The Worst Advice We've Ever Heard About RVing

An RV trip doesn’t require a lot of preparation.

A successful RV adventure always involves loads of preparation! Your trip will become a living nightmare if you don’t plan accordingly. Planning your RV trip should begin months or even a year before you visit a destination. There are a number of essentials that are necessary to make your next RV trip smooth sailing, including:

√  A reservation at a state park (Popular state parks are booked up to a year in advance.)

√  Travel budget

√  Food supply

√  A planned out travel route

√  Places you want to stop to sightsee and rest for the night

When traveling in your RV...

...Never pack more than you think you’ll need.

Packing too much stuff will add weight to your load and driving a heavier camping rig will decrease your gas mileage, leading to a more costly trip. In addition, you will be at a disadvantage when braking and accelerating compared to the cars around you, making your trip especially accident-prone. A simple way to shed some cargo pounds is to substitute your glass products with plastic products. In addition, you could take items out of their bulky packaging and store them in zip-lock bags. Ultimately, only bring what you know you will need. Remember, more food can be purchased on the road!

Tips for the Perfect Fall Hike

With spectacular changing leaves and cool, crisp air, fall is the best time of the year to head out on a hike and explore the beauty of nature. Before you start packing up your RV, check out our top three fall hiking tips to plan the most amazing adventure. 

1) Find the perfect trail:

When you are hiking in the fall, it’s easy to find beautiful trails for all skill levels. You can spend a relaxing afternoon exploring local conservation land or taking a loop around your favorite lake. If you’re looking for more of a challenge, strap on some sturdy boots and conquer a mountain for 360 degree views of nature at its finest.

2) Dress for the weather—any weather:

The weather can change quickly on a fall hike, especially at elevation. Even the most beautiful days can turn into a sneak preview of winter. Therefore, it’s essential to pack smart and dress in layers. Make sure to bring a rain jacket, gloves, extra socks and a warm hat. Fortunately, today’s hiking gear is thinner, warmer and more versatile than ever. Unless you’re trekking through the Himalayas, you can carry everything you need for a day trip in a comfortable pack.

How to Protect Your RV’s Exterior This Winter

In order to ensure that your RV is protected throughout the harsh winter months, you’ll need to winterize its exterior. Winterizing your RV’s exterior will prevent water from entering through the side walls & roof of your rig. It will also prevent rodents and insects festering through openings in your RV’s underbelly. All of these unfortunate events could potentially ruin your entire RV and leave you a very unhappy camper come springtime. If these damages don’t ruin your entire RV, they will cost a lot of money to fix!

Find and repair damages to your RV’s exterior

1. Thoroughly wash and inspect the exterior of your RV using the appropriate cleaners. Make sure you clean off all the pine pitch and debris to keep your RV’s paint color looking brand new for future use.

2. Use a non-abrasive cleaner on the sides of your RV and a dedicated roof cleaner for the roof.

3. Once you finish thoroughly washing your RV, you want to make sure you check all of the following spots for damages:

• Roof seams and seals
• Vertical seam seals
• Vent covers
• Exterior window seals
• Exterior lighting seals
• Slide-out room seals

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Class B Motorhome

The Class B motorhome, also known as a camping conversion van, includes a raised roof and dropped floor to provide additional headroom. Class Bs are super easy to maneuver due to their resemblance of your average family car. Even though these motorhomes are small, they still offer many of the conveniences that you would find in your own home, such as a kitchen, bathroom, bed and a good amount of storage space. 

These motorhomes range in size from 16 feet to 22 feet depending on the floor plan, and they can range in price from $60,000 to $150,000 depending on the manufacturer. Class Bs are also available in both gas and diesel.

Class Bs are perfect for those who don’t need as much space as the Class A and Class C. They are great if if you like to pick up and go wherever and whenever, especially if you enjoy spending more time outdoors than in your RV. The Class B motorhome is also ideal for retired couples who enjoy moving from place to place without having to worry about setting up and tearing down. If you enjoy a more minimalist lifestyle, the Class B is for you.

Class A Motorhome

Otherwise known as the king of motorhomes, the Class A is the largest of its kind, and it resembles a rock star’s tour bus. As a matter of fact, you will feel like a rock star exploring the country in a Class A motorhome because of its luxurious amenities. This style of motorhome has almost every amenity your home has, including a washer and dryer, king-size bed, full-size fridge, outside entertainment center, and much more! The Class A proves why RVs can be considered a home on wheels.

