Better have your reservations booked.... or good luck!

Judge · 03-11-2021, 05:25 PM

Back in early January we started booking campgrounds for our trip out west from late August through early October and have everything pretty much set at this point.

We are going to head north from Florida in mid-May to our second home where it is cooler in the summer months and where the coach is stored. I'll have some work to get it ready to go for the season but I thought about trying to book a campground within about 4 - 6 hours of Pittsburgh for Memorial Day weekend. I checked about 10 KOA's and everyone is aleady sold out!

If you haven't booked campgrounds for the major holiday weekends or popular destinations this season, you better hurry. Finding campgrounds had already gotten tougher the past few years but all these dang newbie's have really made it tougher for us!

Bob Denman · 03-11-2021, 05:36 PM

We need to take over a few of those golf courses...

Judge · 03-11-2021, 05:39 PM

You're right Bob!

Buying some and opening a campground might be a good investment at this point!

**EA37TS** · 03-11-2021, 05:43 PM

We are planning a long trip for the Mid-west from June thru October. Right now the only place where we are having trouble getting reservations is around Yellowstone.

We did try to make reservations at a couple places for Memorial Day but like Judge mentions that was a non-starter since every place we checked was booked solid.

Also, FMCA is starting to rally again so many chapters are making reservations for anywhere from 10 to 30 coaches at a pop. I imagine the same is happening for Escapees and Good Sam.

Judge · 03-11-2021, 06:00 PM

We are hitting Teddy Roosevelt NP in mid to late August and then over to East Glacier NP a week before Labor Day. Then moving to the Flathead Lake area Labor Day weekend. From there we hit Yellowstone a couple days after Labor Day so that worked out for us. We're hoping the crowds are down in Yellowstone after labor Day.

Then we head down to the Tetons, over to Cody and then Mount Rushmore and the Bad Lands. We're hoping there will be lighter crowds there as well after Labor Day and kids are back in school.

The one positive last year with COVID was camping. While some places were closed because of restrictions, we had no problem getting into places that were open. Not to mention diesel was down right cheap! We did more camping last year at different places than ever before while still working since I didn't have to get on planes come March and I could work from the coach.

I should be hanging it up by the end of July and before we take off for our trip out west. I was going to hang it up at the end of last year but after not having to do business travel and get on 100 planes a year because of COVID, I decided to hang on another 6 or 7 months or until things get closer to normal and bsuiness travel returns.

I'm looking forward to retirement but finding campgrounds might be tricky for a while.... at least around holidays and popular destinations.

ador · 03-11-2021, 06:23 PM

He have a 3 week approved vacation coming up end of June to first 2 weeks of July. No plans yet as to where we are going. Right now, we are 50/50 on flying overseas to celebrate my 50th birthday with some relatives and friends. But with the Covid still a travel concern, we might just travel within the US. Will have a final decision made as to where we are heading by the end of this month. Really want to drive to Maine and back. Stop at some interesting places in between. I know it is a lot of driving for just 3 weeks. But I really don't mind. I hope we will not encounter booking problems when we start making reservations.

**EA37TS** · 03-11-2021, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ador

He have a 3 week approved vacation coming up end of June to first 2 weeks of July. No plans yet as to where we are going. Right now, we are 50/50 on flying overseas to celebrate my 50th birthday with some relatives and friends. But with the Covid still a travel concern, we might just travel within the US. Will have a final decision made as to where we are heading by the end of this month. Really want to drive to Maine and back. Stop at some interesting places in between. I know it is a lot of driving for just 3 weeks. But I really don't mind. I hope we will not encounter booking problems when we start making reservations.

You might be out of luck for July 4th.

Judge · 03-11-2021, 06:44 PM

Especially with the 4th on a Sunday and lot of people getting a long weekend.

Bob Denman · 03-11-2021, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judge

You're right Bob!

Buying some and opening a campground might be a good investment at this point!

I wonder if a Stinky Slinky will fit snugly into those holes on the greens?

Lt Keefer · 03-11-2021, 09:32 PM

For those having trouble getting reservations and thinking about retirement at the same time just know that once you retire, reservations get a lot easier to get. Your calendar is more open and you don't have to worry about peak weekends when all the working stiffs and their kids are out and about. Since I retired 2 years ago I have only had trouble making reservations one time.

Judge · 03-11-2021, 09:35 PM

Everything gets easier and better with retirement!

