When we went to South Dakota/Nebraska for a family reunion it was kinda a last minute decision. The campground where the reunion was at was completely booked (campground A). The campground on the other side of the lake had 1 site left so we booked it (campground B).

We arrived early and our site was not available yet in campground B so we sat on an open site in campground A for the day (some relative reserved that site and would be in later). All weekend sites were open in Campground A but it was all booked according to the office.

 

It's maddening isn't it? For me, it virtually defies common sense. I kept asking myself how it was even possible.

Steve

 

All this talk about camping I reserved another weekend at the lake at a State Park 30 minutes from home. Got to get boating and camping in before the season is over.

 

Sadly I will be part of the problem next big trip we take. I will buy the night before so we can arrive early.

Last trip we planned on stopping for the night around halfway. We left when i got off work and ended up driving almost all the way and stopped at the reststop about an hour away for the night. We took our time in the morning, stopped for breakfast, and went to the store for a bicycle for one of the boys. Arrived at 10am and the site was occupied so we had to wait till around 3:30 to get parked.

We had planned on arriving between 3 and 6. Looking back had I bought the night before we could have setup at 10 am when we pulled in. (while everyone wonders why that site is vacant lol)

 

I live on the coast in SC, 40 miles south of Myrtle beach. Summer time it is impossible to get into the 4 state parks on the ocean unless I reserve a year in advance. Not a huge problem as I can drive 60 miles west and get a site on Lake Marion (Santee State Park) without a reservation.

 

But that is a rationale that makes sense and you are actually just arriving late, not no showing and leaving the site sitting for several days. We have sometimes bought the site so we could leave late and drive into the night. I think that is legitimate also because we are technically occupying the site during the time frame for which we paid, just not the entire day.

Steve

 

I often book the night the day we are planning on leaving. Usually checkout is 10AM and we like leave after lunch. I tell the ranger on the way out if they want to let someone use the site. Don't know if it ever happens.

 

Here in PA at least in the state parks there are always non reserve-able sites . First come first serve type of deal. As for the places that are mention in this thread if there is a check in time i can see a reasonable limit on how long after that to hold it and then open it up. If its payed for in advance just refund the money . I`m new to travel trailer camping so i guess i need to learn a lot about planning ahead.

 

I would really encourage you to make reservations or you will get locked out of the best places. We already have all our reservations made for our major travel through next May!
Steve

 

That is not right. I have been held up due to mechanical trouble and did not arrive till the next day. Do you think it is fair for me to lose my paid for site?

 

You could use the phone to guarantee your arrival.

 

I have paid full price for the site. If you reserve a hotel room and pay, they hold the room.

 

rjniles ; i guess i`m not thinking in terms of something happening to delay your arrival but just how many places are left unused. The only camping i have done up till now is with a tent and haven`t had any problems with sites.

RV Tech : Thanks for the advice , for right now i`m using the camper in place of tent camping mostly for fishing trips . probably wont go more than 150 miles from home either in state parks or Allegheny National Forest which always have open sites.

 

I'll admit to being part of the problem more than once in my life. Here, all camp sites are paid for 100% at the time of reservation, which is typically 90 days ahead of time. If you wait 89 days ahead of time they are usually full. I've even booked a few extra days ahead of the weekend so I can get my reservation made 2 days before the 90 day window since the window opens 90 days prior to arrival.

Sometimes stuff happens and plans change and you can always cancel or move your reservation to another weekend (which is another game people play to get a spot earlier than the 90 day window). The problem is that to cancel costs you one day. On a 2 day weekend, that's a 50% hit. So if I'm only getting half my money back I just say screw it and let the site sit open. If i would get most or all of my money back in would call in and cancel, but for only half I'm not going to bother. Remember, the money has been gone for over 2 months so I'm more pissed off about not getting to go than I am the $40.

I understand what you guys are saying about having some akin in the game, but you can go too far and end up with the same result, which is what I think South Dakota does. And there are ZERO non reservable sites so you HAVE to plan 90 days out or you won't get to camp in a state park.

 

So you were the one responsible for the open sites at Custer when we were there. Man, what a great state park!

On to your point, my thought would be to charge more from the git-go and figure out some way to reward folks who show, a "carrot-and-a-stick" motivator. Just charging the pittance RV-America does doesn't seem to be working either. It's tough because my goal is not to make folks pay more to camp, it is to make folks pay more to make reservations and not show up.

Steve