Searching for Car GPS w/ campground info

[wpifarmer]

I've been doing a lot of searching and can't seem to figure out what sort of POIs are included with the GPS devices. Can anyone comment on whether or not campgrounds are included? Or if there is a way to add a big list of US campgrounds to a device? It'd be nice to be able to say, drive from here (NH) to florida, and be able to find a campground or two along the way to spend the night.

Unit's I'm considering:
TomTom One 3rd Edition (or XL)
Magellan 4000
Garmin Nuvi 200/250

Anyone else to similar shopping in the sub $300 range?\

Thanks!
Farmer

Farmer '77

<img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_pu.gif border=0 align=middle alt="PopUp"> '91 Coleman Columbia
<img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_suv.gif border=0 align=middle alt="Tow Vehicle"> '03 Jetta Wagon 1.8t

 

[Campsnoopy]

Hey wpifarmer,

I have a garmin I think it is a 350 model($250 last x-mass) and I have a newer nuvi ($700) They both show campgrounds. Like any other POI you have to search for it. Mine will do State parks and private....

Hope this helps

01 Explorer <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_suv.gif border=0 align=middle>
97 Sea Pine <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_pu.gif border=0 align=middle>
<img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_outhouse.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_canoe.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_kayak.gif border=0 align=middle>

 

[tnchuck100]

Garmin does have campground info in their units. However, it's not always good information. They will show Christian Academies, YMCA's, 4H centers, educational facilities and other things that are totally unrelated to campgrounds and indicate that it IS a campground.

I brought this to their attention. Their only response was "not our problem. NavTeq did it".

<font color=blue>Chuck & Mary - Sparta, Tennessee
'00 Dodge Dakota <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_suv.gif border=0 align=middle alt="Tow Vehicle"> '05 Palomino Pony 280 <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_pu.gif border=0 align=middle alt="PopUp">
'03 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_bike.gif border=0 align=middle alt="Bicycle"> '04 Timeout <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_pu.gif border=0 align=middle alt="PopUp">
Nights camped 2007: 36</font id=blue>

Edited by - tnchuck100 on November 03 2007 18:42:47

 

[Campsnoopy]

I have not run into that problem when I search for "camp grounds" or "state park" the only problem with state parks (at least in MA) not all of them have camping.

01 Explorer <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_suv.gif border=0 align=middle>
97 Sea Pine <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_pu.gif border=0 align=middle>
<img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_outhouse.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_canoe.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_kayak.gif border=0 align=middle>

 

[wpifarmer]

So, with the Garmin and TomTom units, if I plan a route to say florida, will it tell me all the campgrounds along the way if I tell it to? And one more question. Honest. What is the differences between the Garmin Nuvi line and the Garmin StreetPilot line? I can't tell the difference except maybe the size. Do they all have the same data and interface?

Farmer '77

<img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_pu.gif border=0 align=middle alt="PopUp"> '91 Coleman Columbia
<img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_suv.gif border=0 align=middle alt="Tow Vehicle"> '03 Jetta Wagon 1.8t

Edited by - wpifarmer on November 04 2007 07:03:06

 

[tnchuck100]

They will not tell you of campgrounds along the way while navigating. You must ask the unit for campgrounds nearest to your current location. It is a little more flexible than this but explaining how these work in this format is impractical. As I stated earlier, it may indicate a campground that is not really a campground.

If you go to the Garmin website they will allow you to select GPS models and do a side-by-side comparison.

GPS units are very helpful and fun. However, there is a learning curve associated with them. Pick your unit, purchase it, play with it extensively before actually depending on it. They are not perfect, but, considering the amount of information they have they are amazingly accurate.

I hope this helped.

<font color=blue>Chuck & Mary - Sparta, Tennessee
'00 Dodge Dakota <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_suv.gif border=0 align=middle alt="Tow Vehicle"> '05 Palomino Pony 280 <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_pu.gif border=0 align=middle alt="PopUp">
'03 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_bike.gif border=0 align=middle alt="Bicycle"> '04 Timeout <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_pu.gif border=0 align=middle alt="PopUp">
Nights camped 2007: 36</font id=blue>

Edited by - tnchuck100 on November 04 2007 07:34:17

 

[wpifarmer]

Thanks tnchuck! I went to circuit city today and played with the Garmin, Magellan and TomTom units for qutie a bit today. The TomTom XL actually did give me a list of campgrounds along my route. It was also a bit easier to use IMO. They are all very nice, but I think we may lean towards the TomTom.

