Community Forums

Doggievet · 03-30-2006, 03:30 AM

I need a new campground guide and road map. Has anyone used the Mapquest RV and Campsites Guide and Atlas? I've read that some guides are not very good and don't want to waste money. Any comments,
Thanks,
Annie K and Sparky the long-haired chihuahua
03 Journey DL 36LD
04 Saturn L300W
Blue Ox and Brake Buddy

Doggievet · 03-30-2006, 03:30 AM

I need a new campground guide and road map. Has anyone used the Mapquest RV and Campsites Guide and Atlas? I've read that some guides are not very good and don't want to waste money. Any comments,
Thanks,
Annie K and Sparky the long-haired chihuahua
03 Journey DL 36LD
04 Saturn L300W
Blue Ox and Brake Buddy

Hitchhiker · 03-30-2006, 05:32 AM

We've used the Trailer Life Directory for the past 30 - 35 years and find it meets our needs and expectations. We don't pay much attention to their rating system, it's subjective to the raters tastes and whether or not the campground buys advertising or not.

I also carry a Walmart road atlas that costs about $5 and we use MS Streets and Trips with our laptop to find places. We also will pick up a free state map at welcome stations in the states that we travel through.

I'm a real cheapskate, like the free stuff.

Doggievet · 03-30-2006, 05:48 AM

Hi Hitchhiker:
I, too, am a cheapskate. I get a map of each state in which I travel, but sometimes I need to know the location of the nearest campground. I don't bother with the ratings because most of the time we just want a place to overnight. I think it would be convenient to have campgrounds and maps in one book. I probably will check out the Mapquest quide.

By the way, I'll be moving to Lenoir, N.C. sometime in May when my new home is completed. Lenoir is the ancestoral home and all my relatives are located there. My home will be out of town abouta mile from the Burke Co. line on highway 18.
Annie K. and Sparky the long-haired chihuahua

Gary RVRoamer · 03-30-2006, 12:59 PM

You can't beat the Trailer Life Guide and Woodalls comes in a close second. If you want campground information, that's the way to go. Save money by picking up last years guide now that the new one has come out. But heck, the new one is only about $15 plus shipping and usually under $20 in stores. No need to buy one every year.

For maps, I mostly use computer display maps for detailed route planning and finding places, but always carry one of the $4.95 Walmart Road Atalses (Rand McNally maps) in both car and motorhome. Decent maps plus the locations for all Walmarts - how can you beat that for under $5?

glenda1908 · 03-31-2006, 09:08 AM

At the last RV show we were at the Good Sam folks were selling an RV Road Atlas. I think it was $12.95 and worth every penny. It shows all campgrounds in every state. Good Sam ones are in red and all others in black. We also use Trailer Life, but the Atlas helps you to determine if the campground is near where you are heading. Then you can look it up in TL and check out the amenities. I haven't looked, but it is probably offered on the Good Sam web site.

mamaloya · 04-01-2006, 03:24 PM

Thanks for the tip to TL. I will get it. I don't have any advice except that I did not like th Coleman national forest campground directory. Most of the places are more for backpacking and tenters. They have no facilities (most of them). They are mostly under $10 per night though.

For maps, I like AAA. I pay 47 a year and get unlimited guide books, camp books, and triptiks. I really like that the triptik is compact and easy to follow. If you plan a trip and are going from say TX to CA. They will ask if you are in an RV or if you want main roads or back roads. They will print it for you and list construction. They will also send you every guide book for every state that you will pass through. We also get the campbook. The campbook however is not thorough. I have found that there are many more CGs than are listed. Their maps inside each guide/campbook are pretty good though. You also get like a 10% discount at a lot of places (even payless shoestore). The discounts on hotels I am finding are not a savings. I only join for the triptiks, guidebooks, and road service (dh has run out of gas and locked keys in many times, and me too

).

Roam America · 04-02-2006, 06:02 AM

I've always used the Trucker's Atlas. buy a new one every year from the truck stop near me. True there is a lot I don't need in there, but in addition to the atlas, it also lists low heights (my trailer is a tad over 13') by state and hi-way. Also identifies other restrictions. In conjunction with that I use my Flying-J pamphlet of truck stops for planning fuel stops. In the past I've also used the KOA directory for CG's. This year I'm also going to carry the Trailer Life CG Directory.