Planning Trips?

In the last 14 years of full-timing I have spent two nights in the parking lot of an RV dealer and filled my propane tanks the next mornings.

One time I got caught in a blizzard and spent the night in a Home Depot lot.

I don't plan my trips because when I do something always comes up and my plans need to be changed. I have made several long trips over the years and have never stayed in a parking lot or other spots you have mentioned. Well if I have to drive a little further to find a suitable spot so be it. That is the chance that I am willing to take. I might even be able to stop a little sooner in the day than I wanted to to get a spot. I guess that I am flexible now, since I don't have a timetable. JMT

Larryzv7 wrote:
I know some RV’ers plan their trips while others enjoy being spontaneous. I plan my trips and right now I’m working on where I’d like to camp during the year 2014. I guess I just don’t have the confidence to spontaneously show up someplace with out a reservation. I’ve never had to spend the night in my RV at a Wal-Mat or Flying-J parking lot. So I’m just wondering if you plan your trips or not, and if you plan how flexible are your plans, and if you don’t plan what kind of experience have you had with that?

Larry, I'm a fellow planner. I really enjoy putting our adventures together and spend considerable time looking at routes, park reviews, and sights to see. I make reservations, sometimes months in advance. It isn't unusual for us to arrive at a popular campground and have the person at the desk ask, "Do you have reservations" and be somewhat relieved when I say "yes" because they've been turning people away.

I like planning so, for me, it's a good way to spend a winter day.

Right now I can make a pretty good guess as to where we'll be camped week by week through our 2014 adventure. I know that's not everyone's cup of tea, but it's the way we like doing it.

I enjoy the planning as we are usually gone for between 2 - 4 months. I start months in advance with MS Streets & Trips, But no matter how much I plan it is only good for the first stop. After that my wife determines when and where.

It's not unusual for us to head out from wherever we are without any idea of where we're going, much less where we'll be stopping. It's kind of hard make plans for our travel style, much less reservations. That said, we have overnighted in a few parking lots over the years, but always by choice, not because we had no choice.

On most of my cross country trips I don't make reservations. The exceptions are when I'm in a popular area on weekends. Then I will call a park in the morning to see what is available. I've never had to stay at a Walmart.

On my current trip I'm snowbirding for the first time. Got nervous about finding spaces, so made reservations weeks ahead. Didn't need to -I'm in some beautiful (and warm) Arizona State Parks, most of which have been half full.

rbrand wrote:
But no matter how much I plan it is only good for the first stop. After that my wife determines when and where.

True to the old saying -

No battle plan survives contact with the enemy.


I love to plan. I probably have 300 years worth of trips planned. But all have a lot of flexibility built into them.

The practice of planning teaches me a lot about various areas. When to go and when not to go.

I've been blessed with the opportunity to see a lot of this world, and now have the opportunity to see more of this land of my birth.

I'm with Nazpaz...I enjoy the planning and find it enhances the relaxation to know everything is taken care of, no hassles searching for a decent site. I'm good at estimating how long we may want to spend and I build in some days to relax, do laundry, watch football, clean the RV. It works out fine.

We book everything ahead and get to stay in wonderful places that way...oceanfront state parks, for example. Only once have we eaten a pre-paid campsite and lost $20 or so, because we decided to head on home a little sooner than planned at the end of a two-month trip.

That said, after three years of structured, wonderful trips, I'm thinking about winging it next summer/fall to the Gaspe Peninsula. But I'll have a plan outlined even if I don't book ahead long in advance.

13 years at this. We have a very general plan as to which direction we'd like to head (towards warm) and by virtue of several CG memberships we occasionally have a specific destination. Otherwise, we don't have an agenda and, with few exceptions, are happy wherever we are.

Hi: We always plan our trip. I enjoy planning the trip. Our trips never seem to go exactly per our plan. Jim2007