reservations?

I am interested to know if folks make reservations before they head out? or do you wing it? My life at work revolves around planning to the smallest detail, as is my wifes. When we vacation we tend to book a hotel, arrive and take each day as it comes and end up where we want to go when we decide we want to be there. I find it much more relaxing... My sister is the person that vacations ON SCHEDULE!

Anyway, I understand that probably the really popular places like Niagra Falls, Yellow Stone, Grand Canyon, and etc... would likely require reservations well in advance, but in general do you need reservations a few weeks in advance?

[Leslie & Nick]

Originally Posted by SSRLVA

but in general do you need reservations a few weeks in advance?

Nothing would be more aggravating, in my mind, than to spend a several hours driving to a campground, and then find out the place is booked and there is no more room. It's worth the time to research a camping location on the internet, then make reservations at the same time. At busier times near the holidays with 3 day weekends you might have to reserve several weeks (or months?) in advance. I've never had that problem here, but it might be differen in other parts of he country.

You can make reservations at the state parks here in GA, as well as Corp of Engineer campgrounds, and probably the national parks too - they make it quite easy. You can even pick out your specific campsite by number at some places, thanks to the maps and diagrams presented. So to answer your question, I would always make reservations unless I was camping on my own property where I'm always assured a place!

Nick

When we go to Colorado State parks on weekdays we don't worry about reservations. Monday thru Thursday there are usually plenty of sites available. Weekends and holidays are another story, however, as they are usually booked well in advance from late spring through mid-autumn. During the colder months there are often sites available even on weekends, at least for the campgrounds you can get to -- many are closed, even inaccessible.

We do have reservations for this weekend, at Boyd Lake, where the Mile High Trailblazers are having their first of six outings for the year.

We pretty much reserve our trips in advance. Florida state parks fill up fairly quickly on the weekends, especially during events like race week, bike week, spring break.

Maqhi and I reserve all our trips through Reserve America which the state has contracted with to handle all the state park reservations. Sort of one-stop shopping.

It is a nice feeling to drive to the park and know there is a spot waiting for you. Also, this gives me the opportunity to plan any time off work I may need on a Friday to make the trip a bit earlier. Easy to set up or not... it is a treat to set up in the daylight.

[rotor_wash]

I can determine my work schedule out for the rest of the year. My wife also has an extensive work travel schedule. I know the days I will be out this year, so I used the SCHEDULE technique and booked several of my favorite places here in Colorado. When I retire and can live the life of flexible leisure, I too will be a crowd avoiding, weekday only camper. Until then I know the odds of getting my favorite spots are almost nil if I decide to just pick up and go. So I SCHEDULE.

Originally Posted by MarknMaqhi

We pretty much reserve our trips in advance. Florida state parks fill up fairly quickly on the weekends, especially during events like race week, bike week, spring break.

Maqhi and I reserve all our trips through Reserve America which the state has contracted with to handle all the state park reservations. Sort of one-stop shopping.

It is a nice feeling to drive to the park and know there is a spot waiting for you. Also, this gives me the opportunity to plan any time off work I may need on a Friday to make the trip a bit earlier. Easy to set up or not... it is a treat to set up in the daylight.

The reserve america website is vera helpful. Thanks.

Originally Posted by rotor_wash

I can determine my work schedule out for the rest of the year. My wife also has an extensive work travel schedule. I know the days I will be out this year, so I used the SCHEDULE technique and booked several of my favorite places here in Colorado. When I retire and can live the life of flexible leisure, I too will be a crowd avoiding, weekday only camper. Until then I know the odds of getting my favorite spots are almost nil if I decide to just pick up and go. So I SCHEDULE.

Over arching schedules I can deal with but in my job I get my schedule that begins Sunday on Friday night. UUuugh. I can plan blocks of time typically, but it has to be done weeks in advance and even then is often dissaproved. Ah well.

When I say my sister vacations on schedule I mean before she even leaves she knows that she will arrive at precisely 2230 hours and if we hurry we can be unpacked and in bed by 2330 hours so we can be up by 0630 hours so we can be showered and changed in time to make the 0800 tennis lesson she booked...

I can NOT handle that.... When I am out and about camping or vacationing in general, If I feel like sleeping in, I am going to. if I feel like playing tennis then I will go and check it out, if it is already full I can find somethign else to do... LOW stress is the name of the game...

[kempert]

I very rarely make reservations and very seldom have a problem with getting a campsite. That being said, I like to travel back roads and don't mind staying in places w/o hook-ups. As a result, I have found some very interesting places like camping on BLM land along the Colorado River near Moab.

The Trailer Life Directory makes it easy to find places. I've found some really nice places where least expected. I also ask people in campgrounds about places that they have stayed in that they really like. I've found that it's much easier to find a campground in the mountains than any other places.

I do make reservations on holiday weekends and when in the FL Panhandle in February (out of necessity). I think the reason that I dislike making reservations is because of my extremely strict work schedule for 31 years. I still have a fairly strict schedule for four months of the year and find myself letting loose the rest of the year.

To me life on the road with the TM is adventurous (sp?) freedom.

I make reservations about a third of the time.

Sometimes we go to a specific destination, such as a state park, national park or a mountain bike race. These require reservations.

Most of the time we just want to get away and find some solitude in the forest. Some of these places don't even take reservations. I don't need to plan ahead for these. These are usually in the central Sierras about 3 hours from home, elevation 5-8 thousand feet.

[B_and_D]

In California:

In the winter, no reservations needed just about anywhere here (except Christmas vacation, or Thanksgiving, and then everything's booked). Three day weekends seem to be booked, too.

During the summer, if you want to go to a very popular destination in a state park, you must make reservations 6 or 7 months ahead of time (if you can get them, usually you spend 20 or 30 minutes on the phone and computer and can't get them). There are places you can go that aren't booked, but they are off the beaten track without hookups. Private campgrounds that are more expensive usually aren't as booked as the state parks. We vacation every summer in our favorite spot in N. California that doesn't take reservations, but we have always been able to find a campsite, so far.

There are places on BLM or Forest Service lands where you can camp easily, without reservations, that aren't developed. You have to do your research before you go. Things have changed since John Steinbeck's "Travels With Charley" days; in CA if you tried to do what he did with his cabover camper on private lands, you might find the Sheriff knocking on your door in the middle of the night.

It doesn't hurt to ask the locals if you are looking for a place to boondock. Most people are more than willing to help you find someplace to stay if you ask nicely. If someone was ever stuck here in Santa Cruz without a place to stay, if they were nice, we'd probably let them camp in our driveway (if their rig would fit).