Do you plan all stops in advance? What tools do you use?,

[bpaikman]

I might be obsessive, but I'm still flexible. I'm curious how much effort you all put into on-the-road travel planning. For me, half the fun is planning.
1. we try to keep drive time to five hours a day average, depending on the roads we're traveling. It takes three days to get out of Texas from where we live! I happen to use tripwizard mostly, with dips into other apps sometimes. We use a 3-2-3 rule. (300 miles,stop every 2 hours, camped by 3 pm.)
2. I look at the roads on Google earth, even the ones I MIGHT know.
3. I use Google earth to look for rest stops, historical markers with big pullovers, and I check truck stops.... I make a note of several, for rest breaks, meals, or fuel. I look for ones with a good spot for CC to relieve herself, but that's not difficult since she's so small.
4. I even use google earth to pick our camp spot if possible, For example, we'll be spending one night at Copper Breaks State Park, a nationally recognized "DarkSky area'...in August. where temps can reach the 100s in the day (it cools considerably at night) ... I used Google Earth to determine the direction of the sun, and picked a site for its sun orientation .

 

[B & J T]

Some really good ideas to use Google Earth to select camp spots, hadn't thought of that one. I'm the planner and I too like to plan stops as it forces us to actually stop instead of pressing forward. We like to get on the road by 9-10 and shut down by 4. 300 miles and 6 hours seems to work pretty well.

I use Google maps to find RV parts and overnight stops and rely on their reviews. Sometimes I like to supplement the informations using an app such as Allstays to get further insight.

This forum is another great resource to get additional insight to camp grounds and RV parks.

 

[Voyageurs]

I love your travel schedule. We actually normally run a little shorter day. On the road by 10 or 11 and off by 2 or 3. Sometimes shorter when we are on tour mode.

We are on a cross country 6 province tour right now. We have been in Quebec City for a week but are back on the road tomorrow. We haven’t had to book anything but I think now it might get busier now that the schools are out for the summer.

Hope you have a great summer of RVing. We started a running post with lots of pics. You can see it here.

Dam. We did the dam tour. And it was dam good. Pics of our cross Canada trip.

Stay safe on the road and have a great time

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

I'm sure glad I'm retired so I don't need to plan like that. Until last year, I only made park reservations when a major holiday was on my travel schedule. I don't like having to be on a schedule but with the shortage of parks, I find I need to plan a little further ahead this year. I've appreciated the freedom of spontaneity when traveling in my motorhome but that has drastically changed this year. Of course, Putin raising the price of diesel may change the need to plan.

 

[bpaikman]

I live your travel schedule. We actually normally run a little shorter day. On the road by 10 or 11 and off by 2 or 3. Sometimes shorter when we are on tour mode.

We are on a cross country 6 province tour right now. We have been in Quebec City for a week but are back on the road tomorrow. We haven’t had to book anything but I think now it might get busier now that the schools are out for the summer.

Hope you have a great summer of RVing. We started a running post with lots of pics. You can see it here.

Dam. We did the dam tour. And it was dam good. Pics of our cross Canada trip.

Stay safe on the road and have a great time

Haha, we're in Texas so we tend to start our days early to beat the heat. We consider getting off by 9 to be a nice leisurely late start.

 

[bpaikman]

I guess that the first leg of our trip is "get out of Texas"....It's a good idea to plan well because stops can be few and far between in the upper plains.
The first night is spent near DFW (I hadn't realized how few decent RV parks are in that area.) - still in fairly green country.
The second night - Copper Breaks in north Texas - looks like blasted desolation from Google Earth .
Third night - Dalhart, Texas.
Then we cruise into NM and start seeing mesas and dead volcanoes.
The first three days are different from the rest of the trip - it's important not to be traveling after 2-3 PM because we're heading west and that sun is pretty wicked when it goes below the sun visors. And there's not a lot of places to stop. And the outside temps can be 103° even in September (we KNOW) and we'll be traveling in August!
This is a long trip (6 weeks+) with lots of variety, and so I had to plan carefully to get the reservations I wanted. I left plenty of cushions.

 

[bpaikman]

I'm sure glad I'm retired so I don't need to plan like that. Until last year, I only made park reservations when a major holiday was on my travel schedule. I don't like having to be on a schedule but with the shortage of parks, I find I need to plan a little further ahead this year. I've appreciated the freedom of spontaneity when traveling in my motorhome but that has drastically changed this year. Of course, Putin raising the price of diesel may change the need to plan.

For this trip, we had to plan. Riding the Cumbres-Toltec train. Bought tickets months ago to get choice seats. The rest of it is flexible, but we made some reservations . Planning is fun for me, anyhow - it's like living the trip in advance.

 

[dave54]

I plan the fuel stops by looking for stations where I have loyalty cards, spaced about the right distance apart. Google Earth to check the station layout, best way to pull in, etc. I use street view to check out the entrance.
Over night stops are usually planned. Again, Google Earth to fine tune how to get there.
When looking at boondocking sites or public campgrounds I have not been to before, GE is a great help. If I see other RVs there I know my rig can.

