Rating Guidelines
The Good Sam Review Teams use these guidelines.
Our Good Sam Triple Rating System can be a great help when looking for the perfect RV park or campground for your next trip. Each year, our highly trained Good Sam Review Teams personally inspect and rate private RV parks and campgrounds, assigning ratings in these categories:
- Facilities
- Restroom & showers
- Visual appearance & environmental quality
Use these guidelines to see how our results compare with your findings!
Learn how to read the ratingsCampgrounds & RV parks
A full point should be awarded in a category only if the amenity is outstanding. If not best in each category, rate down ½ points.
Must have 5 points overall to qualify for Good Sam Campground affiliation.
Interior roads
(Assessing all roads used by overnight RVer in park)
Registration
(Assessing how customers register, check in and pay for sites)
Sites
(An assessment of RV site construction, preparation and drainage)
Hookups
(An assessment of water, electric and sewer hookups, pedestals and dump stations. Tent sites excluded)
Recreation
No Minors/No Majors
Two Items with a Minimum of One Major
Two Items with a Minimum of One Major
Badminton, basketball, bicycle rentals, billiard room (min. 2 tables), boat marina, boat dock/ramp, boat rentals, bocce ball, bounce pillow, children's activities, driving range, exercise room (enclosed, min. 200 sq. ft. w/varied equipment), fishing, Frisbee golf, game room (enclosed, min. 200 sq. ft. w/varied equipment), golf, horseback riding, horseshoes, ladder ball, lawn bowling, lawn chess, mini-golf (non-professional construction), mini-golf (professionally constructed), nature trails, outdoor games (any 3 additional outdoor/lawn games w/equipment available for use by RVer = 1 major), paddle boats, pavilion (min. 200 sq. ft.), pedal carts, pickle ball, planned activities, playground, pool room (one table), putting green, rec hall (enclosed min. 500 sq. ft.), sauna, shuffleboard court, shuffleboard courts (2 or more), softball, splash pad, tennis, things to see and do nearby, tourist attraction (owned by and adjacent to park), volleyball, wading pool, water slide, water umbrella, whirlpool (spa or hot tub).
Swimming
Security
Laundry
Services
No Minors/No Majors
Two Items with a Minimum of One Major
Four Items with a Minimum of Two Majors
Arrange appointments (e.g. for doctor, salon, pet grooming, restaurant reservations, RV repair, tour show tickets, veterinarian, other________), ATM Machine, boat storage, BBQ at site, car rentals, cable/TV service (25+ channels), cable/TV service (less than 25 channels), church services (in season), cocktail lounge, complimentary breakfast (daily), dog run (fenced), dog park, DVD rentals, entertainment, fax/copy service, fire rings, firewood, fishing guides, fishing license, fishing supplies, golf cart rentals, groceries, guest services (minimum of 3 to list), horse corral, ice, library/book exchange, LP bottles only, LP gas (metered), mail delivery, newspaper available, Onsite RV Service, patios, personal escort to site, pet boarding, pet grooming, public phone available 24/7, rental units, restaurant, RV storage (secured), RV storage (unsecured), RV supplies, RV wash (self-service at site), shuttle service, snack bar, Staffed RV wash (on site), spa services, table at site, trash pickup at site (daily).
Internet access
Restrooms & showers
A full point should be awarded in a category only if the amenity is outstanding. If not best in each category, rate down ½ points.
Must have 1 point in 4 out of 5 of these areas, and 7 points total to qualify for Good Sam Campground affiliation.
Toilets
Showers
Floors
Walls
Sinks/counters/
mirrors/hardwareInterior construction
Floors: Surface of ceramic tile (no missing tile or grout) or vinyl floor covering, or epoxy painted or sealed concrete.
Walls: Surface of ceramic tile (no missing tiles orgrout) Formica-type, fiberglass, cultured marble (minimum 3' high for all).
Showers: Surface of ceramic tile (no missing tiles or grout), Formica-type, fiberglass, cultured marble, stainless steel. No exposed plumbing.
Counters, shelves for toiletries: Surface of ceramic tile (no missing tile or grout), Formica-type, cultured marble, Corian, stainless steel, glass or shelac wood.
Supplies/Odor free
Amount of facilities
(Men and women)
Exterior appearance and condition of bathroom buildings
Interior appearance
Visual appearance & environmental quality
A full point should be awarded in a category only if the amenity is outstanding. If not best in each category, rate down ½ points.
Must have 5 points overall to qualify for Good Sam Campground affiliation.
Function & identification of signage and entrance to park
(Assessing sign and entrance to access the park)
Appearance of entrance area
(An assessment of the area and frontage extending 50' each side of entrance way)
Appearance of park grounds
(An assessment of common areas excluding RV Sites)
Appearance of sites
(An assessment of overnight RV sites only)
Litter and debris around park grounds and sites, including fire pits
(An assessment of litter and debris around entire park and sites)
Overall exterior building maintenance
(An assessment of all buildings except bathroom buildings)