Trip Planning

[richnwendy]

To get accustomed to our BF, we have taken several 3-4 day trips, always with campsite reservations. In the fall, we're venturing on a month's trip from California to Ohio (with other state stops in between). Advice/experience needed...how should we be planning this in terms of reservations-ahead, or just "winging it" when you are ready to stop driving? Our goal is no more than 300 miles per day. By the way, we *love* our new 2014 Freedom!

[mockturtle]

I plan trips very carefully [because I enjoy it], then end up winging it. Never make reservations unless it's for a specific events.

[randallrae]

This website , http://www.campingroadtrip.com/campgrounds , lists more campgrounds than most directories . it is handy when you are trying to decide how far to travel the next day . if you find yourself wishing to stop , but can't find a campground , and if you find something interest you would like to stop see and need a place to park . Remember if you are retired every day is Saturday .

[jobrien]

Been cross country a few times. We plan places we want to see, but wing it from there. If we see a sign along the road or pick up a brochure at a rest stop, and we want to see it, we go.

That's how we found the vacuum cleaner museum, the worlds largest rocking chair, the worlds largest pistachio nut (fake one) and many other attractions our kids and grandkids groan about when we tell them we found it
we vary our stopping time depending on the weather, traffic and what we saw that day. We do spend nights at truck stops, WalMart, etc. so finding a campground is not a necessity every night.

[shilohdad]

We generally wing it when finding campgrounds and don't make reservations. Exceptions are on holiday weekends and any weekends in high season in popular areas.

For holiday weekends, we plan on where we want to be in that time frame and find a campground 4-7 days ahead of time, then call them for a reservation.

For weekends in high season, we will either get a campsite Thursday night or very early Friday afternoon at campgrounds that have no-reservation campsites and that allow "squatter's rights" for the weekend. This has only failed us once, to our recollection. Most public campgrounds, and many private ones, set aside a few sites for this policy.

[shezonit]

No reservations... But I try not to be travelling on holiday weekends. Have never not found a place. I might call ahead and ask if there are plenty of spaces, but I don't reserve. Partly I don't want to hand out my credit card number to so many places.,

[shezonit]

Over 62 is elderly? Uh uh. SENIOR, yes, but not elderly, thank you.
My National Park card says SENIOR PASS, not ELDERLY PASS....
Senior gets you discounts to do things. Elderly means you aren't able to do things....
For example, when I am elderly, I will give up riding my motorcycles.

[CHARLOTTE]

Amen !!!

[M&MAustin]

Weeknights while on the road we wing it.

Weekends we will sometimes call in advance while we are on the road, other times take our chances that the Walmart option will work OK.

Holidays we always call in advance. On our long trip last summer, I called about a dozen places (northern PA) more than a week in advance for Saturday/Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Absolutely nothing available (CoE, state park, private parks). So we did two Wallys in a row. Since it wasn't a surprise, we were fine with it.

I'll second the recommendation for Corps of Engineers parks - we've stayed at nearly a dozen in several states - all staffed with nice people, good paved sites, water & electric, and usually a lake view.

Enjoy!

[Dude]

I camp on the weekends and usually with a group so I always have reservations typically months in advance.

[richnwendy]

Thank you all for great tips...feeling more confident now about heading out on a long trip. I'm guessing that if you are over-nighting at Walmart or Cracker Barrel, you check with store management and perhaps make purchases or have a meal as a courtesy first? That'll be our plan I guess. Wendy

[Dallas Baillio]

If you ask and receive permission that helps if you are asked to leave by police or security guards. I've asked permission at Home Depot and Lowe's and been given the OK. At Walmart it appears that asking permission has now become the exception rather than the rule. Upscale shopping centers often have security that stop by your RV early on and warn you that overnight camping is not allowed. On the other hand strip shopping centers will often work particularly if it is not clear just what store's parking lot you occupy. My other observation is that on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights the senior store manager is not at work and assistant managers avoid enforcing rules that might have unpleasant or uncertain outcomes.

[Mike Astley]

Thank you all for great tips...feeling more confident now about heading out on a long trip. I'm guessing that if you are over-nighting at Walmart or Cracker Barrel, you check with store management and perhaps make purchases or have a meal as a courtesy first? That'll be our plan I guess. Wendy

Asking permission is the polite thing to do. Occasionally it confuses folks who haven't been asked before.

And I always seem to "need" to get something when staying at a Walmart and definitely always "need" to have a meal (especially a breakfast!) when staying at a Cracker Barrel. (But they don't make an issue of it)

[Ray]

You can not park overnight at some Walmarts

I wouldn't want to park overnight at some Walmarts

I would never stay more than one night at any of the the business that have decided to extend customer support to us.

[bigdipper]

I always go to customer service at WalMart. Sometimes they have preferred area for RVs. Also there are cities which prohibit overnighting except at local campgrounds.
Ralph