The Struggles of Finding a Place to Stay
Challenges on the Road
After spending a month on the road in our Class A motor home, we realized how difficult it can be to find a place to stay for the night. We often drove until tired and wanted to book a site within an hour of arrival, but it was not as easy as we thought.
Surprising Discoveries
We were shocked to find that most campground offices closed around 5 PM, and their online booking systems blocked reservations within 12 hours of arrival. Whenever we tried to book a site for the night, the system automatically denied us. Since we prefer to drive until dark—often around 8 PM in the summer—most campgrounds along our route flat-out rejected us. No one answered the phones, and the online systems left us with no options. As two adults and a dog looking for a quick overnight stay, the experience felt incredibly frustrating. We were ready to pay good money for a FHU site, a bathhouse, and maybe a dog park, even if we’d only use them for 12 hours.
A Few Bright Spots Along the Way
What Worked Well
Despite the challenges, we did come across a few campgrounds that got it right. The common factors among these places were:
- All bookings were done online
- All allowed same-day bookings up to midnight
- Clear instructions were provided
- Maps and regulations were included in our confirmation
- Well-lit signage directed us easily once we were in the park
- Some campgrounds even gave us an exact site number or allowed us to choose our site in a designated overnight area
In this age of technology, it’s surprising how many tired travelers like us still struggle to find a place to stay. We didn’t wander off the beaten track—we stuck to interstate highways. Thankfully, a few forward-thinking campgrounds made it easy for us to find the perfect spot to rest and recharge during our road trip adventure.
If you manage a park along a busy route, consider how you can turn it into a haven for late-night travelers like us.
