How Easy Is It to Get a Campsite W/O Reservation?

[jkaras7]

Welcome to the JOF and congratulations on your Jayco Jay Flight 27BHS. As others have noted, it well depends on what time of year you are going camping and where you are going. You might check out some smart phone apps and read what others have said regarding a campsite. Some have noted just showing up. Here are some options on apps:
Camp & RV
RV Parky
Park Advisor.

Good luck.

[oldmanAZ]

IMO, going the last week of September you will be out of the peak camping season in the north. The snowbirds will be heading south a month or more later. You should be able to just let the trip unfold.

To put that to the test, try making a reservation or two along the route you are considering just to see if there are many available sites. Often state parks will have an online reservation system. Go through the motions of making a reservation and it will give you an idea of how booked they are.

You might call a place or two in the Keys, too. Things might be very different in that area.

Have a great trip and be safe.

[norty1]

The Keys are almost impossible to get a reservation without early made reservations. Keep calling as you go in case someone cancels. The smaller your rig the better chance you will have of finding a site.

The peak season in the Blue Ridge is October but it's a good idea to pick a destination park before you get there for reservations. Usually traveling you can find an over night place if you call ahead when you know where you are stopping.

Passport America is also a good source for small campgrounds for short stays.

Part of the fun is planning a general route, if you wing it.

[rodro123]

Most book way ahead of time but you can always get somewhere to stay. It’s an adventure looking for campgrounds without booking ahead of time. Even if you can’t find a campground there is always Walmart.

We book most of the time but if we get some extra time off work we had not planned on. Off we go if it’s during the week it’s easy but weekend is more of a challenge.

[Kim Gass]

Just reserve for the places that are most important to you.
The Blur Ridge area is pretty popular but there are National Forest campgrounds that don't even take reservations
Try to think camp by three pm each day if you don't have reservations
We are in Alaska . Drove from Maine. Did not make any reservations other than Denali and found that we really hate RV parks. Big expensive dirt piles filled with caravans of giant motor coaches. We've still always been able to get in if needed
We love Alaska State parks and are now in a BLM campground on the tundra that is free and glorious

[vcbice]

Yep, it depends.

But, we have noticed an increase in RV's the past couple of years. CG's are more crowded than they were 5yrs ago.

I like to plan ahead as much as I can. Main reason is because we have had to overnight in some pretty bad RV parks just because they were the only choice left in the area. But, sometimes you can't predict where you will be. We are going to be stuck traveling over Labor Day. Not sure which days so can't reserve anything yet. It will be a crap shoot.

I use campgroundreviews.com or allstays.com to look up potential CG's. The reviews are fairly accurate. Keep in mind that one person's 'horrible' might be great for you. For example, we never use the CG restrooms or showers so when a reviewer lists those as their big complaint then I ignore their low rating. Someone might not recommend it cause they can't get their 40ft coach and toad through the CG. If you are pulling a little trailer then it might be perfect for you.

[t18skyguy]

I been RV'ing for 30 years, but learned a good lesson on my last trip. I waited too long to reserve and had to take a site on a corner they said was fine for a 30 foot motorhome. When I arrived, there was no way to back it in. There we're tree untrimmed and impossible to make the cut in reverse. It was only suitable for a short rig or truck camper. Luckily they switched out a site for me. When I had my 22 footer I could of got in, but not my 30 footer. It's reservations only from here on out for me. The bigger your rig the more you need reservations.

[DBSBorg]

"Blur Ridge", huh?? I'm going to assume that was purposeful!

Being a newb and having never stayed in an RV park, I can say that some of the CG websites do scare me a bit. Some are so close together that they can barely roll out the awning! That's not how we Mainers are used to camping.

[DBSBorg]

Lots of ideas here. It sounds like many places will try to fit you in rather than leave you on the side of the road. Our trailer is so small it could probably fit on a tent site.

I think we'll reserve spots in the Keys for sure. I've noticed that Shenandoah has quite a few non-reservable sites, so that eases the mind.

I'm hoping that once we get one trip behind us, it will all become clear! (And there's always Wally World)

[vcbice]

Yes, spacing at campgrounds can go from tiny (not enough space for awning or double slides) to huge. Some are just 'parking lots' with hookups. Some are noisy, some are quiet. Some have a bunch of activities, some have none.

Most are the in between. 15-20ft between units, gravel pads (that are mostly level), and some trees (unless you are in the desert). Laundry/showers. Small store.

What we find to be 'nice' depends on what we are doing there. We full time so when we choose a space for a couple of months we like certain things. But, when traveling and staying less than a week we put a priority on other aspects.

And if you don't need/want hookups that opens up a HUGE number of places to stay. Most notable are National Forests and Walmarts

[Kim Gass]

If you preplan you can use Google Earth to get a sense of campsite spacing at your potential campground
We don't have much Internet up here so it's been hit and miss. We are learning that RV Park in Whitehorse Dawson Fairbanks Anchorage is synonymous with WM parking lot with hookups
We have stayed at some nice RV parks in Va and SC.
check out GA state parks on your route. Midweek you can likely pop in. Lovely and with electric