From State & National Parks, which always seem to be hiring the next set of seasonal workers, to big retailers like Amazon who have recently expanded their recruitment program to include several hundred additional positions and alternate locations- it seems employers from coast to coast are catching on to the niche employment pool of RV workers! There is a variety of different types of workcamping jobs for RVers, now.
Which is great news for you!
So just like RVs, jobs for RVers come in all shapes and sizes, meaning there are many different types of workcamping jobs. And right now, RVers have a variety of fields, industries, and ultimately employers to choose from when searching for ways to make money and/or lower their expenses while they travel.
Many people prefer to stick to seasonal jobs which offer reduced camping fees or a free spot to camp for the peak season, while others find that putting in longer hours at higher pay, for shorter time spans is the best way to take advantage of peak travel season.
You can decide for yourself which options work best for you, and may even find that switching things up with a little of both is the best way to not only fund your journey but add to the adventure!
In this article, I’d like to cover 8 popular types of workcamping jobs and provide a few options for you to research and consider.
8 Popular Types of Workcamping Jobs
RV Parks & Campgrounds- If you think you might enjoy working where you live, and the flexibility to move around while traveling seasonally, grabbing a job at an RV Park or Campground in the areas where you wish to stay might be the perfect type of workcamping job for you! Many RV Parks & Campgrounds will gladly hire RVers to come for a seasonal role in positions such as reservations, maintenance, and housekeeping. These jobs usually pay a moderate wage and offer either a free or discounted rate for camping.
State Parks- Many State Parks offer jobs for seasonal travelers looking to setup shop for a few months in exchange for working onsite. Mostly offering the traditional camp hosting positions where pay, if any, is quite minimal, State Parks are always in need of people to help out in their peak and off peak seasons. State Park systems like Idaho State Parks, California State Parks, and Florida State Parks are just some of the great programs being offered in top travel destinations.
National Parks- National Parks like Yellowstone & Grand Canyon, are known for more than being great tourist destinations! They’re also known for offering jobs during the summer for travelers with RVs. Both parks offer retail positions which pay an hourly wage and offer extremely discounted RV camping, among other perks.
Warehouse Jobs- Warehouse positions may not be the most fun or entertaining way to make cash while traveling in your RV, but they do offer big benefits like paid camping, higher wages, and the opportunity for overtime. New companies like DigiKey have started to dabble in hiring RVers, which has proved to be very successful for Amazon’s Camperforce program. Make sure to do your research on any warehouse or fulfillment positions before accepting these jobs.
Sales & Marketing- If Sales & Marketing are more your style, you’ll be glad to hear that several employers like Kitchen Craft Cookware and AGS offer positions for traveling sales and marketing professionals. So whether you’re interested in demonstrating the newest waterless cookware options or selling advertising space on campground maps for commission, there are also workcamping jobs available where your skill set will be put to great use.
Theme Parks- Many theme parks like Adventureland, Darien Lakes, Dollywood, and the Island at Pigeon Forge hire RVers each summer season to help ensure their guests have the best experience possible. Positions in rides, ticketing, food service and more offer RVers the opportunity to work where the fun happens, while getting hourly pay and cheap or free rent.
KOA- KOA (Kampgrounds of America) offers its own workcamping program for RVers who are interested in traveling while working inside the same parks system. It’s a big opportunity to learn the ropes on things like a common reservation system and then travel to different parks and build on previous knowledge. KOA also offers travel vouchers to RVers who will be traveling from one park job to another, so the program is definitely worth looking into.
Sugar Beets- Last but not least, the Sugar Beet Harvest hires RVers to work in what they call the Unbeetable Experience. The schedule consists of 12 hour days on both day and night shifts, but the big promise is that you only work for 14 days! This seasonal job provides many RVers with the travel funds they need to take the winter off or play more during the summer!
As you can see there are many different ways to workcamp.
You can choose to take jobs at state & national parks or grab a traveling position in sales and marketing that allows for more flexibility in your schedule and the ability to stay in more places for shorter periods of time.
Don’t forget, KOA offers a private workcamping program that allows RVers to earn travel vouchers when going from park to park for jobs, and multiple theme parks offer seasonal roles to RVers looking for fun places to work outside the camping industry!
Ultimately, the choice is yours, but the first step is finding the employment opportunities you think you might be interested in and then doing some research on them to see what exactly is being offered. Once you know what the job is and what they are offering vs. expecting in return, you’ll be one step closer to booking your adventures and making money along the way.
Author
Sharee Collier
Sharee Collier is the founder of www.LiveCampWork.com – an online website delivering information and resources on jobs for RVers and making money while you travel. She’s the author of the best-selling book, Live Camp Work: Make Money & RV Full-time, the host of the Live Camp Work Podcast, and a full-time RV traveler with her husband and 4 kids.