planning your road trip Archives

Campspot Outdoor Almanac: Outlook on 2023 Road Travel and Camping Trends

The biannual Campspot Outdoor Almanac reveals that 2023 will be another big year for outdoor travel and highlights where to go and what to expect while enjoying the open road

As the seasons change and we move into the quieter half of the year, we often have more time to reflect and take stock. Which is nice! Really, it is. But when the holiday lights are stored away and the cold creeps into our bones, even the most winter-obsessed of us can start to feel a little cooped up.

Driving Red Rock Scenic Byway, Sedona, Arizona *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

And that is why planning ahead is important. Just as gardeners plant seeds and are bolstered by the promise of what is to come, so too can RVers make plans for what is ahead. Whether you arrange a short winter getaway in the mountains or the desert or work out the finer details of a family reunion at a camp resort, that plan is how we’re able to look forward to the good times ahead.

In a chaotic and stressful world, plans are our reprieve—the daydreams that get us through. Because when we’re planning, we’re invested in tomorrow. In the road ahead and the time we get to spend together. And when we’re packing up—when we’re camping—we realize what it is we really need. The essentials! What you can fit in the available space of the RV?

The Springs at Anza-Borrego RV Resort & Golf Course, Borrego Springs, California *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

When we’re camping, we’re getting back to the basics. We’re retreating from the din of society and finding safe haven in the great outdoors and the campgrounds offering tucked-away corners, epic adventures, stunning scenery, and even luxury RV resorts.

Whether you’re planning for your cross-country RV trip, snowbird escape, hiking adventure with Fido, or next summer’s trip to a camp resort, the Campspot Outdoor Almanac provides information for plotting out the ultimate road trips and retreats—no matter the season.

Readers can access top destinations for camping in 2023 along with inspiration for top road trips and scenic drives, recommendations for road trips for each season, helpful statistics and data about national and state parks that are trending, and demographic information about road travelers.

Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Some top insights from travelers planning trips include:

Budget-friendly trips: Continued increased interest in shorter road trips is expected in 2023 as travelers discover their home states and local region
Average road trip route distance: 1,223 miles with a 20.5 hour driving duration
Top national parks: Grand Canyon, Arches, and Zion
Percentage of campers who are traveling as a couple: 67 percent
Top camping destinations: Moab (Utah), Sedona (Arizona), Florida Keys

Tent camping in Arches National Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The latest camping trends

Types of campers:

RV (61 percent)
Tent (19 percent)
Glamper (12 percent)
Cabin (4 percent)
Car Camper (3 percent)
Boondocker/dispersed (1 percent)

Camping and work-life balance:

43 percent of campers take 2-4 weeks off from work annually
36 percent of campers take 4-6 camping trips annually, 19 percent take 7-10 annually
18 percent go camping for major winter holidays and 23 percent are interested in doing so

Driving Newfound Gap Road through Great Smoky Mountains National Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Top 2023 camping goals:

Travel to new places to camp (69 percent)
Go camping more often (53 percent)
Explore more national and state parks (47 percent)
Spend more time in nature (37 percent)
Spend more time outside with family (30 percent)

Top regions campers are most excited to visit in 2023:

Yellowstone National Park
Colorado
Utah
Alaska
Yosemite National Park

Badlands National Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Top states campers are most interested in visiting in 2023:

Colorado
Montana
Tennessee
Florida
North Carolina
Wyoming
California
Michigan
Oregon
Utah

The Grand Canyon *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Top destinations for RVers:

Grand Canyon
Las Vegas
The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness, Florida
Yosemite National Park
Ginnie Springs, Florida
Zion National Park
Daytona International Speedway
Campland on the Bay in San Diego
Okeechobee, Florida
Moab

Along the Creole Nature Trail, Louisiana *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Road trips and scenic drives

Road trip trends:

37 percent are willing to travel any distance on a road trip if they have time while 26 percent prefer trips that are 6 to 10 hours in length
After private campgrounds, public lands and hotels were the next most popular accommodation types for road trips

How far do roadtrippers travel?