I'm looking forward to snowmobiling during the week and not the weekends when the crazy people are out on the trails. We'll defintely camp more during the week and avoid the weekends as well.

**EA37TS** · 03-11-2021, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lt Keefer

For those having trouble getting reservations and thinking about retirement at the same time just know that once you retire, reservations get a lot easier to get. Your calendar is more open and you don't have to worry about peak weekends when all the working stiffs and their kids are out and about. Since I retired 2 years ago I have only had trouble making reservations one time.

We joined the ranks of the retired on Dec 3rd. Other than medical appointments we have one item controlled by others and that happens to be the FMCA International Convention in Gillette Wy in July. We are scheduling our long (approx 5 months) summer trip around that rally and plan to get back to SC sometime after October or November.

Right now we have had very few issues with getting reservations other than Yellowstone.

atreis · 03-11-2021, 10:44 PM

Already booked all but one of my trips. That one I can't book until next month (6 months before the trip), but already have a reminder set for that morning. That one is a special event booking and will be a mad race to the submit button at 7am.

Party of 5 · 03-11-2021, 11:12 PM

I am one of the newbies, retired July 31! We'll look to do most of our trips in the off season and during the week to avoid the crowds. Going to start with local trips on the west coast to break in the rig, once we officially take the keys of course. Are the RV clubs that offer discounts and Rving worth joining? Any one or better than the other? And are there some not worth the money??

Elite Washington · 03-12-2021, 02:54 AM

We are taking advantage of the covid stuff and got our major trip booked. Headed to fort wilderness in Oct for my sons 5th bday and Disney Worlds 50th. Going to be a long drive from the west coast. But 11 days at WDW should be worth it. Good luck getting things booked out on the west coast even before covid it could be a challenge

coachray · 03-12-2021, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

We need to take over a few of those golf courses...

Gotta disagree on the golf courses. We've already lost enough of those. But I agree that making reservations in general has become difficult for several years and it seems to be getting worse. What we've been able to do sometimes is, if the campground you're looking at allows reservations 1 yr. in advance, I'll be up at midnight this memorial day ready to make a reservation for next year.

mcr1010 · 03-12-2021, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Party of 5

I am one of the newbies, retired July 31! We'll look to do most of our trips in the off season and during the week to avoid the crowds. Going to start with local trips on the west coast to break in the rig, once we officially take the keys of course. Are the RV clubs that offer discounts and Rving worth joining? Any one or better than the other? And are there some not worth the money??

We belong to Passport America which will save you some $$ after a few stays. Been life members since around 2001. Only caveat is that some campgrounds have blackout days like weekends, holidays, seasonal and length of stay limits etc. It seems to be getting more so with the increase in RV sales. I don't have any experience with any of the others except on a temp. basis from a promotion and I always favored PPA and try to stay at their campgrounds.

MJC62 · 03-15-2021, 02:08 AM

Those of you trying to get reservations around Yellowstone getting into the park is always a chore. The NPS starts closing some campgrounds or sections of campgrounds down the first week in September.
We have gone to Yellowstone after Labor Day several times and unfortunately there are still lots of crowds I would hate to see the place mid summer. The peeps visiting from Europe and Asia seem to outnumber the locals in the fall.
There are numerous Forest Service campgrounds outside the park that will accommodate RV's. These are much easier to get into than the NPS campgrounds, some have electric hook ups and a few take reservations. The Custer/Gallatin NF has the campgrounds on the Montana side of the park and the Shoshone NF has the campgrounds on the Wyoming side.
So far over the years we have utilized at least a dozen different NFS campgrounds around Yellowstone. All have vault toilets, most no dump stations, water is available and as I said some have electric.
There are several private RV parks outside of Yellowstone in Cody Wyoming about an hour from the east entrance and several RV parks in West Yellowstone right outside the West entrance. There are several RV Parks in Gardiner Montana as well outside the Roosevelt entrance.

Copterdoc · 03-15-2021, 03:42 AM

There are a couple of websites/apps that I have found to be useful if major parks and such can't be booked. I use Harvest Host and Boondockers Welcome.

tsts · 03-15-2021, 12:56 PM

Good idea to have reservations any where in Montana this year. Lots of state campgrounds are filling up extra fast, KOA' s along I 90 mostly full . We had a harder time than normal for any local camping spots. I have lived in Montana for 30 years this is not normal but what is. We also live close to Yellowstone. So we have never been to Moab Utah and are going there we made reservations 3 months ago looks like a great place to use our jeep, and hike in May.

You may also like: