Reservations or not

mileshuff wrote:

Veebyes wrote:
That is not what the OP asked about. He asked about reservations while in transit which generally are totally unecessary. Even during a holiday weekend drive up spots can be found away from the destination areas before having to resort to Walmart.

For me that tends to be generalized and cannot easily be applied nationwide. It varies considerably depending on region and time of year (not just holidays). For instance, much of the California coastal regions is difficult to get a spot simply by showing up throughout the summer months and much of the spring, in total a large portion of the year. Elsewhere many areas of the USA are rarely busy even on holidays. It really varies depending on where you are traveling. For me the last thing I want to do is have to hunt for a spot during the afternoon when I'm tired after driving.

This makes good sense for all my thoughts. Knowing what area/region you are traveling in makes all the difference on what attitude to take re: reservations. Having regard for the driver is important as well.

mileshuff wrote:
For me the last thing I want to do is have to hunt for a spot during the afternoon when I'm tired after driving.

X2. Which is why I say a lot of it has to do with the personality of the traveler. I prefer to have a plan knowing I can alter it at any time, someone else prefers to "wing it". Neither is right or wrong - it's about doing what makes YOU most comfortable (and less stressed).

Duplicate

Veebyes wrote:
That is not what the OP asked about. He asked about reservations while in transit which generally are totally unecessary. Even during a holiday weekend drive up spots can be found away from the destination areas before having to resort to Walmart.

For me that tends to be generalized and cannot easily be applied nationwide. It varies considerably depending on region and time of year (not just holidays). For instance, much of the California coastal regions is difficult to get a spot simply by showing up throughout the summer months and much of the spring, in total a large portion of the year. Elsewhere many areas of the USA are rarely busy even on holidays. It really varies depending on where you are traveling. For me the last thing I want to do is have to hunt for a spot during the afternoon when I'm tired after driving.

Pretty obvious, at the height of the season, at destinations, on a weekend or holiday weekend, reservations are a must.

That is not what the OP asked about. He asked about reservations while in transit which generally are totally unecessary. Even during a holiday weekend drive up spots can be found away from the destination areas before having to resort to Walmart.

Made reservations today for Thanksgiving weekend. Got one of the last 4 spots left. Popular area with only 1 RV park in the area. Closest other campgrounds are 20+ miles off the highway.

tenbear wrote:
This summer on the last Saturday of July we were driving south in Michigan and could not find a CG with a space.

Trying to find a place the last SATURDAY in JULY isn't wise. Folks aren't going to be moving out on a Saturday.

This summer on the last Saturday of July we were driving south in Michigan and could not find a CG with a space. After a lot of phone calls, we stayed at a Wallmart. It was very nice and quiet. Another MH joined us.

This was the first time in 15 years of RVing that we ever had a problem getting a site. Haven't had a problem since either.

By far, my preference would be to wing it. In fact, pre-kids, we never made reservations for our camping trips.

Now, with kids, I feel more of a sense of responsibility of ensuring the family can rely on accommodations being available upon arrival. Plus, it helps mom and dad maintain their sanity not having to search for a campground after many hours on the road. Some high traffic locations (California beaches and others) would be nearly impossible to find a site without planning ahead.

Still, I look forward to winging it again in the future.

We have been fulltimers for 7 years and we sometimes still make reservations especially if we know we are stopping at a popular campground, want a specific site, or it is a holiday weekend. We always have our nightly spots picked out even if we do not make a reservation. We are not so spontaneous that we would deviate from our planned route. It really does not make a difference which way you travel as long as it works for you.