RV Vacation Planner

RV Trip Planning Checklist

If you're new to RV travel, you might be overwhelmed by the number of things you have to pack. After all, you're taking all your travel gear, clothing, food, entertainment and living supplies with you. The good news is that the more often you travel, the more adept you will be at preparing for the next trip.

Start with a prepared travel list, RV trip planner software or an RV trip planning app. You can find these easily online. They will usually present you with lists of items by category, including food, clothing, camping supplies, emergency supplies and so forth in addition to the ability to customize and organize the information.

Once you have a starting list, you can start customizing. Obviously, if you are traveling with children, you'll need to add a specialized list for them. If you're not planning to vacation near water, you can eliminate the list regarding water sports gear.

Start several weeks ahead and come up with a system to add new items to your list as you think of them. That way, you don't have to store all those details in your head, and you'll be more likely to remember them when the time comes.   

RV Trip Planning Help

Besides coming up with lists of items you need to pack, you should also come up with a list of things you have to do to prepare for the trip. For example, depending on the length of your trip, it may be a good time to have some routine maintenance performed on your RV like oil changes and tire checks. Have a trusted mechanic give your vehicle a once-over before a long journey to minimize the chances of problems on the road.

If you're a novice, you may want to turn to experienced RVers for assistance. In many cases, owners of family dealerships or folks running RV campgrounds are in the business because they love the life. Pick a slow time or make an appointment and see if they'd be willing to share their knowledge and experience with you.

Be sure to read RV trip planning websites or look at an RV family vacation planner. If you have a new RV, make sure you have a complete walk-through done either by the dealer or owner who sold you the vehicle or the individual who is renting it to you.

Consider doing a little dry run for one night nearby to see what questions and issues come up before the actual trip. That way, you'll have time to buy anything you forgot or contact the owner or dealer with questions before you are on the road.

Don't forget the bring important phone numbers, instructions or other information on your trip. You'll have important reference material with you if you need it.   

RV Trip Planning Tips

When it comes to planning, your lists and schedules will probably change frequently. The important part of the process is to start with something.

For example, a starting list of cleaning supplies might include trash bags, cloths, a wide variety of soaps and detergents, sanitizers and wipes, tissues and paper towels.

Your camping and cooking list can start with a camp stove, coffee pot, foil, newspaper, fire starter, utensils and roasting sticks. Fun camp foods might include hot dogs and hamburgers, vegetables to roast, marshmallows and popcorn as well as quick emergency meals like canned sauces and pastas, cereals or other non-perishables. Consider using an RV trip meal planner for an even more specific meal schedule.

Don't forget to make a list of entertainment items such as swimsuits, water gear, floating toys, hiking boots, fishing gear or hunting equipment depending on where you're traveling. You might want to pack some favorite books, board games or cards for those times when it might be raining or cold. 

Once you're on the road, try to relax and roll with whatever happens because there will always be something forgotten or something that could have been done better. Arrange for a place to write down those ideas, thoughts and problems for future trips, but then let them go and enjoy your RV adventure. Using RV trip planning tools can minimize on-the-road problems.  

RV Trip Route Planner

When you're planning your RV vacation, think about what you want to accomplish during your trip and how long you have to travel. If you are planning a quick weekend getaway, you might want to pick an RV park that has your favorite thing to do and just go there. 

If you have a few weeks to explore a larger area, you may want to map out which parks you plan to stay at and which points of interest you want to see using an RV road trip planner with stops. You may want to consider using an RV trip planner national parks tool as well.

Most RV campgrounds and parks are flexible, so if you decide to stay longer or leave early, you can usually do so easily. If a place is not what you expected, you can move on more quickly. If you find that you can't do another place justice in the time you originally planned, you can lengthen that portion of your trip.

Although planning ahead is worthwhile, especially if there are particular time-sensitive events you are trying to participate in, consider making a more relaxed list of possibilities instead. Prioritize the most important things you want to do, enter them into you RV trip planning service, and then see what happens.

It can sometimes be nice just to take a relaxing day off from the sights and hang out at the campground for the day and rest. The important thing is that you experience those things on the top of your list, which may be something as simple as making lasting memories with family and friends.