How Do You Fill RV Sites in the Off-Season in 2027?
July sells out before you open the reservation book. November sits half empty. The mortgage doesn’t care which month it is.
Bookings are creeping into the shoulder season, the stretch between peak and off season. This page shows an RV park owner or manager how to grab more of those nights in 2027.
Campground owners are part of the 1,000+ small businesses Dr. Paul Borosky, Business Consultant, has helped.
Talk to Dr. PaulCall or text (321) 948-9588.
Last Updated: November 2026
Real World Help From Dr. Paul
How This Guide Works
Got five minutes? Doctor Owl’s answer and the 3 steps below get you moving. Want the longer version? Commander Colt, the horse who runs the trail campsites in Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series, has a full summer and a ghost-town fall. His story comes first, and the dollar example sits after the trend data.
- Pull last year’s occupancy rate by month, not just for the year.
- Circle your two emptiest months.
- Write one offer for the emptiest month and email it to every guest from last year.
Why Did Colt’s Campsites Go Quiet After Labor Day?
Every summer, Commander Colt turned campers away at the trailhead. Every September, the same sites sat empty until spring. Colt figured that was just how camping worked.
Doctor Owl asked, “Fire or foundation?” Empty fall nights weren’t costing extra. They were money never earned, year after year. A foundation problem. They built the fix with Dr. Paul’s Organize-Plan-Grow™ Strategy.
- Organize. Greta, the goose who keeps the booking board, counted empty site nights from September to November. It was more than a month of full-park nights, spread thin.
- Plan. Colt picked one offer: a Tuesday-to-Thursday fall rate for the fishing club and the leaf-watchers.
- Grow. Greta sent it to every guest who had stayed in the last two years. The club booked the same week for next fall before they left.
Fall still isn’t July. But the trailhead isn’t a ghost town anymore.
Are the Slow Months Really Getting Busier?
RoverPass projects national RV park occupancy around 65 to 67% for 2026, and says the gap between peak and off season is shrinking.
Its 2026 report, covering 2025 bookings on its platform, shows the shift. November bookings jumped 18.7% from the year before, the biggest monthly gain of the year. January through May each took a bigger share of the year’s reservations, while June through August took a little less.
RoverPass platform data, not the whole industry. Source: RoverPass 2026 Outdoor Hospitality Report.
What Does a Busier Shoulder Season Mean for Your Park?
Your peak months are close to full already. The only place left to grow without building new sites is the calendar you’re not selling.
If campers are already moving into spring and fall, the parks that ask first get them. The ones that wait get whatever is left.
How Do You Sell More Off-Season Nights?
- Find the gap. Empty site nights by month. That number is your opportunity.
- Pick one slow month. Don’t fix the whole year at once.
- Build one offer. A midweek rate, a club rally, or a stay-three-pay-two deal.
- Start with past guests. They already know your park and trust it.
- Track it next year. Same month, same count. Did the gap shrink?
What Are Empty Fall Nights Worth?
Illustration only. Round numbers, not a real company.
Say your park has 60 sites and averages $55 a night. In October, 30 of those sites sit empty most nights. Fill just 6 more sites a night for the month and that’s about $10,000 you never had before.
Illustration only: 6 sites x 31 nights x $55.
Build the slow months into your plan with the RV park business plan template, and see how pricing plays in on our page about setting nightly rates.
Want a Plan for Your Slowest Month?
Bring last year’s monthly occupancy to a free 15-minute call with Dr. Paul. You’ll leave with one offer to test, and what more help would cost if you want it.
Or call or text (321) 948-9588.
What Do Park Owners Ask About the Off-Season?
Should I just drop prices in the slow months?
Not across the board. A targeted offer for a group or weekday fills sites without training everyone to wait for a sale.
Who books in the shoulder season?
Retirees, remote workers, clubs, and people who hate crowds. Market to them by name.
How far ahead should I promote fall?
Before guests leave in summer. The best time to book next fall is checkout day.
Where Should You Go Next?
About the Author
Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA, helps campground and RV park owners fill the calendar they already have.