Instead of January 3, this year, the campground opened reservations for August on Monday, February 1, at 8 a.m.
Typically, the first day to register at the Grand Marais Recreational Park for the Fisherman’s Picnic would be bustling with people waiting in the parking lot. In the past, some would come and stay all night long to make sure they got a place in the park so they could enjoy the four-day summer celebration.
Not this year, however. This year just one person showed up to get a coveted reservation, with the rest of the folks calling in or using the park’s online reservation system.
Park Manager Dave Tersteeg was elated. The new reservation system was working, with the phones blowing up at 8 a.m., but the office was free from the throngs of people that used to be there, standing in a long line to get in at 8 a.m. sharp.
The way the new reservation system works is that sites can be reserved six months in advance. On March 1, campsites can be booked for September arrival dates; April 1, October sites can be booked in the campground, and so on.
While folks still phone in their reservations, the park office also fills camping spots online at BookYourSite.com.
By the end of the day, the RV sites were filled for the Fisherman’s Picnic, and camping sites were going quick.
Overall, the new system has been working well, Tersteeg said. However, he admitted he did miss the excitement that used to come with the throngs of hopeful and happy people who came to enthusiastically book a spot in the park.
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