Full description not available
W**T
Excellent Structure for Trip Planning, Reference and Quick Scanning
I've got a few different RV travel books for the Western USA, and while they all generally contain the same type of information, the structure of the book and content can make all the difference in the world. The veritable "phone book" that is the Good Sam campsite/RV park directory is a staple for finding a place if you know the name or location, but to compare/contrast different campsites a more dynamic book is necessary.In my case, I wanted a book that could highlight all the campsites by region, along with a consistent format for amenities, restrictions, and specs for each site (including some subjective features such as scenery). This book absolutely meets the requirement. The write up for each camp site is laid out just like the one before, so it is possible to quickly scan the sites in a region to filter out those that (for instance) do not accomodate RVs any larger than 30 feet.A word of advice though: Tom's notation for maximum length of RV in any given site are not necessarily accurate--more of a recommendation as it turns out. I've found a few camp sites (run by US Forest Service or BLM) that will allow a significantly larger RV than what this book shows. I believe the book takes into account ease of access, turn arounds, road quality and convenience, which (in fairness) will limit the size of RV some folks will want to comfortably park in a campsite. So my recommendation is that if you find your perfect camp site/RV park in the book, call them or look them up online to see if your big rig will fit. Since this book has the phone and website listed for the location(if applicable), the homework's done for you!Overall, still the best book I've seen on the topic for folks who are looking to screen down the thousands of campsites out there for the one that's just right.
N**C
Missing pages!
I like the format, which is easier to use than, for example, Woodall's. Campgrounds are listed by regions, which is a lot easier to use than an alphabetical listing. I would probably have given the book 4 stars, except that my book is missing pages 529 -576 - all of Chapter 12 and parts of Chapters 11 and 13! Since I am taking a trip through Oregon next week, I am pretty unhappy that my book is missing all of southeastern Oregon. I will contact the publisher and update my review if they make this error right.Updated to add: I contacted the publisher and was sent a replacement copy. I just got back from a trip to Oregon and Washington and found the book to be easy to use and very helpful. We found a couple of great campgrounds!
J**D
Very useful if in a new area
Not familiar with the RV camping scene in Norcal, so this is a terrific guide to finding places that are near the parks and other destinations we wanted to visit on vacation.Organized by areas, a little hard to follow from one area to another when assembling a complex itinerary. Not all the web sites given for RV parks and operators seem to actually work, suspect that's not the book's fault, but be aware. Also sometimes there are toll free numbers for certain sites that were not given in the book; some places are very tech-savvy, some not, always worth checking out the web sites when they exist, but the book gets you started.Will be taking it with us on our trip, valuable resoource for serendipitous changes!
S**R
Good reference, but man of the parks do not have hookups!
Great book to give you an overall feel for hundreds--maybe thousands--of campgrounds. Keep in mind that many of the reviewed parks do not have hookups even though this is an RV camping book. The fact they're in here is because they can accommodate RVs...even though some sites max out at 20 feet or thereabouts. Other than that, it's a good reference and has me thinking about visiting many new sites in the years to come.
O**G
RV Info is Not Well Organized
I am disappointed -- reads like a "regular" camping guide retrofit for RV audience, but falls short in being useful for RV folks. RV information is buried within each description, in a paragraph. No useful icons to give 'at a glance' info about hook-ups, maximum length, etc. No information on whether sites are level. As this book heavily focuses on national and state parks, many sites are suitable only for dry camping with very small RVs -- no more than 16' - even our little 18' Lazy Daze would be too big. I am using this guide to supplement information I gain with online campground searches where I can filter for the amenities I need, as the descriptions of landscape, driving directions and reservation details are helpful in this book. Not sure whether newer editions are better organized.
H**B
Missing Pages
If you order this book, be sure to check that your copy contains all the pages. Mine is missing pages 1063-1098 (the last part of the Santa Barbara section and the first part of the Los Angeles section). Other than that, it has a nice easy-to-read format. We use Good Sam guide book a lot and this guide is a good accompaniment. It has fishing info not found in Good Sam and its descriptions include additional info not found in Good Sam.
M**M
very useful
I got this for my parents to use in their RV through WA, OR & CA. They love it and rely on it constantly, as they are first timers in a rig and need lots of help to find services and stops. They tell me they have it out constantly and find it easy to use.
H**K
This is a GREAT reference book!
So much useful information and many, many tips...even the mosquito quotient given the specific time of camping! I'm even considering taking up fishing because of the description of fish available in the various lakes and streams that is included. It's pretty obvious the author likes to fish. I've lived in California all my life and had NO idea most of these camping opportunities existed. It's been my bedside reading for several days now and when I retire to full-timing in my RV with my dog I'm sure it'll be downright indispensable!
C**P
disappointing
I chose this book as I was travelling with my husband to the west of USA and taking a road trip in an RV from San Francisco through to Las Vegas via Tahoe and the various national parks. Sadly, the first RV park that we chose from this book on our route was a very run down mobile home park and not the comfy RV park that is was reported to be.... Apparently it had ceased to be open to RVers 4 or 5 years ago. This book was seriously out of date and we found using an app called Road Trippers on smartphone gave us better and up to date information. I threw it in the bin in LV!
J**I
Very useful.
We did not agree with the rating in some instances, but it was still extremely useful to have all the places and their amenities listed and we successfully found our way through 16 days RVing in California with this.
J**J
... book for 3 seasons now and we both absolutely love it. We look for certain things at our ...
My husband and I have been using this book for 3 seasons now and we both absolutely love it. We look for certain things at our campsites e.g. hiking and biking and it's a great guide. Pricing we don't worry about, we get current rates off the net but this is great for descriptions etc. Hasn't let us down yet and in fact we've also now purchased more moon camping guides as a direct result of our satisfaction with this one.
D**E
GREAT Book!
Had an old copy of this book and found it very helpful so we ordered the newest version. Couldn't do without it now!
R**A
RV Camping a great read
Very thorough and detailed book. Contains info not found elsewhere! Feel I can travel the West Coast with only the West Coast RV Camping as a guide!
Trustpilot
3 days ago
3 weeks ago