If you happen to’re questioning methods to plan an RV journey, I’ve 5 straightforward steps for you. These steps will present the framework so that you can construct the most effective RV journey ever on…
Planning an RV journey could be overwhelming, particularly whenever you’re first beginning. You notice there are a whole lot of logistics to think about, like the place to cease, how far to drive, and methods to steadiness the funds.
In contrast to different RV planning guides, I’m not going to listing apparent steps, like “decide a vacation spot” or “search for issues to do close by.” Somewhat, I’m going to deal with the logistics that can truly present a framework to your total journey.
Earlier than I get into these 5 straightforward steps, nevertheless, I need to give you the best answer to your highway journey planning wants…
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One Step to Rule Them All
In reality, you may fully forego the 5 steps I’m about to stipulate. As an alternative of making your personal RV itinerary, you may merely buy one that’s custom-made to your chosen vacation spot.
I do know this may occasionally sound self-serving since I promote ready-made itineraries for RVers, however this is the explanation I write these RV journey guides. It’s to share my tried-and-proven highway journeys with fellow RVers so that they don’t should stress over planning or find yourself with a disappointing journey.
So, self-serving or not, I like to recommend you contemplate shopping for an RV journey information for wherever you need to journey. It doesn’t even should be certainly one of my journey guides! In truth, mine might not even go to the place you need to journey.
If you need to have a look, right here is my number of RV Adventure Guides with locations starting from Florida to the Nice Lakes to the Southwest and lots in between.
Easy methods to Plan an RV Journey Your self
If you happen to do need to plan an RV journey your self, there are 5 straightforward steps you may observe. These following steps provides you with a jumpstart in your planning efforts and kind a framework to plan the main points round.
They are going to make it easier to decide how far you need to journey, what routes you need to take, and different logistical issues to plan round.
Step 1: Use the 330 Rule to Define Your Timeline
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Most skilled RVers have discovered to not push themselves for too lengthy or too far on the highway. It’s a lesson Jennifer and I discovered once we first hit the highway over a decade in the past.
I, particularly, pushed us to drive farther and longer than we should always have so “we might see as a lot as potential.” The issue is, we ended up not having fun with as a lot as potential.
After pulling as much as too many campsites exhausted, annoyed, and bickering, we adopted the 330 Rule of RVing. The principles goes like this:
Don’t drive greater than 330 miles a day or arrive at your vacation spot later than 3:30 pm.
As a brand new RVer, it’s possible you’ll be pondering, Psh, I can do greater than that. That’s too limiting.
Properly, you’d be proper, at the least on the primary half. You can do greater than that in a day, however most skilled RVers would say you shouldn’t. As a result of pushing your self greater than that’s more likely to restrict your enjoyment.
Step 2: Select Routes Utilizing RV GPS
Don’t make the quite common mistake of utilizing normal GPS to route your RV journey. You’ll doubtless find yourself on roads which are not RV pleasant!
This implies you possibly can encounter low overpasses, tight corners, slim roads, weight limits, and different “roadblocks” that can impede your journey. Or worse, threaten your security.
You have to use RV GPS, which takes into consideration your RV dimension, weight, top, and extra. It can filter routes primarily based on these components and different settings.
Jennifer and I take advantage of the RV LIFE App, which is an RV-safe GPS. You will get this GPS app by itself, however I like to recommend you purchase the complete RV LIFE suite of instruments.
The bundle is a a lot better deal and the opposite instruments will come to play within the following steps. In truth, you should use RV LIFE Trip Wizard and the opposite instruments to plan your total RV Journey (we do!).
RV LIFE Professional provides you 4-memberships-in-1 to:
- RV LIFE Journey Wizard
- RV LIFE Campground Critiques
- RV LIFE App (RV-Secure GPS)
- RV LIFE Upkeep Tracker
Simply to be clear, you get all 4 of those instruments in a single with an RV LIFE Professional membership. The annual membership is barely $59 a yr (lower than $5 a month) and features a 7-day free trial.
Since we’ve used their instruments for years, we turned companions with RV LIFE so our readers might get the most effective deal. You may use this discount link for extra savings and add this coupon code: RVLIFESTYLE to avoid wasting 25% off!
Step 3: Examine Campground Critiques from REAL RVers
Sadly, many seedy campgrounds have found out methods to “cheat” mainstream evaluation platforms. They pay folks to write down constructive critiques, add false critiques, and extra.
It’s finest to seek advice from evaluation platforms focusing on tenting and RV journey. You’re more likely to seek out trustworthy critiques.
If you happen to determine to get the RV LIFE Professional suite of instruments, it consists of RV LIFE Campground Critiques. As you may guess, these are campground critiques however, extra importantly, they’re submitted by REAL RVers from the RV LIFE group.
Better of all, you may see up-to-date photos of the campgrounds taken by the reviewers. These will prevent from studying the arduous manner that some campgrounds don’t dwell as much as their previous or staged web site images.
And do not forget to ask in our Facebook Group! Or higher but, do a Search contained in the Group to your locations and see what earlier threads say after which ask questions. There are at the moment over 147,000 RVers in there that can assist you out.
STEP 4: Depart Room for Serendipity
One other very important step to planning an RV journey is to not over-plan! If you’re making your itinerary, make sure to go away room for serendipity. On this context, “serendipity” is any “blissful shock you need to discover extra.”
That may imply leaving room to make an sudden cease in an enthralling city or go off-route to take a look at a roadside attraction you noticed on a billboard. Or, it might imply diverting your plans to strive that restaurant the native on the gasoline station really useful.
Regardless of the case, you need to buffer your fastidiously deliberate RV itinerary with unplanned room for diversions. You’ll be taught that Serendipity will lead you to a number of the finest locations and experiences you possibly can’ve by no means deliberate!
STEP 5: Monitor Your Finances
I’m going to imagine that you have already got a funds to your highway journey. So, as a substitute of telling you to create a funds, I’m going to supply one other piece of recommendation. Monitor your funds!
As with something in life, surprises and sudden bills usually crop up on a highway journey that impacts your funds. It’s a good suggestion to maintain observe of issues on the go so you may alter as wanted.
Plus, monitoring your funds on this journey will make it easier to higher plan for the following journey. You’ll have higher and extra lifelike expectations for every line merchandise.
The RV LIFE Journey Wizard app has a budget-estimating feature which you could replace as you go. However in case you’d like another choice, I additionally advocate Dave Ramsey’s EveryDollar budgeting app. They’ve a free choice you should use.
Bear in mind, in case you do determine to get the RV LIFE Professional suite of instruments, it can save you 25% through the use of this link and coupon code: RVLIFESTYLE.
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