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Some travelers love staying with Yogi Bear, twisting and turning down the water slides, and grabbing a photo with Boo Boo or Ranger Smith. Kids may love running around the mini-golf areas and splashing in the swimming pools. Families can enjoy working together as they experience an escape room.
But many travelers want to avoid crowds, save money, and experience more nature. Let’s take a look at the Jellystone RV Park resorts, and you can decide if it’s the place for your next stay.
What Is a Jellystone RV Park?
A Jellystone RV Park is more than a campground. It’s similar to a stay at Great Wolf Lodge. With numerous activities available, you might need a vacation from your vacation.
Your stay will give you access to outdoor attractions like swimming pools, water slides, splash pads, beaches, mini-golf, jump pads, playgrounds, outdoor theaters, and more.
The cast of characters, including Yogi Bear, make birthdays and bedtimes unique while providing great photo ops for the kids. You can find daily activities like ice cream socials, arts and crafts, and special events typically celebrating major holidays. These parks have a resort feel.
Where Are Jellystone RV Parks Located?
You can visit Jellystone RV Parks located all over the United States and Canada, with over 75 locations in North America. However, you’ll find the majority of the resorts located east of the Mississippi.
5 Regrets of Staying at a Jellystone RV Park
Even with all of the amazing activities and entertainment, you may regret staying here. Let’s take a look at five regrets, and then you can consider if a Jellystone RV Park will be your next overnight stay.
1. They’re Expensive
Jellystone RV Parks cost much more than most campgrounds. Most campsites offer full hook-ups, pull-through sites, a private fire ring, and a picnic table. Typically, you’ll get most of these amenities anywhere you stay in a private campground.
An RV site at the Jellystone in Asheboro, North Carolina, will cost anywhere from $60 in the off-season to over $100 on holiday weekends. During September, a weekend at a Jellystone in Sioux Falls, Colorado, will cost you around $65-70 per night. The pricing varies based on location and season.
2. Don’t Like Kids? You Won’t Like Jellystone RV Parks
Kids are everywhere. Jellystone RV Parks entertain children, so if you don’t like kids, you won’t like visiting.
You’ll hear screaming and laughing all day long as kids play in the water and participate in the activities. Don’t come to Jellystone thinking you’ll get a lot of work done. The noise itself may distract you.
Pro Tip: If you’re looking for an RV park that isn’t centered around kids, you need to check out these top 5 luxury RV resorts.
3. Feels Like a Tourist Trap
With add-ons everywhere you turn, you can feel like you took a trip to Disney World. Different activities will have fees, character meet-and-greets will cost extra, and game rooms will drain every quarter you have.
When your children see other kids having fun, they may want to play too. Plus, the extra activities offered may not be included with the expensive reservation fee you already paid.
Keep In Mind: If a Jellystone RV Park sounds magical, you might be interested in how to plan an RV trip to Disney World.
4. So. Many. People!
As mentioned above, don’t go to a Jellystone RV Park and think to get work done. It’s loud and chaotic at times.
If you want a quiet space to read and relax, you’ll be disappointed. These parks aren’t your natural setting campgrounds either. It won’t allow you to feel one with nature.
5. Tight Spaces That Are Sometimes Too Close Together
Depending on which park you visit, you may find the campsites too close together. At this busy campground, you don’t want to feel like you’re on top of your neighbor, too.
Additionally, it can feel crowded at the swimming pool, playground, and basketball court. You may want your campsite to be a space to escape the people and enjoy some solitude. But at some Jellystone RV Parks, you won’t have that privacy.
Don’t Like Private, Themed Campground Resorts? Avoid Jellystone Parks
Not everyone will enjoy a stay at Jellystone RV Parks. If you want a Great Wolf Lodge-type getaway or an experience like Disney World, then you might enjoy staying at a Jellystone. But if you prefer a more relaxed, natural camping experience, avoid these parks.
Drive a little farther or boondock for a night or two instead. We don’t want you to book your stay at a Jellystone RV Park and then regret it the minute you arrive.
Have you stayed at a Jellystone before? Do you have any regrets to add?
