Reservations or not?

[WGTX]

We recently made trip out to AZ and back and made no reservations except for the week at the IRV2 Rally. We tried reservations one time and couldn't keep them. We decided then, no more reservations. If one place doesn't work out and another will. We don't like being tied to a schedule.

[Sallys Mom]

Hmmmmmm... seems that reservations should be made for "destination" places. The way we usually travel - "why don't we go someplace today?" - will still be OK and more in keeping with our version of RVing! I'm always interested in what's around the next corner or beyond the next hill. Thanks to all for sharing!

[campernut2]

My core reservation is made way ahead of time with the campground. On the road I am never sure just how far hubby wants to drive so The Trailer Life Directory works great for those one nighters or maybe two nights. Although I did pick two bad ones on this last trip. One made us feel like we had checked into the bates motel! The other couples who just stayed the night too said " it sure doesn't look like it read does it??" Yep.

[melvonnar]

If you have been to a campground before and know the layout fine, make reservations; unless its a tourest destination; make the reservation.
If I'm just traveling, I never make reservations, you might get into something that is realy bad; I've seen a few of these. never travel on friday or saturday; thats the busy time for campgrounds.

[RVDude]

Part of your answer depends on your rig and your needs and perceived comfort level requirements.

If you are a 45footer towing then you probably better get reservations, as there tends to be fewer spots capable of such large rigs and you can't just stick them anyplace. These big boys also have far fewer options in just trying the next CG in the area.

On the other hand, if you are a 25footer then you can practically fit anyplace and have far far far more options meaning a lack of reservation will not be a burden if the CG filled - just move to the next, hit a BLM, or even stealth camp if needed.

If you have to just have full 50amp power or have to have water/cable/sewer then making reservation will put you at ease in ensuring you get that when you arrive. If you don't mind parking overnight at a WalMart or mind moving (or being assigned) to drycamping location because your unreserved CG got full then you have even more options.

Of course, as has been said above, any holiday times or near popular spots will always require reservations.

[melvonnar]

Originally Posted by RVDude

Part of your answer depends on your rig and your needs and perceived comfort level requirements.

If you are a 45footer towing then you probably better get reservations, as there tends to be fewer spots capable of such large rigs and you can't just stick them anyplace. These big boys also have far fewer options in just trying the next CG in the area.

On the other hand, if you are a 25footer then you can practically fit anyplace and have far far far more options meaning a lack of reservation will not be a burden if the CG filled - just move to the next, hit a BLM, or even stealth camp if needed.

If you have to just have full 50amp power or have to have water/cable/sewer then making reservation will put you at ease in ensuring you get that when you arrive. If you don't mind parking overnight at a WalMart or mind moving (or being assigned) to drycamping location because your unreserved CG got full then you have even more options.

Of course, as has been said above, any holiday times or near popular spots will always require reservations.

agreed_-- My motorhome is 34 foot; I don't mind staying at Flying J; Walmart, or a forest service camps, some folks, just have to have hookups, I don't, thats what holding tanks and gererators are for.

[bdpreece]

My personal choice is always to have a reservation. That way I know ahead of time where I will be and that I will have a site. That being said the DW likes to wing it so on many occasions I have had to cancel reservations just to satisfy her.
.

[Spikester]

I always make reservations well in advance directly with the campground/resort utilize the internet as much as possible.
I use FMCA/Woodalls/Internet/GPS/MS Streets and Maps to plan my trip and stops. I do this to limit the amount of driving I do each day regardless of how I feel, that way I am not worn out when I get to my destination. Nice to have the stopping place in my GPS so it guides me to that place in the afternoon, in my opinion there is nothing worst than groping around for a place to stay late in the afternoon after a days travel. More interested in stopping, getting set-up, propping up my feet, then maybe having a cocktail.

Spike

[hamguy]

Originally Posted by Spikester

I always make reservations well in advance directly with the campground/resort utilize the internet as much as possible.
I use FMCA/Woodalls/Internet/GPS/MS Streets and Maps to plan my trip and stops. I do this to limit the amount of driving I do each day regardless of how I feel, that way I am not worn out when I get to my destination. Nice to have the stopping place in my GPS so it guides me to that place in the afternoon, in my opinion there is nothing worst than groping around for a place to stay late in the afternoon after a days travel. More interested in stopping, getting set-up, propping up my feet, then maybe having a cocktail.

