The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) named this year’s best parks at the 2018 Outdoor Hospitality Conference and Expo, which was held November 5-8 in Oklahoma City.
“The Park of the Year awards honor the best of the best in the ARVC community,” says Paul Bambei, president and CEO of ARVC. “These parks have worked hard to be the best and it is our honor to recognize their efforts and to have them as part of the ARVC community.”

(OKLAHOMA CITY) The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) named this year’s best parks at the 2018 Outdoor Hospitality Conference and Expo, which was held November 5-8 in Oklahoma City.

“The Park of the Year awards honor the best of the best in the ARVC community,” says Paul Bambei, president and CEO of ARVC. “These parks have worked hard to be the best and it is our honor to recognize their efforts and to have them as part of the ARVC community.”

The ARVC Park of the Year Awards are presented to ARVC member-RV parks or campgrounds that deliver an extraordinary guest experience as a result of all-around excellence in operations, professionalism, marketing, customer service and industry involvement. The winners go the “extra mile” for their guests and the industry. Awards are given in four categories: Small, Medium, Large and Mega. This year’s recipients for Park of the Year were:

 

Small Park of the Year | Anvil Campground (Williamsburg, Virginia)

This year’s winner of the Small Park of the Year has been family-owned and operated for four generations (64 years). Located outside historic Williamsburg, the family’s history in the local area has contributed to, not only the park’s name, but also its many amenities. Offering live music, family and pet-friendly amenities, shuttles to local attractions and WiFi and cable at every hookup, this park is consistently rated by campers as the best campground in Virginia and one of the best parks in the country.

 

Medium Park of the Year | Tall Pines Harbor Campground (Temperanceville, Virginia)

This year’s winner likes to say, “there are no strangers, just camping friends you haven’t met yet.” Throughout the summer season, this family-friendly park offers more than 30 theme weekends like “Think Pink Weekend” to raise money and awareness to help fight breast cancer, a “Fire and Rescue Weekend” that honors local firefighters, and an annual “Jimmy Buffett Cheeseburger in Paradise Beach Party”—all of which keep the fun (and profit) levels high. This year they also engaged family campers with a new pool and splash park. In addition to their top-notch amenities, most notable is this park’s customer service—they do everything possible to consistently provide each and every guest with the absolute best experience they could possibly have.

 

Large Park of the Year  |  Rincon Country RV Resort East (Tucson, Arizona)

This year’s winner came out on top largely because of what the judges saw as an exemplary customer experience offered by the park’s owner and employees. The owner of this park embodies customer service in all he does—he’s hands on in all aspects of park operations making sure everything is managed to the highest quality standards. The experience of staying at this park is symbolic of the owner’s lifetime of hard work and ongoing goal for perfection.

 

Mega Park of the Year | Rincon Country RV Resort West (Tucson, Arizona)

This year’s winner is a mega park, but still has that hands-on family feel. They have set the bar with their focus on listening to their customers and giving them exactly what they want. They make conscientious decisions to make it easy for their campers to reserve, stay and buy at this park.

 

 

 

Other award winners at this year’s ARVC Awards of Excellence include:

  • Stan Martin Award—ARVC’s highest honor, this award recognizes industry leaders whose tireless commitment to the RV park and campground sector of the outdoor hospitality industry is evident in their involvement, leadership, creativity and dedication.
    Ann Emerson, Vice President of Good Sam Enterprises (Englewood, Colorado)
  • Pioneer Award—Recognizes early industry leaders and visionaries whose groundbreaking efforts have contributed through the years to the growth and success of the RV and campground sector of the outdoor hospitality industry.
    Pat Hittmeier, President of Kampgrounds of America (Billings, Montana)
  • Supplier of the Year
    Utility Supply Group (Kingston, Washington)
  • Plan-It Green Friendly Park
    (Small/Medium) Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest (Harrisville, Pennsylvania)
    (Large/Mega) Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve (Santee, California)
  • Campground Partner of the Year
    Jaron Starner (Cedar Lake Campground in Dover, Pennsylvania)
  • State Leader of the Year
    Michael Hobby (Moon Landing RV Park and Marina in Lake Greenwood, South Carolina)