Is it tougher to get reservations with the current RV hype?

TxLoser · 08-10-2020, 04:04 PM

I’ve seen three new trailers on my own street, plus the occasional thread here and other forums... “we’re going full time now in our new RV”. As I write this my local news is running a story on RV’s advertising it as a COVID alternative.

The campground system was already very strained. Have you experience it being any more difficult to get a reservation recently vs August last year.

Woodworker · 08-10-2020, 04:12 PM

I started seeing it last yr. I used to be able to call one of our go to campgrounds on a Wed. an reserve our favorite spot for that weekend. Last yr we were there an I went ahead an started to plan out some weekends while I was there. Our spot was booked for the next 2 months. The next reservation was a month out an so on. I learned a lesson an this yr called them in Jan an reserved all our weekend for the yr.

MontanaRick · 08-10-2020, 04:49 PM

Short answer, yes. We often go to first-come-first serve, no reservation campgrounds, and they are much more likely to be full. Our fist camp of the season was to Bighorn National Recreation Area. The previous year, we were the only ones there that week, this year it was half full.

CAG · 08-10-2020, 04:52 PM

I just made all my reservations for next summer for our usual location. I do that every year. I will say that as I sit here typing this I watched one RV get turned away. Their are more people in the mountains this year but it is hotter than hell in Phoenix and Tucson.

farnik78 · 08-10-2020, 06:15 PM

I normally boondock in the National Forests in Colorado. Usually where I go there are very few people. This year there are fricking people everywhere, even during the week. And not just RVs. I like to ride the 4x4 trails on my side by side and there are people in 4 door sedans tent camping up in some nasty, steep, rocky terrain that I don’t know how they got their Honda Civic up there. It’s nuts. People need to go back to work and back to the city.

wiscampsin · 08-10-2020, 06:20 PM

Lots of new campers but no new campgrounds will make it tough.

Campingteacher79 · 08-10-2020, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiscampsin

Lots of new campers but no new campgrounds will make it tough.

I agree. Camper sales have been steadily going up, but at least up here in Canada I don’t think there have been very many new campgrounds built in ages.

TxLoser · 08-10-2020, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farnik78

I normally boondock in the National Forests in Colorado. Usually where I go there are very few people. This year there are fricking people everywhere, even during the week. And not just RVs. I like to ride the 4x4 trails on my side by side and there are people in 4 door sedans tent camping up in some nasty, steep, rocky terrain that I don’t know how they got their Honda Civic up there. It’s nuts. People need to go back to work and back to the city.

This is what I worry about. On the RV front, the local news was showing some local RV dealers to be experiencing sales 170% over this time last year. Crazy. Great if you want to sell an RV, but not so great if you want to use one.

64osby · 08-10-2020, 09:29 PM

Supply and demand.

If there is demand, more campgrounds will be built. It is capitalism working.

farnik78 · 08-11-2020, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 64osby

Supply and demand.

If there is demand, more campgrounds will be built. It is capitalism working.

Yeah if you can get past all the regulations and taxes and fees.

CAG · 08-11-2020, 11:55 AM

This demand will drop off with time. A fad right now but my guess is 80% will tire of it, kids will get older and have other interests and the expenses will drive them to sell

Jagiven · 08-11-2020, 12:03 PM

I have been noticing for a few years, that getting a spot in our local SPs has been getting harder.

We have not been out much this year, primarily due to covid, our SPs have only opened up this past month. We never stay at private resorts as there is not much to do at them other than to drink.

I know of a CG that closed up a few years back that is sitting empty on a nice river, good for canoeing, kayaking and tubing, also has a nice bike trail along side it. Not really sure why they closed up. It is a nice area. Stayed there once a kid.

TCNashville · 08-11-2020, 02:09 PM

I'm able to get out during the week and haven't had too much trouble getting a site but I have noticed that "during the week" is busier than normal. Also noticed lots of brand new campers in the campground and proper leveling seems to be the big challenge these days, lol.

EA37TS · 08-11-2020, 04:12 PM

We took our coach to Middlebury so Factory Service can work on it and on the way there (Saturday) we stayed at a KOA in Ohio. The place was in an area not known for attractions but it was filled to the gills. I talked to the manager for awhile and he told me the issue at the time is the campground is the only place within 75 miles that has an open pool due to COVID so everyone is coming out to go swimming.

Florida Ranger · 08-11-2020, 05:16 PM

Please do not come to Florida we are all full up . Go to some place like California,Nevada, Mexico, Chicago or New York ,,try them you will like it there.

JimD · 08-11-2020, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Florida Ranger

Please do not come to Florida we are all full up . Go to some place like California,Nevada, Mexico, Chicago or New York ,,try them you will like it there.

Oops, we are full here in California so pick from one of his other suggestions.

SloPoke · 08-11-2020, 05:36 PM

I saw a post on Facebook RV group saying that there were lots of open spaces at the Mark Hatfield RV park and Courthouse in Portland... We don't plan on heading that way soon, so I did not call to verify....

Oh... and they mentioned that there was a campfire almost every night.

farnik78 · 08-11-2020, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SloPoke

I saw a post on Facebook RV group saying that there were lots of open spaces at the Mark Hatfield RV park and Courthouse in Portland... We don't plan on heading that way soon, so I did not call to verify....

Oh... and they mentioned that there was a campfire almost every night.

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Duke4857 · 08-11-2020, 07:34 PM

HaHaHa, that is a good one SloPoke. I have a sister and brother-inlaw that lives on Lake Oswego. They watch what is going on in Portland very close.

Big1 · 08-11-2020, 07:42 PM

I having so far, we have a trip plan next month on a 1200 miles trip to Las Vegas but we are going to Nellis AFB when I call today they seem to have opening for us but I don't know what day that we will be there.

Now going there I haven't call none of the other camp site in between so my fingers are cross and I'm hoping to stay one night there.

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