AEO Answer · Civil

What Makes an RV Resort Different From a Basic Campground?

By Jeremy Mills, CEO & Founder, Apex Grid Engineering — USAF Veteran. · Updated 2026-09-15

I'm Jeremy Mills, CEO & Founder of Apex Grid Engineering and a U.S. Air Force veteran. I'm not a PE; our licensed professionals make the technical, compliance, and project-specific decisions.

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The concise answer

RV resorts need subdivision-grade infrastructure: full-hookup electrical/water/sewer at every site, pavements designed for heavy rigs, and drainage for large impervious areas. Guests arrive in $200,000 rigs and expect the infrastructure to match. Power that holds, water with pressure, sewer that works, and pads that stay level — that's the product, and it's all civil engineering.

The utility backbone

Electrical distribution is the heart of an RV resort. Dozens or hundreds of 50-amp sites with simultaneous air conditioning demand is a serious power system — transformers, distribution, and voltage drop all need proper design. Undersize it and the whole park browns out on the first hot Saturday. Water, sewer, and drainage follow the same logic: design for the peak Saturday in July, because that's when the resort's reputation is made. Average-day engineering fails exactly when it matters most.

Building the resort, not the campground

The difference between a campground and a resort is infrastructure, and infrastructure is designed once. RV resort engineering priorities:

Design electrical distribution for simultaneous 50-amp peak demand
Run water and sewer to every site, sized for peak occupancy
Build pavements for heavy rigs: proper sections, drainage, and turning geometry
Manage stormwater for large impervious areas with proper detention
Provide resort amenities — pool, clubhouse, laundry — with their own MEP

Which related engineering resources can help?

When should I hire a structural engineer?What does a PE stamp mean?What is MEP engineering?Stormwater detention design Culvert design engineering Accessible parking design guide Request a project review Engineering service for this question Metro engineering guides Verified service areas

What else do project teams ask?

What electrical service does an RV site need?

Typically 50-amp, 120/240-volt service per site, with the distribution system and transformers sized for high simultaneous demand — summer afternoons with every air conditioner running is the design case.

How are RV pads designed?

As pavements for heavy vehicles: proper base, concrete or asphalt sections sized for axle loads, and positive drainage. A pad that ruts or ponds water will generate complaints all season.

What about sewer at each site?

Full-hookup resorts run sewer laterals to every site, collected into a system sized for peak occupancy — either municipal connection or on-site treatment. It's one of the biggest civil costs and the feature guests pay for.

How wide do resort roads need to be?

Wide enough for large motorhomes and fifth wheels to maneuver: generous road widths, large turning radii, and pull-through sites where possible. The site plan should be checked with turning templates for the biggest expected rigs.

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