While there are many tips you will want to follow before you embark on an RV road trip, perhaps the most important of all is to prepare carefully.
Spontaneous RV trips rarely go well. If you just pack up and go without putting much thought into it, you don’t know if you’ll be taking the shortest route, if you remembered anything, what you’ll do or what your schedule looks like, or even if RV parks will have a spot available, to name a few things.
This is exactly why, if you want to have a trip that goes as smoothly as it possibly can, you’ll want to make sure that you plan and prepare things carefully ahead of time. That’s exactly what this article is going to be about.
Here are the five most important things to remember when preparing for your RV trip:
#1 – Create A Timeline
Your timeline should run from the day you depart to the day of your return. You can use a simple calendar, and for each day, take note of what you’ll be eating and what you’ll be doing. It’s that simple.
Take note that you don’t have to follow your timeline to the exact detail. If you want to switch activities or what you’ll be eating on a particular day, that’s totally fine.
But the main reason why you should take the time to craft a timeline is because it will give you an idea of what your trip will be like so you’re in control of it and it’s not in control of you. And if you are at a loss of ideas for what to do, you can always fall back to it and do the activity that you had listed for that particular day.
#2 – Plan Your Route Beforehand
Many RV travelers make the critical mistake of just following Google Maps to go to their destination. You, however, would be much better served by actually outlining your own route before you leave.
There are many factors to take into consideration when choosing a route for your road trip. Do you want to take the shortest route that you possibly can, or is speed not of concern for you? Do you want to visit any landmarks, monuments, or areas of scenic beauty along the way? It’s all up to you.
#3 – Secure Everything
Driving an RV means you’ll be experiencing a lot of twists and turns and ascents and descents along the way.
This in turn means that it can be easy for the items you have stored within your RV to become loose and fall around. Cabinet locks, curtain rods, and bungee cords will be your allies here as they can help to keep everything secure.
#4 – Don’t Pack All At Once
Who says you have to pack everything for your RV trip in a single session? Instead, why not just take care of it in smaller chunks over the course of the week? It would certainly seem like less of a hassle if you do so.
You can also divide your packing into separate categories. One day, you pack clothing, the next day your sleeping items, the next day your games and camping gear, the next day your food and kitchen items, and so on.
It’s also a good idea to create a checklist of everything you want to pack so you don’t forget anything.
#5 – Invest In Insurance For Your RV
Insurance for your RV is definitely something you will want to have if you don’t already. Even though it’s an added expense, insurance will help keep you financially covered in the event of an accident or if anything else goes wrong.
To get RV insurance, you can contact your auto insurance company to see if they can add on your RV to your policy. If not, you can always purchase RV insurance separately.
Preparing For Your RV Trip
While preparing for an RV trip may seem boring or tedious, the reality is that its necessary if you want to enjoy a trip that will be stress free and as fun as possible.
Plus, preparation isn’t really as big of a deal as many people make it out to be. It’s not like you have to spend the entire week before you leave preparing. Instead, you can spend just a half an hour or so each day making your preparations, and you’ll be more than ready when the time actually comes to leave.