Customer Reviews

Frommer's Best RV and Tent Campgrounds in the U.S.A.

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book really is awesome. Sure it doesn't list every campground out there, but the book is already the size of a major city's phone book, so it lists the best ones. I love the rating system because it gives each campground separate 1-5 star ratings whether camping with a tent or in an RV. Extraordinary detail and excellent tips, but so far I haven't seen any altitudes given, which would have been useful.
A sample listing from the section on Georgia (In the book it's easy to read format-wise, and though I could read it no problem, some people might need a magnifying glass for the small print):
"CARTERSVILLE MAP A-1
Allatoona Landing Campground
24 Allatoona Landing Rd., Cartersville 30121.
T: (770) 974-6068 or (770) 974-6089;
www.reserveamerica.com
RV *** [stars] Tent ***
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Beauty **** Site Privacy ***
Spaciousness ** Quiet ***
Security **** Cleanliness ****
Insect Control **** Facilities ***

This large campground is very popular, which means it's often crowded. Combine that with small- to mid-size campsites, and you lose a little when it comes to spaciousness and privacy. The owners of Allatoona Landing do run a tight ship, so the property is well maintained and reasonably clean. Be aware that railroad tracks pass very near the campground, so some train noise is inevitable (especially for those sites nearest the campground office). Allatoona Lake offers plenty of options for water sports enthusiasts, including elaborate boating facilities and an extensive swimming beach. Sites 85, 86, 93, 95-101, and 103 are shaded and pretty, while 87 and 89-92 are the nicest water-front sites. Sites 60-73 and 75, 77, 79, 81, 83, and 88 are closest to the swimming beach.

BASICS
Operated By: Private operator. Open: All year. Site Assignment: By reservation. Registration: At camp office. Fee: $20-$25. Parking: 2 vehicles per site.

FACILITIES
Number of RV sites: 120. Number of Tent-only Sites: 20. Hookups: Electric (30, 50 amps), water, sewer. Each Site: Picnic table. Dump Station: Yes. Laundry: Yes. Pay Phone: Yes. Rest Rooms and Showers: Yes. Fuel: Yes. Propane: Yes. Internal Roads: Paved. RV Services: Yes. Market: In Bartow or Acworth. Restaurant: In Cartersville or Acworth. General Store: Yes. Vending: Yes. Swimming: Yes. Playground: Yes. Activities: Fishing, boating, biking, kayaking. Nearby Attractions: Barnsly Gardens, Coopers Iron Works, Dellinger Park complex, Etowah Arts Gallery, Etowah Indian Mounds, Lake Allatoona, Red Top State Park, Royal Oaks Gold Course. Additional Information: Cartersville-Barton County Welcome Center, (770) 387-1357.

RESTRICTIONS
Pets: On leash, some restrictions. Fires: In designated areas only. Alcoholic Beverages: Allowed. Vehicle Maximum Length: 25 ft.

TO GET THERE
From I-75, take Exit 283. Go 2 mi. to campground entrance (in front of 2nd set of RR tracks)."
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Every listing has this kind of information. I wanted to camp during the summer around the southern part of the Appalachian Trail, and by looking at the map and going through the listings I was able to easily knock out the hotter, likely-to-be-crowded, expensive places, then choose various possible campgrounds that go near the trail and offer good hiking for a person who will be using a tent. I even know where to go in each park for the best sites, since this book is great at saying stuff like--section G is the best, F is closest if you're going to be swimming, A is a long walk to the outhouse, B and C have pull-throughs, sites 55-75 have lakeside views, 50-55 are the most stunning. In other words, you can use valuable information like this to reserve a good site over the telephone.

Here's one more exerpt from a park description on a facing page (Clarkesville):
"High in the Blue Ridge Mountains and bordered on three sides by the enormous Lake Burton, Moccasin Creek State Park offers a unique opportunity for campers with disabilities. The majority of the property is wheelchair-accessible, including a fishing pier reserved exclusively for handicapped visitors, seniors, and children. Despite its mountainous location, the campground is relatively flat. This makes it easy to maneuver around in large RVs, bicycles, and wheelchairs. Canoeing on the lake is a treat, though the high elevation and terrain mean that sudden winds can blow up (some strong enough to tip canoes over in the lake's center). Several trails wind through the mountains around the lake, including an easy walk to Hemlock Falls and a more rugged trek to Moccasin Creek Falls. The fall colors are especially beautiful here, making it very difficult to score a vacancy during October."

This guide to campgrounds is easily the best I have seen. It is comprehensive and highly readable, rates campgrounds on the factors most important to both tent campers and RV owners, and includes local sites of interest and detailed descriptions of the profiled campgrounds, as well as maps and driving directions. Our family has found this guide to be of tremendous assistance as we expand our horizons in the magnificent world of camping, a resource far superior to the alternatives on the market.

I just received this guide and really wish I hadn't taken the advice of the single other reviewer. I am currently planning a tent camping trip with a focus on the National Parks of Utah and Colorado. Then majority of the sites reviewed in this book are private campgrounds and KOA's!

As example, of the 85+/- Colorado campgrounds detailed, eleven are operated by state/local authorities and two are operated by the National Forest System -- the other 70 plus sites are run by private operators. Within the NPS in Colorado (Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of Gunnison, and the Great Sand Dunes to name a few) there are no less than 10 campgrounds -- yet none of these are covered in this guide!

If your desire is for tent camping and to gather information on the National Park system you are better off to find another source. If you want to pull your RV into a KOA then this guide may be of some use.

Does not cover as many campgrounds as the trailer life directory. However it does give a little more info on the campgrounds it does list.

I'm disappointed with Amazon. I just received this book and although it covers campgrounds well, the info next to the title doesn't mention that it's a 2004 copyright. This means that most of the info in it is out of date. I admit that it's my fault that I didn't read further down the page to find this out. That's why Camping World and Good Sam update their annually (abt. $13.00 for new ones). A 2004 edition is absolutely worthless. Six years old and with the poor economy, I can guarantee that many of the campsites are out of business or have reduced amenities. The book would have been worth something if it was maybe a year or two old. Shame on Amazon for selling such out of date material. Next time I order a book from Amazon, you better believe I will read every shred of info on the book!

It did OK on a 17 state trip but had mis info on some occasions.

Love the book and gave it as a Christmas gift - and he loves it. He is an RVer and I am a tent camper, so it is the best of both worlds. We haven't used it to be able to compare their ratings to our ratings, but just looking through it makes me ready to pack up and get out!! More information on places that I didn't even know existed surrounding me - and more!! Would make an excellent gift.

Just returned to Florida from three days at Modoc,SC Strom Thurman Lake and Dam. The Campground was everything the guide said it was. We were more than pleased and no complaints. We look forward to utilizing the guide again and hopefully soon...

its a nice book it will help find our camp sites
going acrose country Thanks