What is Work Camping?
The short and sweet answer to that question is; Work camping is when someone (or a couple/team) exchange labor or a skill/craft for a place to camp or call home a while.
The long, but highly detailed answer to that question is; Work camping comes in various styles and offerings with an assortment of benefits.
Types of Work Camping
Below, we’ll take a look at a few different types of work camping opportunities that we have come across.
- RV Park
- Campground
- Animal Sanctuary
- Farm
- Ranch
- Carnival
- Bed & Breakfast
- Circus
- Bakery
- Pizza Parlor
- Movie Theater
- Concession Stand
- Rodeo
- Medieval Times Event
- Concert
- Apartment/Condo Complex
- Hunting Lodge
- Cook/Chef
- Nature Tour
- Ski Resort
- National/State Park
- Traveling Sales
- TeleSales
- Online Virtual Assistance
- Ghost Town
- Hotel/Motel
- Gate Guarding/Security
- And More!
The above gives you the basic idea.
Work camping tax types are either independent contractor – 1099 (Mostly part time or seasonal) or w4 Employee (Mostly Full-time/Long-Term).
Work Camping Contracts
Work camping contracts come in different lengths and responsibilities as well.
- Full-Time / Long-Term
- Part-Time / Long-Term
- Full-Time / Short-Term
- Part-Time / Short-Term
- Seasonal
- Year-Round
Work Camping RV Spots
It’s also important to note that there are four different types of provisions for an RV depending on the type of work camping you are doing.
- FHU – Full HookUps – (Electric, Sewage, Water)
- PHU – Partial Hookups – (Electric, Water) / (Water, Sewage) / (Electric, Sewage)
- BoonDock – No HookUps and no cover
- DryDock – No HookUps, but has a covered area to park under
Work Camping Amenities
Amenities offered can also vary greatly and no two places are created equal. Below is an example of some of the amenities we have seen over the years.
- Free Wifi
- Free Cable
- Fishing Pond (Catch and release)
- Washer/Dryer
- Bathroom
- Shower house
- Exercise Equipment
- Pool
- HotTub
- Game Room
- Propane
- Fire Pit
- BBQ Grill
- Boat Launch/Dock
- PlayGround
- TV Room/Lounge
- Library
- Pull-Thru spot
- Back-in Spot
- Concrete, Gravel, Dirt, etc. spot
- Live entertainment
- PotLucks
- Hobby Classes
- Gated Security 24/7
- Golf Cart
- Dog Park
- And More…
Work Camping Compensation
Not all work camping positions provide the same compensation. Below, we’ll provide a list of some of the different types of compensation packages we have seen over the years.
- Pay + Discounted FHU spot + Amenities
- No-Pay + FHU Spot + Amenities
- Pay + FHU Spot + Amenities
- Pay + PHU Spot + Amenities
- Pay + BoonDock Spot + Meals
- No-Pay + PHU spot + Free boat Rental + Amenities + Food Discounts
- Pay + Fully furnished housing + Amenities + Meal + DryDock spot for your RV
- Pay + Cabin + Meals + Amenities + Company vehicle + BoonDock option for your RV
Is work camping right for you?
Work camping, also referred to as a work camped position, is not for everyone. However, for those that live a more cost effective or travel lifestyle, work camping is the ideal choice to keep their life adventures going.
If you want to get some ideas of actual work camping positions available to full-time or seasonal RVers and nomads, check out our free public group on FaceBook with active listings for companies seeking work campers: WorkCamped
If you have questions, that’s the group to ask them in.
If you own a business, rv park, campground, ranch, farm, etc. that can benefit from a work camper, share your opportunity in the group for qualified applicants.
