Reservations or not

[CRS001]

So we are leaving on our first multi state trip driving from Illinois to Bozeman MT. We made reservations at the end stop but don't know about making res. for the overnights on the road. Not knowing how far we will get each night it is hard to do so. Any suggestions on the overnights?

[NYCgrrl]

Reading this thread and similar ones I suspect once we get past the Mississippi River our reservation habits will change. As things currently stand I'll continue to make reservations far in advance.

[garmp]

We seldom make reservations with the possible exception of the final destination before returning home. ie: St Augustine SP is booked most of the time. That was our destination site and due to the popularity we made reservation for the time we wanted and/or could get.
We researched a perceived route with potential camping sites noted. Check their availability, if on ReserveAmerica or other sources with as many alternatives as we can find. Note their names, locations, highlights & GPS coordinates. Then head off to happy camping. Then return trip is basically the same routine with trying to find the last site within a couple of hours of home. For some reason the last day/return trip seams the longest to us, so we want a relatively short drive the last day.
Probably won't work for a lot of folks, but does for us. Besides, during the winter months when we don't get out, we plan, research and wish.

Enjoy and wing it!!!

[mlts22]

Depends on the season. I like making reservations since I know there will be a space for me somewhere, preferably a pull through. Especially on the last night of a trip where I want to dump and flush tanks at my leisure, as well as get everything packed up for storage.

[RRinNFla]

I like the RV Parky app, but I wouldn't leave home without the Good Sam directory. As a previous post said, I wouldn't want to drive an hour out of the way just to find a full campground, but, that is one of the positive benefits of cell phones. Good Sam gives you the phone number, Call them up and ask if they expect to be full.

[kvangil]

We drive until about an hour or 2 before we estimate that we'll stop for the night. Then we map the upcoming campgrounds to see what's available, pick one and call them to book us for the evening. Has worked well for us so far. If it's a holiday weekend, you may want to book ahead, but otherwise you should have some options.

[2gypsies1]

If you find yourself driving after dark looking for a campground, then you need to plan on stopping much earlier - before 4pm. We've never been turned away because of no reservations but we don't drive past mid-afternoon. We want to get something for our money - not pull in and go to sleep. 🙂

[john_bet]

We have been going to Montana from Indiana for over 11 years and have never made a reservation along the way and stayed in campgrounds every time. Last year we did 7k miles in 7 weeks to western states and only made 4 reservation because of the time of the year and popularity of some towns. We are not set up to boondock in Wal-Marts or any other place without at least electrical hook ups. Enjoy your trip.

[Roy_Lynne]

We are planning our BIG trip and I plan to just call ahead in the morning to see if they have room.

[Jim_Shoe]

When on the road daily, I pull into a FHU CG no later than 3PM. I'm a single, so that's about as long as I want to drive in a day. I've never been turned down yet. If its a destination CG where I plan to stay several nights, I make reservations before I leave home. If I happen to make better time than I planned, I stay two nights at one of my overnights. Its worked O.K. so far. I think because lots of RVers drive longer before looking for an overnight.

[captnjack]

Tough to really answer these type questions without knowing more about the family involved, the trip, the temperment, personalities, etc. It is likely different for all concerned.
I did a trip that was basically the reverse of yours last summer. I did not want to have to scramble for spots last minute. We were visiting national parks mostly. I was worried about campgrounds being full. Turns out that not one we stayed at was full. Go figure. I had a 45 day trip with reservations for every night. I did like the security of knowing that.
Forum members offer conflicting advice. The majority will tell you to plan on about 300-350 miles per day (likely 8 hours with stops) before stopping. Then others will tell you not to worry and go to a Walmart in a pinch. So now your at a parking lot at 4:00 PM. What do you do until bedtime. What about the little ones if you have them? What if you have hybrid bunks or slides?
Some people seem very comfortable in a strange to them, remote location, driving around looking for a campsite. Not so much fun if you've been driving all day. Could be dark. Could be raining. Kids could be miserable and acting up. I'll pass on that. Others may not care.
You have to be realistic about how many hours of the day you can spend in a vehicle and how many days of the week you can spend in that vehicle. I never drove more than two days without taking the third day off and just chilling. Trying to cram too much in to your allotted time frame can ruin a trip, IMO. Plus, we didn't want to spend our summer on the interstate. Great for going long distances quickly but not all that scenic or interesting. the goal wasn't to see the country through the windshield. On the other hand you may only have a short window of opportunity that handcuffs you.
What it comes down to is you have to figure most of this out for yourself. Only you know the particulars of your situation. What worked for my family may not work for yours. What works for the retired couple who full time probably won't work for you if you have a young family.

Good Luck!

[atreis]

We always plan out the trip and make reservations. We used to wing it, but got stuck once driving VERY late into the night because every place was stopped was full.

If you're traveling in the off-season or during the week instead of the weekend, this might be less of a risk though.

[Carlos___Ranae]

kalynzoo wrote:
I typically make reservations for destination resorts or campgrounds by large cities eg: Salt Lake City, Portland, etc. Often along the way we will use the cell phone to make reservations for a few days ahead or even calling at noon to see if a spot is available for the evening. Much depends on your schedule. If you have two week of vacation and must be home by a certain date, then advanced reservations all along the way make the trip trouble free and predictable. If your flexible and need to be back sometime next month, then you can afford to travel stress free if you find your route changes.
Happy Trails.

X2

[Veebyes]

We are long trip people & during an express cross country trip we wing it. look for Passport CGs if convenient, any other private CG if there is going to be a weather delay, Walmart if a simple overnight stop. Always travel with enough freshwater for at least a couple days.

[gbopp]

I make reservations at our destination. While traveling, we just wing it.
If you can't find a CG, try:

Free Campgrounds

Free Campsites

Casino Camper

There are other free/cheap overnight stops. Just do a little searching.

But remember, they're for overnighting. Not camping.

[A_hitch_and_hop]

It always helps to have a campground information available before you pull in and ask for a site. I have used the RV review web site to check out the various parks in the area before I stopped. At least plan a day in advance. You can always come in late if you have a reservation. Most places will not ask for deposits unless they are busy.