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Old 02-11-2019, 07:36 PM   #1
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Trip planning services

Hello All,
We're planning a trip CO up to Banff, down to Palm Desert. A little overwhelmed and thinking of hiring RV Adventures to do trip planning. Approx $80/day to create itinerary and book parks. Have you used them? Any other ideas of reputable trip planning service? Thanks much ! Lin and Mark

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Old 02-11-2019, 08:05 PM   #2
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WOW...that's about 3 times what you'll pay for campgrounds. I've never heard of them but sounds way expensive and takes away the "adventure" of trip planning and personal selection. I've live by the motto..."its not where you're going but how you get there" that matters. I'm not sure how much time you have to plan or if you know the resources to get there but there's tons of help here that can throw more options at you than Carter has "Little Liver Pills". I've use Good Sam, Park Advisor app and lots of others. This may be a great option but, at first sight, doesn't sound good to me. Maybe I'll learn something else here.
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Old 02-11-2019, 09:43 PM   #3
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I think you can still get a Trip-Tik from AAA (hey look you can get them online now) if you want someone to help.

I've always made do with google + other misc services on line (like road trippers, roadside america, atlas obscura, etc.) + some dead reckoning.

It isn't really that difficult especially if you have a device telling you where to go (phone, tablet, Garmin, etc.).

Just break it down into smaller steps and then suddenly it won't overwhelm you:
  • Make a list of must-see things
  • use some mapping software (google, road trippers, apple, etc.) to get a general route
  • re-arrange the list of things if necessary to make the trip more efficient (if that matters)
  • Look for things just off-route that you might want to see as well
  • If you want paper buy maps and highlight your route (that way you have a lo-tech solution)
  • Don't worry about veering off the route to see stuff
  • Enjoy!

(For me, planning the trip is part of the fun of the trip.)
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Old 02-11-2019, 10:27 PM   #4
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Trip planning

Thank you all for great ideas. Really hoping to hear from someone who has used a trip planning service ??
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Old 02-11-2019, 10:32 PM   #5
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We keep a binder with all our info.

Mileage and travel hours CG to CG
Probable fuel stops
Rest area mileage markers on all highway we expect to travel
Copy of reservation confirmation for each day
List of attractions between and around CG
Copy of insurance policy, warrenties, road assistance, travel assistance, etc.

Its fun to plan the trip and all the tools are on the computer free.

We have all info in that one binder for the co-pilot.
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Old 02-11-2019, 11:01 PM   #6
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Good Sam has a decent planner. AAA my wife did and is a joke. It’s not 1970 any longer.
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Old 02-12-2019, 12:13 AM   #7
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I can see why you might want to take the 'unknown' out of the RVing equation, and maybe a trip planning service might be worth it to you, but my concern would be that now you would be on a point-to-point, day-to-day planned travel, with little regards to weather, traffic, or other 'unknowns' that often pop up when traveling, or even the 'sight seeing' you didn't know you needed to plan for.

but, just like those who want someone to 'lead' them along the way to Alaska and such, there seems to be a market for them. Go for it if it fits your needs.
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Old 02-12-2019, 12:16 AM   #8
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I'd strongly suggest that you take a look at the Park Advisor app others have mentioned. It's really easy to use and also will also build you a route to the destination you pick. As someone else mentioned, using a trip planning service would feel like it's taking the adventure out of Rving and that is likely to reduce the number of referrals you can expect to get.
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Old 02-12-2019, 01:38 AM   #9
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With all the resources previously mentioned, paying someone is out of the question.
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Old 02-12-2019, 01:51 AM   #10
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Here's what I would do starting with the Roadtrippers website/app.
First, start a trip using Vail and Banff only. This will give you the fastest route.
Second, decide if you want to vary the route to add midway destinations and decide how far you want to travel daily. We normally plan 300-350 miles/day.
Third, I use the RVParky app to find towns with campgrounds near our mile limit. Use that one or some of the others to pick your stops.
Fourth, I factor in those side trips. Yellowstone? Calgary?
Fifth, can I stay free at a Wally mrt or Crkr Barrl, etc along the way?
Review, did I allow enough time for diversions and some flexibility for changes?
Finally, make reservations where the campgrounds will be busy. (If you're not sure, call the campground and ask.)
If you are returning to Vail, that figures to almost 4,000 miles. That is a lot of stops and a lot of days. It's your money and your time, but for many, planning the trip is part of the fun! Personally, I wouldn't trust someone at any price to plan the whole trip and meet our preferences.
That's what I do, others would do differently, find your own best methods.
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Old 02-12-2019, 01:54 AM   #11
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We pick out the main Hot Spots we want to stay at. Rush2112More, Jellystone, Grand Funk Railroad Canyon, Etc. Then add liberal traveling days between the Biggies. Those days are our freelance days going to the Quirky Places we find then stay wherever we can that day with no reservations.
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Old 02-12-2019, 04:00 PM   #12
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I've found I like using "Rv Parky" in my short 30 day lifetime of rving. It'll pulls up a map where I choose the parameters, what will be seen or not to keep down the clutter, etc. Mine is set to show military posts, mwr, & fam-camps, of course - but I also show blm, wallys & cracker barrels w/overnites, my preferred gas & rest stops etc. It allows you to build your own trips & shows the stops, mileage, eta, & even fuel consumption expected accordin to your own mpg avg. Then it lets you use the trip you built w/your preferred maps, google, or waze. I split the screen with my favorite real time weather app that is generally set on wind speed/direction & temp....
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Old 02-13-2019, 01:51 AM   #13
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For you "planners", now Roadtrippers has come out with a 50% discount for a limited time. 14.99 for the first year, code is SHARETHELOVE50.

