Community Forums

Sue46 · 12-07-2019, 06:36 AM

This will be our first full time summer traveling in the US. We are planning on Washington and Oregon mostly. Home base is Phoenix.

We normally don't make reservations but are concerned about the summer when everyone is out of school.

Would it be best to make reservations someplace for the entire summer? Memorial Day thru Labor Day.

What do others do?

Nudge · 12-07-2019, 07:09 AM

Oh I’m a planner. I say Sure Why Not?
Just be aware that some RV parks will still charge a cancellation fee if for some reason you don’t show up when your reservation is. Ask about this while making your reservation.
Safe Travels ~ Best Wishes

Sue46 · 12-07-2019, 07:16 AM

That is one reason we don't make reservations, also, we tend to change our plans(if you want to call them that) a lot.

Park Super · 12-07-2019, 07:32 AM

Just depends on where you will be going. State parks in Oregon and Washington along the coast......better start making reservations now. The more popular the destination the harder it is to find a spot. We like to move every week or so seeing different places. The weekends seem to be the most challenging to reserve anytime of the year. California coast is the same. Last summer we traveled the Oregon coast but waited till the end of, August. Started in Crater Lake and then went North and followed the Oregon coast back to California. Made our reservations in February and could not get all the days we wanted. Some parks only had a couple days in a row that were available and we like to stay 5 or more days if possible at each destination.

Sue46 · 12-07-2019, 07:34 AM

We thought we would hunker down a bit inland, do the coast Apr-June, Sep-Nov time frame. That is why we full time, avoid the crowds and noise.

Filthy-Beast · 12-07-2019, 08:18 AM

If you will be staying in RV parks instead of boondocking at least have reservations for the big weekends like the 4th, memorial and labor day.

Barbaraok · 12-07-2019, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sue46

This will be our first full time summer traveling in the US. We are planning on Washington and Oregon mostly. Home base is Phoenix.

We normally don't make reservations but are concerned about the summer when everyone is out of school.

Would it be best to make reservations someplace for the entire summer? Memorial Day thru Labor Day.

What do others do?

We leave Mesa each April and head up the coast. We use a lot of Thousand Trails parks, so reservations are needed for them. There are some places that won't need reservations, but it is getting so crowded and there are fewer and fewer parks on the coast, so my advice is to go ahead and get them. Where do you want to go. BTW, it is probably too late for anything really close to Seattle - they are reserved a year in advance!

I would start up Highway 101 at LA in June (still possible to have snow in Sierras/Cascades until middle of May). Lots to do on the central coast area. We have a route to drive through San Francisco and across the Golden Gate bridge with the RV (and no toll going north), then continue up the 101 all the way to Astoria. We love Sonoma, so that is at least a month stay for us visiting the wineries. Fairgrounds in Eureka is good for overnight. Then take at least 3 weeks to do the Oregon coast. We stop at Newport, visit the Aquarium. Winchester Bay - absolutely wondering park right behind the breakwater, you can hear the waves at night, and get crab at the dock. Stop at Tillamook for cheese and ice cream, visit the Lewis and Clark national park outside of Astoria. Long Beach in Washington is kind of fun, though will be packed for Memorial Day.

Highway 101 isn't much to see in Washington, at least not the park just north of the Columbia. This is where we always head over to 5 and go north, which will bring you to Mt. Saint Helen and Mt. Rainier. There are several places off of Highway 12 (which runs east over the Cascades to Yakima) that would make a good place to stay for visiting both of those parks. Mt. Rainier National Park camping area is another one that fills up (plus we have TT parks so never bother with them).

Then the question is do you want to see Seattle?

Loads to do, just an idea of what we normally do in the spring.

Sue46 · 12-07-2019, 08:28 AM

Haven't even gotten to look at boondocking opportunities yet. That's a thought though. It is just such an unknown when going into a different area.

Sue46 · 12-07-2019, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbaraok

We leave Mesa each April and head up the coast. We use a lot of Thousand Trails parks, so reservations are needed for them. There are some places that won't need reservations, but it is getting so crowded and there are fewer and fewer parks on the coast, so my advice is to go ahead and get them. Where do you want to go. BTW, it is probably too late for anything really close to Seattle - they are reserved a year in advance!

What is it you want to see and when are you leaving here and when do you want to be back.

We avoid big towns and major tourist areas. So Seattle is not on our radar.
We do belong to Elks and plan to use those lodges in the off season.

Barbaraok · 12-07-2019, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sue46

We avoid big towns and major tourist areas. So Seattle is not on our radar.
We do belong to Elks and plan to use those lodges in the off season.

There's an Elk Lodge in Ocean Shores that friends have used as well as one in Mt. Vernon (north of Seattle) that my mom and dad use to use.

I would advise you to look at getting a Thousand Trails Zone Pass for the summer for the Northwest. If they are having a 2-1 special, get both NW and SW zones. There are so many TT parks on the West Coast that it will save you money. We spend every holiday (Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day) at TT parks. Usually at Monroe, WA (Thunderbird) for Memorial Day, Birch Bay, Wa (Birch Bay TT) for 4th of July and Newport, Or (Whalers Rest) for Labor Day. But we have stayed at almost everyone of them on the coast now.

momdoc · 12-07-2019, 09:00 AM

We make reservations for major holidays or events. Otherwise many times we are set up (reservations) 1-2 weeks in advance. Some times we never know where we will be or when we will get there. It is all about the journey.

Sue46 · 12-07-2019, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbaraok

There's an Elk Lodge in Ocean Shores that friends have used as well as one in Mt. Vernon (north of Seattle) that my mom and dad use to use.

I would advise you to look at getting a Thousand Trails Zone Pass for the summer for the Northwest. If they are having a 2-1 special, get both NW and SW zones. There are so many TT parks on the West Coast that it will save you money. We spend every holiday (Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day) at TT parks. Usually at Monroe, WA (Thunderbird) for Memorial Day, Birch Bay, Wa (Birch Bay TT) for 4th of July and Newport, Or (Whalers Rest) for Labor Day. But we have stayed at almost everyone of them on the coast now.

We are not Thousand Trail Members so I don't think that will work. We don't have any interest in joining. We were once C2C members and were very unhappy with pretty much every C2C campground we went to. Glad to get out of that commitment.

Jake21 · 12-07-2019, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Filthy-Beast

If you will be staying in RV parks instead of boondocking at least have reservations for the big weekends like the 4th, memorial and labor day.

So True

cwk · 12-07-2019, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sue46

We avoid big towns and major tourist areas. So Seattle is not on our radar.
We do belong to Elks and plan to use those lodges in the off season.

Is it "wrong" to join the Elks just to be able to stop at their lodges? That just doesn't sound right. (I am not saying that anyone here is doing that. I was just wondering.)