Average route distance: 1,223 miles
Average driving duration: 20.5 hours

White Sands National Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Top national parks where travelers planned road trips:

Grand Canyon National Park
Arches National Park
Zion National Park
Great Sand Dunes National Park
White Sands National Park
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Yellowstone National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park
Hot Springs National Park
Badlands National Park
Crater Lake National Park

Picacho Peak State Park, Arizona *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Top state parks where travelers planned road trips:

South Yuba River State Park, California
Maquoketa Caves State Park, Iowa
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, Kentucky
Hanging Rock State Park, North Carolina
Watkins Glen State Park, New York
Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas
Niagara Falls State Park, New York
Letchworth State Park, New York
Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Florida
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Illinois
Custer State Park, South Dakota

Fredericksburg, Texas *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

A road trip for every season

Take inspiration from these road trips and scenic drives to plan your 2023 adventures.

Spring

New Orleans, LA, to Fredericksburg, TX

Distance: 469 miles

With pit stops in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Beaumont, Houston, and Austin, this route is a Cajun food-lover’s dream. Be sure to drive the Willow City Loop just north of Fredericksburg for wildflowers galore.

Where to stay:

Sun Outdoors New Orleans North Shore, Ponchatoula, Louisiana
The Retreat RV and Camping Resort, Huffman, Texas
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Fredericksburg, Fredericksburg, Texas

Summer

Blue Ridge Parkway

An epic drive filled with stunning vistas of the Appalachian Highlands, this route is known as America’s Favorite Drive for a reason.

Where to stay:

Montebello Camping and Fishing Resort, Montebello, Virginia
Halesford Harbor Resort, Moneta, Virginia
Catawba Falls Campground, North Carolina

Covered Bridge Tour near Terre Haute, Indiana *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Fall

Covered Bridge Tour in Indiana

Distance: 35+ miles

Indiana has 31 covered bridges that are super quaint and historic. According to locals, Sim Smith Bridge is even haunted.

Where to stay:

Turkey Run Canoe and Camping, Bloomingdale
Peaceful Water Campground, Bloomingdale
Hawthorn Park, Terry Haute

Amelia Island, Florida *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Winter

Florida East Coast

Distance: 470 miles

Whether you start in the northern or southern part of the state, a drive along the east coast is a perfect way to say goodbye to the winter blues.

Where to stay:

Ocean Groove RV Resort, St. Augustine
Indian River RV Park, Titusville
Sun Outdoors Key Largo, Key Largo

Worth Pondering…

Road trips have beginnings and ends but it’s what’s in between that counts.

Why Revisit a Destination?

RVing off somewhere new is the ultimate adventure but it’s also rewarding to return to places you’ve been before

When you begin planning an RV trip, your thoughts likely leap to somewhere new. Many of us want to experience the thrill of adventure when we’re traveling the U.S. and Canada and discovering new locations and experiences.

I read an article recently where the writer said she would never visit the same place more than once. That there were so many new places to see, how could you justify a return visit?

Smoky Mountains *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

It got me thinking about the locations I’ve been back to—whether that’s once like the Smoky Mountains and the Black Hills or repeatedly like Tucson and the Rio Grande Valley. And I realized that my favorite trips had been the return visits. I love to discover new places too but often the second-time trips have been more relaxed, more spontaneous, and more enjoyable.

And who says you need a change of destination to see something new? Even if you live in a city for years you’ll never have seen everything. Going back to a place lets you dig a bit deeper and uncover another layer of the place.

The Black Hills *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

While RVing somewhere new may be the ultimate adventure, it’s also rewarding to return to places you’ve been before. It may be to relive a special life moment or watch your favorite sport change through the seasons; either way, fire up your wanderlust a second time and discover why many destinations warrant a repeat visit.