Decide for yourself if it is a good value.
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Old 02-19-2019, 04:13 PM   #14
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Everyone has there own way of mapping out a trip. Having been east and west and north (as in AK, NH, east and west Canada) and south (Key West, MS, LA, TX) on motorcycle trips I have a pretty good idea of where I'm headed.

I use my trusty USA map for the "big picture" then start looking for stops (gas and RON) using my GPS. I also note any places of interest along the roadway.
By the time I leave I've got my out and in routes "roughed" out. They are supplemented by current state maps I acquire at first Welcome Center inside the state borders. Using the WCs serves several purposes: (1) Pit stop (2) Get most current state map (3) Chat with WC host/hostess for suggestions near/along my route of travel (4) Discount coupons and tourist brochures (5) Weather conditions and possible road construction/detours.

Best wishes on your trip planning and your trip.
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Old 02-19-2019, 10:12 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by Marklin View Post
Hello All,
We're planning a trip CO up to Banff, down to Palm Desert. A little overwhelmed and thinking of hiring RV Adventures to do trip planning. Approx $80/day to create itinerary and book parks. Have you used them? Any other ideas of reputable trip planning service? Thanks much ! Lin and Mark
I use www.roadtrippers.com online....then i call each place i want to stay to reserve.
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Old 02-27-2019, 08:56 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by janiewood View Post
I use www.roadtrippers.com online....then i call each place i want to stay to reserve.
Thx for the link
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Old 02-28-2019, 12:23 PM   #17
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One of the things my wife has been looking so forward to is...riding along the country side and at a moments notice, saying..."let's goooooooooooo........THAT WAY!". Over planning wouldn't work for me.
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Old 02-28-2019, 05:06 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton View Post
One of the things my wife has been looking so forward to is...riding along the country side and at a moments notice, saying..."let's goooooooooooo........THAT WAY!". Over planning wouldn't work for me.
I think I must have your wife's sense of adventure - or maybe in my case it's ADD, lol! I'm glad you mentioned this, Gritz, bc I was wondering about how well most longtime rv folks tracked their trip planning vs going adlib (w/or w/out the input of their wives).

For me, my trip plan is more like an outline, where I fill in the details as I go an edit as needed. Ok, I guess that sounds more like crafting a five point essay rather than planning a trip, but it seems to fit for me.

Being a veteran probably has something to do with my desire to explore & push thru my preconceived limitations. I love the freedom of takin detours or changin my track before completing my original self imposed marchin orders!

Plus, I'm still stuck on the East coast this winter, so my trip plan, like most plans, didn't survive initial contact - w/new rv realities - not insurgent contact (unless you're one of the folks who seem to put cw into that category, lol!).

I'm still wet behind the ears, so this outlook applies to me (& maybe other newbies). I wouldn't presume to know what the rv oldtimers have learned from their hard won experiences (I hope I will know someday!).

My new rv life & it's planning has required much more flexibility from my military mindset, & I think many new rv'ers might find if they rigidly stick to their initial plans for every trip they would quickly become disillusioned with rv life & hang up their keys for good (but maybe that's just my naivete speaking).
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Old 03-04-2019, 05:23 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by Calman View Post
Everyone has there own way of mapping out a trip. Having been east and west and north (as in AK, NH, east and west Canada) and south (Key West, MS, LA, TX) on motorcycle trips I have a pretty good idea of where I'm headed.

I use my trusty USA map for the "big picture" then start looking for stops (gas and RON) using my GPS. I also note any places of interest along the roadway.
By the time I leave I've got my out and in routes "roughed" out. They are supplemented by current state maps I acquire at first Welcome Center inside the state borders. Using the WCs serves several purposes: (1) Pit stop (2) Get most current state map (3) Chat with WC host/hostess for suggestions near/along my route of travel (4) Discount coupons and tourist brochures (5) Weather conditions and possible road construction/detours.

Best wishes on your trip planning and your trip.
Yeah, I found out that not much after dark all the vacancy signs in those little towns get turned off. Also kind of tough to find everything at night. So don't overload your mileage, get a reservation before you leave and if you're gonna be late at night, call. Always seems those little stops eat up a lot of time.
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