 

[Rich W.]

I'm sure glad I'm retired so I don't need to plan like that. Until last year, I only made park reservations when a major holiday was on my travel schedule. I don't like having to be on a schedule but with the shortage of parks, I find I need to plan a little further ahead this year. I've appreciated the freedom of spontaneity when traveling in my motorhome but that has drastically changed this year. Of course, Putin raising the price of diesel may change the need to plan.

My method as well. We start looking for a campground during the last hour of driving for the day since we might go 200 miles or maybe closer to 400 and we dont know until the afternoon sets in.

So far this trip we have had pretty good luck with decent camp grounds, some nice surprises, and only a couple less than desirable stops. But even those had 50 amp pull thru sites, were safe and quiet, and also very inexpensive.

I made reservations for two stops on this trip and ended up changing them both, so for the next couple months I wont even bother. Same with fuel - when I get down towards 1/4 tank, we start looking. Seems to work out just fine.

 

[bpaikman]

I plan the fuel stops by looking for stations where I have loyalty cards, spaced about the right distance apart. Google Earth to check the station layout, best way to pull in, etc. I use street view to check out the entrance.
Over night stops are usually planned. Again, Google Earth to fine tune how to get there.
When looking at boondocking sites or public campgrounds I have not been to before, GE is a great help. If I see other RVs there I know my rig can.

Yes, exactly - If I see other rigs similar to ours I know we can do it.

 

[Fish]

Look on the map from 275 to 350 miles from where we are, shorter the better.
Find campgrounds, look at campgrounds with google earth and see how easy access is. They have to be pull through.

 

[AbdRahim]

Let’s see;
campgroundreviews.com
Apple maps and satellite view
iExit
AllStays Truck app
Garmin 780
and maybe GasBuddy

 

[RKins]

I try to stay at 300 miles per day and I try to stay at Thousand Trails campgrounds (CG) (sorta free) but if not I look for Passport America CG (PPA). Those are cheap and definitely no frills - usually not CG that you want to stay a few days. I stayed at one and the spot was right in front of their house - they ran an 50A extension cord out to me. Hey, for $20, I was ok, I had a destination (factory) to get to.
I use the measuring tool on Google Earth (GE) to plan my route and the 300 mile goals. I look for CG using the PPA add-in to GE.

 

[DKRITTER]

Usually when we begin planning a trip my first step is Google Maps on my desktop. I put in A to B and any stops we might know of between A and B. Google Maps is pretty good about suggesting different routes if appropriate. I'll take the total mileage and divide it by 300 to roughly see how many days it will take w/o it being a race and adjust accordingly.

We also route plan when we can with TSD for fuel as that may effect our routing also.

Allstays is invaluable for both overall route planning and daily planning for rest stops and such.

 

[bpaikman]

That's a great suggestion to route around TSD

 

[DKRITTER]

The second night - Copper Breaks in north Texas - looks like blasted desolation from Google Earth .
Third night - Dalhart, Texas.

If I could make a suggestion;
When you get to Amarillo take Lakeside (335) north around to 87 and Dumas then over to Dalhart.

Most mapping software takes you from the westside of Amarillo up Boys Ranch rd to 385. This road twists through the canyons before getting to 385. Great in a sports car not a MH.

 

[Headhunter]

I did something a little different this trip. Doing approximately 5K miles in two months. I use Travel Wizard mapping software, I put in my leaving and arriving destinations. Then I get that route and log on to Harvest Host. If you are not familiar with Harvest Host log on to website harvesthost.com . The stays are FREE, but you pay about $89.00 a year for membership

I look at my route on HH, and I figure out about every 300 to 400 miles a place I want to stop at. I set the place at approximately 10 miles off my current route. Got to remember no hook ups or water. We stayed at wineries, Honey farms, Beef Farms, restaurants and more.

I have a TSD card, I usually like to fill up a TA's they give the biggest discount. If you want to see some of Harvest Host sites, check out the thread, where were you with your Tiffin today.

HH

 

[bpaikman]

If I could make a suggestion;
When you get to Amarillo take Lakeside (335) north around to 87 and Dumas then over to Dalhart.

Most mapping software takes you from the westside of Amarillo up Boys Ranch rd to 385. This road twists through the canyons before getting to 385. Great in a sports car not a MH.

Yep that's what we plan! Thanks!

 

[kenton thomas]

We are planning a May ‘22 trip to Charleston SC from eastern Kansas. Trip this last May to Savannah, Ga, so some common roads. On trip out start with Rand McNally atlas, then using Google maps pro, booked overnights through KOA. They fall about every 300 Miles or so and that makes a decent drive day. Stop every 2 hours to stretch and get gas. Out of Charleston heading to Florida gulf coast for couple days then northwest headed home. Not going to plan that out so much to see how we can do. Good Sam membership gives reference to sites on the way there and home. Keeping it simple. Once on road have a Garmin 890 to help.

 

[Voyageurs]

We rarely book anything. But we have an 18 foot trailer so in a pinch we can just take a tent site. Easy peasy.