Booking camping site...what spot is the best?

[Tbeuler]

Hey everyone first time taking our new TT out to do some camping with the family! I saw that some sites are close to the water fill up stations. Would it be really noisy if I got a site across the way from the fill up station or should I stay far away from the fill up station? Your help is always greatly appreciated.

[Jagiven]

This might be more information than you need or want, but I hope it helps.

There are a lot of personal choices. I personally do not like being to close to the bathroom house. There usually is a lot of lights on and noise all day and night. So I like to look for a site that is a few hundred feet away and does not look like someone will take the easy route to get there via cutting through my site. I also am not a big fan about being too close to a latrine. The ones in our state parks are very good, but other less popular locations at times can have a preferred odor that I do not want blowing towards my site.

The other main thing I look at is the curves in the drive isles, and this comes from my tenting days. I do not like having someone driving through at night and having their headlights aiming right at my site. So I prefer to be on the inside edge of a curve verses the outside edge.

Water spigots are ok, other than for the people washing their dishes at the spigots. They tend to be busier about 3 times a day.

I am not sure what your trailering experience is, but I will assume that it is very little. Here are a few recommendations. For the first few trips try find a site that is on your left side as you pull up to it. As you back in you will find that it is easier to use your driver’s side mirror and to look over your left shoulder. For the same reason I would look for a site where the drive isle curvature will not add potential complications. I also recommend pulling up to the site getting out with your assistant and talking through where you want the TT, look at any potential hazards and blind spots. Most of the places we go have gravel drive isles, so I scribe a line in the gravel (drive isle) with my heal, this is the point where I need the TT bumper past so I can start making my approach into the site. For the first few times backing in my biggest issue was not pulling far enough forwards, so I could make the bend when backing up. We do it will all non verbal commands, if my DW steps out of sight for more than just a few moments I stop, just in case she trips and falls, I really do not want to hit her or something else.

[mcfarmall]

Stay away from sites that have a designated pathway between them and stay away from sites that are next to any type of trailhead.

[clubhouse]

Just book sites and get out and use your TT. In just a few trips you will learn what you like. Every CG is different as is every site.

[amabee]

I would agree with Jagiven, try to stay away from the bath house, it's almost always busy. I'd also stay clear of the dump station. We do usually try to get close to a water spigot if possible, though this was more do our popup not holding much water, our 17Z holds about twice as much so that may change.

[billb800si]

Depending how experienced you are you may want to start out by using a drive-thru site. That way you don't have to back in. You'll get experience backing up as you camp more.

[KachFam]

If you're just starting out (or starting out with a bigger trailer), I wouldn't worry too much about most of the nit-picky things about sites. I would mostly worry about easy maneuverability and somewhat level. After that, just pick one that feels good and works for your setup. You learn quickly what works best for your rig.

Other than that, it's all about the view or being closest to whatever amenities matter the most to you (for us it's usually playground or field for the kids to play in)!

[exjay1]

I usually ask a member of the reservation office which are the most desirable sites/commonly requested if Im not familliar with the park. This usually nets you the ones with the best view, sunsets, shade, etc but always a good idea to do a quick drivethru the park before deciding and setting up.

[Moving Target]

I totally agree with Clubhouse. Get that TT out there and enjoy!!!!!
You will learn where the good spots are or more manuevable spots, noisy spots, etc.
Happy camping!!!!!
Kathie

[bigbird]

I try to avoid those sites also as mentioned so i will reserve my choices way ahead if i can. When we do camp there for the first time we try to take the time to walk through the park and write down the sites that look good in case we ever come back.

[tshirtman]

When we go to a new campground we always get an additional map and walk the grounds and mark the sites we would like for the future. Keep these in a binder and mark It Campgrounds and make notes on the maps like dates and weather. Great for planning in the winter when there is nothing else to do.

Have Fun!!!

[TCNashville]

I always camp somewhat near a water spigot because I don't like traveling long distances with my tanks full. A lot of times, the main water fill station can be very busy. I just park it, set it up and run the hose to the spigot and fill it up. I usually carry about 200 ft of hose. We do the same thing as tshirtman. During winter, we go and check out new places and log the best sites.

[CruizinKim]

I prefer sites that back up to the woods and my kids like the ones that back up into a large green space, so they can throw a football. I don't think I would like an end pie shape site because I don't like being out there and visible from all sides. But, sometimes if the CG is full, you take what you can get. We spent 44 nights camping last year, in several CG's and I don't feel we had a bad site except for the one in Ludington SP, next to the lighthouse path. We left and went to another CG. Way too crowded and people actually parked their vehicles in our camper spot before we arrived and had to get the park rangers to find them at the lighthouse. They ended up getting tickets. Oops!

[bigbird]

Koodos to those rangers. It happens, some people have a lot of nerve. That's saying it nicely. I witnessed the same thing at a provincial park last year. Neighbour next to mine had a few visitors and one car parked in an elderly couples sight. My wife heard them say they won't be long.. Three ours later it was still there.

[krackeer]

One thing that I look for that I haven't seen mentioned is the direction that your awning faces. In the heat of the summer, I prefer the awning facing the morning sun. That way, in the heat of the afternoon, your TT will help to block the sun. Plus you can see the sun rise with your morning coffee. It is sorta funny how I came about this. One time when making reservations, the clerk asked me which I preferred. I asked why he asked, since I had never been asked before. He then pointed out what I stated at the beginning of this post. Him and I are on a first name basis now!

[norty1]

I like to back in to a site with a view or woods. We always book a unknown CG on an outside site.

We always check the site length and sometimes it is just a crap shoot till you get there.

[mikmurphy]

My wife was born in the US from Dutch parents. Both her younger siblings were born in The Netherlands. Her family wound up moving to the States in the 1960s, so they all are familiar with both U.S. and Dutch culture. Over the 28 years we've been married, I've learned to dread the word "gezellig." It comes into use when we go into restaurants, hotels, campgrounds, and many other places. There is no direct translation into English, either. So, my experience now dictates that when we go to a new place, the spousal unit scouts it first to find the spot that is "gezellig." Sometimes it takes a while, but I've learned over the years not to argue. This definitely applies to campgrounds, and since we're about to take delivery of a new White Hawk and begin RVing again, I'll be learning to be patient again. ... See this to get a sense of what I mean:

http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/155-gezellig

happy gezellig trails,

[Boubou]

We learned quickly that the sites we thought we liked were wrong for us.
We used to look for: quiet, secluded, lots of trees (including pine trees), near a stream.
Last year, was our first summer of RV'in and found out our mistake on the very first trip. It was a cool, damp weekend. The black flies were out and had breakfast, lunch and dinner on us and the dogs. Of course, they are worst near water!
The trees were a real obstacle to park in between, nothing like trees to learn baking in nice and straight in a hurry. Also learned to keep enough room for the slide.
We now look for these sites that I used to think were ugly.
Drivethrough and paved or level away from pine trees and their needles.
We do like the shade in the summer, but sun spring and fall.
We have no kids so try to stay away from play areas and pedestrian paths, the dogs like to bark

[Tbeuler]

Thanks everyone we are so EXCITED!!!

[bayleightucker]

Agree with big bird, walk thru and write the numbers of the ones you like. We keep a small notebook of our favorite places listing spots in order from with our favorite on top. Also calling the cg directly will save you the online booking fee usually 6-10 dollars.....happy camping!