Community Forums

Ramets · 03-20-2013, 05:22 AM

The only time we make res. is if we want to stay in a particular place for an extended period of time, like a month or more.

jzick · 03-20-2013, 06:23 AM

We almost never start the engine on the motorhome in the morning without knowing where we will be that night. DW and I both feel we did not work hard so we could sleep in parking lots, and when we are ready to stop for the evening we do not want to be calling and hoping there is room. We also tend to travel in short season camping areas during the summer, when everyone with kids wants to vacation at campgrounds and in the south in winter where everyone who can is escaping the cold. We see a lot of full campgrounds.

MartinP · 03-20-2013, 07:31 AM

yes, if we want to stay at a particular camp ground during the busy season we do book ahead such as 4th July otherwise we have found we can't get in. Off season no, just tend to give them a call a couple days out.

Martin

Wayne M · 03-20-2013, 07:43 AM

All the above!

Over holidays yes. Normal travel is typically the day before, but many times a few hours out.

Like the Pirate, I use Google (or Bing) maps. Bring up the map of the area we are wanting to stay in, put RV PARKS in the Google search pane and the map is populated with RV Parks. Look at the reviews to make sure the front wheels etc., will not be off the ground by 6 feet (campgroundreviews.com) and call ahead to see if they have a spot.

If we are rolling, DW does the searching and calling. If it is the day before I typically do the searching and calling.

OSP1268 · 03-20-2013, 07:46 AM

As we plan our trip we look at where we are going and then pick out campgrounds along the way. We always pick a first and second choice and check both out on RV park reviews. For our first day out we call and make a reservation for our first stop. Then as we get ready to leave that stop we call ahead for the next stop and so on. We went on a 2+ month trip from Florida to Nova Scotia and PEI and back. Of all the RV parks we stopped at we only ran across one that was full and we used our alternate.

CampDaven · 03-20-2013, 08:09 AM

This is a wonderful thread!

It is parallel to one I started a while back. Together, they sum up the travel styles of the working and the retired here on iRV2.
So, I share it with you all....

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f59/plan-...el-144613.html

hamguy · 03-20-2013, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csrrsr

I just read a thread on planning. It seems as though very few people plan their trip and just take off into the sunset, especially if both are retired. We are both retired as well, but it scares me to take off without making reservations at CG's before hand. I've seen too many FULL signs and staking out a place in a church parking lot or at Walmart really isn't my idea of taking off into the sunset. But, I may be all wet here. Are my fears of not getting a spot over the top?

In our last 10 years of travel, I have drawn up a proposed itinerary so friends can give inputs. As to campgrounds, we often make reservations 2-3 days in advance so as to account for local activities. Rarely have we been shut out (once or twice in 1500+ nights of travel.

The last few years have seen a lowering of need and most of the campgrounds are have spaces unfilled.

Side note. We travel 150-250 miles/day, leaving at ~9AM and arriving at noon to 3PM.

TheJeep · 03-20-2013, 12:05 PM

We always have reservations, but we are not retired and have time frames for our travel. I would think that once retired we only plan a few days to a few weeks ahead. Unless we were going to a popular place or maybe time of year like a holiday weekend.

csrrsr · 03-20-2013, 01:22 PM

We took a trip to Redondo Beach below L.A. for our granddaughters graduation and left Spokane 3 days ahead of schedule. I made 3 reservations about a month out so there would be no snafoos. Only one place took my credit card info. The other two just took my name and date we would show up. The one that took my credit card info was the only one that had us down in their reservation book. The other two had us no where to be found. We still were able to stay in all three places but I learned that you can do all you can do and you still could be parking at Wally world. On the way back we made no reservations and stayed in different towns in different parks. I am from the Woodstock era............and I have to wonder how I got so conservative, but I'm working on it!

Tony Lee · 03-20-2013, 07:55 PM

We could never make reservations because we never know which way we are going to travel let alone how far. Guess it comes about because our first choice is to boondock, so the only thing we have to remember to do is to start looking for a perfect spot around mid afternoon.

One consideration is whether you are a vacationer with limited time and a tight itinerary, or are you a climate refugee who has pretty much two moves a year and just stays in the same places all the time, or are you a true traveller for whom the journey is everything and the destination just a transient state.

CampDaven · 03-20-2013, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony Lee

We could never make reservations because we never know which way we are going to travel let alone how far. Guess it comes about because our first choice is to boondock, so the only thing we have to remember to do is to start looking for a perfect spot around mid afternoon.

One consideration is whether you are a vacationer with limited time and a tight itinerary, or are you a climate refugee who has pretty much two moves a year and just stays in the same places all the time, or are you a true traveller for whom the journey is everything and the destination just a transient state.

Sounds like you are like us.
The journey is our destination!
We are alway "there"

Go Dawgs · 03-20-2013, 09:18 PM

This summer we are taking our first extended trip (about 5+ weeks) we made reservation in the Mt. Shasta area, at Disneyland, and at the Grand Canyon. That totals about 9 nights. The others are either at family or just wait and see what comes along. Most of the time we are weekend campers so to get a good site at a state park you need to make reservations months in advance.

WheelingIt · 03-20-2013, 10:50 PM

We're fulltimers and plan based on time of year and where we go.

In Summer I plan *everything*. With kids out of school most of the good campgrounds get filled and if you want to be where the weather is nice you'll need to book ahead. I just spent 3 days finalizing our June arrangements. We're workamping July-Sept so we're set there otherwise I'd plan/book those now too.

In fall I only plan specific stops (and weekends). Kids are back in school and so campgrounds are emptying out.

In winter if we're staying the the SW I plan *nothing*. In the SW we boondock alot of winter so we simply go from one free spot to the next. On the other hand if we're staying in Florida (we did our 1st year) I plan *everything*....FL winter season books up early and you better be 6-months ahead on planning or you won't get into any of the nice sites.

So, just depends. I haven't made a single reservation since Oct of last year to now and have no firm plans until May/June timeframe. Then we're booked solid until fall.

Doggy Daddy · 03-20-2013, 11:19 PM

In three years of full timing, I did twice for Branson MO and the Sturgis Bike Rally. Did not for Datona Bike Week, Key West, Mardi Gras, Memphis, Nashville, Pidgeon Forge or the Gulf coast. Sometimes I call ahead 1 -2 days ahead to check on availability. Life is an adventure.