reservations

Hi, I am new to this site and live in southern CA. Can anyone shed light on the ease of which reservations are made. Do you need to make them far in advance, are they ever available last minute. Can you only make reservations by phone? Any tips and suggestions? Thank you, A in SJ

A, welcome to the website! As with the differences in military campgrounds, you're going to find differences in the reservation process. Some of the popular campgrounds will require reservations as far in advance as allowed (or possible), many you don't need a reservation (although they take them). Some will require a credit card at the time of reservation with cancellation policies that you can get charged for if you don't show up. Others just want your name and dates. Some don't answer their phones and require you to leave all the information (including credit card info) on the answering machine. Some will call you back soon, others you'll never hear from. Normally, reservations by phone are the preferred method.

You're always best to make reservations as far in advance as allowed, or as soon as you can. However, be sure to learn about their cancellation policy. If you need to cancel your reservation, cancel before their cutoff date. Otherwise, you'll be charged for a late cancellation. One of the military campgrounds in California requires you to cancel 10 days in advance!

We look forward to your reviews, ratings, and updates!

Its really easy to call most of the bases and ask about reservations. I called Fallon and they told me that I probably didn't need reservations, Nellis told me I surely did and TwentyNine Palms took my name and the day I was coming. None of them asked for a credit card and only one asked if we were military.
Its always better to be safe even if you just call the day before and ask if they have room.

We were recently at Toledo Bend Recreation Site in Louisiana and were headed east so we called Twin Lakes Recreation Area near Alexandria, LA and they told us No Room At The Inn. So we called Camp Shelby, Mississippi and were told no problem. We even called to have our mail sent to Shelby. On arriving at Shelby we were told everything was booked and has been booked for months so we ended up spending that night at Camp Wal-Mart and going to Navy Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, Mississippi and had no problem. Our mail was lost in the USPS for a week.
Point is, until you are on site and set up there are no guarantees. You need to learn the Marines' alternate motto "Semper Gumby" to survive out here on the road. Semper Gumby loosely translates to Always Flexible. Have fun.
See you down the road.
Glenn