How to find locations for your next camping trip
Singing around the campfire, making s’mores, and hiking leisurely through gorgeous scenery are just a few of the reasons that people enjoy camping. There are many more and with these two apps you can easily search for the perfect campground with all of the amenities you seek.
The Good Sam Camping app provides all the information you need to choose your next campground. Starting your search is simple. If you have enabled location services on your device, you can browse through nearby parks with a click. If you would prefer to search manually, that option is available as well and you can also review recent searches.
Once your list of campgrounds appears you can filter by distance, rating, or those with offers. You can also filter by park feature such as those that allow pets or have Internet access.
When you have finished filtering, the list has a nice display with icons so you get a quick view of the park’s offerings. You can also see the distance from your location, star rating, and city.
Clicking on the location of your choice brings up complete details for the campground including available photos. The basics such as address and phone number are displayed with a convenient button to call immediately. You will see star ratings for various features of the location along with both facility and campsite information. Amenities for the facility are listed clearly. If available, last year’s rates and acceptable payment options are also displayed.
You can click to visit the location’s website which keeps you within the app. This is very handy for checking out availability and making a reservation with those who have online booking available.
You can keep track of your favorites, view virtual tours, and add notes to locations for future reference. The Good Sam Camping app is a great source for finding exactly what you want in a campground for your next trip.
The Recreation.gov Camping app is another good option for campground searches. You can search by turning on your location services or manually. Then just enter your desired dates.
The results are presented on a map surrounding your starting point. If you prefer, you can view them in a list format as well. You can filter the results by all locations or just those available on the dates you entered. You can also filter by local activities, campsite type, or site amenities.
Once you have narrowed down your choices, either click the location from the map or list view for details. You can then review the address, description, and photos along with a list of amenities. You can also change your travel dates and view which types of campsites are available during your dates.
There are handy buttons for calling the location or booking online. If available, the booking online feature will take you out of the app to the Recreation.gov website where you can complete your reservation.
You can mark your favorites, share to Facebook or Twitter, or email a link to the campground to easily share with friends and family. The Recreation.gov Camping app provides nice options for choosing your next campground.
Both Good Sam Camping and Recreation.gov Camping are available for free on the App Store, so give them both a try and see which one you like best.