Class As range in size from 21 feet to a whopping 45 feet. Imagine all the people you could fit in a 45 footer! You can also choose a gas or a diesel model. The price for a Class A motorhome can range from $50,000 to $500,000 depending on the brand and options you choose. However, you can find a used model for much cheaper.

How to Stabilize Your RV

Now that your RV is level, you’ll want to stabilize it so it doesn’t rock back and forth when you walk around inside. You should use stabilizing jacks to accomplish this.

Note: These should never be used to level a rig, as they weren’t designed for that purpose.

Stabilizing jacks come in several configurations. The most common is the scissor jack, which is usually bolted or welded to the trailer’s frame at the front and rear.

Pop-up tent trailers are frequently equipped with a drop-down style jack, which, as the name implies, drops down from the frame.

To use the stabilizing jacks after you’ve leveled the RV:

1. Lower the jacks following the manufacturer’s instructions. To save time and give the foot of each jack a larger base, slide a couple of short 2×4- or 2×6-inch boards beneath each foot. This is especially helpful if the ground is loose or sandy.
2. Once the jack foot is in contact with the ground, give the crank a few extra turns to provide the trailer a secure footing. Check the bubble level to make sure your RV remains level. Do this for all four corners.

And that’s how to park and level an RV! Your RV is now safely in the campsite and ready to enjoy. When you get ready to leave just reverse these steps, remembering to raise the jacks to their travel position, and collect and store your leveling boards or blocks.

How to Park an RV

You’ve finally made it to the campground. But before you can run off to the lake or go for a hike, the first order of the day is to park and level your RV so that your refrigerator will operate properly and you don’t find yourself in bed at night with your feet higher than your head.

Never assume your site will be flat or level. That would make parking an RV too easy. Due to the nature of camping, chances are higher that your site will be rutted, gouged and somewhat uneven. But don’t fret. You can still get your RV into your spot, and leveled so it operates properly, with a few easy steps. Here’s how:

How to Park an RV

With many campsites designed to accommodate smaller vehicles, easing your 30-foot long fifth-wheeler or even longer motorhome into some spots can be a challenge.

That’s why it’s important to:

• Verify that your RV can get to your campsite. While the roads in most campgrounds are easy to navigate, there are still some that could be difficult to access due to hairpin turns and tight squeezes among boulders and trees. Some camping websites post caution notices to warn owners of longer rigs that they might want to consider another campground. If such warnings don’t appear on the website and you have concerns, contact the campground directly and ask.

RV Generator and Battery Maintenance

Refrigerator, lights, microwave, water heater all run on the generator. Most manufacturers recommend oil changes every 100 hours. If you do not know when the last time the oil was changed, do it before you leave for a road trip. The process is simple and quick. Change the spark plug as well if you do not know when it was last serviced.

Before you leave check the electrolyte levels in your inverter batteries as well. Follow the instructions as to specific gravity and water levels (use only distilled water with deep-cycle batteries). Of course, when working with battery acid, always wear rubber gloves and eye protection.

RV's Water Tank

The thought of dumping and cleaning gray water (sinks, shower) and black water (toilet) tanks on an RV might sound unpleasant and complex to first-timers, but these tasks - along with sanitizing your fresh water tank - are actually pretty simple.

A good rule of thumb is to partially drain the gray tank first before traveling to ensure there are no leaks around the sewer hose and elbow. Once you have confirmed a tight seal, close the gray tank and open the black tank completely. When it is finishing draining, empty the rest of the gray tank to act as a de-facto rinse for the hose. The place you connect the flush hose once the tanks are empty will be clearly marked on your rig.

Sanitizing the fresh water tank is important, particularly in rentals and RVs that have been in storage for extended periods. Fill your fresh water tank and add 1/2 cup of bleach for every 15 gallons of water. Make certain you bypass the drinking water dispenser on your kitchen sink and the water heater line to prevent bleach from getting in them.

Turn on every faucet, including the shower, until you smell bleach. Drive your RV from one fill station to another. This will swish the bleach water around in the system. After you drain the bleach water out and refill with fresh water only, run the water until you can no longer smell bleach. This step might have to be repeated if the bleach smell remains when the refilled tank is approaching empty again.

