Trip Pacing

[TaftCoach]

As we are planning our next trip there are a couple different options which has me thinking in a macro view of travel philosophy. Let's use a 250 mile stretch with multiple stops spread across the route as an example.

Option A. Three nights at one campground in the middle of the area. It involves some back tracking and later we'd be driving through areas we already visited but this time with trailer in tow. One set up which usually encourages us to enjoy the campground and eat better meals.

Option B. Three different campgrounds while visiting attractions with trailer in tow. Less miles. More nomadic. More set up and pack up.

Specifically next year we're doing the Lake Superior Circle Tour but it really applies to all of our road trips.

[Rodney27405]

Option A is what we do most of the time. DW follows me in her car and we use that to visit the sights, using the campground as a base camp. Minimizes the amount of miles on both the truck and trailer, reduces the fuel costs and I only have to set up and breakdown once.

[Markb5900]

We take a “home base” approach. We will try to pick a spot for a few days with the things we want to see within 100 (1.5 hours)
Then move on, we personally like to stay somewhere a few days, rather than set up and breakdown every day.

[LuckyDuck]

Gotta also agree with Option A. I’ll always opt to visit sights with just the TV and leave the trailer (and pooch) in camp. We’ve done the “different camp every night” routine, but the takedown/setup gets old quick. We now do it just on long legs to get to our primary destination, like a national park.

[Kim Gass]

Option A for us. Especially on the Lake Superior route. there will be places you might want to see and cannot park a towed and tow vehicle. Some of the popular parking lots like Agawa Rock get very full.
Ever have the joy of backing up a tow vehicle on a narrow road for a distance when you find there is not room to turn around?

We have when we got to a closed Blue Ridge Parkway which was barricaded not at a road junction bot on a stretch of it. So in Newfoundland we deliberately base camped. Made manuevering easier when we went to sightsee

[norty1]

We do both but lately we have enjoyed "A" best.

We don't have to set up so much, can leave the pups in their happy place and less expensive. We don't usually take the separate vehicle but use the truck to make our short day trips, unless within a couple hundred miles from home.

[Marcm157]

Another vote for Option A - We have done the tow the camper to an attraction thing and prefer to have the camper be our central point.

And as Kim says we have done the "Back of Shame" routine. Sadly more than once...

[TaftCoach]

It's been interesting planning this. Normally we would have stayed at two different campgrounds for three days each about 100 miles apart now we're looking at a centrally located one for five or six days. It really changes the dynamic.

[Kim Gass]

I have done the Circle Route and the Ontario side st least two dozen times cause I used to go from Maine to Thunder Bay twice a year at a minimum
I am less sharp on my memory of Duluth to the Soo ( US ) having done that twice
Coukd you share your proposed itinerary?
It could be both methods will work in different areas

[TaftCoach]

Currently we're going to be coming from Door County, Wisconsin and starting somewhere around Marquette. We've visited most of the stretch between Pictured Rocks and Duluth so we'll move quickly. Copper Harbor and possibly the Porkies will be longer stops.

We are thinking five days along the north shore of Minnesota. A few days going to Isle Royale. Then a couple days around Thunder Bay, Ft. Williams, then a couple weeks through Ontario, probably Neys PP. Finishing up with Mackinaw Island, and back through Pictured Rocks.

[Kim Gass]

Aside from Ft William Thunder Bay is not a scenic city though there are sailing tours around he islands. Do stop by Sleeping Giant Provincial Park and Silver Islet. Its worth a couple of days.
There is quite a bit of hiking long and short In Lake Superior Provincial Park. Agawa has a beach but the campground is close to the highway as is Pancake Bay ( beach too). Rabbit Blanket Lake has no beach but is quieter. Neys is also close to the highway but I haven't camped there so can't comment on road noise at night. For all Ontario Parks reserve early. Often they book up the day reservations open( five months ahead of camping date)
the Air Museum in Sault Ste Marie ON is worth a full day.

[MJGWSGflorida]

We have learned to appreciate the 'base camp' idea. We learned the hardway in LA by towing our camper up to the HOLLYWOOD sign and having to back up between lines of parked cars.

[Kim Gass]

Originally Posted by MJGWSGflorida

We have learned to appreciate the 'base camp' idea. We learned the hardway in LA by towing our camper up to the HOLLYWOOD sign and having to back up between lines of parked cars.

omg Is it funny thinking about it in hindsight or no?

[RedHorse1]

We also use the “A” approach. I do all the driving and usually need a stop after 2-3 hrs driving. After retiring we were planning a trip and it hit me, “why are we planning a 1 night stop?” I implemented a 2 night min plan. I find there’s always a little maintenance and it’s just nice to slow down the pace a bit. A few years back a simple WDW trip (from the Houston area, right at 1k miles) took us a month.

[Johnynorthland]

B sounds like a lot of work, plus you’ll be getting up and on the road early just to get to each area of interest. You might be too tired and not have enough time in the day to do the things you want to. So A sounds more relaxing, however you will be buzzing around and backtracking in your vehicle everyday to different places, but this sounds better to me!

[travelingjw]

We have never regretted staying in one place. We travel to enjoy each day. A!