Spike

We plan ahead but always subject to change. Below is out Itinerary for a run this summer.

lordsburg, NM 7/4/2009Sat2KOA 34
Van Horn, TX7/6/2009Mon2El Campo RV Park *
Tye, TX7/8/2009Wed3PA Tye RV Park 28
Canton, TX7/11/2009Sat2PA Texas Trails RV Park
Vicksburg, MS7/13/2009Mon4Isle of Capri now Diamond Jacks ??
Turner, AL7/17/2009Fri5RPI Taladega Creekside
Florence, SC7/22/2009Wed10PA Swampfox PA 15
Smithfield, NC8/1/2009Sat2Smithfield KOA
Williamsburg, VA8/3/2009Mon4American Heritage RV Park
Fort Chiswell, VA8/7/2009Fri2Fort Chiswell RV Park 29
Pigeon Forge, TN8/9/2009Sun3PA Creekside RV Park $13
Nashville, TN8/12/2009Wed5RPI Nashville Country RV Park 17.25
Memphis, TN8/17/2009Mon3PA Elvis Presley Blvd RV Park
Ft. Smith, AR8/20/2009Thu3Ft. Smith/Alma KOA
Elk City, OK8/23/2009Sun4PA Elk Run RV 14
Tucumcari, MN8/27/2009Thu3Cactus RV 15
Gallup, NM8/30/2009Sun2USA RV Park 30
Home9/1/2009Tue

[melvonnar]

Originally Posted by hamguy

We plan ahead but always subject to change. Below is out Itinerary for a run this summer.

lordsburg, NM 7/4/2009Sat2KOA 34
Van Horn, TX7/6/2009Mon2El Campo RV Park *
Tye, TX7/8/2009Wed3PA Tye RV Park 28
Canton, TX7/11/2009Sat2PA Texas Trails RV Park
Vicksburg, MS7/13/2009Mon4Isle of Capri now Diamond Jacks ??
Turner, AL7/17/2009Fri5RPI Taladega Creekside
Florence, SC7/22/2009Wed10PA Swampfox PA 15
Smithfield, NC8/1/2009Sat2Smithfield KOA
Williamsburg, VA8/3/2009Mon4American Heritage RV Park
Fort Chiswell, VA8/7/2009Fri2Fort Chiswell RV Park 29
Pigeon Forge, TN8/9/2009Sun3PA Creekside RV Park $13
Nashville, TN8/12/2009Wed5RPI Nashville Country RV Park 17.25
Memphis, TN8/17/2009Mon3PA Elvis Presley Blvd RV Park
Ft. Smith, AR8/20/2009Thu3Ft. Smith/Alma KOA
Elk City, OK8/23/2009Sun4PA Elk Run RV 14
Tucumcari, MN8/27/2009Thu3Cactus RV 15
Gallup, NM8/30/2009Sun2USA RV Park 30
Home9/1/2009Tue

Question??
What happens to your schedual if you have a breakdown the first week that holds you up far a week or two?
All those reservations; me oh my.

[hamguy]

Originally Posted by robert h

Question??
What happens to your schedual if you have a breakdown the first week that holds you up far a week or two?
All those reservations; me oh my.

I don't make reservations until 1-3 days before arrival.

[Lindsay Richards]

In hundreds of nights of camping, we hardly ever make reservations. We usually are not sure where we will be staying until the afternoon. My starts checking around. This seems to work well for us. If we are traveling around a holiday, that makes a great time for boondocking. This system has not failed us yet. I think the economic slowdown has cut down on the numer of campers which makes reservations even less important. We do make reservations in Florida during the heavy season. Our style of RV’ing doesn’t lend itself to rigid planning and we love it that way. Rarely do we know where we will be staying that night when we leave in the morning and when we think we do, we find something interesting and go elsewhere.

[melvonnar]

In the past 25 years I have traveled approx 4 months every summer (its hot and rains a lot in Florida in the summer) I have yet to have a problem finding a campground; we seldom stay in one campground more than a week. I have yet to make a reservation.

[Forest Grump]

We spent 10 days in So. Utah at the National Parks and made reservations 6 mo ahead for each. Half the campers were Europeans with rentals from LA or Las Vegas. I was intrigued with the excellence of their planning so I asked them how they did it and it was entirely through the inet.

I live here and it was hard enough to pick the routes but they told me in Europe the Nat. monuments and Parks are very well known. They pick the area they plan to visit, usually for 3 weeks, and the parks they want to see and then choose the routing and then make reservations. At Monument Valley we went on a truck tour and the two of us were the only Americans out of 20.

One funning thing though that occurred. Our neighbor from Denmark said his Visa card would not work at the gas pump. It was the same card as ours and in my international travels they always worked so I asked him to describe what happened as he used his card. He said each time he would insert it in a pump the sign would tell him to remove it quickly so he did, and went in to pay inside. I explained that expression meant for the card to be read it had to be removed quickly and then just follow the screen instructions. His daughter got a really good laugh out of that. Little bit of a language translation problem but funny. He was very happy.