trip planning software / site?

PhotoPete

Well-known member
A number of years ago, like 15, I had software that did a real nice job of mapping out a route and providing camping locations along the way. That was at a time when the internet was just coming into it's own.

Today I would like to have something on line that would let me select a specific route, show me camping, fuel, food etc... along each leg of the trip.

Has anyone found a particularly good site or perhaps even ipad app? I envision an app like a mapquest or google maps interface that you can say let me drive approximately 300 miles and show me whats in the area and along the way. and be able to plot the whole thing out for the entire trip.
 

Invizatu

Senior Road Warriors
Good Sam or Microsoft Streets and Maps software which will sync to your gps.
Or maybe a POI website (points of interest) just google POI!
Enjoy
 

lmcclure

1st Tennessee Member#1084
Good Sam's has just returned to the original software and it will give you sites, after you set your requirements in it. It is free and will even email the instructions.
 

HappyKayakers

Well-known member
Good Sam's has just returned to the original software and it will give you sites, after you set your requirements in it. It is free and will even email the instructions.

I really like their option to avoid low overhead clearances. Of course, you have to be a Good Sam member to access the software.
 

recumbent615

Founding MA Chapter Leader-retired
I have used the Microsoft Streets and Trips combined with an Iphone App called Camp & RV from All Stays. I used the Good Sam trip planner a few years ago and it was good - then they changed it - but I was reading yesterday that they just reverted to the old software ( a very good move) and are updating that one. The issue that I had was they rightly favored Good Sam Parks - they have just released an Iphone app as well so I may give them a try again. One thing I am now looking for is a better GPS that will not route me where I don;t want to go or where I can not fit. My Current GPS has no concept of overall vehicle length, width or height. So it looks like I may have to get the Garmin Trucker to get that.


Kevin
 

PhotoPete

Well-known member
Thanks for the info so far. I messed around with the Good Sam Trip Planner. It does not appear to be as robust as I was looking for. Perhaps I am missing something. I'll keep playing with it. The Microsoft program would be a good start, problem is I am strictly Mac. It doesn't appear they have ported it to Mac. I haven't played with the Rand McNally yet.

I appreciate the input. There must be a perfect solution out there somewhere. Or perhaps thats how I can make my first million!?
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
I have Streets & Trip 2009 and really need a newer version. I like it though. I've been using Google Maps on my Droid2 and I think I like it better than my Garmin. :confused:
 

pegmikef

Well-known member
I too use streets and trips for planning in conjunction with other sites such as recreation.gov or in texas, the tpwd sites. We're more into camping than we are rv resorts and do a lot of boondocking in National Forests, but we also like national and state parks and corp of engineer parks. We always check the reviews of any place we plan to go.
 

Manzan

Well-known member
We use MS Streets and Trips a lot and also Trailer Life Campground Directory. Lots of things can be programmed into MSS&T and the Trailer Life program gives info on all campgrounds and some of the things to do and see in the area. There are aps that will route you around low bridges but I read one post somewhere that the low bridge warning was for a road that went under the highway. I tried the GS program last week and did not care for it.
 

PhotoPete

Well-known member
I read one post somewhere that the low bridge warning was for a road that went under the highway.

I am the one that posted that. I contacted the developer about it. He said he would fix it in the next release. We will see.
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
I forgot about the Trailer Life Trip planning software. I use it and it works great. Will tell you the campgrounds in the area too as well as the route. I usually use a combination of software and the good old fashioned paper map. Seems to me like the software many times gives you routes but not always the best way to go. As far as I am concerned I will verify routes with paper maps everytime. I have also learned, through experience, not to believe what I see regarding campgrounds on the internet. Many times the photos they show do not truly represent how the campground really looks. I mean yes they may have a beautiful deluxe site and that is the photo they show but they fail to mention it is always occupied by someone living they fulltime and it is the only deluxe site they have.
 

ziggy

Retired Oregon HOC
I too was looking at trip routing today. I tried Google Maps, Good Sam, Trailer Life, and did a search for RV route planners which just gave me several sites with the Good Sam search built in. Oh, I tried Map Quest too. None let me program in all of the variables needed. I didn't get to program in my avg speed or route requirements other than low bridge. I know the route all of them said to use between us and Gillette has a really steep (something like 8 or 9%) grade with very tight turns. GS would tell me there was a steep grade, but if you want to know anything besides the code they give for it, you have to buy the book that lists it. We know about it only because our GPS directed us that way on a trip towing our heavy boat. NOT fun....

I want software that I put our requirements into. Then I want it to show the route and point out the closest stopping places to either the time or distance I've chosen to drive each day. Then, I want to be able to click on those places to see what's available for camping, fuel, etc. I would prefer it be online and updated frequently, and of course I want the photos to be accurate and the whole thing to be free.

Somebody, please tell Santa to get his best elf geeks on it! :)

Kristy
 

PhotoPete

Well-known member
I want software that I put our requirements into. Then I want it to show the route and point out the closest stopping places to either the time or distance I've chosen to drive each day. Then, I want to be able to click on those places to see what's available for camping, fuel, etc. I would prefer it be online and updated frequently, and of course I want the photos to be accurate

Yup, thats what i'm looking for.
 

Westwind

Well-known member
Worked with computer geeks for 20 some years, nice folks, but they were always reluctant to talk to the finals users of their product. I can agree with every previous post. My wishes are exactly the same. Where is Santa when you need him!
 
Top