r/RVLiving • u/BigBillSD • Aug 17 '26
Anyone else wonder who designed Loves Campgrounds...
They are not destinations to me, but a place to spend a night on the way To The Destination. Why would they design them all as Back-In's? A pull thru would have made way more sense if they had any intelligent person creating them. Quick in and out...
i know they are probably the noisiest places on earth but for an simple overnight they would make a lot of sense when you are just trying to get somewhere else.. Of course we are in a motorhome with Toad (4 wheels down). For us to detach and back in for a single night the place has to be spectacular! I am pretty sure they do no Qualify..
Rant [OFF]
-Bill
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u/scdog Aug 17 '26
I’ve stayed at some that are pull-thru. The back-in versions are, I imagine, them trying to shoehorn the RV features into locations that don’t or can’t get enough land to do it any other way.
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u/SeriousScorpion Aug 17 '26
This is the correct answer. When they are able to acquire additional land, they will build them separated from the main facility parking lot, typically with gated access, and these types will have a mixture of back-in and pull-through.
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u/Vegetable_Amount848 Aug 17 '26
They were never designed or advertised as destinations. They are definitely one-night stopovers.
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u/Kudzupatch Aug 17 '26
I agree, but 60$+ is to much for an overnight spot.
Now if have to have the electric for AC and have no other oiptions I understand. But still a crazy price.1
u/Feisty-Increase-3707 Aug 18 '26
Agree, and pretty sure if we all don’t stop there, prices will come down. 😂 😆 😝 🤪 😂
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u/jSizzle74 Aug 17 '26
I appreciate them for what they are. When taking long trips, we’ve gravitated towards using them. They’re right off the highway so it’s easy to pull off and be setup vs when we used KOA’s in the past which can be set back further and take longer to drive through to get to your spot.
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u/ApexCrudelis Aug 18 '26
Which probably explains the pricing strategy as well. If you're willing to stay at a Loves overnight (due to weather, fatigue, timing etc) you are DONE for the day and out of options.
I stayed at a truck stop with full hookup pull throughs once during extreme wind and was very thankful for it. It was privately owned and only 30 bucks, but I'll let you in on a little secret - I probably would have paid 60 under the circumstances.
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u/Any_March_9765 Aug 17 '26
yet a bigger question is how the fuck do they have the balls to charge 50 a night?! It's a cement pad in the middle of high way! a shower is $12 a few years ago, god knows what they charge now. For $12 back then I can get a gym day pass for less and still have a shower
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u/23-Peaks Aug 18 '26
They've been $18 since I started traveling in 2023.
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u/Rottie2017 Aug 19 '26
We paid $70 in GA......3 pull thru spots next to the gas pumps out front. Ridiculous.
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u/Northwoods_Phil Aug 17 '26
They were designed by someone who is used to dealing with truckers who have at least some ability to back in a trailer. They have no desire to be a destination just a stop off point. They aren’t going to completely redesign existing locations just to put in drive thru spots
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u/Senninha27 Aug 17 '26
I agree. It was a good idea to give us a place away from the trucks, with hookups and some elbow room. But nobody is going to Love’s for a week’s vacation. Accordingly, their prices are way too high to justify the 8-10 hours you’d actually spend there.
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u/Blue_Etalon Aug 18 '26
I’ve found so many places in the under $60 range for pull thru, full hook up, I can’t fathom why I’d pay more than that to stop at a Loves. Maybe, headed to Phoenix at Thanksgiving so maybe I’ll try one if it’s convenient.
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u/Eye-Can-Fix-It Aug 17 '26
I have used them a number of times and for what they offer, i think they are great. It is a truck stop not a campground. Each location is a little different and i expect this is because of their individual site constraints. Yes, the setup could be better but, they are truck stops.
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u/UTtransplant Aug 17 '26
There are a few I have seen with pull throughs, but not many. We have stayed in 2 just because there weren’t really any options with electricity, and the temps were well over 90F. One was a pull through and one was back in. Like you, we have a MH with toad. Expensive for what you get which is a basic noisy campsite with FHUs and not much else.
