Workamping, a contraction of “work camping” is a form of RV camping involving singles, couples or families who work part-time or full-time. The people who are Workamping can be called Workampers. a Workamper combines part-time or full-time paid or volunteer work with RV camping. Workampers generally receive compensation in the form of a free campsite, usually with free utilities (electricity, water, and sewer hookups) and additional wages.
Workamping positions can include working at campgrounds, RV resorts, mobile home communities, Christmas tree or pumpkin sales lots, amusement parks, motels/hotels, national parks, state parks, U.S. Army Corps of Engineer locations, national monuments, lighthouses, retail stores, food service, sales and more. Many Workamping positions are filled by couples who can share the labor, though having a partner is not a requirement.
Workamping is particularly popular among retirees.
While year round Workamping jobs do exist, the majority of Workamping positions are seasonal—from March/April/May to September/October in northern states or at high altitudes, and during the winter for southern climates, including Florida, Texas and the Southwest.
Paid Workamping positions:
Paid Workamping jobs can demand up to a full 40 hours per week of labor, though most require less, particularly when a couple splits the work. Paid positions can be at amusement parks, campgrounds, RV resorts, motels/hotels, tourist locations that have retail areas, web site sales fulfillment centers, etc. Commission can also be earned with sales jobs, and working at a Christmas tree/pumpkin sales lot. Most employers of Workampers have RV hookups on site, or they will provide hookups at a close-by rv park or campground.
Most paid camp host positions are with private campground operators, who either own the campground or operate the campground under contract with a government entity. Paid camp hosts are responsible for all the duties expected of volunteer hosts, but also are generally expected to clean bathrooms, remove trash from the public areas, and perform light maintenance (such as painting, raking and mowing).
Most Workampers enjoy traveling to and living in new places. As a result, Workampers may work in one location in the summer and a different location in the winter. Some Workampers return to their home for part of the year, while others have sold their homes and live on the road all year long. These types of Workampers are often called Fulltimers. While Workampers tend to spread out in the summer time, many congregate in the winter months along the Colorado River in Nevada, Arizona, California and the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The towns of Lake Havasu City, Quartzsite, and Yuma, Arizona become central gathering points in the winter.
