New to owning mixed use campground, STR cabins, and lodge

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New to owning mixed use campground, STR cabins, and lodge

Steve Bell
Member since 2022 · 23 posts · 25 votes

Hi BiggerPockets community!

Looking for some advice or trying to find someone who owns and operates a campground. Looking to purchase one soon. It has campsites for tents and RVs, cabins for STR rentals as well as two lodges that can be rented out. Seeking to connect with someone who owns and operates something similar. I own and operate 3 STRs. Been running them for a little over 3 years and I still enjoy it. Looking to use campground to offset W2 income. Would love to chat with anyone in this space about their experience. I love learning from others and am happy to reciprocate in anyway another investor may need.
Thanks in advance!

Steve

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John UnderwoodPro Member
Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
3mo

You’ll likely have to pay cash or ask for owner financing since banks don't typically lend on campgrounds.

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  • John UnderwoodPro Member
    Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    3mo

    You’ll likely have to pay cash or ask for owner financing since banks don't typically lend on campgrounds.

    3Reply
  • Mike GrudzienPro Member
    Lender · Eugene, OR · Member since 2019 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    3mo

    Running a campground, lodges, RV park, etc. is quite a step up from 3 STRs.  Would the former owner remain in a consulting position for a few months?

    1Reply
  • Mike Shemp
    Rental Property Investor · Stewartsville, NJ · Member since 2016 · 419 posts · 280 votes
    3mo

    I know Bigger Pockets has a book by Heather Blankenship about investing in campgrounds.  She also has some good YouTube content on it as well.

    Hope that helps.

    Mike

    1Reply
  • Michael BaumPro Member
    Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    3mo

    Hey @Steve Bell, sounds like a fun project. I would love to see some pics and info on it.

    Like @John Underwood said, you will have to come up with some kind of financing. SBA loan seems like it would be a good way to go. 

    This seems like it would be more of a full time gig so are you planning to running it? Does it have a store or a restaurant? Did you get the financials already?

    1Reply
  • Steve Bell
    OP
    Member since 2022 · 23 posts · 25 votes
    3mo

    This campground is on the smaller side. 25 campsites, all electric. 5 small cabins in need of rehab. The lodges are currently being used as long term rentals. It is in the same market we run our STRs. We are planning to hire on site management. But we frequent the area, so we would be very well connected. Thanks for the book suggestion Mike Shemp. We are looking at getting an SBA loan to fund this project, but most of the camp is in need or remodeling and making amenities more modern for sure. The infrastructure is there, just needs more love. There is no camp store or restaurant on site. We have financials from last 11 years, and the owners have been very helpful. Not sure if they would be up for mentoring, but we know we could use it.

    Any other advice would be greatly beneficial.

    Thanks!

    Steve

    2Reply
  • Andrew SteffensBusiness Member
    Tampa, FL · Member since 2022 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    3mo

    Is @Garrett Brown still around?

    [email protected]813-563-0877
    Vacation Rentals of Florida53 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    0Reply
    • Garrett BrownPro Member
      Rental Property Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2024 · 516 posts · 553 votes
      3mo
      Quote from @Andrew Steffens:

      Is @Garrett Brown still around?

       For sure! Not in here as much now that I'm writing the main BiggerPockets newsletter 3x a week but I lurk occasionally lol

      Hey @Steve Bell ! This is exactly what I do. Happy to chat in my DMs here anytime or contact me at the email below. 

      [email protected]
      BiggerPockets
      1Reply
  • Jake Wheeler
    Real Estate Consultant · Ventura, CA · Member since 2026 · 3 posts · 0 votes
    1mo
    0Reply
  • Matthew Tregoning
    Property Manager · Melbourne, FL · Member since 2019 · 373 posts · 157 votes
    4h

    I would model this as several operations sharing one piece of infrastructure. Before closing, map the capacity and condition of electric, water, septic, roads and Wi-Fi; then document how reservations, site assignments, cabin turns and after-hours calls are handled. Shadowing one busy arrival day with the seller and proposed on-site manager could expose bottlenecks that financials will not. I would also keep a separate operating statement for campsites, cabins and lodges so one product does not quietly subsidize another.

    0Reply
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