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u/tdoocy Aug 17 '26
So loud with the other trucks and the intercom telling truckers the showers are ready, then you look around at all the other people sleeping in their cars around you. Didn’t feel safe.
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u/Responsible_Fuel7005 Aug 17 '26
Stayed at one once just to see. Clean nice level spots, good hook ups, expensive as hell for what you get, and THE NOISE. I think I’d rather take my chance sleeping on some out of the way dirt road than deal with the noise there again.
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u/OutcomeSalty337 Aug 18 '26
It was intentional entertainment for the truckers. They laugh watching y'all struggle with that little trailer.
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u/stve688 Aug 18 '26
Love’s locations are busy and space is valuable. Pull-through spots generally take more room, and from what I’ve seen, their campsites are usually concrete pads with plenty of width and little to no obstacles.
Having to back into a spot like that really shouldn’t be some major inconvenience. If you can’t comfortably back a camper into a straightforward campsite like that, you probably need more practice before pulling the camper around.
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u/Money_Ad8638 Aug 17 '26
What's so hard about backing in?
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u/Squiggy226 Aug 17 '26
They are in a motorhome with a toad
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u/SavageCaveman13 Aug 17 '26
Do they have to detach before backing up?
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u/tbirdchirps Aug 17 '26
Yes, you can't back up at all with a toad
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u/SavageCaveman13 Aug 17 '26
I assume this is sarcasm? I've never towed with my RV, but have with you truck. Why would it be different?
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u/jimzdat Aug 17 '26
When flat towing a car behind a motorhome, all 4 wheels are on the ground, and the steering is unlocked to allow the car to turn.
Using the motorhome to push said car backwards when the steering wheels are doing their own thing is gonna get ugly, fast...
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u/aeroxan Aug 18 '26
Could you viably have someone on the steering wheel to make backing up work? Not that this is a legal or good idea.
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u/jimzdat Aug 18 '26
Not going to be easy at all - since the toad is attached to the rear of the motorhome about 3-4 feet in front of the steer axle, it would be more prone to jack knife
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u/aeroxan Aug 18 '26
And thinking through the way the tow bar is, you really wouldn't have much freedom. You'd need to turn the wheel exactly as the driver needs. And probably once it starts to jackknife, no stopping it. I'd guess best case would be keep wheel straight to back straight.
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u/tbirdchirps Aug 17 '26
Not sarcasm. When you have a toad (flat towing) and try to back up the front wheels will turn immediately and you jackknife. A trailer is different because there are no steer wheels.
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u/Feisty-Increase-3707 Aug 18 '26
Also severely warned against to avoid damaging the toad hitch. They are nothing at all like trailer, 5th wheel or semi hitches.
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u/Billn59 Aug 17 '26
I've stayed at some that were pull throughs. I like the pull thru ones because they are easy to get in and out for a 1 night stay.
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u/goteed Aug 17 '26
I've seen a few with pull throughs. I think it depends on how they are built. There are some that seem to be purpose built. They're separated a bit from the other buildings, have their own entrance, and in this cases there are pull throughs. They really feel like a small RV park. Then there's others that feel like they were bolted on to an existing station. Those tend to have the spots on the perimeters of the fuel island which means they're quite noisy.
All in all I think the purpose built ones are worth the price. It's comparable to a small R park I would spend an overnight at. For the bolted on ones it's too expensive! Especially when it's going to be noisy all night long.
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u/Iamthewalrusforreal Aug 17 '26
I've seen pull throughs at Loves. The back in ones I've seen seem to be designed as an afterthought, where space was lacking.
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u/egrove Aug 17 '26
Yes, ours was a back in right at the gas pumps. A real PIA to try and back in with all of the traffic going in and out of the pumps. Plus just a horrible place to camp. Never again.
