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March 21, 2025
Haley Dalian
The right add ons and amenities not only attract more guests to stay at your park, but increase your incremental revenue. Get up to speed on the latest trends in this post.
The common theme that attracts all campers to campgrounds is the experience. In large part, campground amenities contribute to the special memory-making that will continue to draw customers to your property. What began at the dawn of commercial camping as a simple fire pit and grill at one’s campsite (if that) has evolved into seemingly endless amenity options.
It’s not uncommon these days to find kayaks, golf carts, pedal bikes, hammocks, and more available for rent all at the same property. Deciding the right mix and investment of amenities to fit your unique brand of camping is step one. Step two is deciding how you will best promote and manage those experiential options to increase revenue along with camper satisfaction. Fortunately, Campspot makes it simple to incorporate easy-to-book add-on amenities that compliment your operations.
In fact, parks using Campspot earned $40 million total in add-on revenue, which is up $7 million from 2022 and included a 4% year-over-year increase in the amount of amenities reserved at the time of site booking. Among the top campground amenities of 2024, campers were interested in water recreation rentals such as paddle boats, canoes, and fishing gear. Now let’s explore all of the top rentable amenities your campers are craving.
Staying up to date on the latest trends in the outdoor hospitality industry is one fad that will never go out of style. Doing so means you are more in-tune with the camping audience and can strategically shape your unique brand of camping based on industry shifts. To help our customers always stay one step ahead, Campspot has captured the pulse of campground amenity trends for 2025 through our annual camper survey.
You may be surprised or delighted to know that the overarching theme of 2025 is campers’ desire for simpler times. From campfire cooking to good ole’ fashioned tent pitching, you can capture the heart and nostalgia of any camper even without overthinking your current amenities—because the basics are anything but basic.
Interestingly, campers interested in technology amenities such as Wi-Fi and cable TV (33%) was down 4% from last year.
Golf carts are a trendy and convenient way to get around a campground, especially for expansive properties. If you already have golf carts on site but find they are under utilized or a hassle to rent, let Campspot increase your bookings while organizing the entire process. True of all amenities you choose to list, Campspot will display the offerings within its online reservation workflow, making it convenient for a guest to add one or multiple campground amenities during checkout.
Are you surprised to see this classic campground amenity listed? Many campers surveyed by Campspot continue to laud the unmatched appeal of a cozy campsite fire. 72% cited the campfire as a top nostalgia-evoking amenity. Firewood was also the second most purchased item through Campspot’s integrated POS system. While you may already have complimentary ring fire pits at your site consider ways to monetize this desired amenity.
Build high-quality furnished areas for private or group fires that are available to rent. Throw in gourmet s’mores kits, too. With the ability to book add-ons in quantity, such as firewood, campers can purchase firewood bundles ahead of time when reserving their site. Not only does offering firewood as an add-on allow you to understand your supply and demand before campers arrive, but it offers unmatched convenience for your guests.
Read Next: The Campfire, an Icon: 7 Ways to Upgrade This Powerful Amenity
As the camping industry has grown in recent years, it is apparent that many guests want to camp with ease and convenience. Offering bike rentals onsite eliminates the hassle of guests having to to transport their own bikes and provides the freedom to visit nearby attractions offsite. 45% of campers stated they are seeking physical exercise from their next camping trip, and 58% are seeking to reconnect with nature.
Beyond the classic bike, consider other styles such as tandem bikes, pedal karts, and tricycles. Tailoring your amenities to your target audience (i.g., couples, families with young children) will boost revenue while aligning your brand across all of your park’s offerings.
For cabins and other lodging, linens are a must. Including these as an add-on option during booking acknowledges the value of the product and eliminates the confusion of knowing if they are available or should be packed ahead of time.
Read Next: What To Tell Your Campers Before They Arrive
As mentioned earlier, campers are most interested in water recreation amenities during their stays. Rental boats of all sorts are a great way for guests to interact with nature onsite. The water resources can range from a manmade pond or inland lake to oceanfront or a ticketed splash pad to supplement a landlocked property.
