Which do you prefer & why? Texas SPs just have "loop" reservations not sites. I have been trying for 6 years to get a lakeside site at a certain SP without any luck. I asked the Ranger this time what was the trick & she said " get here early. Very VERY early". And then she told me about a man just this past weekend who camped out in their lobby from 3-8 AM just so he could get a lakefront site. Ummmm I don't want one THAT bad!!

With 2 kids and a wife relying on me to make sure we have a place to stay on arrival, we do NOT just show up and hope for a spot.Picking a particular site vs just grabbing whichever one pops up first as "available" depends on the CG for us. I had to make reservations at several parks this year that we've never been to before. I tried to find pictures online or to get site recommendations here but most of the time I just picked one.Waiting 5 hours for a heavenly spot for a week's stay would stink but probably sooo worth the earned brownie points(;

I have ALWAYS admired the way Texas parks handle reservations. they make sure you have a site but it's first come, first served as to which site you get. Can't think of ANYTHING that is more fair than that.That's the opinion of one who uses campgrounds as a TRAVEL stop over and if I lived locally I may have a different opinion (or a better alarm clock :) )

We have always made reservations. I think the only place that comes to mind that I have not had a specific site reservation is when we stay in KOA's and Lakewood in Myrtle Beach. Every where else, it's always been a specific site. I like it that way. I like using satellite maps and see where the sites are and what their near. That way, I know ahead what to expect. If there is a picture of a specific site online, I will try and find it.

Much prefer a site, if we are familiar with the park. Some are larger then others. There is a specific state park where we go in Florida that has a hand full of large sites, but in the same park most of them are on top of each other, and we get a little worried when some idiot has a fire going three feet from the side of our trailer, or has their dogs leashed so close that they are doing their business on our site We won't even go to that park unless we can get the larger sites that we knowJack L

We prefer site reservations. We like just because we are "planners", and figure out everything in advance. Also, when we return to campgrounds, we usually have preferred campsites. I think I kinda sorta disagree with skipnchar, I think site reservations are "more fair" as I don't have the time and availability to "campout" at a front office to wait for the doors to open to get a site. By reserving, all sites are available to everyone. To avoid people "hogging" sites, our local state park has time limits on sites, you can only stay on a campsite for 2 weeks at a time, then you have to move to a different site. skipnchar:"That's the opinion of one who uses campgrounds as a TRAVEL stop over and if I lived locally I may have a different opinion (or a better alarm clock ) "-- yep, I'm one o' them locals!The only campground we've ever been to that doesn't do site specific reservations is Fort Wilderness in Disney World - but I am not sure if there is a bad site there!

Forum Discussion

happybooker1

Explorer

Jun 11, 2013

Site-specific Ressies or whatever's available? Preference?

Which do you prefer & why?

Texas SPs just have "loop" reservations not sites. I have been trying for 6 years to get a lakeside site at a certain SP without any luck. I asked the Ranger this time what was the trick & she said " get here early. Very VERY early".

And then she told me about a man just this past weekend who camped out in their lobby from 3-8 AM just so he could get a lakefront site. Ummmm I don't want one THAT bad!!

Seeking Advice

21 Replies

mister_d
Explorer
Jun 11, 2013
With 2 kids and a wife relying on me to make sure we have a place to stay on arrival, we do NOT just show up and hope for a spot.

Picking a particular site vs just grabbing whichever one pops up first as "available" depends on the CG for us. I had to make reservations at several parks this year that we've never been to before. I tried to find pictures online or to get site recommendations here but most of the time I just picked one.

Waiting 5 hours for a heavenly spot for a week's stay would stink but probably sooo worth the earned brownie points(;

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Site-specific Ressies or whatever's available? Preference?

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