Right before I decided to start RV’ing, I determined that I needed a “guidebook” of campgrounds, services, dump stations across america, places I could fill up with fresh water, etc.  I was wondering how I should go about finding the information I needed.  I started with a basic atlas.  Quickly I found that the atlas was more vague than I needed.  So I went online and searched Google.  I should have known it already - Google gave me 200,000+ results.  Needless to say I wasn’t about to traverse through them all.   

Thousands of possibilities doesn’t help me; it is too broad. I need it narrowed down into a good overall service directory.  (kinda like the yellowpages is to yor local town).  The answer came like a lot of things – a referral from a friend of mine who has been RV’ing for a while.

I pretty much asked that friend of mine the same question that I asked Google: “RV Guidebook”.  (When I asked him, it was more a structured question in the english language).  So he told me of a book that is the size of a city yellowpages (Like 2 1/2 inches thick!)  This book dictates in detail so much information that echances the life of a recreational-vehicle enthusiast.  The book is non other than the ”Trailer Life RV Parks, Campgrounds & Services Directory“. 

The “Guide” in Guidebook

This guidebook is published every year with updated information essential for every RV’er.  This easy to read information guidebook features:

• Listings of over 12,000 RV parks and campgrounds with a unique rating system
• Information on over 900,000 RV Sites
• Service and repair facilities in every state
• Attractions close to where you are
• Maps of each state in the US
• Tips for RVing
• Temperature guides per season across the US
• Travel Stops
• RV DUMP STATIONS!!! ($5 or less – lots are FREE)
• Volunteer contacts to help you with advice and local travel information in the state/area you are in.
• Fishing license, roadway and towing information per state (and Canada)
• My favorite: Detail on WiFi and Internet access across North America

• And much more! 

Digging into Listings Details

Ok – Let’s get into the State by State RV Park listings.  This is by far one of the most infromational and useful aspects of this directory. 

Let’s first look at a Sample Listing:

This sample shows us a list of 31 possible informational elements per listing.  Each listing is inspected annually by Good Sam inspection teams. 

Let’s go over just a few of the 31 information elements.  I am numbering them just as they are listed in the sample.

1.   Town name:  This is where the campground is located, or the nearest town.  The directory also includes helpful listings of towns within a 30-mile radious of a major metropolitan area.

11. Basic Facilities (FAC): This is where the listing shows if it has restrooms, showers, store, laundry, etc.  A ($) after the facility in the listing indicated an extra charge not included in the rate of stay at the campground /park.

14.  Last Year’s Rates: Rates are listed according to the previous years rate of stay  Rates include any additional fees that may ttypically be found at the site, such as air conditioning, TV service and heating.  Rates are shown as a guideline and for convenience only. This portion of the listing also includes whcih credit cards are accepted at the current facility.

15. Trailer Life’s Rating: Good Sam and trailer life rates each campground / rv park in three categories:

• Completeness of Facilities
• Cleanliness/ Construction of Restrooms and  Showers
• Visual Appearance/Environmental Quality. 

19. Season: Each listing includes opening and closing dates if the park is seasonal.  Otherwise the facility is open all year.

23. Description of Sites: First, the listing indicates the total number of RV spaces to show you the size of the park.  Next, the quantity of sites available to the overnight RV’er and the surface (paved, gravel grass or dirt).  This portion of the listing also includes information on Patios, shaded sites, number of pull thru sites and other kind of special descriptive information.  The last and most important part of this portion of the listing indicates if the site has hookups and what kind they are.  For example, it may show the site has full hookups (Water, Electric, Sewer) and the type of electrical service offered (15,20,30 or 50 amps). 

Final Thoughts …

As you can see there is a Wealth of information listed in this directory.  The sheer thickness of the book is indicitive of the amount of useful information contained within it’s covers! 

Overall, the “Trailer Life RV Parks, Campgrounds & Services Directory” is the Bible of RV Living and is a must have for anyone who owns an RV of any sort – and I hear that Good Sam is offering it for about $10 instead of $25 right now.