Do you make reservations?

I'm in the make a reservation column.

I love the idea of not making them....going free spirit....roll your own....let the chips fall where they may....go where the wind blows you....but I must have feathers on my back, because I'm just too chicken even though we have a truck camper and could stay just about any place.


maybe someday when time is not a factor I can be a little more free spirited.


Dar

We always used to make reservations ..... Just in case, you know. We are finishing up our 1st round-the-USA + 2 Provinces of Canada trip. We found you only need to have reservations on Holiday weekends. Otherwise, just show up. They have a spot for you.

Is that your experience?

Funny you should ask...My rule of thumb has been to never commit for fear of something coming up. It has worked for many years. Then it seemed that the campgrounds were filling up..so about 5 years ago we started making reservations during the winter months to capitalize on off season discounts that some of the area grounds offer. Well this year was a scrub for the whole season. Between weddings, funerals and child birth.. every single weekend was a scrub. I will never make advanced reservations again.

We still make reservations. Like mdcamper, we still have a schedule of work to meet. Also at 40', sites our size can give out quickly. Once we retire and don't have the time limits we do now, might be a different story. Making them isn't wrong, it's dependent on your personal constraints.

If we are traveling and looking for overnight spots, I usually call in the am before we get on the road and ask the folks if they have room for the night, that we are coming in about 3. I don't recall anyone ever saying they were filled. BUT if I were going to a National or State Park, like Yellowstone or Glacier for a week or so, I would get reservations before even attempting it. I usually don't travel on the holidays so that hasn't been an issue.

I still make them, but I'm still working and have schedules to follow.

Mike

My experience is the same as yours. Reservations only on major holidays. I travel because of the freedom it provides and being tied down to a schedule just doesn't fit in with that lifestyle.

95% of the time I don't make reservations.

I'm not as far along as I expected to be on some days, and don't want to continue all the way to my preliminary intended CG. I can pull over, look at other CGs in the directories (GS, CampWhere, Allstays), and pick something close. With reservations I would have to keep going.

I may find a CG or an area I really want to spend more time at, so I do so. With reservations, I am booked and must push on.

If I really want to camp at a very popular, crowded place, I may make a reservation. Like this past summer. I wanted to camp in Yosemite. Kept checking the reservation system off and on for a couple months, and managed to book 2 nights in the valley on Fri and Sat nights. Then drove on Sun am to first-come CG Bridalveil Creek and stayed there 6 more nights. If I could not have gotten a night in the valley, I just would have gotten an early start one morning and booked into Bridalveil; but with the reservations I didn't even have to hurry up the road that morning.

2 summers ago I was able to simply show up at McLain SP, a very popular park on Lake Superior (MI), and despite its reputation for always being full I was able to get one of the best campsites with a great view of the lake. But the thing is, when I started out on that trip I wasn't sure I would even get to Michigan; I started out on the Minnesota shore and after several days there I decided to move eastward.

Reservations are more trouble than help for me, usually.

No Reservations we want flexibility, we don't usually go to RV parks we use State, Co., USF CGs and boondock. We have a 17' Casita and don't need hookup, have extra water, battery's and a tote.

Always. Chance taking is not an option on our limited time off. Once we retire and go full-time who knows?