Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason & Erika Bates.
Hi Jason & Erika, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
We didn’t start in RV parks. We started like a lot of people do – working hard, doing what we thought we were supposed to do, and still feeling like we wanted more control over our future.
Early on, when Jason and I were dating, we had a conversation that really set everything in motion. He told me he wanted to invest in real estate, and I remember saying, “me too.” The difference was I had already been doing it on the side for years. I had spent most of my adult life treating real estate like a hobby, working on fix and flips and single family builds.
Jason didn’t have that background, but he jumped in fully. On our first few investments, he was hands-on, learning by doing and taking on the physical side of the work. To this day, he still won’t let me teach him how to paint like a pro, which I think says a lot about how we operate.
From there, we started building real experience through creative deals and transaction work. That phase taught us how to structure deals, manage risk, and move with confidence.
RV parks came into focus when we started looking for something that could scale better than single family. What stood out was the demand, the flexibility, and the ability to increase value through operations.
When we took over our first park, it wasn’t about fixing something broken. It was about building something better. We focused on systems, guest experience, and creating a place people actually wanted to come back to. Jason leaned into operations and the day to day, while I focused on strategy, financials, and building the backend.
From there, things started to compound. We refined how we operate, how we evaluate deals, and how we create consistent results. Today, we own and operate multiple parks, manage assets, and work with investors through our fund.
What got us here wasn’t one big moment. It was a series of small decisions, showing up every day, and doing the work when it would have been easier not to.
At the end of the day, we’re not just investing in real estate. We’re building a business that gives us control, and creating places where people can connect, slow down, and come back to.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. Not even close.
Like most people looking from the outside, it can look like things just came together. In reality, it’s been a constant cycle of figuring things out under pressure, fixing what breaks, and making decisions without having all the information.
Early on, one of the biggest challenges was simply learning how to operate at a higher level. We weren’t just buying properties, we were stepping into running real businesses. That shift is bigger than people expect. You go from thinking about deals to thinking about staffing, guest experience, systems, and cash flow all at once.
We’ve also had to navigate partnership challenges. Misaligned expectations, lack of transparency around expenses, and disagreements on how the business should be run. That’s been one of the hardest parts, because it’s not just numbers, it’s trust and communication. We’ve had to learn how to advocate for the business while staying professional and solution focused.
On the financial side, we’ve felt real pressure. Carrying debt, managing cash flow, and trying to scale at the same time is not easy. There’s a constant balancing act between reinvesting into the business and making sure you’re staying stable personally.
Operationally, nothing runs perfectly. Staffing, training, and maintaining standards across the park takes constant attention. Things break, guests have issues, systems fail, and you still have to show up and lead through it. There have been moments where we were stretched thin, covering roles ourselves just to keep things moving.
We’ve also had to make hard calls on where to spend money, what to fix, what to delay, and what actually moves the needle. Not every investment pays off the way you expect, and you learn quickly that discipline matters more than excitement.
But every one of those challenges forced us to get better. Better operators, better decision makers, and better partners to the people we work with and the investors who trust us.
So no, it hasn’t been smooth. But that’s also the reason we know what we’re doing now. We didn’t just study this, we lived it.
We’ve been impressed with Okefenokee Pastimes Cabins & Campground, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Okefenokee Pastimes Cabins & Campground is more than a place to stay, it’s an experience built around connection. We’re located just outside the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, so guests come for the adventure, but what they remember is how they felt while they were here.
We offer a mix of cabins, RV sites, and glamping tents, with more unique stays on the way. But what really sets us apart is how intentional we are about the guest experience. From the moment someone arrives, they’re not just checking into a site, they’re being welcomed in. We escort guests to their spot, we deliver firewood and s’mores kits, and we’ve built spaces like our camp store, beer and wine bar, and restaurant to give people a reason to gather.
We’ve leaned into being a place where families, couples, and groups can slow down and actually spend time together. You’ll see kids riding bikes, people sitting around fires, and neighbors who didn’t know each other an hour ago sharing stories by the end of the night. That’s not something you can fake, it comes from being intentional about the environment you create.
Operationally, we focus heavily on consistency. Clean, well-run, and thoughtfully designed. That sounds simple, but in this space it’s what separates a one-time visit from a place people return to again and again.
What we’re most proud of is the feeling of the park when it’s full. There’s an energy to it. The laughter, the conversations, the mix of people from different places all coming together. And then by Sunday, it shifts back to quiet, peaceful, and reset. That balance is something we’ve worked hard to create.
At the brand level, we’re known for being genuine. We’re not trying to be a luxury resort, and we’re not trying to be something we’re not. We focus on simple comforts done well, strong hospitality, and creating an environment where people can connect.
What we want readers to know is this, we don’t just operate a campground. We’re building a place people look forward to coming back to. And that only happens when you care about the details, the experience, and the people walking through the door.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
For Jason, it was his grandpa loading up the van and heading out for long camping weekends. Simple trips, but they stuck with him. Time outside, being together, and getting away from everything else.
For me, it was spending time on my grandpa’s land. We’d clear parts of the property and end the day with huge bonfires, cooking sausages over the fire and sitting out under the stars. There was something about how simple it all was, no distractions, just being present.
Looking back, those moments shaped how we think about what we’re creating now. It’s not about overcomplicating the experience. It’s about giving people a place where they can slow down, connect, and create those same kinds of memories with their own families.
Pricing:
- Cabins Starting at $109 a night
- Glamping Starting at $99 a night
- RV Camping Starting at $49 a night
- Tent Camping Starting at $29 a night
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.okefenokee.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/okefenokee_pastimes_campground
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088151097165
