With the Internet how do you plan you trip?

[jmcgsd]

In the old days, you could break out you Rand McNally or you AAA maps and plan a trip. Obviously, this is still an option.

Years ago I had a Microsoft application, Trips and Streets, that was a pretty good tool.

Now although I have Google maps on my iPad, it is really not much of a planning tool. I guess I'm looking for an app that lets me start with a map of the US, decide where I want to go, then zero in on areas for more detailed route planning.

What are you using?

[doxiemom11]

I use google maps to plan my route as well as to find campgrounds once I have an idea what area we would like to stop ( based on miles). Because we don't like to travel on x-ways, we zoom into see other road and highways that will let us bypass large cities. We use google earth and street view to see the condition of the roads, if there is a shoulder, or to see landmarks in the area we want to stop as well as a view of the campground. It is very helpful, but like I said, most of the time we do not use the route google chooses.

[jmcgsd]

What I don't believe Google maps can do is to allow me to input conditions, I.e. Avoid Interstates. That was one of the features I loved in Trips & Streets. It's also easy with a paper planner.

I used Google maps this morning to plot a route from San Diego to Big Bend N.P. Sure it worked, and if I wanted to get there using the quickest route I'm certain the route would do that, but I can't easily see the alternates, and as I said, allow conditions to be set. I was hoping there was an app that supported that.

Guess not.

[dapperdan]

RoyB wrote:
I use google maps here on the internet all the time. SAT VIEW and STREET views tells me all I need to know about places I haven't been too. Looking down on camp grounds you can pick your parking spot out before going to the office...

Roy Ken

Yeah, what he said, this is how we lay out our trips as well. Works GREAT!

Dan

[Aridon]

Google maps works great for us.

Pick the start point and end point for your trip.

Pick where you'll stay in each.

Then look at cities on the route you want to visit or stop over in. Drill down into the details of each area like searching for Campgrounds or particular types of restaurants or attractions.

Don't like what you find move further or closer out depending on how far your mileage threshold is and repeat for every stop. You can even use street view to get an idea of an area.

Once you get the city you want move over to a new tab and build your trip from start to finish adding stops if you want or just jot them down on your keep app / note taking app. You can even send the directions directly to your phone once finished or break them out by the day if you want.

[RPreeb]

jmcgsd wrote:
In the old days, you could break out you Rand McNally or you AAA maps and plan a trip. Obviously, this is still an option.

Years ago I had a Microsoft application, Trips and Streets, that was a pretty good tool.

Now although I have Google maps on my iPad, it is really not much of a planning tool. I guess I'm looking for an app that lets me start with a map of the US, decide where I want to go, then zero in on areas for more detailed route planning.

What are you using?

What I don't understand is why Google Maps doesn't work for you in this manner. I use it right from the initial idea for a plan - first in map view to get a general idea of the basic plan; then in satellite (Earth) view to zoom in on potential stops for for sightseeing and overnight stops. As I zoom closer, campground names show up, and I can click on the name to see if they have a website with more info. I do the same to get more details for points of interest. I also use Earth view to check out campground layouts.

If I can't get enough campground info that way, then I go to All Stays Pro and check out the campground facilities. I can get recent prices paid by users, as well as current reviews.

When the plan is set, I plug it into my Garmin Nuvi 1490 for navigation. I also use Garmin's Base Camp map on the computer for planning more complex routes, and then upload the route into the GPS.

I still have a couple of current road atlases (Rand McNally and Nat Geo) because I'm a map freak and I just like paging through them, but I need a magnifying glass to get most details.

Over the years I've used Delorme and Microsoft S&T, but these days Google Maps gives me 90% of what I need to know for planning a trip route. I can zoom it as big as I want on my 27" desktop monitor, and take it along on my laptop or tablet or phone.

[garmp]

US Campgrounds is a huge help to me along with Google Maps, Earth and of course RVReviews. Depending on your area of travel and research you want, wxtoad has an excellent site and I can't speak highly enough of it.

[BB_TX]

RoyB wrote:
I use google maps here on the internet all the time. SAT VIEW and STREET views tells me all I need to know about places I haven't been too. Looking down on camp grounds you can pick your parking spot out before going to the office...

This plus RVparkreviews.com pretty much sums it up for me. Gives me all the info I need.

