Labor Day is almost here and it’s a popular time for people to sneak in one more trip to the campground before summer is officially over. You may be thinking about trying to take advantage of the three-day weekend for a little rest and relaxation. But there’s only one problem—many campgrounds fill up six months in advance. This means if you want to take the RV out for the holiday, you may have to think outside the box. The good news is, there are several great options for you to consider.
Stay on public land for free
RVing on public land is great way to find a campground on short notice. You don’t have to worry about making reservations in advance because they tend to be first come first serve. There is a wide range of public land available and the benefits are different from one to another. Some free public land has access to restrooms, hookups, and dump stations and other “amenities”. Others simple provide you a spot to set up your RV and it’s your job to bring the rest with you.
If you’re interested in boondocking, BLM Land is a popular option for on public land. You can learn more about it in our article: BLM Land: What It Is, How to Find It What You Need to Know.
Another free option is to park overnight at RV-friendly businesses. Examples of this include Walmart, Bass Pro Shop, Cracker Barrel, Home Depot or Lowes, Sam’s Club, and Planet Fitness. If you’re going to try this option, remember to make it a win-win scenario and spend a little money at the store or restaurant whose parking lot you’re using.
Ask a friend
If you’d love to visit with family or friends during your camping trip, consider asking someone if you could park in their driveway for a few nights. This gives you the advantage of not having to fight for a spot at a campground and getting to be close to the people you want to spend time with.
Remember if you go this route to be polite neighbors. Be respectful of the homeowners and others in the neighborhood. It’s also important to make sure that this isn’t against HOA rules or restrictions.
Try a campground app
Your favorite campground might be booked by the time you try to get a reservation. But this could be a great time to find a new campground to try. There are many different camping/RV apps that can help you find availability in the area you’re looking to go. These apps tend to let you filter by location, price, amenities, RV length and more. It’s a great way to find availability at a campground you might not have known to search for.
Some of the popular apps include:
Stay on private land
If you’re interested in staying at a private campground or private land, but don’t want it to be a friend or family member’s house, there are other options. There are plenty of people that are willing to let you stay on their land. Some will let you stay for free and others will rent you space on their land. Some places will have hookups and amenities. Others will allow you to boondock on their land during your stay.
Here are some ways to find private campground options:
Make a last minute call
Like a lot of things over the past year and half, people’s vacation plans get changed and cancelled. If you have a campground you’re really hoping to stay at but it’s booked, try calling last minute to see if they’ve had any cancellations. You may get lucky and snag a spot right in time for your trip.
If you’re going to try this, we recommend that you have back-up plans in place just incase they don’t have any openings.
As the busy travel season winds down, don’t let a lack of preplanned campground reservations stop you from getting out and RVing!
