Believe it or not, you can do a lot of traveling on one tank of gas. It might seem like a challenge, but you would be amazed at what you can discover if you prepare and plan your next trip accordingly. In this article, I want to give you my guide on how to plan a one-tank trip without breaking the bank!
Why Plan a One-Tank RV Trip?
First things first: Why a one-tank trip?
One-tank RV trips aren’t just about logistical ease. They’re about affordability. After all, depending on the size of your RV’s fuel tank and the cost of fuel in your area, filling the tank is likely to cost somewhere between about $130 (for a 40-gallon tank at $3.25 per gallon) and $600 (for a 150-gallon tank at $4.00 per gallon). In many cases, that’s less than even a single airline ticket.
One-tank RV trips are an affordable way to see the country at your own pace. Plus they offer the freedom and flexibility of never having to stand in a TSA line ever again, if you don’t want to.
Pick a Theme
Before planning a one-tank trip, it’s important to narrow down what you would like to do (and how much you’d like to spend). Are you in the mood to go out in nature, do you want to explore a new town or city, or maybe a little bit of both? Picking a theme for your trip and defining a budget ahead of time will help you narrow down your options and make it easy to find a trip close to you.
To define your budget, consider starting with a total figure you’d like to stay under. With a one-tank trip, it could be as little as $1,000 or even $500, depending on the way you travel! From there, figure out how much it’ll take to fill your tank (the local per-gallon cost of gas in your area multiplied by the number of gallons in your RV’s fuel tank) and subtract that amount from your total budget. What you have left is available to spend on the RV rental, campgrounds, meals, and to-dos. Easy peasy.
You can find what you are looking for on Google maps by typing “(Your theme, i.e camping spots) near me” in the search bar and see what pops up. You can also zoom in on Google maps to see a more detailed map and what else is going on in the area. You might find a cool town or something interesting and add it to your trip list!
Plenty of Nature to Explore!
One reason the United States is a unique place to travel is our abundance of protected land. Every State has protected land you can explore. The United States has over 6,600 state parks that cover over 14 million acres of land. No matter what part of the country you are in, you can plan a perfect one-tank trip by discovering our unique and abundant protected land. What makes discovering our parks so wonderful, is no two parks are the same, you can spend a lifetime discovering all the beautiful land our country has to offer.
And another bonus: protected lands are often among the cheapest places to camp! Many BLM lands allow dispersed or dry camping, otherwise known as boondocking, for no cost for up to 14 days. You’ll have to get a little rugged, but it can be a lot of fun. Additionally, our nation is full of hidden gem state parks that often feature campgrounds costing as little as $15 to $30 per night for full hookup sites.
Prep Food Ahead of Time
Another great way to save on a one-tank trip is to bring your meals with you. Along with being cheaper than eating out, this can also help you to avoid deviating from your route. Plan it out and make sure to pack what you love to eat. For me, when I’m doing a one-tank trip, I like to make my food the night before. It’s also good to have plenty of snacks on board!
One meal I love making is chicken salad sandwiches from scratch. It’s simply made with chicken (you can substitute this with chickpeas for a delicious vegetarian version), avocado mayo, diced onions, celery, cilantro, herbs (I love adding thyme to this meal), and lemon juice. Mix it all together and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, I’ll make my sandwich with whatever bread or bagels I have, and add lettuce, tomato, and cracked pepper! Pair with some fresh seasonal fruit, chips, and ice-cold water. I usually pack several sandwiches that I can eat throughout the day.
One-Tank RV Road Trip Cost Savings
Since cost savings is one of the biggest reasons travelers choose to take one-tank trips, let’s get into the details of how much it can save versus a longer and more drawn-out road trip — or a trip where you fly and stay in hotels.
| Expense | One-Tank RV Trip | Longer RV Trip | Flying and Hotels |
| RV Rental | Shorter timeframe; less expensive | Longer timeframe; more expensive | N/A |
| Fuel | $130 to $600 | Can easily be $500+ | Filling the rental car |
| Hotels | N/A | N/A | $150 to $300+ per night |
| Airfare | N/A | N/A | About $380 per ticket on average |
| Meals | $100 to $250 for groceries | $300+ for groceries, plus meals out | $500+ on restaurant meals |
As you can see, things can add up really quickly, while one-tank trips can easily keep your total budget quite low!
Don’t forget to pack this!
Now that you have your trip mapped out, it’s important to do a checklist and make sure your rig is ready to hit the open road! I always make a checklist so I don’t have to buy something I forgot while traveling (saves time, money, and gas!).
Before you pack, do a quick maintenance check. Make sure your tires are fully inflated, and everything is clean and good to go. (Check out my RV maintenance checklist here.)
Extra Water: Investing in a couple of extra 1-gallon water jugs can be handy, especially on a hot day. You can even find places on your one-tank trip to refill your water jugs just in case you need more.
Phone Battery Chargers: Make sure you have an extra phone charger or two with you just in case. It’s not fun forgetting to pack it and running out of battery juice! Believe me, I’ve been there.
Snacks: One can never have too many snacks! Make a list of your favorite snacks and make sure to bring plenty with you. While driving, I like to have my lunch box full of my favorite handheld snacks close by.
One-Tank RV Trips: Frequently Asked Questions
A one-tank RV trip is what it sounds like: a trip that takes only a single tank of fuel, round trip.
