How do you plan your trips?

[HornedToad]

As a weekend event camper it's not about HOW I plan but WHEN. The campground I go to every Independence Day starts taking reservations the first working day of the year, so if I want my favorite spot I better call them on January 2nd. The Texas State Parks take reservations up to 11 months in advance, if you want a good spot or to even get a spot at a popular park on a holiday weekend, you better get online early. I attend some festivals and races where I'll watch their websites for the On Sale date so I can get the early bird price and select a premium spot. I already have my camping calendar started for 2015, which is mostly a repeat of places/holidays/events from years past. I'll have most of the spring and summer reserved early in the year, and when they announce the football schedules I'll mark off the fall.

 

[JohnD]

We tend to plan out a couple of our summer campouts . . . and do the others on the fly!

However, since we started attending the Heartland Owners Club rallies (two in 2014), that has added to our planned outings!

If you have not attended one yet . . . you should!

They are a blast!

Anywayz . . . we try to do one long trip each year, which we try to visit some place we have never been before.

Looks like we'll be doing two long trips in 2015 . . .

2015 is starting early as we will brush off the Colorado powder (snow, that is ) and head south to attend the Arizona HOC Rally in January (first long trip).

Plus we'll be spending two nights at the south rim of the Grand Canyon . . . never been to Arizona before, unless you want to count the parking lot at the Hoover Dam!

Then next summer we are planning to attend the Colorado HOC Spring Rally and then visit my brother in Lake Tahoe (second long trip), which we may try to incorporate another HOC Rally on that trip if there is one in the vacinity, then a couple of local weekender campouts, and will wind up the season at the Fall Colorado HOC campout!

We generally do three nights over the July 4th Holiday at a state park about 20 minutes from our house . . .

We both work full time, so we have to squeeze in as much as we can when we can!

Wow . . . sounds like I already have next summer all booked out!

Better start making reservations now!

So much for on-the-fly!

 

[porthole]

Planning - starts with:
How many miles round trip
Divided by 10
Multiplied by 4

Now we have a base cost for travel.

 

[scottyb]

Campsite Photos is another one I use along with RV Park Reviews. If they have the park listed, it usually shows a photo of each campsite. With this and Google Earth, I can pick a site without obstructions that allows us to use our patio. We've been very successful with this.

 

[cgaskins]

Great information everyone. Thanks for the replies.

 

[SilverRhino]

We have been "vacation time" campers for the last 40 years. Due to restrictions of time, I have always planned, well actually over planned, every detail of our trips. I always use everything I can find to plan a trip and of course always make reservations, even for overnight stays!

Now that I am retired with my wife to follow soon, I am going to have to learn to relax and do a little more of the "load and go" type planning!