Why would someone want to be a camp ground host?

mkane wrote: I started hosting last summer in NC. around 20 hours per week in exchange for my site. Now to the question why?
1) I'm not ready to completely retire yet, am only 58, and this gets me "out of the house."
2) Small investment of time in exchange for a site = no money paid to camp.
3) I enjoy meeting and talking to people.
4) it's fun!
5) Can't stand sitting around watching TV all day and not having to pay lot rent allows me to do things.

I've already got hosting positions set up for 13 of the next 14 months.

We will retire after 26 years this summer and have a campground host position waiting for us in a National Forest Service campground in northern Florida for the winter. I'm doing it for all the reasons you listed above, but I have one question. How did you deal with only working for 20 hrs a week? It may sound silly, but after working so hard and so long for so many years, I can't get my head around only working 20 hrs. How many hours per day did you work? What did you do in those hours? What did you do when your weren't "on duty"? I almost feel lost, like I don't know what to do. Thanks for your insight.

After camping in MCGs for something around fifteen years or more, I find most CG hosts to care about the service and the campground, and the campers. On occasion, like the former host nick-named the Nazi in San Francisco (now gone), and a few others in areas the most busy and full campgrounds (MacDill comes to mind), and those that have the most homesteaders, we find real jerks or uncaring hosts or maybe employees at some.

Those we try to stay away from, but most hosts on the less traveled routes seem to care about what they do and how they can help ... and truly want to assist the campers ...
Funny too, we hears a lot about the "jerk hosts" and not much about the good ones. But, it also seems the jerk hosts should notice the 'he's a jerk posts' too, and learn something about attitude from it.

DrillAgent we retired at age 52 and never hosted but began the RV life as well as keeping our home in Fl. and still RV and have the home after 17 years. You sound like you will be a great host and your non-hosting hours could be filled with exploring Northern Florida as there is much to see and do. You might find yourself at cookouts, games, and just good old chatting with other campers. Hiking, biking, bowling, movies and golfing are what many do when they retire and trying out new restaurants can be fun also. There are always volunteer opportunities in communities of a very broad spectrum for men and women. It does take some trial and error to see what you both will enjoy and spending time together is very precious and also with your family no matter where they live it is fun to visit them and if you have grandkids they might love spending time in your RV. Good luck to both of you and give yourself time to find out what you enjoy and maybe you will find hobby you never thought about before.

I worked 5 days a week, 4 hours a day as a gate guard. Then I was responsible for policing up from 20-30 campsites a week.

sounds like you need to sell your rig and move home. apparently you have had a really bad experience. I have never experienced what you are describing.

Just another way to "serve" folks and "country".
Most military are great to be around. A minority of the retired ones seem to remember being a jerk before they entered military and are trying to revived "the old days".
98% of our hosting has been a win-win.
JM2C