5 Ways to get the best camping sites when you hit the open road. Now more than ever people are using RVs for travel, but getting the best site when camping can be hard.
How to Get the Best Campsite
My husband and I have been camping since our dating years. We started with a tiny camper we mainly used for tailgating. We loved the idea of pulling our “house” wherever we went. After having our first son, we didn’t know if camping would work with an infant. After a couple of years, we finally got brave enough to take the baby with us.
We’ve been hooked ever since! Honestly it is the most comfortable option for our large family, and we rarely leave home without our camper. In general we camp at least once a month and even more frequently during the summer. Over time we have learned a few tricks to get the best camping sites.
Look around and check out the best camping sites
We learned this trick very early on and it has served us well. When we are at a park, we walk around and look at the best sites. I mark the sites we like on the park map, and keep the marked park maps in a binder at home. When I go to book a site, I look at the map to decide which site I want. Some parks aren’t site specific, but many are. It can be very hard to judge the quality of a site using the park map alone.
Use Google Earth
The method above works if you have previously stayed in a park. However, if we are visiting a campground for the first time it can be difficult to know which sites to choose. We use google earth’s aerial view to see the sites from above. We have a large rig so this helps us to see if we are able to get into the site easily, or if it’s large enough to accommodate us. Aerial views can also help to get a better view of surrounding bath houses and pathways. It’s a great tool to use when planning a trip.
Book Camping Sites Early
One way to book the best camping sites is to book early. The majority of the time we camp in the state parks or corp of engineers campgrounds. These tend to allow the booking of a site six to eleven months in advance. I stalk the site online a few days before my desired booking date, and book first thing in the morning exactly 11 months out. For example: If I want site 3 on July 15th, 2022, I start looking for when site-3 is available around August 10th, 2021. If I see site-3 will be vacant on July 13th, I wake up early on August 13 and book it first thing. For some of the more popular state parks, this is the only way to get a site. We generally vacation the same week every summer. This helps me to know when to look for site availability.
If booking early isn’t an option for you, watch the sites you are interested in very closely. Sometimes a site will open up due to a cancellation. However, with cancellations you often have to be flexible on the dates you can camp. We have gotten lucky and booked great sites last minutes just by frequently checking the website.
For RV parks, call the office and speak to someone in reservations. Ask them about your preferred site and when it will be available. Book first thing when they tell you they have availability. I should also note that this is a long time in advance to plan for a vacation, and a lot of things can happen. If you know you aren’t going to make your reservation, please cancel the site as soon as possible. This allows others the chance to enjoy it. It’s really disheartening to see empty sites at our favorite campgrounds for several days in a row during peak time. Please be courteous when booking so far out.
Choosing the Right RV
Choosing the right RV is very important when getting the best camping sites. We are a family of six, so the size of our rig has increased considerably over the years. However, it wasn’t until we purchased our 42-foot fifth wheel that I realized the impact this would have on site availability. Now we are very limited on the sites that will accommodate us. I love the space our camper provides on long trips, but I often wish we had something smaller. Not only do I have to choose a site we will love, but it has to fit us too. Everyone has different needs when it comes to a camping rig. I suggest really thinking about what you want out of a rig, and the parks you like to visit most often. For example: If you’re looking for a dry place to sleep, and the average max vehicle length in your favorite park is 35 feet, choose a rig that meets both of those needs. Really do your research prior to buying.
Using Apps to Get the Best Camping Sites
I use several apps when looking for places to camp. My favorite by far is Campendium. I put the location we want to go in Campendium, and it shows me all of the campgrounds in that area. I can click on a campground and find out most of the information on it. Campendium will also use my current location to find campgrounds. We have happened upon the most beautiful places by simply looking up campgrounds in an area we are visiting. A lot of the campgrounds aren’t visible online, so they aren’t crowded. An empty campground is the best way to score a great site!
Bad Sites are Good Too
We’ve had some great spots, and some really bad spots along the way. We have even been right beside the dumpsters causing our site to be full of mice. The important thing is not the site, but the time you spend with the people you love. We try to make the best out of every trip we’re on, and not focus on what could be better. Camping is what you make of it!
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