Community Forums

beaverbob · 11-25-2021, 05:21 PM

I just decide when I’m tired and then drive to the next RV park. If full i go to the next rest stop.😊

Sittib11 · 11-25-2021, 06:40 PM

Contact directly, website or phone..use Campground reviews to do research, see good,bad,ugly comments
.

SeattlePirat · 11-25-2021, 06:54 PM

If its a direct connect to the rv park I like website registering/reservation. I do not like to go through a third party reservation website. KOA is the best on line reservation I have used. If I need a reservation while driving the DW calls the rv par if IM driving.

dmarrs8585 · 11-25-2021, 07:00 PM

Recreation. Gov when possible, nobody mentioned Passport America they used to be a great deal but allot of the parks added to many restrictions but still a good source of info then call the park.

Rexlion · 11-25-2021, 08:24 PM

I just show up. If it's full, I have an alternate or two in mind and I'll drive to the next one. So far, it's worked for me.
On rare occasions when I know exactly when and where I'll be and I know it's hard/impossible to get in without a reservation (like Yosemite valley), I have used government reservation sites.

Rob_M · 11-25-2021, 09:19 PM

I have used a couple different apps to find a park I like, then call directly if possible.
Usually a friendly conversation directly is useful for obtaining information not on the web sites. If I don’t get a warm fuzzy feeling I move on to something else if other options are available.

Also I sometimes use google earth to get a satellite view and a feel for the park layout and shade trees etc before booking.

rarebear.nm · 11-25-2021, 10:07 PM

It depends. We just returned from a 9 week trip to the Pacific NW. We never booked any stay more than four hours in advance the entire time. Only once, the first night, did we hit a campground full problem. Just boondocked that night.

Most of our travels are ad-hoc and done day to day. Sure we have a general trip plan but the rest is up for grabs. We seldom stay more than 3-5 nights anywhere. Frequently only overnight stays and back on the road. Typically we limit our drive time to 4 to 5 hours. On this last trip some daily drives were only 30 minutes and one day pushed 9 hours. Typically we'll mix paid campgrounds with boondock sites.

As to methods, well will use anything that works. Many campgrounds require online booking, when it's a private park we prefer to call. Sometimes we may be only 5 - 10 minutes away when we book a site. We've got multiple apps to find campgrounds, used the Milepost in Canada and Alaska and Church & Church (the best source), otherwise frequently use Google to find something.

In the last 7+ years of RVing we have never done a detailed trip plan.

BruceDeville · 11-26-2021, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTHill

I'm adding a poll but if you don't mind, if you use an app or non-campground specific website, can you be specific as to what app or site you use?

Thank you very much!

GT

I am a people person, I like to talk to people so if I can I do. The recreation.gov site is ok, but I find about 15% of the time it is has glitches.

Also depends on where we are going. If it's some place we know well and visit often I am more likely to book using campground website. If possible I avoid loading site specific apps to my devices.

If we are going someplace new I using various online reviews. Online reviews are rapidly becoming worthless in my OPINION because of "professional" negative reviewers. Typically complete reservations by phone if possible, you can learn a lot about a place by talking to those employed by that place.

Its an opinion and it works well for us.

dosxx · 11-26-2021, 07:41 AM

RV Tripwizard for the planning. Use a lot of state parks & Federal campgrounds so use Recreation.gov or the parks website.

rsutton310 · 11-26-2021, 08:35 AM

I've used Allstays for several years now. I think it's $30 a year but I've easily made that up just staying at designated Walmarts and finding free dump stations. The program does a lot and is designed to work without service.

garyb1st · 11-26-2021, 07:03 PM

Call on the way. More often than not we're told the park only has one or two sites left. When that happens, we just take our chances. So far we have been turned away maybe one time in more than 10 years of camping. That seems to be changing lately so we're a bit more cautious when traveling to popular destinations. When we're concerned about finding a place we'll call a day ahead and reserve.

plaso20 · 11-26-2021, 10:49 PM

We generally travel by just throwing a dart to see where we land next, or how far we feel like going that day. So we just call while on the road and make a reservation. We have also just pulled in to see if hey have a site available.

boracho · 11-27-2021, 08:30 AM

We use ALLSTAYS to first get up to date info on areas we want to stay in. Once we decide we contact the campground by email or phone. Sorry
Good Sam but info out of date and frequent 10 ratings should 6's.
.

dmarrs8585 · 11-27-2021, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rarebear.nm

It depends. We just returned from a 9 week trip to the Pacific NW. We never booked any stay more than four hours in advance the entire time. Only once, the first night, did we hit a campground full problem. Just boondocked that night.

Most of our travels are ad-hoc and done day to day. Sure we have a general trip plan but the rest is up for grabs. We seldom stay more than 3-5 nights anywhere. Frequently only overnight stays and back on the road. Typically we limit our drive time to 4 to 5 hours. On this last trip some daily drives were only 30 minutes and one day pushed 9 hours. Typically we'll mix paid campgrounds with boondock sites.

As to methods, well will use anything that works. Many campgrounds require online booking, when it's a private park we prefer to call. Sometimes we may be only 5 - 10 minutes away when we book a site. We've got multiple apps to find campgrounds, used the Milepost in Canada and Alaska and Church & Church (the best source), otherwise frequently use Google to find something.

In the last 7+ years of RVing we have never done a detailed trip plan.

I'm glad someone else rolls the way we do, with all this talk of reservations and advanced planning I was beginning to think we were the only ones that just played it a day or two at a time... the general direction with really like it stay longer options... lol been playing it one day at time for 10 years or so