All stays Camp & RV app

Discussion in 'Technology Corner' started by Mick'nSarah, May 12, 2011.

  1. adrianneross

    adrianneross Junior Ranger Donating Member

    Didn't know about pre-loading maps - I'll have to give it a try because we almost never have wi-fi on the road.

    I also found some inaccurate information (Leelanau SP in MI - listing was tent only, but actually accommodates RV's up to 30' length). I sent an e-mail to the app developer correcting the information and I got a very nice thank you note reply - and the listing has been corrected.

    So send in any corrections you find. Still a great app.
     
  2. Les Izmore

    Les Izmore Junior Ranger

    I'll chime in and note that we, too, are Allstays users and have been for a couple of years now. In Idaho, there are a larger percentage of campgrounds that are missing from the app, though it definitely has all of the main ones and many very tiny campgrounds with only one or two sites. I'm not certain why it is less complete in Idaho than in other areas where we have been, perhaps because some of the locations were likely out of range of any cell tower, making it necessary for any overlooked campgrounds to be added once cell coverage could be found. But it is pretty awesome, and it paid for itself the first time we used it.

    We really like it because it enables us to plan bicycle routes through remote and rural areas that don't force us to do long days in the saddle just to bridge a long gap between campgrounds, and it allows us to avoid the big tourist destinations that Adventure Cycling maps force you to ride through. Being able to ride on lightly traveled roads and see places that most people would have no reason to visit is a big plus for us. But then so is spending a week or so at a time without cell coverage, allowing us to recall what it is like to venture into the world without knowing what the weather will be, where the big hills are located or where the next grocery store will appear - to just take things as they come (but still have some idea how far we need to ride and where we are likely to find a place to camp).

    One feature that I don't think anyone has commented about is that the app will give the distance between you and a particular campground that you are interested in (provided you set your phone to give it your location). These are strictly as-the-crow-flies distances, so they are nearly all understated by the degree to which the route to the campground varies from a straight line (more of an issue for someone traveling under their own power than someone whose only exertion is the pressure applied to a gas pedal). And distances given in the directions to the campground are very hit or miss. Some are spot on, others are off by a fairly significant margin (and a few are just plain wrong).
     
  3. GhostOrchid

    GhostOrchid Junior Ranger

    +1 for AllStays. A bargain at twice the price. For me, it works best on a tablet, the phone view is a little cramped, though still very usable. It's free to use on a PC, although the interface is less effective.

    "Friend" AllStays on Facebook for latest alerts, like the heinous practice of booting campers at Walmarts in Sandy, Utah, then demanding cash for the release, and the shooting of a wolf in Yellowstone.
     
    Gypsy and Tom & Diana P like this.
  4. AlCat

    AlCat Junior Ranger Donating Member

    Randy and Gypsy like this.
  5. Les Izmore

    Les Izmore Junior Ranger

    Interesting site, since it allows private landowners to list camping on their property. I just searched the area where are currently camping. It shows neither the campground where we currently are (Warren Bridge, in eastern WY) or a boat ramp with 2campsites where we plan to be tomorrow.

    I suspect which app is more comprehensive will vary from area to area. Right now Allstays gives us more options and is available without internet access.
     
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