When you choose a campsite online to book (or however you book your sites), do you usually try and book a drive-through campsite or a back-in? Do you have a strong preference either way?
Of course, we’re sure it depends on what kind of RV you have and how easy it is to maneuver, but perhaps there are other reasons, too. Back-in campsites may give you more privacy (sometimes), but drive-through sites may be larger (again, sometimes).
After you vote, please tell us why you answered the way you did. We’d like to hear. Thank you!
My Wife drives our RV and it is easier for her to drive in our class-C than backing it in like to always use pull- through’s
Our trailers dinette and living area is in the rear of the trailer ( 2225RL) , makes our view whatever is behind us, water, woods , etc!
I find that most back-in sites have trees that shade my rig.
Where as pull-through sites are out in the open areas.
We ask for pull thrus, especially when it is a 1-3 night stay. We usually disconnect so we can explore the area, grab a meal and hunt for Geocaches. Pull Thrus just make it easier to leave in the morning
On our last trip, we had 2 campgrounds that we asked for pull-thrus and when we got there we had to disconnect the toad to get to them.
Since I am now nearly 60 feet, with truck and trailer, backing is a pain. Add to that, parks with full timers, who have cars, trucks, boats and whatever parked in the roadway, it becomes nearly impossible to back in.
We have a 32 foot class A and typically choose back-in sites. They’re more abundant and typically offer more privacy.
I agree. I have a 2017 Precept 31UL. It is very nimble. We prefer back in sites because they are generally wider. We’ll use a pull-through for one night stays, but otherwise we always ask for a back in site.
Since we work gigs in state parks (maintenance) we don’t get to decide where most times.
On our way from one park to another (usually in another state), where we stop for the evening is usually a pull through for the ease of getting in, set up, and relaxing for the night.
I’ve got a 22′ class C so that really doesn’t make a difference to me. The price, view, and privacy difference does.
I’ve got a 38’ fifth wheel with total length of 60’. I can back in if I need to but several times I’ve found a parked vehicle at another site blocking me from making that backing turn. It’s just less hassle to get a drive through.
I prefer back in because I can, and to leave the pull through to those who need it.
We only request a pull-through site when we stop overnight en-route somewhere. Ideally, we will not have to unhook our towed vehicle if we get a pull-through. We have been to several campgrounds with back-in sites that are more private, quieter than the pull-through sites. We usually unhook the towed vehicle when we check in and DW leads me to the site in our Jeep, parking in a near-by vacant site until she gets me parked.
All things being equal I prefer the pull through. Even at the supermarket I look for two end to end open spaces, drive through the first and park in the second. But would go for a back in if it were a superior site.
Since I flat-tow my Jeep behind my Class A, I always go for the pull-thru if I can get it. Otherwise, I have to find a space to park, disconnect the Jeep, park the rig and then move my toad in front of her – which is a bit of a pain.
My pull-behind trailer is 36′ overall, and my truck is 21′, and with the space between, I have a total of 58′. A pull- thru is easier, but if there is enough room to turn, I don’t mind a back-in. A big problem I have encountered is sites with trees too close to the front of the campsite, making it impossible to back in and impossible to turn out of a pull-through. I have had to back out of some pull-thru sites for this reason.
if a drive-through is available, I might take it, but often the backin spaces are more private and/or scenic. I’m towing a 21 foot Escape fiberglass trailer behind a F250 longbed truck so tight maneuvers take quite a bit of planning since the truck is as long the trailer, and the truck has a 62 ft turning radius.
same for us… 21 ft TT & long bed F250 … prefer privacy in state park settings but gotta have enough room to back in (find going the wrong way around the loops often allow us to park SO MUCH EASIER … but park has to tell us to do that
We like the privacy (usually) of back-in sites.
We tow a hybrid and there is a comfort level to start it up and move it around each day. We’ve had many friends end up with a dead starting battery on their toads after not starting for a few days. Never us.
Install a battery disconnect switch on the engine battery and use it.
We have one installed on both the toad and the RV. Just what we do.
When we had a trailer we preferred pull through. Since we downsized to a class B it no longer matters to us, which is the reason we did it. Much easier to travel not towing anything.
5 years ago it didn’t matter but now with more age a pull is my first option but I can do both still comfortably just a little slower backing in. Want to do it one shot.
It depends on if I am familiar with the park and the arrangements of the sites. Space to maneuver into back-in sites with a 36′ fiver is sometimes so constrained by ditches or large boulders as to make it very difficult (and I am a CDL Driver). When I stay in a park that I presume I will return to in the future, I’ll do a serious scoping of the sites and make a note about future visits to choose back-in or pull-thru.