Hello All, Well, another season has just about pasted us by and we are very close to purchasing a new MH. Most likely Jan - Feb 2016. We stepped out of this season because we sold our 15 year old coach. So, I've got a question for all the part time as well as full time campers and also the weekend warriors. How did everyone find travelling around the country this year? Since the price of fuel was relatively low and, this is a big AND, the economy is suppose to be getting strong :) Was it easy to find sites and just pull in OR did folks have to make sure that they have reservations? I've heard that it's getting difficult to move around and find sites if you don't have reservations. We plan to go full-time in the fall of 2016 and we're trying to gauge what we need to do to move around freely.....Especially if we're in a 45' coach. -paul

In a MH that big I would want to have reservations for my stays - even in my 37 ft. motor home I find that sites to fit me can be scarce

We travel in a 40' and we have only found issues if we try to go to a snowbird site in the Winter or somewhere like a National Park or similar tourist destination during prime time.

The only time I made reservations was this Summer was on the Oregon Coast. And that was only when we wanted to be at a specific rv park, at a certain time. Those reservations were only made 1-3 weeks in advance, at the most. We have never, not been able to find a place to stay for a night or two by just pulling in somewhere, though, I have made early reservations for a couple of months this winter already.We have a 33' fifth wheel.

We've been off the road for most of the summer. Will be getting out mid October. I would expect holiday times to be difficult to find a spot - always have been even when times were not so good. Out of the way places and great boondock sites are never a problem. If we plan to be out over a holiday, we either get set up before and just ride through or look for a place in the desert. Even WalMart for a night here and there works if parks are full. We belong to Escapees and subscribe to Days End which provides sites to stay for free up to about $15/night many are off the beaten path and seldom a problem to get into.

We took our grandkids out west this summer for month. We left July 15th and returned August 15th. Since we had our grandkids and we were visiting very popular sites in Colorado, Utah and Arizona I made reservations a month in advance at the best campgrounds in these areas.. In retrospect, I believe I could have have just showed up at any of the campgrounds and got a good spot.If it was just the DW and I, I'd risk no reservations, but if it's a carefully planned trip with grandkids, I'd still make reservations.

Finding a Camping Spot During These Peak Travel Times

28 Replies

holstein13
Explorer
Sep 16, 2015
Jim@HiTek wrote:
I'm a full timer and this last year, the only time I had a problem was when I showed up looking for a spot Labor Day week. Like on Wednesday. I usually try to be somewhere on a Monday or Tuesday, and then stay over any holiday weekends but sometimes I miss it. In this case, I didn't even know it was Labor Day weekend. Hah!
That's funny. I made the same mistake. Didn't even realize it was Labor Day. Fortunately, one of the four parks in the area called me back with a last minute cancellation. Otherwise, I would have been boon-docking in a very hot parking lot downtown.

For my Florida trip, I've pre-booked the entire 4 months of stays. Otherwise, I'm a last minute planner.
Big_Katuna
Explorer II
Sep 15, 2015
The earlier in the day you stop the better your chances. We try to be done driving and start looking around 3:00 for a 4:00 stop. I have seen many a park fill up by sundown.

Destination areas like the coast or festivals require reservations esp for a big rig.
Jim
Explorer
Sep 15, 2015
I'm a full timer and this last year, the only time I had a problem was when I showed up looking for a spot Labor Day week. Like on Wednesday. I usually try to be somewhere on a Monday or Tuesday, and then stay over any holiday weekends but sometimes I miss it. In this case, I didn't even know it was Labor Day weekend. Hah!

I have noticed over the last 12 years that it does seem to be getting more crowded at my favorite places.
Roadpilot
Explorer
Sep 15, 2015
We took our grandkids out west this summer for month. We left July 15th and returned August 15th. Since we had our grandkids and we were visiting very popular sites in Colorado, Utah and Arizona I made reservations a month in advance at the best campgrounds in these areas.. In retrospect, I believe I could have have just showed up at any of the campgrounds and got a good spot.

If it was just the DW and I, I'd risk no reservations, but if it's a carefully planned trip with grandkids, I'd still make reservations.
xctraveler
Explorer
Sep 15, 2015
We've been off the road for most of the summer. Will be getting out mid October. I would expect holiday times to be difficult to find a spot - always have been even when times were not so good. Out of the way places and great boondock sites are never a problem. If we plan to be out over a holiday, we either get set up before and just ride through or look for a place in the desert. Even WalMart for a night here and there works if parks are full. We belong to Escapees and subscribe to Days End which provides sites to stay for free up to about $15/night many are off the beaten path and seldom a problem to get into.
Nutinelse2do
Explorer
Sep 15, 2015
The only time I made reservations was this Summer was on the Oregon Coast. And that was only when we wanted to be at a specific rv park, at a certain time. Those reservations were only made
1-3 weeks in advance, at the most.
We have never, not been able to find a place to stay for a night or two by just pulling in somewhere, though, I have made early reservations for a couple of months this winter already.
We have a 33' fifth wheel.
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Sep 15, 2015
We travel in a 40' and we have only found issues if we try to go to a snowbird site in the Winter or somewhere like a National Park or similar tourist destination during prime time.
rr2254545
Explorer
Sep 15, 2015
In a MH that big I would want to have reservations for my stays - even in my 37 ft. motor home I find that sites to fit me can be scarce

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Finding a Camping Spot During These Peak Travel Times

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