What trip planned do you use

[woodworker414]

Good evening everyone. I have tried to use the Good Sam Trip Planner. AsI type this I am at my campsite in Bushnell, FL, in my Class C. The C has been such a great winter home for almost 3 months. I do a lot of trip planning while out in the C.
Was wondering which trip planner do you use?
How much trip planning do you do whild on the road in the C.

[woodworker414]

Again thanks everyone for your replies. I will be trying different things to see what I like.

[geeman53]

Rand McNally atlas and Google maps.Google maps is awesome when searching for campgrounds .

[2gypsies1]

Delorme individual state atlases were what we started out using... until we found the Benchmark series of atlases. Unfortunately, they are only made for the western states. However, they are so, so much better than Delorme. If you will be in one western state a lot and like to explore I'd highly recommend you get the Benchmark atlas for that state. They are awesome and show even gravel roads in excellent detail, along with many public campgrounds.

[pnichols]

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[pnichols]

We don't care to base too much of our trips on having access to online services, as we can't always count on being able to connect to cell towers.

We use several very detailed state-by-state atlas books and our satellite based Garmin navigator unit. Our Garmin unit has a large internal memory, so we keep hundreds of thousands of Point of Interest (POI) places stored right in it. Points of Interest are in databases created by, and maintained by, actual users. We store POI databases on such places as U.S. bodies of water, Walmart Superstores, National Parks, private parks, gas stations, dump stations, medical facilities, Camping World locations, fast food restaurants, State Parks, propane filling stations, etc.. These POI databases are updated constantly by navigator users.

I agreed with the poster above who stated that Streets and Trips was a great computer based trip planner. I wish it was still available ... I think this was Microsoft software(?).

[Matt_Colie]

With the demise of both Street Atlas and Streets and Trips, there is no longer a single planning package that is worth a corn dog.

You can use any of the on-line sources to define a route for you, but as to your overnight stops and when to look for fuel, that now all has to be done on a day by day basis and only when you have good internet access.

You had best load up on paper maps and atlas books that you can draw on with your pencil and make notes about where you plan to stop and did stop.

I have been completely disappointed by Good Sams, RV Trip Wiz and others. I am currently trying to learn Furkot.com. It is almost complete, but it is still web-based and for me that make it sit at two strikes right there.

So, get out the paper and your dividers and go at it. It is a real bear to try to do any planning of a multi-thousand miles excursion on a 5" screen.

Matt - I only bitter with the industry and not Macrosquash and not Garme/Delormed specifically.

[woodworker414]

NWboondocker. I will. Thanks for the info.

[NWboondocker]

Check out Roadtrippers.com.

For campgrounds, there's some great apps:
RV Parky
RV Parks & Campgrounds

[woodworker414]

Thanks again everyone for the replies. I will be thinking about how I want to plan future trips. I do like the idea of using the GS trip planner. Since it has the cg's listed.Maybe someday I can get it to work on my computer. No luck yet. Or I could just get on the road and see where I end up. You can't get lost. There is a border on the north and south and water on each side.

[Hank85713]

mainly use atlas or paper maps use the navigator for point to point and vary as wanted to do side trips. Planner is for general idea of distances involved. At end of day we look for KOA and thats about it. KOA has set standards to be met and we have not been disappointed with them. Only make reservations IF we will be going into area late or know tha tit has a busy season based on location. IE, up in flagstaff or in santa fe NM.

[DrewE]

The state atlases you refer to are probably DeLorme atlases. They are quite complete...perhaps more complete than one needs for most RVs. Interestingly, the DeLorme company was bought out by Garmin.

[crasster]

I like Good Sam very much. I also incorporate tripadvisor especially when we get to small towns and the town just looks cool. It will tell you of the local attractions and things to do + good places to eat.

[docsouce]

We use folding paper maps, a Rand McNally atlas and google/maps when it is available. We like to run on the State and local highways and roads. We get to see so much more that way. We figure 200 to 225 miles per day. That night we Google for RV campgrounds near that ending point for the next day, checkout which campgrounds have what we want, give them a call to reserve our spot. Next day we leave around 9am and take our time arriving at the reserved campground site around 3pm. We went to Mesa Verde and back last year using this method and never had a problem. Of course our Class C is a 22 ft so we could fit in just about anywhere. We are going to Washington state from Seekonk Ma. this summer using this method. What I did differently this year is print out the available campsites along the way (route 2 west from Sault St Marie)so if the camp we are at doesn't have Wi-Fi and we have no service on our cell we just look up where we want to stay the next day.

[woodworker414]

Thanks everyone for your replies. DDDUUUUHHHH, I had forgotten about using a atlas or state maps. Wonder where that went. Lost somewhere. You usually can't go wrong with either of those.
Kinda got this mental block that I had to use the computer. At my age, not sure why? I guess I like tech stuff.
Once when the DW and I were visiting the son and family at their home NW of Chicago. They live close to the WI border. We wanted to visit some friends up in Door county. I said I needed to get a WI state map, son says, he had one. He gets me a 1/2 thick 12x14 or so spiral bound map of WI. It has been the best map I have ever seen. It had every road in it. Inclucing the dirt road our friends lived down. I checked the state map and it did not have the dirt road. Can't remember the nave of the company that produce the map. The last time I checked they were still producing them. Trouble is, you have to buy a book for every state. Now that would be a stack of maps.
Well somehow I was able to lose this post, so I typed the other post and now here it is. Not to good on this computer. LOL, but I have a ton of fun.