Electrical vs Non-Electrical Campsites: What You Need

If you're not running an RV or a CPAP machine, you probably don't need an electrical site — and paying extra for one most trips is money spent on power you never plug into. The honest way to decide is to look at what you're actually bringing, not at which site type feels more "equipped."

Start with what draws power, not what site type sounds better

Electrical sites get treated like the upgraded option, the way a hotel room with a better view costs more. But unlike a view, unused electrical hookup doesn't improve your trip. It just sits there. The only question that matters is whether anything in your kit needs shore power to run for two or three nights straight.

Here's the practical split:

Tent camping: the case for skipping it

A tent draws nothing. Your stove runs on propane or gas, your cooler is ice, and your light is a headlamp or a battery lantern. A phone charged to 100% before you leave, plus a small power bank, comfortably covers a long weekend of photos and the occasional map check. Unless you have a specific device that needs continuous power — a CPAP is the common one — an electrical site is just the pricier option for the same patch of ground.

The one thing worth planning around is shoulder season. If you're camping when nights dip close to freezing and you're bringing an electric heater instead of relying on a good sleeping bag rating, that changes the math. Otherwise, a non-electrical site at a park like Algonquin gets you the same view, the same fire pit, and no cord running across the site.

RV and trailer camping: the case for booking it

This is where electrical usually earns its cost back. Running a fridge off shore power instead of propane, keeping house batteries topped up, using a microwave, or running air conditioning on a hot July night at a park like Pinery all draw more than a weekend of battery reserve can comfortably handle. If your trailer or RV was set up assuming hookups — and most are — book the electrical site and skip the stress of babysitting a battery meter on day two.

The exception is a rig built around off-grid capability: solar panels sized for your draw and a battery bank meant to run several days unplugged. If that's your setup and you already know your daily draw, you may not need electrical at all, and the non-electrical sites are usually quieter and more private since they're not clustered near the service loop.

What "electrical" actually gets you

Ontario Parks electrical sites typically provide a standard household-style amp draw at the pedestal, not a heavy industrial hookup. That's enough for lights, charging, a fridge, and moderate use of a fan, heater, or small AC unit — but running several higher-draw appliances at once on the same site can trip the breaker. If your setup includes both AC and an electric water heater or a microwave running simultaneously, it's worth checking the specific amperage for your park and campground rather than assuming it can handle everything at once. Ontario Parks' own reservation listing for each campground is the reliable source for that, along with the current per-night surcharge, since both can vary by park and by season.

Water and sewer are a separate question

Electrical, water, and sewer hookups aren't a single package — some sites have electrical only, and full-service sites with all three are less common and book fastest. If you need a black-water dump or a fresh-water tap at your site rather than at a shared station, confirm which specific sites in the campground offer that, since it's usually a smaller subset than the electrical sites overall.

The trade-off nobody mentions on the booking page

Electrical sites tend to be grouped in their own loop or section of a campground, often closer to the road for service access. That can mean less tree cover and more traffic than a tent loop tucked further in. If quiet and privacy matter as much as power, it's worth comparing loops on the campground map rather than assuming the electrical section is otherwise identical — our guide on reading a campsite before you book covers how to check that from the map and satellite view.

The bottom line

Match the site type to your gear, not the other way around. Tent campers without a specific power need are usually better off — and often get a quieter, cheaper site — going non-electrical. RV and trailer campers running a fridge, AC, or house batteries almost always come out ahead booking electrical and skipping the battery math. When in doubt, list what you're actually bringing and check it against the table above before you pay for power you won't plug into.

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Questions

Do tent campers need an electrical site?

Usually not. A tent has no appliances that need shore power, and a phone or camera battery pack easily lasts a weekend. The exceptions are a CPAP machine overnight, charging serious camera or drone gear on a long trip, or running a fan or space heater in shoulder season.

Do RV and trailer campers need an electrical site?

Almost always, unless you're fully set up with solar and a large battery bank. Air conditioning, the fridge running off shore power instead of propane, charging house batteries, and running a microwave or CPAP all draw more than a battery-only setup comfortably supplies over a multi-night stay.

How much more does an electrical site cost?

There's a per-night surcharge over an unserviced site, and it varies by park and by season. Check the current fee on the Ontario Parks reservation page for your specific park before you book — it's not worth guessing at here since it changes.

Can I run a space heater or AC unit off an Ontario Parks electrical site?

Most electrical sites are wired for a standard 15 or 30 amp draw, similar to a household circuit, not a heavy-duty RV hookup. A small space heater or a window AC unit typically works, but running both at once plus a fridge and charging gear can trip the site's breaker. Confirm the amperage for your specific park and campground before you plan around it.