Campgrounds, trip planning

[DougC]

In getting ready for the four- to five-week cross-country trip and I've concluded that picking RV campgrounds is the most difficult and time consuming part of the trip planning. There is either too much information or not enough, I'm not sure which. I have used the Good Sam online trip planner because of the various planning options that can be turned on or off.

I did find one trip planning company but they only plan trips on the western part of the country ... not the Midwest or East Coast. Hmmm, there might be a potential business waiting to be started.

DougC

[tbutler]

Doug,

It is interesting how different people plan trips. When we leave on a cross country trip I have no idea where we will be staying. We use the Trailer Life Directory and Woodall's Campground Directory as our reference. Generally, we will determine where we want to be the next stop on the trip and then look for a suitable campground in the area. If we plan to stay for a while we'll be pickier about our campground, if it is just a night or two, we can flex a little and take a less desirable campground. We don't plan on spending a lot of time in the campground generally so we aren't as concerned about the campground facilities beyond the full hook-ups.

We almost never make reservations in advance. In fact, I hate to have a schedule that I have to stick to. If we decide it is too far to a campground for a day's trip, we can stop somewhere along the way or change to a different campground without having to cancel reservations. If we are finding campgrounds near full or worried about getting a space at a preferred campground we will call ahead before arriving at the campground. We typically call an hour or two before our arrival in this case. That way it saves us a drive to a full campground and allows us to re-route to a campground with space without wasting fuel or time. We have seldom found a campground so full that there wasn't some kind of space available.

Once we have reservations at a campground or a series of campgrounds then we are committed to a schedule. Did I say, I really don't like schedules? I had enough of them when I was working! With no schedule then we are free to do what we want when we want.

[DougC]

Tom,

I like your planning method better.... I've concluded I'm being a control freak... my better half (Trudy) has told me several times to step away from the computer and campground listings.... go have a beer, play with dog, and for me to practice the Yoga Lotus position (I'm not sure what that is )

I've been a project planner and scheduler for the last 20 years, so it is hard to break the work habits. I've kinda concluded I can't control every detail of the trip... such as doggie (people too) rest stops, weather, traffic. While our goal is 300 miles per day, there are just too many variables.

For the long stay in Washington DC we are staying at the Cherry Hill RV CG.

Thanks for the feedback... I'll now go try the Yoga Lotus position (if I don't get back to the forum right away, it's because I injured myself just trying to do the Yoga )

Doug, Trudy, and Dale the Dog

Doug,

It is interesting how different people plan trips. When we leave on a cross country trip I have no idea where we will be staying. We use the Trailer Life Directory and Woodall's Campground Directory as our reference. Generally, we will determine where we want to be the next stop on the trip and then look for a suitable campground in the area. If we plan to stay for a while we'll be pickier about our campground, if it is just a night or two, we can flex a little and take a less desirable campground. We don't plan on spending a lot of time in the campground generally so we aren't as concerned about the campground facilities beyond the full hook-ups.

We almost never make reservations in advance. In fact, I hate to have a schedule that I have to stick to. If we decide it is too far to a campground for a day's trip, we can stop somewhere along the way or change to a different campground without having to cancel reservations. If we are finding campgrounds near full or worried about getting a space at a preferred campground we will call ahead before arriving at the campground. We typically call an hour or two before our arrival in this case. That way it saves us a drive to a full campground and allows us to re-route to a campground with space without wasting fuel or time. We have seldom found a campground so full that there wasn't some kind of space available.

Once we have reservations at a campground or a series of campgrounds then we are committed to a schedule. Did I say, I really don't like schedules? I had enough of them when I was working! With no schedule then we are free to do what we want when we want.

[Guest Wayne77590]

Almost all of what Tom said. I use the internet (maps.live.com or maps.google.com) to find a campground in or near where we want to go. I only "schedule" if I know it is a holiday weekend, or an area that has lots of tourists for the weekend, but I don't schedule until I get to the CG before i want to be at the other CG. Does that makes sense.

I don't think you can find "one source" of information on where campgrounds are located. we can't, so we use multiple sourses. I use the interent, and DW uses the printed books. Between us we usually come up with a nice place to stay. I also try to use a satellite system to view the CG i'm staying at before I make a reservation. It gives me a perspective of the sites and area I'll be staying in.

I use different CG Park Reviews but take each one with a grain of salt and decisions are not based on review alone. Someone who gives a bad review may be an isolated case and a peronality thing, rather than the CG being bad, or good!

Happy trails.

[LSILVER]

When my husband and I travel, we too, have no plans on where we will stop. We just make a decision and check out our Woodalls directory or the Passport America directory for area CG. Our biggest decision maker is whether the CG can accomodate our size (40', 3 slides and a 24' trailer).