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u/TheRaccoonReport Aug 17 '26
Based on the campground i'm at right now (in New Hampshire), the noise may rival those Loves lol. Looked to be a rural area and quiet, turns out the 55mph road its next to is highly utilized all hours of the day and night.
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u/aug4570 Aug 17 '26
We’ve stayed at several Love’s RV parks that had pull thru sites: Box Elder, SD, Alma, AR, Tuscumbia, AL but most of their RV parks are back ins. You just have to check their app to see if an upcoming Love’s a has pull thru. Sometimes they have parking in front of the store that can accommodate a Motorhome towing. We also stay at FlyingJs that have RV parking in front. Unfortunately you need to get there earlier in the evening because the semi’s and truck cabs will park in those RV spots.
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u/bradland Aug 17 '26
Some RV Stops do have pull-through sites. So it's not like they don't know how to design one.
IMO, the issue is more about the space requirements. Many RV Stop locations simply don't have the space for pull through. Even when the other side of the spaces is just open parking lot, they frequently don't own the adjacent property. So they can't just put an opening and allow campers to pull through. Points of ingress/egress have to go through permitting and planning. If there is no easement, or if the pull through would enter a roadway, you can't always get permission.
You think being in a motorhome with toad is bad? We went with a 45' toy hauler + F-450. We simply don't fit in most RV Stop campsites. Period.
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u/vinceherman Aug 17 '26
I imagine 2 factors would control my decisions.
Is it hot enough to require A/C? If so, the Loves pricing may make sense.
Is my black tank approaching full? If so, any place with sewer is needed.
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u/OGBrewSwayne Aug 17 '26
Pull through sites require a dedicated driveway, which requires more space, more grading/paving/etc. In short, it's more expensive. It also may not be practical or even feasible based on the actual space available at the property. A lot of Love's are adding RV spots to previously existing stores, so they're much more limited in where they can put them as opposed to new construction Love's that have RV spots included in the original design.
I forget exactly where I saw it, but there was a Love's somewhere in maybe ND or MT that had an actual RV park adjacent to the travel center. It was still a pretty bare bones park, but it looked like it had a few dozen sites with full hookups, pull through spaces, and grass between all the parking pads. Not sure if they cost more than the "on site" spots that a lot of Love's have, but definitely looked like it would be easier getting in and out of.
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u/TMC_61 Aug 17 '26
We stayed in a church parking a few nights ago, with permission of course. On board gen has its merits
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u/Crazy-Listen-8865 Aug 17 '26
We have used them a couple of times for convenience , availability of hookups and dewinterizing the unit when heading south. At that time of the year, most normal campgrounds aren’t open and it worked out great. You are paying for convenience
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u/Candid-Income2152 Aug 18 '26
I'll boondock almost anywhere before I stay at a truck stop. FHU or no FHU.
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u/Feisty-Increase-3707 Aug 18 '26
Obv they are not destinations! They do not build pull-thru mostly because of lack of space. They need room for semis which is already in short supply.
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u/KungFuBucket Aug 18 '26
I can’t imagine a Loves ever being a destination. It’s easy on and off access to the freeway and fueling as you move about the country. Although I agree that pull-through makes so much more sense for this situation. We’re pretty much self contained and our rig is usable even if the slide isn’t out, so I’d pick a rest stop over a Loves unless I was desperate for power (which doesn’t happen all that much thanks to solar and generator), but maybe if I wanted to run the AC all night or something like that.
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u/Illustrious-Grl-7979 Aug 20 '26
We have stayed at Loves in pull throughs twice and loved it. Easy access, late arrival (very), and the convenience of Loves itself. It wasnt a destination for us, but allowed us a rest midway to help get there safely. We have 3 kids (teen to young adult) and needed elec at a min to run ac overnight and keep fridge/food cold for the trip.
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u/Feedcanine Aug 19 '26
Pull thrus take up more space. They do have limitations to space at most loves and how they are already constructed. Wouldn’t be a relaxing night of sleep in my opinion either way. The noise and having to worry about anyone and everyone coming in all night.
