Tips and Tricks for A Successful RV Trip
Bring on the memories! If you want this summer to be the one your family talks about for years to come, then we’ve got some tips for planning your best-ever RV trips and some helpful ideas on how to prepare for your adventures.
Prep the RV: After you’ve de-winterized the inside and outside of your rig, you’ll need to do a few more things. Wash any bedding or towels stored in the RV, as well as any cooking or dining items. Throw out old toiletries, wipe down lawn furniture, and give the floors, rugs and curtains a quick clean.
Research the perfect spot: Have a location in mind? Search it online or ask others for recommendations. If you’re not sure where you’re headed, now is a great time to ask other travelers what their favorite destinations have been. Be open-minded and think outside the box. Then make sure you reserve a campsite ahead of time – many take reservations and fill up quickly. You can also check out sites like RVillage for peer-to-peer advice; apps like Campendium, which work like Yelp for RVers; and specialty sites like Harvest Hosts that offers unique places to stay.
Prepare for your destination and the weather: Stage the gear you might need at your destination if you plan to do things like fishing, hiking, boating, cycling or other outdoor activities. And check the forecast to pack appropriate clothing and gear. If it looks like you could encounter storms, make sure you’ve packed some indoor entertainment – card and board games, portable DVD player or laptop for movie night, Bluetooth speaker, books, simple crafts, etc.
Also consider that if you do encounter bad weather, having an RV ventilation system that can operate in all types of weather will be exceptionally important to keeping your coach’s interior comfortable. Maxxair Covers allow vents to be open and fans to be on in all kinds of weather with models that fit over most standard 14" x 14" roof vents and fans.
Outline your route and timeline: Take into consideration things like busy metropolitan areas, tolls, construction and rest stops. Are there places of interest to stop along the way? Will you encounter low bridges, narrow roads, steep inclines or declines that you’ll need to navigate? Are you on a mission to get to your destination ASAP so you can spend time there, or are you in more of a “the journey is part of the destination” frame of mind? If you think you’ll be in a location where cell service might be spotty, consider printing out maps or directions just in case.
Build a budget: Affordable travel like RVing still has a price. Gas costs and campground fees as well as food costs and additional money for sightseeing (things like entrance fees for National Parks or attractions you plan to visit) should be included in your vacation budget.
Meal prep: Plan out a week’s worth of meals and shop accordingly. If you can prepare and freeze bigger meals before you go, then they’re easy to defrost, heat and serve on the road. Meal prep done at home means more time on vacation for, well, vacation.
On the other hand, for those that love to cook Suburban offers a wide range of cooking appliances with residential style features and outdoor accessibility that upgrade RV kitchen options for the gourmet who loves to travel.
We know you can’t wait to get out on the road. Check out our upcoming blogs for more handy tips and checklists, as well as suggestions for some of the best places to take a RV trip this year.