It doesn’t get much better than a perfect RV trip. Whether it’s just a weekend getaway or a marathon 3 month trip across the whole country you can’t beat it.
However, people always worry that they’re not making the most out of their time away. The good news is that we have one tip that will solve all your woes.
Plan in advance.
We know that sounds too easy but it’s true. By picking out your campsite, route, and activities in advance you can make sure you have enough time to do everything you want to do on your holiday. You can wave goodbye to FOMO.
This article will be assuming that you have already subscribed to an RV membership program. If you haven’t check out this article on the best RV campground memberships.
Plan in advance
The key to getting the most out of your RV trip is to plan in advance. Although spontaneous trips can be fun, they are often inefficient. The only way to guarantee a good trip is to prepare for it. That way before you leave you’ll know where all the best restaurants are, what trails are plagued by gnats, and that you have a space waiting for you when you get there.
Pick your campsite
This step is easy, hop on your RV membership’s website and pick out the campsite that calls to you the most. If you are looking to travel in peak-season booking in advance is essential.
Pick your route
There is nothing worse than discovering your route isn’t RV friendly when you’re halfway through it. To avoid this you can plan your route in advance. This is especially important if you are visiting a new area. You don’t want to damage your RV on a low bridge or get stuck on a narrow road and have to reverse for a mile.
If you don’t feel like breaking out a paper map then there are tons of free online tools that you can use – our favorite is RV Trip Wizard.
Pick up a local travel guide
How does spending days, if not months visiting all the good, the bad, and the ugly locations in each town you’re planning to visit sound? Ugh…What if we told you someone had already done that for you? Sounds better, right?
This is the joy of travel guide books. Everything worth knowing about where you’re visiting is stored in one, well-curated book. All you have to do is flick through it and pick out any points of interest.
If you’re looking for a paper-free option then check out Tours by Locals (you can even use this website to hire a local tour guide). Tripadvisor is a great resource for checking out local restaurants in advance.
Pick out your activities
The final step in planning your trip is to schedule your days. This doesn’t mean you have to have a minute by minute plan of what you’re going to do, but knowing where you’re going to be on which days can be really helpful.
Research any activities you want to do in advance. This way you can discover how long it will take you to get there, how long the activity will take, if you need to book them in advance, etc.
Whilst the research may seem like a chore for some of you it will be worth it to avoid disappointment when you arrive and can’t do everything you want to do. You may also notice a gap in your schedule that you can plug with an activity you otherwise wouldn’t have had time for.
Another benefit of planning your activities in advance is that you will know exactly what to pack. Knowing what days you’re planning to eat at a restaurant means you will know exactly how much food you will need to bring, or what days you will need to visit a grocery store.
This is also helpful for preparing for activities that require specific outfits like hiking or visiting a waterpark. No one wants to climb a mountain in black skinny jeans….
Make the most of your membership perks
Our final tip is to make sure you use the perks of your RV membership. Most memberships provide some sort of perks. It may be discounts on local restaurants or attractions, The Good Sam Club even provides a discount on fuel.
By planning in advance and being aware of what perks your membership offers you’ll be able to squeeze every last drop of value out of your membership and pack your trip with as much fun and relaxation as possible.
