What Do Flamingos & Upside Down Pineapples Mean in an RV Park? EXPOSED!

Have you ever seen flamingos in an RV park and wondered about the meaning? What about the upside down pineapples? If you’ve seen one of these symbols, you might be in for a surprise… especially if you’ve seen both upside down pineapples and flamingos in an RV campsite!

Upside down pineapples in an RV park indicate the presence of swingers. Sometimes (but rarely), flamingos can also indicate the same thing.

In this article, we’re taking a deeper dive into the meaning of flamingoes in RV parks. We’ll also look at upside down pineapple symbolism too! You’ll learn about the history of the imagery and what to do if you’re ever approached by swingers for using these items as RV campsite decor.

Flamingo in RV Park Meaning

Do flamingos in an RV park or surrounding a campsite have a secret meaning? Sometimes they do, especially if you also see pineapples or upside-down pineapples nearby as this symbolizes swingers. But for the most part, flamingos in an RV park are harmless RV campsite decorations that have no hidden meaning. 

What Do Upside Down Pineapples Mean? 

If you’ve seen the viral TikTok videos go around, you might be shocked. But they’re right: the symbolism of upside down pineapples indicates individuals who belong to the swinging lifestyle. 

The upside down pineapple has become a fun and non-offensive symbol of swingers and their alternative lifestyle. 

Wearing the imagery or displaying the imagery of an upside down pineapple at your campsite or RV parking spot is a way of flagging to other people who are interested in the swinging lifestyle. 

What Are Swingers?

Swingers are people who live the “swinging” lifestyle or are displaying interest in it. 

Swingers are people in open or non-monogamous marriages or long-term relationships and enjoy swapping partners with other swinging couples on occasion. 

Consensual non-monogamy is an alternative relationship style. “Consensual” means both partners agree to the dynamic. In the case of swinging, they enjoy swapping partners with other couples for intercourse.

While this certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, many enjoy it and have healthy, happy relationships with their partners. And swingers exist everywhere, even in the RVing community! 

And if you’ve ever seen an upside down pineapple on someone’s door on a cruise ship, now you know why. 

How Many Swingers are RVers? 

While it’s impossible to know how many RVers are interested in the swinging lifestyle, there are swingers who love to live in RVs and camp in RVs. There aren’t even solid numbers known about the amount of swingers there are in general, this isn’t something that’s heavily studied. 

According to NBC News, between 2% and 10% of married couples in the US have participated in activities that could be considered as swinging, which would be about 1.1 million couples. 

In another article by Reuters, the range was much more broad, with suggestions ranging from 100,000 swingers in the US to upwards of 1 million.

There are many websites online for swingers to find and connect with each other. One that we found that relates to the RV community is called SwingLifestyle, and they have a page for campground swingers in every state. In Alabama, it said there were over 2,000 campground swingers nearby!

So, maybe RV swingers are more common than any of us think…

What Do Flamingos Mean in an RV Park?

We’ve all seen the RV campsite that has a ton of those plastic pink lawn flamingos. Do flamingos at RV parks mean swinging, too? While flamingos in an RV park can symbolize swinging, they don’t always. Sometimes flamingoes at a campsite are just innocent decorations!

Pink lawn flamingos have been used as lawn decorations and kitschy decor for decades. And, for the most part, they have no ulterior meaning. However, some people in the swinging lifestyle also utilize flamingos as a more subtle hint to their desires. 

While the upside down pineapple is a pretty unmistakable sign that you’ve found swingers (unless the person displaying it has no idea), the flamingo is a little harder to decipher. 

For the most part, if you see flamingos in an RV park decorating a campsite, assume they’re just harmless decor. Unless, of course, you see upside down pineapples in the same campsite!

Do Pineapples and Flamingos Always Symbolize Swinging?

No, pineapples and flamingos don’t always symbolize swinging! Right-side-up pineapples may spark the interest of some swingers to ask if you’re into the lifestyle. However, upside-down pineapples are the actual “flag” for swingers. 

And the truth is, not everyone who displays an upside down pineapple will be a swinger. Since the upside down pineapple is more of a secret symbol, not everyone knows it’s meaning! 

Flamingos in an RV park don’t always mean swingers are present – in fact, that’s rarely the case if you don’t also see pineapples around. 

Flamingos are a very popular RV campsite decoration, and they’ve been beloved lawn decorations since they were created by Donald Featherstone in 1957 .

What RVers Have to Say about Pineapples and Flamingos in RV Parks

We’re a member of dozens of RV lifestyle Facebook groups, and we see questions and posts about flamingos in RV parks come up often… Pineapples, too! 

Here are a few comments we’ve seen on the topic (we’ve abbreviated names for privacy).

“So many people seem worried to approach people with this decor as if they will convert you or something. You CAN be friends with people in the lifestyle without being part of it. You probably already are friends with people in the lifestyle and have no clue! Lifestyle folks are NOT trying to bring anyone in who’s not interested in the same. It’s ok to still be friendly, and if it ever comes up just say you’re not in the lifestyle and that’s the end of it.” – R.N.

