Check-In Shouldn’t Feel Like a DMV Visit
How to create a contactless arrival process that’s smooth, fast, and still feels personal
Intro:
After a long day on the road with kids in the back, tanks to dump, and setup still ahead—nobody wants to stand in line at the campground office.
We get it. You want to welcome guests personally. You want to offer that friendly first impression. But the truth is, most travelers—especially full-timers and weekenders with limited time—just want to get to their site and settle in.
That doesn’t mean losing the human touch. It means rethinking how you deliver it.
Why Your Check-In Process Matters More Than You Think
As full-time RVers, we’ve checked into hundreds of campgrounds. Some have been seamless. Others? Total chaos.
And the difference usually comes down to two things:
- Clarity – Do we know where to go and what to do?
- Convenience – Can we skip the office, the clipboard, and the waiting?
When it works, it sets a great tone for the whole stay. When it doesn’t, you’re already playing catch-up on the guest experience.
What Campers Actually Want from Check-In
Let’s be honest—by the time we arrive, we’re tired. We’ve probably driven 4–8 hours, maybe with kids, maybe with pets, maybe arriving after dark. We don’t want small talk or paperwork.
Here’s what works best:
✅ Clear driving directions sent before we hit the road
✅ A labeled express check-in lane or parking area
✅ A map with our site circled and arrival instructions
✅ Optional welcome visit from a staff member after we’re settled
You can still have face time—but do it when the guest is relaxed and ready, not when they’re just trying to get backed in before dark.
What Check-In Shouldn’t Feel Like
We’ve had check-ins that were way harder than they needed to be:
- Long lines outside the office
- Slow paper forms that could’ve been online
- No instructions for late arrivals
- Golf cart escorts we didn’t ask for, while the kids are excited in the truck
We even had a place once that handed us a paper map with no site marked. We had to search the map for our site and determine the best way to get there ourselves.
That’s not the kind of “first impression” that earns loyalty.
How to Build a Better System (Even Without Fancy Software)
You don’t need a custom app or a guest kiosk to improve check-in. Start with this simple framework:
- Step 1: Ask for cell number and ETA in your online booking
- Step 2: The morning of arrival, auto-send a text with:
- Site number
- Gate/door codes
- A park map (PDF or image)
- Step 3: Optional: Swing by later to say hello
- Bonus: Put signage out front that says “Express Arrivals — Go Straight to Your Site!”
This gives guests the option to skip the office—but still feel like someone’s there if they need anything.
Why This Matters for Your Bottom Line
The smoother the arrival, the faster guests relax—and the more positively they view their stay. A clunky check-in process can overshadow everything else.
We’ve stayed at parks with beautiful sites that we hesitate to return to because the arrival process was so frustrating.
It’s not just about efficiency—it’s about trust. If your check-in is well-organized, we assume the rest of the park will be too.
👋 About Us
We’re Jenn and TJ—a full-time RVing family of five, traveling the country since 2022 and living life one campground at a time.
As the founders of CampSite 360, we specialize in creating interactive virtual tours and detailed maps for RV parks, campgrounds, and glamping destinations across the U.S.
We don’t just work in this industry—we live it. We’ve stayed at hundreds of parks and experienced the good, the bad, and the truly unforgettable.
Our goal with these blogs is simple: to share real feedback from the road and help campground owners build better guest experiences based on what actually matters to the people pulling in.
Thanks for following along—we’re excited to help you make your campground a place guests want to return to. Follow along on our travels on our personal instagram page!