Hammocks are quintessentially relaxing. If you have ample tree coverage or the ability to assemble DIY hammock hanging stations, this is an easy add-on amenity to consider. Campers who don’t own a hammock or forgot theirs at home will revel in the R&R you provide. To match your brand, the hammocks can be macrame and ground-fixed to channel chic glamping energy, or classic tree-strung fabric hammocks for the casual camper.
Catching guests before their vacation time is filled—while they checkout online with Campspot—will ensure they make time for and book your campground amenities. For family oriented parks especially, mini-golf is a crowd pleaser. Providing a few open for all amenities and reservable amenities, such as shuffleboard and horseshoes, will offer a mix of guest flexibility and lock in up front revenue.
For court-time sports–pickleball, tennis, basketball–bookable reservation windows during peak holiday weekends can help you manage demand. Combining many amenities into one bookable “fun pass” is another way to foresee camper supply and demand for your amenities in advance in order to coordinate your staff resources.
By allowing your guests to book their experiences with their stay, you showcase your campground amenities while ensuring guests have a complete picture of everything they can do within the park.
Read Next: Campground Amenity Trends
The option of a personal, inflatable hot tub delivered to a site is one way to sweeten the deal and booking excitement at check out, especially for groups or longer term stays. This helps you stretch and allocate your investment resources appropriately, versus having one communal hot tub that some of your guests may not even care to use.
If your property is located near thermal springs, coordinate with the thermal springs operator to make this experience bookable as part of their vacation. Partnerships of this nature connect your campers to more desired activities in the area while benefiting the local economy and your revenue potential.
If shade is hard to come by on your property, a rentable cabana is just the trick for your guests who will appreciate the reprieve. Offer a pool, hot tub, or waterfront on site? A post-cabana lounge pairs exceptionally well with these amenities. Most new guests may be unaware that you offer private cabanas unless notified before the stay, which is why Campspot’s add-on workflow is also an ideal way to advertise your various amenities.
The idea list for this category of add-ons is vast. Rock walls and zip lines are two common, popular campground amenities that don’t require too much ground space. Think about your property’s footprint and existing natural features to determine what amenities would fit in best. For example, an adjacent forest could be the perfect home of your new high ropes course. Open field space is ideal for an archery course.
Since pet owners are increasingly looking to travel with their furry family members, consider them a core audience in this category, too. Dog agility courses, off-leash zones, and even rentable swimming pools could be a win win.
When it comes to campground amenities, RV rentals are another option that may be worthwhile for your park. This type of lodging is of course more mobile and flexible than a fully fixed cabin, while providing a no-hassle RVing experience for first timers.
Setting up and maintaining for your guests allows them an affordable but more upscale stay, plus access to all of your other amenities. The more you introduce campers to the RV lifestyle, the more likely they are to return with their own RV one day!
With all of these amazing amenity opportunities comes the need to effectively and efficiently manage them. Our partnership with Checkfront provides advanced add-on booking capabilities so parks can offer reservations for a wider range of activities, assets, and resources. Here are some of the benefits of using Checkfront to power and empower your campground amenities:
Learn more about how you can manage a whole host of campground amenities on your terms, with ease, with Checkfront.
Add-on campground amenities not only offer a differential advantage from other parks, but they have generated substantial new revenue for Campspot customers each year. Even if you already sell add-ons, highlighting the possibilities through Campspot will create further popularity and sales.
Haley Dalian is a lifelong Michigander who takes advantage of recreation throughout the state’s changing seasons—from snow skiing to scuba diving in the Great Lakes. A former Campspot marketing manager, Haley holds a B.A. degree in public policy from Michigan State University and an M.S. degree in environmental science and sustainability from the University of Michigan. She is passionate about environmental stewardship, exploring nature, and has never met a potato she didn’t like.
This post was originally published on August 31, 2021. It has been updated to include recent data, trends, and insights.
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