Planning an RV trip? Not every detail of the trip needs to be planned when you head out on the open road in your home away from home; however, there are a few habits you need to carry out regularly to help you get the most out of your trip so you can enjoy yourself as much as possible and eliminate as many issues as you can before you leave.
Let’s take a look at some good habits to have in place when planning your next RV trip.
Booking Full Hook Up Sites in Advance
Full hookup sites are the sites that have everything you need for you to access. These are water, electricity, and sewer facilities, and they can make your stay much more comfortable, even if it’s just for one night. However, they fill up really fast. As you can imagine, they’re popular.
Booking in advance isn’t just about securing your spot; it is about getting the right spot. You can choose from spots that have good shade, for example, are away from the generator noise or neighboring rigs, and are perfectly positioned for easy access in and out and for the rest of the amenities on offer. If you’re not doing anything else, check out full-hook-up sites like ETown RV Park early so you get a pick of the prime spots.
Keep a Maintenance Log
An RV will need considerably more maintenance than your standard vehicle. There are more components to maintain, more parts that can go wrong, especially over long travel seasons.
You need to keep simple logs that enable you to track every repair service, part replacement, etc and know when it was carried out.
Plus, when things go wrong, and they will, you have it to hand to give to your mechanic, who then has the bigger picture of what is going on, making diagnosing problems easier and faster.
Build in Rest Days
One thing that’s really important for any traveler, regardless of how they travel, is having rest days. Sure, you might already be driving in the place you sleep, but you also need to build time into your itinerary to stop and relax. Take a break or book an extra night than you normally would in places to relax or simply explore the area around you. Driving consistently can be tiring even if you’re not actually doing anything else.
Research Dump Stations
This is really important. When you’re planning your route, make sure you’re finding dumping routes too. Dump stations aren’t evenly distributed along every route, especially if you’re not following usual routes. Assuming you will easily find one can be a recipe for disaster and lead to increased costs. You can use apps such as Dump Stations and RV Dumps, for example, which can help you find dump stations along your journey so you can build in pit stops for this as and when needed.
Check the Weather
Sure, the weather can change on a dime; however, having some idea of what to expect in different locations at the time you’re planning to visit can help you avoid some extreme weather changes in different locations and states. The thing is, weather can genuinely impact RV travel outside of extreme weather events. High winds make it more difficult for large motorhomes and fifth wheels will struggle on exposed highways, while extreme heat will overwork air conditioning units in rigs too. It’s worth knowing in advance so you’re prepared.