Let’s take a look at a few reasons why revisiting a favorite destination may be a great idea.

Tucson *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Feels like returning home

Returning to a destination you’ve previously enjoyed can feel like returning home especially if you are returning to a favorite RV park or campground. You can still explore new things but you also have a familiar home base to return to. This also helps in getting over the initial legwork that most road trips entail. You already know where you’re going and how to get there so you can focus on activities to enjoy upon arrival.

Santa Fe *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Since you’ve been here before, you’re familiar with the nuances of the location and can visit with added confidence. As you spend more time in a location you will feel less like a tourist. Whether it’s negotiating the winding streets of Santa Fe or wandering the Charleston Historic District, you’ll explore at ease armed with knowledge from your previous visit.

Historic Charleston *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

You rarely see everything in a single visit

Unless a destination is very small or known for one specific attraction, chances are that you didn’t see everything there was to see during your previous visit. On an RV trip to San Antonio, you may have focused on the Alamo and the Riverwalk. By revisiting you could explore other historical and cultural attractions including the Missions National Historic Park, The Pearle District, King William neighborhood, Brackenridge Park, San Antonio Botanical Gardens, and the nearby Hill Country.

San Antonio Riverwalk *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

You can experience different seasons

The same location can feel like a different place with a change of season. Changing seasons will mean you concentrate on different areas and aspects of a place. Even a change of weather can do the same—you can spend a sunny day exploring local parks and other green spaces or a rainy day of museums and other indoor attractions. Many cities are transformed for special events like festivals or fairs at certain times of the year too. A visit to Roswell during the annual UFO Festival (first weekend in July), Tombstone during Helldorado Days (October 21-21, 2022), or Fiesta San Antonio (April 20-30, 2023) would be completely different from being there at any other time of the year.

Tombstone *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Places change

Even if you saw most everything you planned to see on your previous visit, changes occur over time. Now, may be the time to revisit and see what is new. This could mean new or upgraded attractions, restaurants, and even RV parks.

Also, consider the time of the year. Visiting Phoenix in the middle of a scorching summer and visiting it in the winter are going to be very different experiences. Not every city or destination will vary this much, but many of them will.

Papago Park, Phoenix *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Just like we do

Chances are, your interests have changed as well. You’ve learned new things and had experiences that will change the lens through which you view a given destination. This means that when you return years later you could end up enjoying a vastly different experience than you did at your original stop.

Enchanted Rock, Texas Hill Country *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Why not?

There are many reasons why you shouldn’t strike off a destination simply because you’ve ‘been there, done that’. You never know what you’ll discover during a second or even third visit. And for snowbirds and full-time RVers, there are only so many places you can visit before you need to start considering a return trip.

Estero Llano Grande State Park, Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Numerous reasons can make revisiting a destination worthwhile, but do you need one? It’s your RV trip, so go where you want to go and do what you want to do.

In these social media-driven times, there’s pressure to view RV trips and other experiences as a bucket list to be checked off. If that’s what you want to do then go for it, but remember that the purpose of an RV trip or a vacation is to experience the things you want to experience—on your own terms.

Read Next: Road Trip Inspiration

Worth Pondering…

Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.

—Margaret Lee Runbeck

9 Things to Consider Before Making an RV Park Reservation

Finding a good campsite begins at home when you are planning your road trip

Finding the right RV site may be one of the most important decisions to make as you plan your next road trip. Before you book online or over the phone ensure you have a site that meets your needs. This may be one of the most important judgment calls to make on your trip.

Club house and pool at Red Bluff KOA Journey, Red Bluff, California *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The quality of your time at the park may rest on whether you’re near the hustle and bustle of the clubhouse or pool, in a remote site under a shady tree, or backed up against a busy highway or railway tracks.