It depends on the type of RV, the size of its gas tank, and how many miles per gallon it gets. A Class C RV tends to get about 10 miles per gallon and has a 55-gallon tank on average, which means your one-tank RV trip can get you just about 500 miles (plus a little more) round trip.
The first thing you’ll need to know is how many miles your one tank gets you. Learn the size of your tank as well as your vehicle’s average mpg, and multiply those numbers. That’s the total mileage you have available on one tank. From there, you can pick a theme or choose destinations based on your preferred activities.
Yes! Most RVs have tanks big enough to get you a decent distance on just one tank of gas, so you’ll likely want to camp out for at least a night to fully enjoy your destination.
It depends, of course, on how many miles you’ll drive on one tank of fuel, as well as how far your destinations are. Technically, you could make a one-tank RV trip take a whole week if your destination is close and you’re not moving around much, or it could be a quick whirlwind weekend.
One-Tank Trips Near Major Cities
Looking for some travel inspiration? Here are a few options near several major American cities.
Chicago
- Starved Rock State Park: This beautiful park features scenic hiking, waterfalls, canyons and rivers, not to mention a well-appointed campground, and it’s just 1.5 hours from Chicago.
- Lakeside Drive to the Door Peninsula in Wisconsin: For most RVs, one tank of gas is easily enough to get you from the city up into the rugged Door Peninsula in east Wisconsin, where you can explore preserved wildernesses like Potawatomi State Park and many others.
Atlanta
- Tallulah Gorge State Park: Perfect for a quick weekend getaway that’ll make you feel like you’ve gone far beyond the confines of the big city, with beautiful gorge views and hikes.
- Chattanooga: A mountainous getaway, Chattanooga is across state lines but still close enough to Atlanta to do the trip on one tank for most. Plus, explore nearby Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest.
Dallas
- Possum Kingdom State Park: Funny name, beautiful lake — and a great place to camp. It’s all just about 90 minutes outside of the center of town.
- Austin: With one of the best music scenes in Texas, not to mention epic swimming holes and nature spots (and the flagship Whole Foods), Austin is a one-tank trip within reach for most RVs coming from Dallas.
Denver
- Cherry Creek State Park: Get out into the mountains without getting into the major crowds of Rocky Mountain National Park. Plus, enjoy on-site camping, all in Denver’s backyard.
- White River National Forest: If you’re looking to get even further out into the wilderness, this rugged landscape is just 100 miles from downtown Denver; an easy and unforgettable one-tank trip.
Los Angeles
- Joshua Tree National Park: A classic for a reason. It’s close-by, one-of-a-kind, and totally within reach on one tank.
- Angeles National Forest: What an incredible resource for Angelinos to have right in their own backyard! Hike, camp, relax, and enjoy a truly affordable but totally away-from-it-all vacation.
- Coast Trip to SLO: San Luis Obispo is only about 200 miles from Los Angeles, making it a one-tank-able trip for many RVers. You might cheat a little bit if you take time to explore the coast, but it might also be worth it.
Seattle
- North Cascades National Park: Whiel this park can definitely get full during the summer, when hardcore hikers are vying for backpacking permits in the Enchantments, on the whole it’s more of a hidden gem national park, and close enough to Seattle for a one-tank trip.
- Portland: Looking for an urban getaway with a slightly different feel than the Emerald City? Portland is just 175 miles away, and there are plenty of incredible stops to make along the way (including Olympia, Washington, among others).
Miami
- Biscayne National Park: A national park that’s mostly underwater, this is a trip right in a Miamian’s backyard that’s well worth taking time for.
- Everglades National Park: Another backyard national park that makes for an incredbile one-tank trip, especially if you’re into dark skies and stargazing.
From City to Nature: My Favorite One-Tank Trip Memory
One of my favorite one-tank trips was from Santa Fe, New Mexico to the Valles Caldera National Preserve, a total of 50 miles.
During the first part of my trip, I took the day to explore the beautiful, artistic city of Santa Fe. In Santa Fe, I knew I’d want to find a place to grab a coffee, explore galleries within walking distance, and find a safe spot to park my RV.
Searching on Google maps, I discovered a worldly coffee shop called Travel Bug Speciality Book Store, Coffee Shop and Taproom. This unique coffee shop was full of travel books and delicious coffee. It was also within walking distance to the famous Canyon Road Arts District, home to so many unique art galleries and craft shops. There was also plenty of safe street parking around the district.
After my exploration of the city, I made my way up to the Valles Caldera National Preserve. My heart was set on this spot, and it checked all my boxes of what I wanted to do in nature. It was only 50 miles from the city of Santa Fe, and after reading reviews on the Free Roam app, I discovered a breathtaking Boondocking spot in the preserve. It was an area tucked away in the forest, with gorgeous mountain views and perfect cell phone service. And it made my visit to Santa Fe, a city that’s known to be expensive, incredibly inexpensive.
This was just one of many one-tank trip areas that checked all my boxes: adventure, affordability, and more. There are so many places to discover all across the country and you don’t have to go very far to discover them. I hope this article gives you the inspiration to create the perfect one-tank trip for yourself!
About the author: Vanna Mae is a visual artist and influencer, traveling around the country in her 19ft Class C RV with her cat Indigo. Keep up with their adventures on Instagram @artistontheroam and on YouTube.
