ThePewterPalace Our Love Affair with Avions

As many of you know, we do plan out our travel trips way in advance. For us, it is our preference not to fly by the seat of our pants. Part of this comes from our overall size which is 60 feet in total hitched up length, another part is that we like to keep our travel time limited to 3 hours, or arrival before 3 pm and less than 200 miles in a day now that we are retired and full timing it.

With trip planning comes “which campsite” planning too for the best experience! Below is a sample of my critique of a campground we stayed at and notes for future planning to book a site should we return again.

Here are our top 10 tips to how we decide which actual # campsite we want to book (we also include tips for FCFS -first come, first served, un-reserveable campsites too!)

1. Pre Booking Planning– this includes Google Satellite Ariel View, Search YouTube for RV Campground Reviews and Tours, Read Trip Advisor and/or RV Trip Wizard Reviews
2. Book a site on the END of a ROW so that your patio/curb side is facing the end. This usually gives you more space and privacy than looking into another neighbors window or your picnic table near a neighbors sewer outlet.
3. Book site(s) that are on a curve in the campground roadway for easiest back in and also more typically a “pie” shaped site to give you more privacy and space
4. Arrive as early as possible for check in! This is in case your site is not what you expect you have time to contact the office to select a different site
5. Dealing with “arc’d/ curved crescent shaped sites” like those often found at older NPS campgrounds- the trick often is to pull PAST the site, back in your RV, disconnect and then move your vehicle to behind your RV. This way you often can avoid trying to negotiate the “bend” the arc. RV’s don’t bend in the middle!
6. BACK in sites typically have more privacy and space than pull through sites. We will only select a pull through if we do not have to disconnect and we are only staying 1 night as a stop over on travel day.
7. Avoid “Buddy Sites” because too many times they are close together and/or a longer rig and their vehicle can block your egress in and out if they share an entry drive.
8. Don’t be afraid to go IN the opposite direction of the roadway arrows where it makes sense to park your rig the other way. Just be sure to have a spotter on the roadway.
9. Like a peaceful site? We prefer to select sites away from playgrounds, pools and community and sport areas because of potential for noise and traffic.
10. Before booking a site, double check available details like site pad length and width. Note if there are low hanging trees. Most NPS campgrounds you can click on a site which pulls up a new small box with site photos or at least click for “site details” which shows grade, dimensions of the site.

7 BONUS TIPS!

For First Come, First Served (FCFS) Campgrounds:

1. Plan your arrival for at earliest time of the posted check in time to get best selection and choices. Even if you have to boondock at a Walmart, etc the night before so you are close by the FCFS campground the next day.
2. Prior to arrival, look at reviews from Rvers and their photos and have a penciled list for yourself of your preferred site #’s based on pre-arrival planning
3. PLEASE-Do NOT take a site that way exceeds the site length (or power needs) you actually need. Be courteous and respectful of those with larger rigs than yours. For example, if you have a camper van…do not take a site designed for a 50 foot 50 AMP Motorhome/5th wheel site.
4. if you simply cannot get to the campground at earliest check in time then plan to arrive no later than 3 PM so you hopefully still have beat everyone else coming off the road– and the campground office/staff will still be on site.
5. Have the campground site map printed out (ahead of time preferred) in hard copy already and with you as you enter, so you now which sections or roads appear the best for your needs/preferences- go to them first. do you prefer back in? pull thru? wooded? open? near bathrooms? playgrounds? have potential nice sites circled on your map! Don’t waste time aimlessly driving loops!
6. Be prepared to set up “temporarily” in a pull through site and then move to a better site if staying multiple nights. (but we have found site tags with “departure dates” are not always reliable)
7. As soon as you see a site you want–stop on the side of the road or go into the site. then….BEFORE you set up, use a tester on the power pedestal to ensure it is working properly. Ditto for the water source. Now, get set up and remember to let the office know what site you are in. This is important for their records, for any emergency situation, etc.

Lastly, it goes without saying–but we will say it anyway. Ha ha!

When ever you stay at a campground, or even a dispersed camping site (BLM, Forest Service, etc.) always take the time to make notes about which campsites you would PREFER if you were to stay here again! I use Evernote (an online app) and list campgrounds by state, then campground name, then I list our future “preferred” sites should we come that way again in our travels. Evernote even allows for photos to be clipped into the list.

HAPPY CAMPING! Do you have other tips to add?? Leave a comment to help fellow RVers! Like this article—please hit the “LIKE” button below to make it easier for fellow campers to find!