEN PARKS AND WHEN I CLICKED ON IT YOU GIVE ME A MAP OF THE WHOLE COUNTRY -THAT'S NICE TO CHECK OUT ALL OF YOUR PARKS RATINGS -BUT I WANTED TO SEE YOUR TOP TEN- NOT HAPPY.