“Flamingos are just for decoration! I have lots of innocent flamingos inside and outside of my camper. Now I would not hang an upside down pineapple outside or inside my camper.” – D.B. 

“Upside down pineapple is the universal signal for swingers. Not exclusive to RVers. If it’s not upside down, I would assume they just like pineapple decor.” – M.B. 

“Flamingos do not mean swingers. Lol. Upside down pineapples do. We are swingers. For many many years. Pineapples and matching black rings on right hands….. No birds.” – J.A. 

There’s a lot of disagreement by non-swinging RVers AND swinging RVers alike on what different symbols mean for different people!

Some swingers are adamant that flamingos don’t mean swinging. Others say “Yes, they do!”

The only way you can truly know? Ask.

If you want to keep your lawn flamingos up but you aren’t a swinger, not to worry. You can. Just because some people identify with a secret symbol doesn’t mean you have to, nor do you have to cater to a seemingly hidden part of society.

Other Secret Symbols of Swingers

There are many other secret symbols of swingers, and if you look online you’ll find a lot. However, most secret symbols you’ll find are purely rumors. 

Some signs of swingers other than the upside down pineapple might include: 

• A black ring worn on the right hand. 
• Garden gnomes or flamingos, if also in the presence of pineapples. 
• “Swinging symbol” jewelry, a relatively new symbol that can be worn as jewelry or a tattoo
• Pampas grass

Recognizing swingers in the wild can be difficult, and if you’re interested in the lifestyle, the best thing you can do is just ask. 

If you see evidence of symbols that are rumored to be symbols, they just might be! 

Alternatively, if you want to use any of this imagery as decoration, don’t be offended if someone asks you if you’re into the lifestyle as well. 

The History of Pineapple Imagery 

Pineapples and flamingos are both tropical images that may just be displayed by people who love kitschy, tropical things. But the history of pineapples used as decor goes way, way back–centuries, even! 

Columbus brought the pineapple to Spain in the 1490’s, and it eventually became a symbol of wealth. Pineapple rotted quickly on ships and was very hard to grow in the New World, so it was a commodity that only the ultra-rich could afford. 

Later, it became a sign of hospitality. Those who displayed pineapples or pineapple imagery outside their homes were welcoming to visitors.

Pineapples were a rare treat that evolved into a status symbol that then came to be known as a sign of hospitality. The pineapple then became a popular motif for art, including paintings and sculptures. Now, the pineapple is still well-loved as decor on homes, lamps, clothing, bags, and even RV campsites. 

Upside Down Pineapple History

The origin of the use of upside down pineapples as decor and swinger symbolism is unknown. However, we know that the history of using pineapples as decor in general goes way, way back. 

The term “upside down pineapple” seems to have only gotten popular because of internet culture, starting in the 2010s. Information and memes spread rapidly online, and it’s likely that the history of the symbol started entirely online as well.

What About Pink Flamingos? History of the Iconic Pink Flamingo as Lawn and RV Park Decor

The now-famous pink plastic lawn flamingos were created in 1957 by 21-year-old Donald Featherstone, working for a garden decoration company called Union Plastics. 

These iconic plastic lawn ornaments were sold in pairs for just $2.76 and were marketed as “Plastics for Your Lawn” in an era where plastic manufacturing was new, novel, and skyrocketing in popularity.

Pinks, plastics, and flamingo imagery are all things associated with the 1950’s, an era when the color pink was used in diners, homes, and even on cars. Pink flamingos were instantly both loved and hated by many people from suburban homeowners to RV campers. 

Today, the pink flamingo is a symbol of days gone by, and a beloved decoration for kitschy folk and people who just want to add a little fun and color to their RV park campsite!

Will Using Pineapples or Flamingos as Campsite Decor Bring Unwanted Attention? 

It is entirely possible that using pineapples and flamingos as campsite decor may prompt some questions if nearby swingers take notice. This is especially true if you unknowingly use upside down pineapples!

If you’re ever approached with the question and you aren’t interested in the lifestyle, try not to take offense to it but politely decline. 

What About Pineapple Clothing and Jewelry?

Upside down pineapple clothing and jewelry can also signal to those in the swinging lifestyle that you are “interested”. 

A couple on vacation unknowingly sent the wrong message with their matching pineapple bathing suits. In fact, this was one of the viral instances that got people interested in pineapples in the first place. 

Now You Know The Secret of Upside Down Pineapples and Flamingos in RV Parks

If you’re still reading, you are now well-versed in the symbolism of not only pineapples, but flamingos in RV parks. 

If you absolutely love your pink lawn flamingos and don’t want to part with them yet aren’t interested in swinging, you don’t have to! 

While it’s unlikely that you will be asked if you’re a swinger because of the presence of flamingos in your RV park alone, it’s still a possibility. All you have to do is politely decline, but you can leave your flamingos alone!