A question about campground reservation.

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Plumbob

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Joined
Mar 19, 2011
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Why do some campgrounds let you pick your site when making a reservation and some will not tell you which site until you get there?
 
Their park, their rules...


Often it's a matter of space management. By not taking site specific reservations, they can assign sites at check-in based on RV size, etc.
 
I made some reservations using a phone yesterday, while looking at their map at the same time.  I had picked out 3 or 4 that I would like and she let me know which ones were available and which ones weren't.  I got one of the 4 that was on my list and booked it.  She did ask about the size of the trailer and tow vehicle, to make sure there would be enough room.  Seemed pretty easy all in all.
 
There's a CG we use to frequent but they changed their rules. They too don't allow us to pick the site. The site we always wanted was next to a indoor pool and typically in the fall or early spring. They may have made that rule so they could accommodate RV's staying for a 1 week or 2. We we're only looking for a couple of days.
As I said, we use to frequent. We don't go anymore.
 
It even varies among state parks. Our Florida and NY reservations are always site specific, but for Georgia they're non-site specific, and you just drive around and pick an empty site after check in.
 
Basically it is more flexible for the park if they can juggle what rigs goes in which site.  The need for a change can arise in many ways, e.g. people extend their stay, or show up with a 65 ft rig when they originally said 30 ft, or a site develops a problem that makes it unusable for awhile.  Even those that pre-assign sites usually stipulate that it is not guaranteed and can be changed without notice.
I suspect if you worked in a campground office for a day or two, you would become much more sympathetic about their rules and procedures.  ;)
 
NY_Dutch said:
It even varies among state parks. Our Florida and NY reservations are always site specific, but for Georgia they're non-site specific, and you just drive around and pick an empty site after check in.
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While GA has some nice state parks, their rule of non-site specific reservations is problematic. The park we stay every July for a family event only has four 50-amp sites. We need 50 amp. Of course, we reserve a site, but run the risk of not being able to get a 50 amp. It has happened. I do not think 30 amp RVs should be able to take the only 50 amp sites in the park. Dumb rule if you ask me.
 
I think it is better to have a reservation and if you are lucky a specific site. I am amazed at people who claim they never make reservations. I know they arn't traveling in the North East. I just made reservations for mid July in Erie PA. I got one of the last 2 that I found calling all the viable places in the area. Yes there may be some but they are in Nasty campgrounds with bad reps.
Bill
 
We made our NY state park reservations for the 4th of July week and Labor Day week back when the reservation windows first opened. We did have specific site preferences at both parks though, including two specific sites together for Labor Day week. We can usually wing it during the week in the summer for non-holiday periods, but weekends can be a problem.
 
I just did a KOA for next weekend (Way more than I care to spend but alas. only open park for.. many miles)

I got to tell 'em what I need, but I did not get to pick a specific site. That said. I do not care what site.. Just so long as I have at least 30 amps to play with. Don't even need water and sewer.. The nice thing about this site is there is somehting I want to do on Saturday, and On Sunday, and the campground is abou 1/2 the way between the two events. Both are "just off" the same freeway the cg is just off of.
 
The only reason I could come up with why they would not give you your spot when you make a reservation is if they told you that you were going to get the worst spot you might go somewhere else.
 
Most of reservations we've made over the years do not give out site numbers, just guarantee you the "type of site" you want. Thankfully, the vast majority of the time, we've been happy with the spot. We have become regulars at several places over the years and they have allowed us to rent specific sites (usually once we find the perfect site, we keep going back to that one - many times reserving it upon checkout for the same weekend next year).

NY_Dutch said:
We made our NY state park reservations for the 4th of July week and Labor Day week back when the reservation windows first opened. We did have specific site preferences at both parks though, including two specific sites together for Labor Day week. We can usually wing it during the week in the summer for non-holiday periods, but weekends can be a problem.
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Funny you mention this, Dutch. We wanted to try the new full hookup sites at Green Lakes this Labor Day and I thought I was being sneaky by going into reserveamerica 2 days early. I found out I'm not that sneaky - the whole full hookup section was booked for a full 2 WEEKS prior to Labor Day! I'm guessing they all booked the 2 weeks and went back in a day later and cancelled the first 10 or 11 days. They'll only take a $9 hit for changing the reservation so who can blame them?! Oh well, we can live with electric only.
 
The only way I'm able to get reservations for Columbus Day weekend is to go in on the preceding Wednesday. That opens the reservation widow by a couple of days, and sometimes that's pushing it.
 
Plumbob said:
The only reason I could come up with why they would not give you your spot when you make a reservation is if they told you that you were going to get the worst spot you might go somewhere else.
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If you're reserving at a KOA online, there's no option for selecting a specific site, although you can request one in the "Special Instructions" section with no guarantee you'll get it. Some parks will give you a site number a day or so ahead of time, particularly if you expect to arrive after the office closes.
 
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