1) Dog friendly. If people are snarky about The William, I won't be there. When I have grandchildren, I'll amend this to dog-and-kid friendly.
2) Safe enough. I don't spook easily, but if I get that funny feeling from a place, I don't stay.
Those are the only essentials, really; I can work around anything else. Nice things include:
1) Potable water nearby -- and I like it to taste good, too. Some city water really tastes nasty.
2) Large sites with good design to give at least the illusion of privacy.
3) Someplace to build a campfire. I like to be able to buy local wood on site or nearby, too. No point in hauling tree diseases/pests into a place, and you can't really tell by looking at the wood.
4) Shade. Lots and lots of shade.
5) Something beautiful to look at. Mountains, oceans, forests, lakes, deserts, rivers.
6) If the place has toilets, they should be clean. Yes, pit toilets too. If there's plumbing, it should work reliably.
7) Electricity is nice if the weather turns rough.
8) Something fun to do. I'm easily amused, so that's an easy one!
and The William too!
