After a year
when so many travel plans had to be put on a back burner, there’s a steady
stream of campers who are happily getting back out on the road to visit their
favorite campgrounds. This trend, plus the fact that RV ownership is at an
all-time high, is leading to an increased demand for campsites. That’s why it
will pay to plan ahead this year, not only by booking your next camping trip
ASAP, but by reserving your campsites for the next several trips after that.
It’s the best way to ensure you’ll have the great camping experiences you’re
counting on.

Here are a few tips for camping this season:

• Don’t just try to “wing it.” While
  there’s a lot to be said for the freedom of just hitting the road and
  deciding where to stay along the way, given the current high demand for
  campsites, that plan may only lead to disappointment. There are even reports
  of overcrowding at state and national parks, so the last thing you want to do
  is arrive unannounced and add to the confusion. If this happens to you, there
  are often private RV parks in the vicinity that may have vacancies. But it is
  better to find this out in advance and have a plan in place, rather than find
  out as you roll in late and tired.
   
• Try to use campgrounds that allow you to book
  through an app or an online reservation system. This will make
  it easier to check availability and rates for multiple dates so you can take
  care of all of your booking needs at one time. GoCampingAmerica.com is a
  great place to start, with thousands of campgrounds with online bookings
  available to for you to research and book.
   
• Consider mid-week dates if those are an option for
  you. Naturally, demand for campsites is higher on weekends
  when many people are off of work, so if you can travel mid-week, you’ll have
  more options available to you. You may even find lower rates on these
  off-peak days. The fact that so many campgrounds offer excellent wi-fi
  service may make mid-week stays even easier for you if you work remotely or
  the kids are able to attend school on the road.
   
• Think about going off the beaten
  path. If you normally camp near a large metro area, consider
  switching things up and heading toward a more rural area where it may be less
  crowded. You just might discover your new favorite
  campground.
   
• Be flexible in terms of
  accommodations. If you don’t own an RV or haven’t been able to
  find one to rent, don’t worry. You’ll find that many private campgrounds
  offer a variety of accommodations, including cabins (both rustic and luxury),
  yurts, tipis and glamping tents. Some even have covered wagons for rent! You
  can also rent an RV!

The bottom line is the more you plan ahead, the better your trips
will be. The process of planning ahead should include making sure your rig is
in good operating order and planning the route you’ll take. You wouldn’t want
to meet the fate of one recent RVer who
made a bad turn and got stranded for a week on a winding mountain
road, waiting to be towed, only to find out there was an alternate
road that would have accommodated his rig and make it much easier to get to
his campground.

So where will your next few camping trips take you? Just go to
GoCampingAmerica.com and start planning! By the way, you’ll be happy to know
that the future of camping looks bright. The 2020 Industry Trends and
Insights Report, released in December by the National Association of RV Parks
and Campgrounds (ARVC), anticipates that more than 53,000 new campsites are
being constructed this year, so you’ll soon have even more great places to
choo