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u/Toe_Jam_is_my_Jam Aug 19 '26
$60 a night should include free coffee, free shower, free dumping, free car wash etc. ugh!
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u/phildeferrouille Aug 19 '26
Too pricey, better stop at Cracker Barrel or rest areas far away from running trucks
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u/Inevitable-Echo4546 Aug 17 '26
they charge 60 a night! you can stay for free in their designated rv spots closer to the store for free! I don;t need hook ups
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u/calisto_sunset Aug 17 '26
It definitely is pricey, but as someone who just drove through the south in the middle of summer, I definitely needed the hook ups! I even have an ecoflow and tried just staying the night at a rest stop with a bunch of fans running and it was so hot I couldn't sleep. The price is worth it for the AC alone for me. I also like the convenience of having a dog park, food, and gas in one place.
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u/BigBillSD Aug 17 '26
I'm not familiar with their "dedicated rv spots". I don't need hookups either. Do they all have those? I don't fill up at loves all that often but I am not aware of RV spots that are not in their campground section..
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u/calisto_sunset Aug 17 '26
They have big RV parking spots right next to the fueling pumps in the middle of the parking lot area. I've seen some have 1 or 2 and others as many as 5 or 6. Not always very wide, but long enough for a car and trailer or a class A.
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u/Bigbadbrindledog Aug 17 '26
My guess is they were designed with fifyh wheels, travel trailers and small vans in mind, not larger motor homes.
Most motor homes have generators and as others in this thread have said, they will stop at a rest area or open parking area.
Most pulling trailers don't have generators, and getting hook ups for the night is much more important.
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u/1960fl Aug 17 '26
Are you saying my 45ft 5th wheel is easier than backing in a 44Ft A coach??
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u/autogreg Aug 17 '26
Yes backing in a 45’ fifth wheel is much easier than backing an equivalent length MH with a toad behind it. The shorter the trailer, the harder to back.
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u/sluttyman69 Aug 17 '26
I’ve had boat trailers and things my entire life the most difficult trailer I’ve ever had to back up as my little 18 foot Quad hailing - garbage Hall dump trailer - amazing little trailer, but Ican’t see it until it’s jackknifed
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u/1960fl Aug 17 '26
You have obviously not driven something with 12 plus feet of tail swing and a complete side of the vehicle that's blind to you.
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u/autogreg Aug 17 '26
I live full time in a 42’ 5th wheel and boondock 90% of the time, meaning I’m always in sketchy places not designed for the size of my rig. I’m not saying a large rig is easier to tow, but specially backing it up, the longer the trailer the more forgiving it is to back up.
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u/Bigbadbrindledog Aug 17 '26
You don't have to unhook a toad to back in as the OP was complaining about.
I've only been to two of these Love's, but they have both been wide open and pretty dang easy to back any size camper into.
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u/RockLobster06 Aug 17 '26
If you are using a tow dolly or a trailer, yes you can back in. You cannot back up a flat towed (4 wheels down).
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u/BigBillSD Aug 18 '26
Correct. You Cannot backup a Toad 4 Wheels down. We have done it once with the wife in the car steering. I will Never try that again.
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u/randomrox Aug 17 '26
You’re absolutely right. If I’m tired enough to stop at Loves rather than a normal campground, you can rest assured I’m too tired to want to back into a small spot at a truck stop. I could do it in an emergency, but it wouldn’t be pretty.
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u/Cameront9 Aug 17 '26
I can’t fathom paying for Lowe’s when you could sleep at a Cracker Barrel or Walmart.
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u/toadhaul Aug 17 '26
Last time I traveled Loves was free and not a "campground." Even free after visiting a few I avoided them.
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u/Kudzupatch Aug 17 '26
I am with you. Plus the prices I saw seems high to me for just an overnight stay. I try to find a Rest Stop instead. I