Road Trip Packing Tips

 

When you've got an entire RV for a suitcase, the impulse can be to bring along everything. Lighten your load by keeping these tips in mind:

When it comes to clothes, less is more. You don't need every pair of designer jeans in your wardrobe, nor scores of socks. One perk of having your own wheels is that a fresh set of clothes is as close as the nearest coin laundry.

Stick to 1 bag per person. The 1-suitcase rule is ace for preventing over packing. Avoid bulky hard-case suitcases if possible; opt instead for soft duffel bags and backpacks, which can be more easily squeezed into limited trunk space.

Keep the essentials within reach. A sturdy canvas bag kept within easy reach of the front seat and stocked with items such as road maps, games for the kids kept in plastic baggies, a first-aid kit, sunglasses, handiwipes and a pocket knife will make dealing with surprises on the road easier.

*Don't forget blankets and travel pillows for sleepy passengers.

Surviving a Road Trip With Kids

For families traveling with young kids in tow, that redundant "Are we there yet?" mantra can spin you into insanity like a Cyndi Lauper CD stuck on a repeat. Here go a few hints to help divert attention elsewhere:

Start a scavenger Hunt: Prevent back-seat brawls by giving young passengers a list of items to look for along the road. In cities, think flashing traffic lights or black-and-white pedestrian crosswalks. In the countryside, have them scout for a grain silo or a cow that's lying down. The more elusive the items, the longer the fun (and the peace) will last.

Play the License Plate Game: This perennial road-trip favorite is sure to keep them focused (for a while, anyway); you can up the ante by awarding bonus points for sightings of license plates from Mexico, Hawaii and United States.

Music to the Rescue: A family sing-a-long can neutralize nitpicking by putting the focus elsewhere (how about a long and laborious version of '99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall'?). When things get chaotic, switching to classical music or talk shows with calm personalities (think NPR) can lead to an overall calming effect in the car.

Snacks: We're not saying food should be used Pavlov-style to induce good behavior, but a juice box or stick of string cheese pulled out at precisely the right moment can work wonders when it comes to tantrum control. Ginger snaps are a great snack food that works double-time by helping combat carsickness.

Vintage RVs

Discover why vintage RVs are the coolest way to travel according to Roadtrippers.

Camping Smart

When planning for your next camping trip, make sure you take safety and security into account. Here are some key safety measures to camp safely and wisely.

Kenai Fjords National Park

Where Mountains, Ice and Ocean Meet

Kenai Fjords National Park’s nearly 40 glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield, the park’s crowning feature. Wildlife flourishes in frigid, nutrient-rich waters and lush forests around this extensive land of ice. The Alutiiq people depend on these resources to sustain a life entwined with the sea.

Kenai Fjords National Park is located near the Southcentral Alaskan town of Seward, 125 miles (201 km) south of Anchorage.

2016 Jayco Jay Feather Hybrid 16XRB

Enjoy easy towing and easy living with the 2016 Jay Feather 7. This ultra-lite goes heavy on upgraded features—with a three-burner cooktop and oven in select model; large-bowl kitchen sink; and Denver Mattress® bunk mats.

Crystal Cave

Crystal Cave is your underground adventure in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California, and is vastly decorated with stalagmites, stalactites, columns, flowstone, helictites, along with some of the rarest cave formations – shields!

Driftwood Provincial Park

Sitting on the banks of a lake-calm section of the Ottawa River, an hour upstream from the river’s monster rapids and across the river from the mouth of Quebec’s famous Dumoine River, Driftwood is all about getting on the water. The Ottawa River campsites are sandy waterfront, perfect for swimming or launching a kayak or canoe. Plus, you can access the park’s 14 kilometres of hiking trails right from the campgrounds.

Things to do: Head downriver to Pembroke and hop aboard a commercial raft for a run down the world-famous Ottawa River rapids. Whitewater kayakers and canoeists can drive over to Quebec and run a section of the Dumoine River, or paddle the Dumoine right down to the Ottawa and then back to camp. Flatwater paddlers should explore the shoreline around the park and head across the river to the mouth of the Dumoine, where it cascades into the Ottawa. This is also lake country—there are plenty of water bodies to paddle, including those in nearby Algonquin Provincial Park. Or you could give your upper body a break and hike the short Oak Highland Trail to a lookout over the Ottawa River.

On scorchers, hit the Laurentian View Dairy, about a half hour south of the park, for primo ice cream.

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An easy, delicious granola made over the grill or campfire- Perfect for outdoor getaways or camping!