The colors of fall
Photo by: John Nyberg (Stock Exchange)

Here at AllCampgrounds, Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays.

With so many people discovering camping for the first time, there sure is a lot to be thankful for lately!

In today’s post, we wanted to highlight some of the extaordinary things that are out there for tent campers and RV campers alike to enjoy.

These are some of the top sites we’ve pointed out in previous posts; they’re the best of the best, and we want to be sure they don’t slip by this Thanksgiving.

So let’s pay a visit to some camping resources we’re thankful for.

Kampgrounds of America: Kampgrounds of America is one of the most respected, and easily the largest, franchise in camp grounds throughout the United States. Thanks to the rigorous inspection process and quality standards of KOA, you can be sure you’re going to enjoy a safe, fun, friendly experience. KOA is also known for great camping options — which usually include cabins, and can sometimes include yurts, rental RVs, and even a solar-powered bungalow in one notable case — and total dedication to providing plenty of family-oriented outdoor activities. All this makes KOA something to be thankful for!

Good Sam Club: An institution in the world of RV camping, Good Sam is a nationally recognized discount club that also provides a slew of trip planning resources. In addition to all kinds of DVDs, a smartphone app, and a terrific community forum all devoted to the best RV camping, they also have you covered when it comes to the nuts and bolts of the lifestyle. That includes, for example, roadside assistance, technical tips to get the most from your rig, and a number of competitive insurance and finance options. Good Sam does it all, and from all we’ve heard, it’s an outstanding value for the money.

Recreation.Gov: It used to be a huge challenge to get reservations at the most-loved federal camp grounds. Then Uncle Sam pulled it together with Recreation.gov, the most streamlined, camper-friendly site yet for planning to your visit to public lands. There’s a huge search that will help you find exactly the kind of camping experience you want from over 84 million spectacular acres of national park land throughout the United States. Not only that, but it’s easier than ever to claim your spot thanks to a centralized account interface that lets you make your plans known well in advance, all via the internet. If the camp grounds you’re seeking require a permit, you can apply for one here, too.

REI: At AllCampgrounds, we don’t endorse any particular camping supplier. But REI recently made the jump from supplier to outstanding information source thanks to their new expert camping advice section. This collection of columns and checklists covers a huge range of camping topics. You’ll find just about everything to do with tent camping here, and the archive is growing by leaps and bounds. Even more impressive, though is the collection of how-to videos on camping and outdoors topics. The videos are still pretty rare, but we’re hoping to see the library expand as time goes on. Very helpful!