Candy Hill Campground got its name from a dog.

Long before there were campsites, the land was a farm. The farmer’s daughter had a dog named Candy, and when Candy passed, she was buried on the hill behind the house. Over time, the locals began referring to the area as Candy’s Hill. The name stuck.

Today, that same piece of land just outside of Winchester, Virginia, is home to Candy Hill Campground, where Karl Littman, his wife Selena, and their family have built something that is clearly cared for, much like the story behind its name.

Setting the Standard Early

Karl was still in college when he and his family started talking about campground ownership. After staying at Candy Hill and talking with the previous owner, they were presented with the opportunity to purchase the park. It took about a year, but they worked through the details and moved forward together.

Once the park was theirs, they got to work right away. From the beginning, the Littmans were clear on what they wanted the park to be.

“My parents were both pretty much neat freaks, and didn’t like the fact that a lot of the campgrounds they went to seemed messy,” Karl recalled. “So together we set the goal of being the cleanliest and friendliest campground around.”

“We have what we refer to as manicured lawns and shade trees,” Karl added. “We keep that cleanliness up to date. We do a lot of large concrete pad pull-throughs that people love because they're just gorgeous. They don't have to worry about tracking mud or anything in. If the dog's out playing outside with them, he's not going to track in mud, because there is none.”

That standard also shaped how the park is run day to day. Expectations are clear, and they are consistent.

“My dad had been around business. He was also previously a Navy officer, so he was very quick to lay down ground rules,” Karl said. “We have long been blessed with tons and tons of campers that are just fantastic to have. And a lot of them actually compliment us on our rules, because they like it. They like the fact that they don't have to worry.”

A Life Built Around the Park

Candy Hill has always been a family effort. Karl’s parents were part of the early years, and their influence is still felt in the way the park operates today. Over time, the day-to-day shifted to Karl and Selena, who have continued building on that foundation while raising their two children at the campground.

“Our son is currently at Avery University, and he's studying hospitality and tourism,” Karl shared. “Our daughter is currently in high school, and she works at the campground in the summers and helps us out with check-ins and other duties such as photography around the park, trying to get good pictures for marketing and things like that.”

The campground has been part of everyday life for all of them, and the way they’ve enjoyed it together comes through in what they create for the families who stay there. 

“We do this really fun thing called our trolley,” Karl explained. “We take our trolley out for ice cream, and we do it as a rocking trolley on Saturdays. We actually turn on the speakers and subwoofers, and go down the road to the ice cream stand playing loud rock music. We get everybody some ice cream, and then they come back to the bus, and we ride back to the campground again, jamming out.”

It’s a simple ice cream run, something Karl and Selena would do with their own children, but they’ve found a way to include their guests as well. 

“I love it when people come into the office to chat, and they say, ‘Well, who’s the owner?’ “ Karl said with a smile. “I’m like, ‘I am, and my wife is right over here.’ We’re here, and we’re working the business. I think our favorite thing is being on the front counter. We love seeing our customers, and they get to know us.” 

That same presence carries into more serious moments, too.

Karl has been a volunteer firefighter and EMT for 29 years, and that experience has become part of the peace of mind Candy Hill offers its guests. 

“It’s really nice when I’m knocking on your door to check on you before the phone call with 911 is ever over,” Karl said. “I had a guest who dialed 911, and I went racing over to his site. He was having a heart attack, and I started treating him. A few days later, he finally came back to the park, and the first thing he wanted to do was find me and thank me, which was awesome.”

Karl’s fellow firefighters and EMTs often stop by the park to hang out. Their presence feels like an added layer of reassurance for guests and reflects how closely Candy Hill is connected to the people and the community around it.

Close to It All

“Our town has a tremendous amount of things to do,” Karl said. “So we don’t have to put on as many activities as some parks.” 

Winchester and the surrounding area are rich in history, events, and local attractions. From Civil War sites to museums and gardens, there’s always something happening nearby. 

Rather than trying to recreate that inside the park, Karl and Selena focus on helping guests make the most of what’s already there.

“We just created a new Candy Hill Campground app,” Karl shared. “Once you look at it, you’ll be amazed at the amount of food and history and fun things to do. Our staff felt like when people were coming up and saying, ‘Where do I go for dinner?’ they were like, ‘Where do we start?’ “

The app brings everything together in one place and makes it easier for guests to find what they’re looking for and easier for staff to point them in the right direction. 

That connection to the area has also grown into partnerships within the community.

“We actually work very closely with the visitors bureau,” Karl said. “In fact, we just got a grant from them to help us with our app and marketing, because we do so much with them year after year.”

Paying Attention to What Matters

As Candy Hill has grown, Karl and Selena have looked for ways to simplify things without losing the personal connections they’ve worked so hard to build. And CampLife has helped support that.

“We are huge fans of everything CampLife,” Karl shared. “We're trying to grow and learn for ourselves some of the newer features, but the biggest one for us is Sign+Store. It has just been absolutely fantastic.”

“We love the online reservations, too,” Karl continued. “I just love watching the reservations pile in online. You sit there, and you go, ‘Oh, look, five more reservations, fantastic.’ And then you have three more and two more. As your day goes along, it just makes it so easy.”

With reservations coming in throughout the day and paperwork handled ahead of time, Karl and Selena have more freedom to focus on the people in front of them. CampLife also helps them connect with guests in a way that feels more natural from the start, even when it’s their first time at Candy Hill. 

“I like it when I type in their email, and it pops up who that person is, and I can say, ‘Are you Tim Brown with this size rig?’ and they’re like, ‘How did you know all that?’ “ Karl shared. “And I can tell them that if they’ve ever stayed at a park that uses CampLife as their software, I have their info. They're like, ‘Oh, that's fantastic. This speeds it up so much.’ So they love it.”

Check-in becomes a conversation, and the guests feel known right away. 

Built for the Way Parks Run

At CampLife, we are proud to support parks like Candy Hill. From online reservations to tools like Sign+Store, our goal is to help park owners simplify their operations so they can spend more time with their guests. 

If you’d like to see how it could all work at your park, we would love to talk with you. Already a part of the CampLife Community? Our Customer Success team is here to help you get more of the tools you have. And if you’re still exploring your options, reach out anytime to connect with our team.