9 strategies for locating available RV campsites this summer

My husband and I embarked on a journey around the globe, living out of hotels for nearly three years until the pandemic forced us back to the U.S. last spring. Upon realizing that returning to our global digital nomad lifestyle wouldn't happen anytime soon due to border closures and unpredictable airline schedules, we acquired a recreational vehicle (RV) for domestic travel.

In our first nine months of full-time RV living, we've gained a wealth of knowledge. However, one ongoing challenge that has proven more time-consuming than expected is finding and reserving available RV campsites. Today, I’ll share nine tips for securing RV campsites when options are limited.

Prepare in advance

We intentionally keep our schedule flexible, which is why we seldom reserve campsites more than a week ahead. However, if you are open to planning, you can often secure campsites at popular spots as soon as the booking window opens. Additionally, for less frequented areas, you might still find plenty of options if you make your reservations a month or two in advance.

For instance, my husband's aunt is preparing for a cross-country RV adventure and intends to camp in several well-known national parks. By logging on right when the booking window opened for each park, she successfully secured all the sites needed for her trip. Similarly, many individuals we encountered at Manatee Hammock campground on Florida's Space Coast this winter were already reserving their favorite spots for the following winter.

Check often

As I mentioned earlier, we don’t usually plan our campsites far ahead. Nevertheless, I've managed to grab some sought-after campsites using a straightforward but labor-intensive strategy: frequently checking for new availability. For example, I secured two nights at Zion National Park's Watchman Campground during our first RV relocation rental back in 2017 by employing this method. I've also successfully booked holiday weekend sites at several campgrounds since using the same approach.

Usually, I check the availability of campgrounds for my upcoming stay every day to understand what’s open. However, if I'm targeting a specific campground or know that availability is limited in an area, I’ll ramp up my checking frequency. Some RV enthusiasts have even created scripts to automate this process.

Explore various booking platforms

RV campgrounds operate on a completely different set of booking platforms compared to hotels. It took me a while to discover the best resources for finding and reserving RV campsites. However, I’ve identified the following platforms and apps that usually reveal most available RV campgrounds:

• Recreation.gov for camping on federal lands
• Reserveamerica.com for certain state parks and other public campgrounds
• RV Parky for a directory of campgrounds and stores permitting overnight parking (though you can’t book through this site)
• State park websites, if they’re not listed on Reserveamerica.com
• Kampgrounds of America (KOA) as a backup when spaces are limited
• Airbnb for private sites and individuals offering long-term spots for shorter stays

I usually begin my search on Recreation.gov because it provides reviews and ratings for cell service (which is essential for us since we depend on Verizon data to work remotely from campgrounds). Additionally, I prefer staying at lakeside Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds, which can be booked through Recreation.gov.

Look for campgrounds not listed on major platforms

Most RVers tend to check popular booking sites when searching for campgrounds. As a result, sites that appear on these platforms often fill up the fastest (and, in the case of KOA, tend to be the priciest). However, you can frequently secure a spot at campgrounds that aren’t listed on major sites, even during peak seasons.

For instance, some state parks that operate their own reservation systems instead of using Reserveamerica.com often have available spots. I had great success reserving sites at the lovely Manatee Hammock on Florida's Space Coast last winter, as the park requires the use of Brevard County's reservation system.

RV Parky lists most campgrounds, but it's also beneficial to search for campgrounds using your preferred mapping software. Naturally, you'll encounter many mobile home parks designed for long-term residents. While some of these parks accept short-term RV visitors, you'll typically need to call ahead to inquire about rates and availability. Over the past nine months, we have spent a few nights in various mobile home parks, including locations in Marietta, GA, and Orlando, FL.

Broaden your search radius

We’ve faced the most challenges finding RV campsites when we needed to stay in a specific area. However, by broadening your search radius, you can often discover excellent campsites. Additionally, if you have a vehicle that isn’t your RV, staying a bit farther from your desired destination may only be a minor hassle.

Explore options that may not fully meet your requirements

Naturally, there are times when you need to be in a specific location. When availability is tight, I often look for sites that aren’t exactly what I want or need.

For instance, my husband’s family is gathering at a campground close to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park this summer. While most of the family is renting cabins or glamping tents, we chose to bring our RV. Unfortunately, by the time the family finalized the dates, no full-hookup RV sites were available. However, by lowering our requirements, I managed to secure a small campsite with just power and water that should accommodate our RV.

Similarly, we can usually fit into sites with a maximum vehicle length that is less than our RV’s. Of course, this choice carries some risk, as we might arrive at a campsite that is genuinely too small for our vehicle. However, since we don’t have any vehicles other than our RV and my husband is adept at maneuvering our RV into tight spots, the risk remains relatively low.

Consider shorter booking windows

We generally prefer to camp from one Sunday to the next. This schedule allows us to move and resupply on a weekend day when we’re both off work, providing us a full day to relax or explore each destination. However, securing seven-night stays can be quite difficult. Therefore, we've often had success by shortening our stay by a day or two at the beginning or end.

For instance, I recently managed to book one of the premium peninsula sites at Sawnee Campground on Lake Lanier in North Georgia by simply looking for a check-in date that was one day later than my ideal choice. When I need to adjust my preferred dates slightly, I rely on one of the following two strategies for the nights I couldn’t secure.

Change sites during your stay

One drawback of reserving RV campsites at the last minute is the challenge of securing a single campsite for the duration of your stay. Unlike hotel rooms, you generally reserve a specific campsite, which can vary in terms of views, driveway lengths, and sometimes amenities.

Regrettably, most campground reservation systems do not facilitate the easy organization of a multi-site stay. Some platforms offer an availability grid, but it’s often not user-friendly, and most campgrounds have more sites than can be viewed at once. As a result, I frequently break my stay into two, three, or four-night segments and conduct manual searches.

Some RVers find it too inconvenient to change sites during their stay. However, since we occasionally need to relocate our RV to dump our tanks or go grocery shopping, we don’t mind switching sites within the same campground every few days.

Consider utilizing free camping alternatives

Friday and Saturday nights are typically the most challenging times to secure campground reservations. We usually avoid one-night stays unless we can shift to a different site within the same campground. Thus, when we require a one-night stay, we generally drive partway to our next destination and then use one of two free camping options.

The option we've relied on most when RV campsites are unavailable is parking overnight at stores that permit RVers to do so at no charge. RV Parky allows you to filter for stores that provide overnight RV parking, including Cracker Barrel and Walmart. However, some locations do not allow overnight parking, so it's best to call ahead or check in with the staff to get permission before parking. And, of course, make a purchase at the store before leaving.

We also obtained a Harvest Hosts annual membership, which enables us to park overnight at participating wineries, breweries, farms, and attractions without any additional fees beyond the $99 yearly membership cost. The main drawback of Harvest Hosts is that you must book a reservation with each host before staying overnight, making it less suitable for last-minute stops or spontaneous breaks during long drives.

In summary

The challenge of locating available RV campsites often makes me yearn for the ease of booking hotel rooms. On several occasions, we've opted to reserve a hotel room for a night when we needed reliable internet for work. However, we've consistently managed to find an RV campground that meets our needs by using a combination of the strategies outlined in this guide.