Traveling by RV is a wonderful way to enjoy a vacation to the driving destination of your choice. As with any kind of travel, though, it’s a good idea to plan ahead so you can make the most of your experience and avoid pitfalls and mistakes.
The great news is that with RV travel, you have a lot of options. With this in mind, let’s look at six important tips for making the most of your RV experience.
Tip 1: You Can Budget
It’s always nice to save money when you travel, and traveling by RV is one of the best ways to do that. With an RV, you’re much more in control of what you spend than you are with essentially any other form of travel.
Think about it: not only can you travel where you want, provided it has roads, but you can also take your accommodation with you. If you plan ahead for a camping trip, you can have fun traveling to any number of reasonably-priced destinations, and you don’t have to worry about overpriced hotels along the way.
Tip 2: Keep Meals Simple
RVs have limited amounts of space, so it isn’t a good idea to overdo it on stocked food. Keep it simple by planning your meals ahead of time, and remember the RV has limited space and most likely very simple food preparation utilities as well.
There’s a tendency for some beginners to overstock food, thinking that they will need far more food than they actually will. What you’re likely to find is that you can stock a modest amount of food and have no shortage of enjoyable, easy-to-prepare meals.
Remember also that you are driving a vehicle. If need be, you can always make additional trips to the store.
Tip 3: Bring the Tools and Spare Parts You’ll Need
RVing is one of those hobbies that is known for tool use: RV enthusiasts have a tendency to be DIY types, able to fix problems when and as they arise.
It’s a good idea to bring tools with you, but as with food, don’t overdo it. Remember, your RV has limited space in which to store things, and too much stuff in an enclosed space becomes clutter very quickly.
Definitely bring a basic tool kit, duct tape, and such useful articles as extra fuses, light bulbs, jumper cables, and the like. Also, if your rig has any parts that are unique to it, bring replacements.
You want enough of the right tools and spare parts to keep you going and allow you to make repairs at need, but not so many that you are overloading the RV. That’s why it is so important to keep up with your static caravan maintenance on your vehicle.
Tip 4: Campground Routine is Key
Setting up a campground is integral to the RV experience, and that means developing a campground routine. Here it’s a good idea to have a checklist, so that you get used to the process of setting up an RV campground and know what to look out for.
First and foremost, your checklist should include a survey of the grounds you’ll be camping on. Look out for potential trip hazards, such as low-hanging branches, as well as anything else that might be hazardous or unpleasant.
After that, you’ll want to find the hookups for electrical, water, and sewage. You’ll need to pull the RV in close to the hookups, level it, secure it by chocking the wheels, and then and only then connect it.
Tip 5: RV Campsites Are Social Places
If you’re used to traveling and then staying in a hotel, you may be surprised by the sociality of RV campsites. People tend to be much more friendly in these sites, which function more like miniature, ephemeral neighborhoods than hotels.
Think of an RV campsite as an opportunity to spread out, particularly if you are traveling with an entire family. Best of all, if you bring bicycles you will be able to see more of the surrounding area and get a bit of exercise.
Tip 6: Get an RV Extended Service Plan
Here’s the thing about RVs: like automobiles, they’re prone to a certain amount of mechanical failures. Here’s the other thing about RVs: when they act up while you’re on vacation, it can spoil your entire vacation.
That’s where an RV extended service plan comes in, like the ones offered by Good Sam extended service plans. A good RV extended service plan means you’ll never have to worry about major repairs because they’re covered.
And where most RV extended warranties limit you to a specific dealership location or to specific service centers, a good extended service plan will cover you even if you’re thousands of miles and several states away from where you purchased your RV.
Enjoy your RV travels this summer and be sure to come back and share with us where you traveled to!