Farmer '77

<img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_pu.gif border=0 align=middle alt="PopUp"> '91 Coleman Columbia
<img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_suv.gif border=0 align=middle alt="Tow Vehicle"> '03 Jetta Wagon 1.8t

 

[jhower]

DW's brother has a TomTom and really likes it. They used it on a trip to Florida this summer and it worked well.

We use a Garmin VistaCX handheld and love it. I mounted a bracket on the truck's console to use while we're on the road and we can also use it for Geocaching and while kayaking. We considered a dash mounted unit but wanted the flexibility of using it for other purposes. It's interesting to see how much distance we cover in the kayaks.

Garmin's POI database has worked well for us.

John & Cindy in Pennsylvania
<img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_pu.gif border=0 align=middle> <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_suv.gif border=0 align=middle> 2007 Flagstaff 620ST, '95 Dodge Dakota
His <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_kayak.gif border=0 align=middle> & Hers <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_kayak.gif border=0 align=middle> Pelican kayaks

http://community.webshots.com/user/jhower55

 

[Gambit...]

My first PDA was a Palm 1000. My life ran around a daytimer until the PDa's came out.

These days, I depend on a Palm Tungsten T3 W/Blue Tooth.

There are many GPS programs available for the Palms and Windows CE PDAs. Pick the one or even several which will do what you want them to do. (Roads, waterways, aviation, etc.)

Here my rundown in price:

Tungsten T3 off E-Bay $135
Mapopolis Software $105
Blue Tooth GPS $75
Car holder and charger $45 (Charges GPS, Palm and has built in speaker for the voice instructions much loader than the Palm has.)

So, for around $350, I have a GPS which will run all kinds of systems and I have a PDA when I do not need a GPS.

This may not be what you need or are looking for but, It's an option which works VERY well for me. I thought I would mention it as no one else has.

Kim

 

[Canadiancray]

If you set them up correctly the TOMTOM units will show the campgrounds on your screen as you approach them.

<img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_pu.gif border=0 align=middle alt="PopUp"> 1973 Starcraft
<img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_suv.gif border=0 align=middle alt="Tow Vehicle"> 2004 Kia Sedona

 

[mostlyok]

We have used our older Garmin with Microsoft's Street sand Trips. The Streets stuff gives us info about campgrounds, and we can pre-plan a trip using the 'routing' capability. Then the Garmin gives us a running dialog about to get there frome here. We pre-plan a trip, load the laptop computer and the Garmin, and use the 'turn-by-turn' advice to actually find our way. Not the car-based Nav system, but it has been very useful a lot of times. Costs: Garmin Etrek, Laptop (check current prices), and the Streets... from Microsoft.

Heidi & Paul http://community.webshots.com/user/mostlyok

'04 Fleetwood Niagara <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle alt="Smile">
'94 Starcraft Space Flyer (for sale) <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle alt="Sad">
<img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_jeep.gif border=0 align=middle alt="Jeep"> '05 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
If its got zippers and Velcro it's got to be fun!

 

[CND SuperCrew]

The best way is to pick the GPS unit you want. I'm a fan of Garmin d/t their R&D in software development. I buy the mapping software, then use my computer to plot my routes and POI's including camp sites. When I get to somewhere, I can use the GPS to look for anything else I haven't plotted on the GPS. I've been doing this for years now on all our trips, big or small.

<b>TV</b> <font color=blue>2003 F150 SuperCrew FX4 4spd auto w/tow pkg 3.73LS</font id=blue>
<b>PUC</b> 1997 Starcraft 1021
Nights camped out in 2008

 

[hvac1877]

I have the Lowrance 250. It has a setting separate from lodging just for camping. I love it the new one comes with a setting for cracker barrels stores.They don't make the 250 now but the 350 is about the same with more memory.

Peter & Amy,2008 2407 starcraft <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_pu.gif border=0 align=middle alt="PopUp">, 2003 dodge ram quad cab 4X4 <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_suv.gif border=0 align=middle alt="Tow Vehicle"> 08 nights <img src=../Images/icons/icon_smile_camping.gif border=0 align=middle alt="Camping"> -10