Five months ago, you woke up early, sat down at your computer to book a campsite at your favourite park.
The big day’s finally here, and you load your gear, family, and pets into the trailer. You drive to the park, get to your site and….
…your heart drops.
Your RV is too big for your campsite.
What’s worse: it’s a busy summer weekend, and the park is completely full!
You have no choice, but to turn around and head back home.
Sadly, we see this scenario unfold every year
Some of the most common booking “oopses” we see?
- booking a non-electrical site when you need electricity for your RV
- booking a barrier-free site when you don’t have a disability / mobility challenge
- bringing your dog to a pet-free campground or cabin
- bringing three tents to a site that can only fit one
- bringing an RV that’s too big for the site
Why don’t we just move folks who book the wrong site to a different spot?
Park staff will do our best, of course, to help you find an alternative spot in the park.
But it’s no secret that parks can fill up long before your arrival date (especially coveted spaces like large electrical sites).
Particularly during the busy summer months, odds are good that you’ll be out of luck.
If the RV doesn’t fit, it doesn’t fit. We can’t change the rules to let your dog stay in the pet-free area for “just one night.” We can’t magically install electricity on a non-electrical campsite.
(And in these instances, please remember to treat staff kindly and respectfully in the face of your disappointment. We’re all doing our best to keep our visitors safe and happy and working hard to protect our parks.)
The solution: Use. Your. Filters.
The situations above are avoidable. We want to make sure you’re all empowered to book the campsite that meets your individual needs.
That’s why we’ve made sure our reservation system has filters.
Filters help answer questions like:
- will my RV fit?
- are pets allowed?
- is there electricity?
- is this site intended for someone with accessibility needs?
- and more!
To find them, enter your complete information on our reservations site, including your equipment type.
After clicking “Search,” you’ll find the option to filter your campsite by six different criteria:
- site shade, from no to full shade
- site size, double or single
- pull-through site
- barrier-free site
- electrical service
- sites/campgrounds/parks with restrictions, including no vehicles, walk-in only, radio-free, pet-free, tent-free, tent-only, motorboat-free, and generator-free
Choose wisely! These details are not inputted at random and they are not bendable. For instance:
- putting an RV on a tent-only site may carve up the ground and ruin it for the season
- we’ve tried to create spaces for visitors who need quiet zones or pet-free spaces
- taking up a barrier-free site is like parking in an accessible parking spot — you’re making it unavailable for someone who needs it
Please don’t book an 18 ft RV campsite for your 20 ft RV and “hope for the best or plan to “make it fit.” That’s a recipe for disappointment and/or site damage.
Use filters when booking a campsite to ensure your site will meet your needs.
Filters and beyond!
We put a lot of useful info on our reservation tool (and we’re always adding more with your feedback!).
Before you pick up the phone or open social media to contact the park with questions about a specific campsite, make sure you’ve read all the info available first.
When looking at a particular campsite, click “View More Details” to check info like:
- distance to the electrical outlet
- slope and ground cover
- site length/width
- firepit location
- photos of campsite
We’ve also brought in newer features to help you find a site within your filters during busy seasons or at busy parks, including.
“Find similar experiences” tool
One of the new reservations features online allows you to search for a similar experience if your first choice for a campsite or campground is unavailable.
Availability notifications
If your filtered search doesn’t turn up any available sites in your selected campground, sign up for notification to be alerted when a campsite matching your criteria becomes available.
That’s a handy tool because people often cancel reservations!
Please reserve your sites wisely
We know that it can be tough to find the perfect campsite during the perfect season — our parks are very popular.
But booking the wrong site or rushing to book the first site you see isn’t the answer. That strategy spells disappointment and frustration for:
- you and your family/friends
- our staff, who may have to turn you away (we hate this!)
- another camper who could have booked the site you’re not able to use
Responsible campsite booking leads to a peaceful vacation experience — and that’s what we want for you.
