Same-Day Reservations vs. Walk-Up Mobile Payments: What’s the Difference?
At Set Your Sites, our mission is to make campground operations smoother for staff and more convenient for campers. One of the most common things we hear from campgrounds is we already have real-time availability, we have a reservation system...but do you really?
So let's talk about what’s the difference between same-day reservations and walk-up mobile payments.
While both options cater to last-minute campers, they serve different needs and offer unique benefits to both campground managers and visitors. Here’s a quick guide to help you understand how each works and when to use them.
🚐 Same-Day Reservations
What it is:
Campers book an available campsite online on the same day they plan to arrive — typically through a reservation portal linked to your campground’s website.
How it works:
Campers browse your reserved site’s availability. They choose an open spot and pay online using a credit card or digital wallet.
Once booked, that site is marked as reserved in your system to avoid double-booking. This doesn't necessarily mean this guest will show up.
Best For:
Parks with designated campsites that need clear visibility into who is coming.
Staff who want to maintain control over site assignments.
Encouraging early commitment from campers, even if it's last-minute.
Benefits:
✅ Minimizes overbookings and takes away unnecessary black out periods
✅ Provides park staff with advance notice of arrivals
✅ Gives campers peace of mind that they have a guaranteed spot
📱 Walk-Up Mobile Payments
What it is:
A fully self-service option where campers scan a QR code upon arrival, select their site (if available), and pay on the spot — without needing to create an account or interact with staff.
How it works:
Campers pull into the park and find an open site.
They scan a posted QR code with their phone.
The mobile-friendly payment page lets them pay instantly and register their stay.
Best For:
Campgrounds with first-come, first-served sites or flexible sites like offered through Set Your Sites. You don't have to designate reserved and walk-up with us, a site is a site and can function as either.
Areas with drop-in traffic or unpredictable visitation patterns.
Benefits:
✅ Instant, no-hassle transactions
✅ No app or login required
✅ Reduces paperwork and envelope dropboxes
✅ Captures revenue from visitors who might otherwise stay without paying
Which Is Right for Your Campground?
Campgrounds benefit from offering both options. Same-day reservations provide structure and predictability, while walk-up mobile payments allow flexibility and faster turnarounds.
With Set Your Sites, you don’t have to choose — we build systems that support both models so your visitors can book how and when they want, and your staff can focus on enhancing the camping experience instead of tracking down payments.
Want to learn more about adding same-day or mobile payment tools to your park?
Contact us — we’d love to show you a demo!
