Campers.....are your states campgrounds like this?

[Lisa L from MI]

You have to make a resi about 1 year in advance for holiday weekends here in Michigan! It is just crazy!

Our MI state parks have a policy that you have to book 6 months prior to the day. Today was the day to call and make our resi's for October 8, 9, 10 (its a Halloween weekend thing). It has never been that hard to get....today I get through at 8:02 am......and the whole campground is booked!!!! Over 200 sites!! What people are probably doing is booking days prior then canceling those days and keeping the weekend. I think they need to think of a new way or something.

So, I guess to get in for the following weekend in Oct....I will book our sites starting on the Monday before to be safe and then cancel those days prior to the weekend.

Guess it doesn't help that our "camping group" consists of 15-20 sites either!!! It has really grown over the last few years....we only started with 6 back in 1999!!!!!

 

[tkd lisa]

Thank goodness, that's not a real problem for us. I think the really popular ones like Assateague Island might be booked that far out, but I've never had a problem booking campsites.

We camped a lot in Indiana before we moved and the state parks have great campgrounds there. I'm not sure how far north you are in MI, but you might try some of the northern IN parks (I do think the Dunes park is very popular, but there's a park that starts with a P that's off I-69, and it usually was available).

 

[Nancy]

We used to be able to call the park directly to book. Now you have to call or go online through a central booking agency...not in NY State!

Last time we camped they gave us a campsite and when we got there the park informed us that whole area they booked us in was closed for the season. (this was just after labor Day) Luckily there were other sites available. His comment was we must have booked months ago...nope we booked the week before we went.

 

[Lisa L from MI]

We book the state campgrounds through a central thingie too...can't do it direct. It is just so amazing how much the camping population has grown over the last few years.

If you aren't booked at least a year in advance (for private campgrounds) for holidays such as Memorial day and Labor day weekend....you can forget it!!

 

[Big V]

Our state (Wisconsin) uses Reserve America as their booking agent. I think you can reserve a site 9 months in advance. If you want to get a site in the more popular parks for this summer, forget it! They're already gone!

 

[Nancy]

Reserve America is what New York uses also. It was so much easier when the parks all handled their own bookings. I know the popular ones in NY book up very fast for the summer.especially if you want a cabin with water and electric.
(not us..we do tents)

 

[OhMari]

Originally posted by Big V
Our state (Wisconsin) uses Reserve America as their booking agent. I think you can reserve a site 9 months in advance. If you want to get a site in the more popular parks for this summer, forget it! They're already gone!

It is 11 months out in WI. As soon as the month is over you can book for next year. What is really sad is that people book these sites and then never show up. Up in Door Co. in WI at Pennsula State Park there are sites open every where but because they are booked they can't give them out. The state don't care cause they have their money.

People don't want to pay the fee to cancel with Reserve America. I had neighbors come home 5 days early and their site stayed empty for those 5 prime days in July.

The state has to keep some walk-in sites open, but if you live around the area or near one, people go on a Wednesday or Thursday and set up a small tent then go back home until the weekend then show up again.

State Park Camping is cheap, that is why it is becoming so popular.