Suggestions re: Guide Book About RV Camping

[joy mccalla]

Can anyone recommend a guide book for me to purchase about vacationing and rv camping? I looked at National Geographic's guide to state parks and guide to national parks but they weren't exactly what I wanted. I want a book to look at with my daughter so that we can plan our summer vacations.
Thanks,
Joy

[Robin G]

Joy, not sure which type of book your looking for? Are you looking for a book that shows campgrounds across the United States, or one for your area? Or are you looking for a book that suggest places to see and things to do? Really no one book has it all!


There are actually lot's of books out there that have info on campgrounds/rvparks thru out the United States but I wouldn't recommend unless you will be traveling all over. They basically only show "all" the places to camp with a little area info, so if your looking for a book that will entice you to visit a certain area these type of books may not be what your looking for. And unless you plan to travel all over they may be too much info for what your camping needs are. Camping Guides like Trailer Life, Woodalls, Wheelers and many more will give you small bits of info and campground (ratings) (their main goal) all across the United States and Canada.

I know here in Colorado there are camping guides/books that just pertain to Colorado and surrounding areas only. I would check out your local library or book store for those. They are great for local info such as what a town/area has to offer as well as what type of campgrounds are in the area. And they usually don't rate the campground, only give you info on what type of camping is offered there, such as primative/hookups etc. Most of the ones I have seen don't tell about rvparks/resorts in the area. So say if I was going to (got to use something local here in Colorado, but you will get the idea) Mesa Verde, I could google- rvparks near Mesa Verde CO. And then all the rv park options for that area should pop up and I go from there. Now googling will certainly not get "all" the options for an area, but most times can lead to other area info as well as Chamber site which will give added info.

Sometimes it just takes getting an idea of where you would like to visit, be it far or near then investigating your camping options from there. Are you planning on traveling far? Or do you want to stay with in a couple hour drive of home? For us, we use Trailer Life (but we tend to travel to many states) and Big rig's best bets, (now this is a funny one for a little glass egg to camp by), but because we owned a Big Rig park in Montana we had the book so I just threw it in with all my other camping info. And honestly its been a wealth of good info for us and the way we like to camp. We like full hook ups when at all posible. Perfer resort/devloped campground type camping versus primative. And then we have a couple local (Colorado) camping guides/books one being Colorado Campgrounds (the 100 best and all the rest) You should be able to find the same or simular book for your state, as the book store here has them for most states. Hope that helps. Robin

[joy mccalla]

Thanks, don't really know exactly what I want. I think I'm just excited and want to plan some trips!

[Robin G]

You think your excited now? Just wait! LOL....... The excitement intensifies when you hitch up your trailer the first, second, third, forth, aww you get the picture!

Maybe until you decide where you would like to camp, checking out the library's travel section as well as visiting your local visitor center will get you started, giving you some ideas for camping plans. Also the internet is a great resource for looking for interesting destinations. Seems like pulling up one link leads to another and another so you and your daughter can have fun planning as well. Hang in there you will find your perfect trailer and you will be camping soon enough. Rkg

[WtMtJim]

There's tons of RV and camping and touring stuff on the internet. Just start Googling! You can plan whole trips just by using free trip planners on-line; there are sites that have pre-planned loops and tours of certain areas. I always start planning our trips by looking on-line. Many of the RV & camping related sites have blogs and forums where people share info on favorite spots, things to see, etc. Usually info from actual users, as opposed to paid advertising sites, have the most factual and reliable info. Half the fun is in the planning stage! Also when you get ready to visit a certain area, get on the "Egg" forums, find members who live in the area you plan to visit and ask them what they would recommend to see and do in their area - and what to avoid! They might even join up with you for a mini rally. also, One thing I have learned since getting a Casita is that you can actually do LESS planning and be more spontaneous because the rig is so small and maneuverable you can get in and out of places I just couldn't take my MH + dingy. Have fun!

[Alf S.]

Hi: joy mccalla... Try AAA Trip Tik hereand just put in some destinations. We printed 60 pages of maps for our 4000 mi. trek east. It allows you to adjust the pace of your trip by choosing InterStates or not and notes points of interest along the way. I have a GPS(Generally Pleasant Spouse) who reads the maps.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Joy A]

I like to have books.

I visited Barnes and Noble before my 3 month Great Lakes trip in 2008. In the travel section I found Moon Handbooks for each of the 3 Great Lakes States. They were great for area information of all types. They did include a bit about camping in various areas, State Parks, Indian Casino's, and municipal camping.

I read and re-read the books, high-lighting, underlining and tabbing pages.

Go to the Library or B&N and check them out. They are primarily by State.

The other books that I love are Foghorn Camping Books. They are by State and Regions. I have every one that was published. They include just about all types of campgrounds and some RV parks. I never leave home without them.

As some one else said you won't really find one book that tells all but the Moon books come close.

[SherryNPaul]

If we're not going to be gone for more than a month, I usually check out my guidebooks from the local library, which has a huge selection. Unless they're an inter-library loan, I can renew them on line for another two weeks. I rarely buy a book unless it's a resource I know is good, and I'll use frequently, like "Camping with the Corps of Engineers."

As you're planning with your daughter, I know it's both cozier and easier to share a book with great photos than a computer screen, but much of my planning is done on the web.

Sherry