2 night minimums...

[hytersprite]

omg gets my goat! we live near the coast, fancy a night in the tent. call campsites: sorry 1 night: no.

grrrrr. rant over.

Most people go for more than one night as it's hardly worth packing the car for less. Doesn't help you though.

greedy campsites more like!

I guess most people want more than one night so it lints their bookings to accept yours...

Just pay for 2?

You’re obviously trying the wrong sites! There are lots that I’ve been to which have no minimum stay. At the bank holiday we stayed at this one cotswoldcampsite.co.uk/Cost%20%26%20Opening.html

We have a camper van and also live by the coast within a fairly short drive of Northumberland, North Yorkshire and the lakes. We often go for just one night - just take off in the van in a Saturday morning and come home Sunday afternoon. I haven't found this much of a problem - most places allow one night only although summer holidays not so much.

Are you trying to book ahead e.g. Sat night? In which case they are probably hoping that someone might come by on Friday for the weekend. If you ring or turn up Sat am they will probably be happy to take your money if they have space.

I haven't ever looked to book 1 night, if it's cheap enough can you book 2 and just use the extra time to have a more relaxed pack up day. When we went we found the early pack away time very restricting and a little stressful but then it was our first time.

We wanted to book a weekend on a site but they'll only except a week during the summer holidays 😮

I think it is campsite owners knowing their market and aiming to make their money in the few peak periods they have.

I use a lot of sites in Kent and Sussex that attract the London-weekenders market more than the 'two week summer hols' market. If they take a one night booking they preclude the gang of friends who want to pay for two nights (these sites are often fully booked up over the weekends).

For coastal sites in holiday areas, families want to book for their week's or two week summer holiday, and two and three night bookings right in the middle of the school holiday season will lose them a lot of bookings that would be for longer.

Where do you want to go on the coast? Ask for recommendations. Kingsdown International take one-nighters.

I can't ever imagine only wanting to go for just one night but can understand it's probably frustrating. The campsite I visit the most does have two night minimums at weekends but sometimes let the odd one nighter through - it's in Sussex though so not sure where you're based? It's Beech Estate Campsite.
Also worth checking out Cool Camping, I'm pretty sure if you put in your dates it only comes up with campsites that are actually available for you to book - might save time trawling through sites that won't allow it. Good luck!