Whether you’re eager for a weekend RV camping trip or you’re thinking of joining the 140,000 people living in vans across the US, you have to come up with a plan before you hit the road.
While there are lots of websites, online maps, and smartphone apps to help you devise the perfect RV trip plan, starting the planning process can sometimes feel a little overwhelming. Especially if you’re new to the world of RV trip planning.
Luckily, we’re here to help! Keep reading to learn how to plan an RV road trip with these five simple tricks!
1. Outline Your Route
As well as a basic idea of the length of your trip and the area of the US you’re headed to, you’ll want to narrow in on some potential RV destinations to stop and see along the way. This route should include the cities or attractions you want to visit and which campgrounds you plan to stay in. And don’t forget to consider route logistics such as whether there are any RV-friendly gas stations on the way, and if it’s possible to avoid tolls, narrow roads, and steep inclines.
2. Create a Schedule
Once you have a route for your RV road trip, you can start to get more specific about where you’ll be and when.
Sketching out a rough schedule helps ensure that you have enough time to hit all of your main attractions. It also gives you an idea of which RV camping grounds you might need to book. Although this can limit your spontaneity, reserving in advance is essential if you’re traveling during busy periods or heading to a popular national park.
And remember, you won’t have much energy to visit places after a long day of driving, so be sure to factor this into your timeline!
3. Devise a Budget
An RV road trip might be a more affordable way to see the country, but no travel is free. An important part of RV trip planning is to devise a budget for gas, food, sightseeing fees, campground charges, and the like. Once you start adding things up, it’ll be easier to see where you’ll need to rein it in a little – especially if you wanted to cover hundreds of miles or dine out most nights.
4. Prepare Your RV
If you’re planning on investing in this product to take you cross-country, you won’t have to do a lot of prep. But in most cases, whether you’re going for a rental or you already have a van of your own, you’ll need to ensure that your RV is road-ready and suited to the kind of trip you want to take. This might mean taking your van in for a tune-up, kitting it out with new gear, or choosing the right rental wisely.
5. Decide What to Pack
With your RV, your route, your timeline, and your budget all planned out, all that’s left to do is pack! But since your means of transport is also your accommodation, that means remembering RV camping essentials such as pots and pans, bedding, and food as well as your usual vacation items, such as clothing and toiletries.
Devising the Perfect RV Trip Plan
Figuring out an RV trip plan that suits your budget, timeline, and covers all the places you’d hoped to see can be tricky.
But, with these tips to guide you, RV trip planning should now be a lot easier! Want more inspiring ideas like these? Be sure to check out our other blog posts for all the latest on everything from parenting to travel!