Our country’s campgrounds and public lands have had more foot traffic in recent years, with visitor rates greatly increasing during the COVID pandemic. People have been eager to break away from the stress, get out into nature, and recharge. While the public’s expanding interest in the outdoors brings a lot of positives, particularly by way of support for conservation efforts, it can be harder to snag a camping spot.
Are you eager to go on a camping trip but concerned about booking? No worries - we’ve got you covered. Below we go over how to find and score a great camping spot near you using our user-friendly software. Our website makes finding a campsite easy, with an interactive map and filters for geographic location, camping type, and more. So have no fear and pack that camping gear!
Recommended: How to Score a Last Minute Campsite Reservation
Steps to Find Campgrounds
1. Home Page Search
Go to the ReserveAmerica home page and type in the campground, area, or state of interest. There is an autofill feature that is especially helpful if you are not entirely sure of the name of your desired location.
2. Initial Search Results
Your results will come up in two formats: a list of campsites on the left of your screen and an interactive map with pins of campsites on the right. If you search for a specific campsite, it will appear at the top of the list with nearby campsites and their mileage in relation to the first search result. This mileage information is really handy in determining drive times or choosing between sites.
You can click on a campground of interest on either the list or the map. When you click on a result in the list, the correlating pin on the map is highlighted with just the campground name. Clicking on a campsite on the map gives you the campsite name and any relevant mileage information.
Double clicking on any search result will take you to a specific campsite’s web page. This is where you can find all of the camp details you need, like amenities, campsite types, dates of operation, booking and contact information, and more.
3. Filtering Search Results
From the ReserveAmerica homepage you can only search by location. However, you can filter the search results.
The first option is an Arrival and Departure Date filter. This is located at the very top of the search results list. If you click on the box, the calendar drop down appears for you to select your preferred dates.
The second filter option can be found by clicking on the blue Filters drop down menu at the top right portion of the results list. From there you have options to search for:
- Campgrounds, day use sites, or tours
- Federal, state, regional, county, or private campgrounds
Note that if you select Campgrounds as an option, you will be given additional filter options for flexibility of your desired dates and site type, which is further divided into:
- RV
- Cabins, yurts, or lodgings
- Tent
- Trailers sites
- Group sites
- Day use
- Horse sites
- Boat sites
Recommended: Campsites That Allow Dogs
4. Other Ways to Discover Campsites
Maybe you aren’t entirely sure where you want to camp, or you’re just daydreaming about camping. One fun way to discover campgrounds, near and far, that you might not have heard of is through our Discover option. This is located in the navigation bar in the top right corner on most pages of our site.
Click on Discover and you will get a drop down menu with three options:
- Articles - a repository of all of our articles organized by the categories Camping, Hiking, and Hunting & Fishing. You can peruse the articles for ideas on outdoor activities and specific camping locations.
- Destinations - this is a comprehensive list of thousands of public and private campgrounds, including a very helpful link to each state agency overseeing state parks. Clicking onto any of these state agencies will take you to a complete listing of each campground in that state’s park system.
- - here you purchase a hunting or fishing license for some states and increase your skills and knowledge with our hunting and fishing guide.
5. Selecting Your Site
After you have decided which campground you want, book directly through ReserveAmerica - easy peasy!
When on a campground’s website, go to the right portion of the screen to select your trip dates. You also can filter for date flexibility or the site type.
The results will default to the List itemizing each available site organized by site type. Above the list of individual campsites will be a summary of the results by site types and the number of sites within that type.
You can also see the results as a calendar result in a date-site type table format. To view in this format, click the Calendar tab. The dates are listed as columns at the top and the site types are listed in rows beneath it. You can scroll through the calendar by clicking on the arrows on either side of the dates at the top of the search results.
To book, simply click on the site you are interested in, the price for your dates will be calculated, and then you can select the large orange Book Now button. From there you will be routed to a sign in page to check out. Sign in if you already have an account with us, or select Create an Account if you are a new customer.
Pay for the site and get ready for your trip!
Recommended: Fall Outdoor Locations for Photographers
Great Campgrounds to Visit this Fall
Interested in camping, but slow to get started searching? We can get the ball rolling with these campgrounds, some of the most popular nationwide for fall outdoor adventures:
- Kentucky Horse Park, Kentucky
- Hammonasset Beach State Park, Connecticut
- Fort Stevens State Park, Oregon
- Chain O Lakes State Park, Indiana
- Fishermens Memorial State Park, Rhode Island
- Allegany State Park, New York
Are you ready for your adventure? Plan your camping trip!
Check with your Local Government Organization
Many policies have been established to counter and control the coronavirus outbreak. State and local officials have been taking decisive action to stop the spread. The policies vary by state, sometimes to a great degree. When you book a reservation, make sure to review the park and state's latest rules and regulations prior to your visit.
For COVID-19 updates, please visit our Impacted Park List and Reservation Guide for the latest information.
