Mapping Out Adventures: A Planner’s Guide to RV Trips
I know many of you love the spontaneity of RV travel, going wherever the road takes you. However, I've always been a planner at heart. I find joy in organizing every detail, whether it's my kids' birthday parties, weekly meal planning, or even picking out outfits. It's just my jam! And when it comes to RV trips, my love for planning kicks into high gear. I enjoy knowing where I'm going and how long I'll be there.
As some of you might already know, we are embarking on a 7-month RV trip this fall and winter. We’ll be visiting over 10 new states, adding to the 18 we’ve already camped in! A journey of this magnitude requires extensive planning, and I wanted to share my process with you.
Research Destinations
I begin by identifying must-see places and then determine what states and areas we will be visiting. I like to choose national parks or large landmarks we can visit in the area.
Create a Flexible Itinerary
While I plan each stop, I also leave room for spontaneous detours and discoveries. I map out our route using RV Trip Wizard and try to stick to the rule of traveling no more than 300 miles a day. Here is a sneak peek of the route for our upcoming trip!
Book Campsites in Advance
After choosing my stops, I use RV Trip Wizard to view and research campgrounds close to my destination and book our spots well ahead of time to avoid the disappointment of full campgrounds. I do leave gaps between major stops, allowing us to opt for unique stays at places like Harvest Hosts.
Plan Activities and Excursions
After I’ve booked the campgrounds, I begin researching local attractions, hikes, and family-friendly activities to maximize our experience. I make note of a couple of must-see activities if we have time. I use TripAdvisor to see the main attractions and AllTrails for finding great hiking spots. Again, I leave room to adjust our schedule because you never know what hidden gem we might discover by talking to locals.
If you liked this weeks newsletter, you’ll love my book Roadmap to Adventure: Your Guide to Stress-Free RV Travel, As a mom of three, I understand how stressful RV travel can be. The planning, prepping and trying to keep everyone safe and happy, you often need a vacation from your vacation. After over a decade of RVing with my family and our 2 dogs, I have found simple ways to stay organized, how to find more time to camp, and how to make the most out of every RV trip. In this book, I share all of my tips on how to have a stress-free trip.