[RGar974417]

I use everything at my disposal. I usually decide where I want to go ie: Yellowstone National Park,etc. Then I look in my USA Atlas and figure out how far I am going to drive in one day and pick a campground based on that. I also look at what I might like to see on the way there or the way back. I do alot of research using Google. Sometimes I ask on this forum about using a certain highway or campground.If you use Google maps you can really zoom in or go to Google Earth and see what it looks like from the air. Sometimes this can be helpful in picking a specific campsite. I also use Campsitephotos.com. We prefer state or federal campgrounds because they are usually cheaper and sites are more spread out. Campsitephotos show you all the campsites at a specific campground. They don't have every campground but they have many. We also carry 2GPS units when pulling the trailer.

[DaveG39]

first cut I use Streets and Trips to mark venues I want to visit then I use Internet to see if any other venues to add. Then plan general areas to stop, go to RVparkreviews.com for campgrounds. Then compare to GPS and finalize trip.

[NCWriter]

I still go low tech, but then I lloved paper maps even as a kid. When we joined Good Sam years ago, the membership packet included a very handy paper "Travel Planning map" which I still use along with Google and RV Park Reviews.

I don't know if they still give people that map, but mine is mended with tape from heavy use. One inch = 115 miles. It has all the Interstates in blue and state roads in black. For me, It's just an easy visual to get a sense of direction, distance and likely routes all on one paper in front of me.

There are green squares for the National Parks (also NMs, NRAs), indication by color of elevations, and red lines to define time zones. There are also little red dots and city/town names wherever there are Good Sam parks. It's not that we only take Interstates or always stay at Good Sam parks, though we do both sometimes. But it gives a good overview of routes, key sites, and places where you'll find clusters of campgrounds.

Then like DutchmanSport, I aim for about 300 miles a day though we go up to 400 or so as needed. Of course, often we stay put or drive much less than that.

[Crowe]

Mapquest for an initial route. Google maps to get details, Waze to get there.

[Campfire_Time]

RoyB wrote:
I use google maps here on the internet all the time. SAT VIEW and STREET views tells me all I need to know about places I haven't been too. Looking down on camp grounds you can pick your parking spot out before going to the office...

Roy Ken

Pretty much this is how we start our planning. Google Maps/Earth is the bomb. Once we know where we are going and how we're getting there, then there is Google searches on the area and surrounding area. You'd be amazed at how much you can learn from local news websites. Individuals will often create whole websites dedicated to some highlight or feature of your destination. It can actually be overwhelming to have to parry it all down to what you really have have time to do.

[RWjSIM2003]

I use Google maps with no problems. Save my routes and then they can access from any device. Computer, tablet or Phone. I also like the street view so you see the actual road when looking for any areas of concern. You can also see areas of interest and zoom in to see how things are set up.

[DutchmenSport]

We start out with Google Maps and enter our start and end destination. I usually write down the route.

Depending on how far the trip is, we plan on actual drive time to be 6 hours, so approximately 300 miles actual driving a day. Taking that distance, we estimate where we'll be at on each day.

This allows for side trips, road stop strips, points of interest, and those unexpected ... "YARD SALE! Turn around!" stops too.

Looking at the over-all route, and then breaking it down into the distance each day, we then search the internet for campgrounds to spend the night.

We also search our stop points for other points of interest, and also decide if we'd really like to spend some extra time in that area by doing Google Searchs of attractions in the area.

So, once we identify the attraction we might be interested in, then the actual driving distance, then the campground, we make reservations at all the campgrounds. We verify their GSP and physical address.

Then we simply use our Tom Tom and put all these different address in our Tom Tom. When leaving home, we hit the first campground address, and let Tom Tom guide us.Second day, we enter the second campground address and let Tom Tom guide us, and so on.

If there are any side trips, diversions, or anything, we don't care. If we get off course, we just re-enter the campground and keep heading there.

Yes, it takes paper, pencil, Google Maps, a paper map, and a Tom Tom. But once you do it all, it makes the journey a bit more enjoyable not having to figure out how to navigate on the fly.

(FYI, we don't plan diesel stops... we fillup at half a tank, no matter where we are!)

[RoyB]

I use google maps here on the internet all the time. SAT VIEW and STREET views tells me all I need to know about places I haven't been too. Looking down on camp grounds you can pick your parking spot out before going to the office...

Roy Ken