A+ Motel and RV Park, Sulphur, Louisiana *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

For the best results phone RV parks to make reservations. You can find out about any specials going on, any activities or events you might be interested in, and have a better opportunity to secure a prime site in the park. Calling also allows you to have your questions or concerns answered. You can also find out about the park’s amenities such as Wi-Fi, cable TV, pool access, and special activities.

Canyon Vista RV Resort, Gold Canyon, Arizona *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Most parks will require a credit card number for the first night to secure the reservation. Some RV parks will assign a site number when you make your reservation while others will wait for you to check into the park. Make sure to keep the reservation confirmation number or e-mail confirmation.

Choose wisely, consult guest reviews, and consider the following nine things:

Pull-in site at Vista del Sol, Bullhead City, Arizona *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

1) Size and Configuration

Most RV parks offer several types of sites: pull-through, back-in, and drive-in. A pull-through site allows you to enter and exit a site without unhooking the toad or backing up. Backing an RV into a site is one of the less appealing chores in the RV lifestyle but if you plan to hunker down for several weeks or more, a roomy back-in site may be preferable.

Pull-in sites at Bella Terra Resort, Gulf Shores, Alabama *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Some of the newer parks offer drive-in sites. This is particularly appealing for RVers with a Class-A motorhome. The site may face a river, fountain or water feature, or scenic vistas like the sites offered at Vista del Sol RV Resort in Bullhead City, Arizona (see photo above) or Bella Terra of Gulf Shores, Alabama (see photo above).

Leaf Verde RV Park, Buckeye, Arizona *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

4) Location, Location, Location

Each site in an RV park has its pluses and minuses. A site near the club house and pool is convenient but the foot traffic and noise may pose an annoyance. The same for sites near the playground or a dumpster. Study the park map to get the lay of the land.

Cajun Palms RV Resort, Henderson, Louisiana *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

5) Site Amenities

Consider the amenities that you like in an RV site. Fire rings and picnic tables are musts for some campers. Do you have room to unfurl the awning, fire up the barbecue, and watch the big game from your exterior TV? If you’re camping in the height of summer, look for a shady site. If possible, choose a north-facing site so that the summer sun has limited penetration into RV living quarters and your refrigerator is in the shade.

Dog wash station at Sun Outdoors Pigeon Forge *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

7) Camping with Buddies

Are you RVing with friends? Some parks allow RVers to park in contiguous spaces giving them a chance to camp next to each other. You can arrange a “buddy site,” like those offered by Red Bluff KOA Journey (formerly Durango RV Resort, in Red Bluff, California (see photo above) . These sites feature pull-through sites up to 90 feet in length with a common grassy area.

Coastal Georgia RV Resort, Brunswick, Georgia *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

8) Non-RV Alternatives

Do you plan to meet up with non-RVing friends? Many parks offer adjacent motel units, cabins, or park models. Then consider the following RV parks and resorts: A+ Motel and RV Park in Sulphur, Louisiana (see photo above); Canyon Vista RV Resort in Gold Canyon, Arizona (see photo above); Leaf Verde RV Park in Buckeye, Arizona (see photo above); and Cajun Palms RV Resort in Henderson, Louisiana (see photo above).

Dog washing station at Tucson/Lazy Days KOA, Tucson, Arizona *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

9) Canine Considerations

Dogs make great traveling companions but these furry passengers sometimes can be challenging. If your canine barks at everything that moves, you’ll want a site as far away from foot traffic as possible. The same goes for cats that are prone to stress. And if you opt to camp close to a dog run, you can give Fido a chance to burn off steam nearby. Some parks even offer a dog washing station including Sun Outdoors Pigeon Forge (formerly River Plantation RV Park) in Sevierville, Tennessee (see photo above) and Tucson/Lazydays KOA (see photo above).

The RV site is an important part of the travel experience. A good site can contribute much to a great road trip and a poor site will deter from the overall experience.

Worth Pondering…

If a man does not know what port he is steering for, no wind is favorable to him.

—Seneca