Our methods vary. Sometimes we make what look like fairly firm plans, other times they are vague like "we will be in Jacksonville, Florida for Thanksgiving so we need to move in that general direction".

I have a road atlas with a two page US map, and all the routes we have taken highlighted. That makes it easy to see where we have not traveled. I use Microsoft Streets and Trips to do "what if" trip planning, others use Delorme Street Atlas, others use physical maps. There are download sites off the internet to put in all the campgrounds, truck stops, etc, so you can have more complete information while planning. Places, including national parks, state capitals, where relatives and friends live, can give you a reason to go to a particular location or to include someplace on your route. We want to be south in winter, and far north or up in elevation in summer.

Some find comfort or family/friend pressure that puts them in certain places at certain times. We know many who go back to the same place every winter, or summer with the grandkids, someone's house for Thanksgiving, or an annual visit to a particular doctor. Others like to mix it up, varying where they winter and even if they stay still in winter, or not being back somewhere each year at all.

Are you only thinking of full timing a couple years or indefinitely? Will you feel let down if you don't see most of your top list of places? How much can you travel in a year, due to finances and/or the hassle? Do you need or want to workcamp? How far will you comfortably travel in a day, week, or month? Ask yourselves these kind of questions and your subconscious will start giving you some answers.

We shoot from the hip most of the time...there is always a Wallmart, Truckstop, or Rest area if you get caught driving to late....

I was hoping to be F/T this year, but the rate things are going (fixing up the house to put it on the market, demanding $$$ which we don't have and every time we save up enough, the car breaks down or something else comes up that diverts the funds) it may not be until 2014 or 2015.

We've been putting together a bucket list of events (like Burning Man) and places we want to visit. We would take our time getting there and plan out a route along the way. Another idea I had, when we don't have any plans, is to put 9 numbers in a bag and pick out 5 of them. Those 5 numbers form a zip code -- look up where that zip code is located and go there (or as close as possible). I suppose that's similar to playing "Pin the Tail on the Donkey) using a map of the US instead of donkey!

I believe the fun of Rving is finding places you would like to visit. If all doesn't go exactly as planned there are so many other things to see and do. I work camped and I had to look for places that accepted singles; which is like finding hens teeth in a haypile. First I would look at places where I would like to be; then search for employ in the area. If that didn't work then I would look for the employ that I would enjoy; how many months i had to commit; any interesting places to see; close to shopping and medical; etc.
What's nice about RVing is you can change what you do; how you do it; and when. You can get as many different views out your windows; just by moving locations!

We have a general direction and wing it from there. Sort of a shotgun approach.