Small campground with tent and RV sites

RV travelers, tent campers, families on vacation and some long-stay guests such as seasonal workers.

Nightly, weekly or monthly site fees, with extra income from firewood, a camp store, laundry or equipment rentals. Busy seasons carry the year.

• Customer service
• Bookkeeping and reservations
• Maintenance of grounds, power and water
• Managing seasonal staff

• Zoning, state campground licensing and health department inspections, which differ by state and county
• Water, septic or dump station and electrical code requirements, which can be the largest cost items
• General liability and property insurance, plus workers' compensation once you hire
• Lodging or occupancy taxes and state sales tax registration for store sales
• Accessibility rules, fire safety and weather risks such as flooding or storms
• Heavy seasonality; plan cash flow for the slow months

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $150,000 to $600,000, assuming you already own or lease suitable land and build roughly 10 to 25 pitches, depending on utilities, a septic or sewer solution and the bathhouse.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on pitch numbers, season and how long guests stay. The business is heavily seasonal, so plan cash flow for the slow months.

Check zoning, state campground licensing and health department inspections, which differ by state and county. Also check water, septic or dump station and electrical code requirements, lodging or occupancy taxes, accessibility rules and fire safety.