Now that we actually have an RV, it’s time for me to get my rear in gear and start thinking about trip planning. I’m only a couple days into that new mindset and have already realized that travel planning for RV life is not as easy as plain old ordinary trip planning. There are so many more things to take into consideration!
Maybe I should have thought about this stuff before buying an RV. Nah, what fun would that be?
Size Matters
When making reservations at campgrounds, you have to think about the size of the site, whether it has the appropriate hookups (electric, water, and sewer), is it a back-in or pull-through, is the site shaded or fully exposed in the middle of a big ole field, how close are the neighbors, etc. Some campgrounds, especially at state and national parks and forests, cannot accommodate big rigs like ours.
Location, Location, Location
Unlike regular travel planning, where you pick a place to visit then find an appropriate hotel, RV travel means finding a suitable campground and then finding the right site within that campground. It’s not a huge deal for short stays, but if we’re going to be staying in a place for a week or more, we need to be happy with our site.
A lot of campgrounds I’ve looked at post maps of their facility and even pictures of the individual sites. The maps tell you which sites have what hookups and the pictures show you how each site is laid out. Pics are not usually catalogued by number though, which means a lot of scrolling through a slew of site pics.
Rules and Regulations
I suspect most campgrounds have similar rules in terms of quiet time, number of people per site, whether or not you can park a car at your site, what to do with trash, whether or not visitors are allowed, etc. Some campgrounds restrict occupancy to older folks like us. Senior living at its best. I had no idea there were RV parks catering to seniors, but am happy to know that’s the case. I like kids well enough, but they can be pretty loud and, sometimes, obnoxious. Camping to me means peace, quiet, and solitude, not being surrounded by a horde of screaming children. Again, a night or two at a family campground would be tolerable, but long-term, I want peace.
The Big Picture
Planning for RV living also requires looking at where we want to be AND when we want to be there. It just would not be practical to, say, visit Arizona for a week, then Vermont, then Florida. That would just be too much driving. If we think ahead, we can make our way around the country methodically. So, depending on what time of year we sell our house, we will either head to the northeast or make our way south.
Mike and I have sort of been making a list of places we want to go/see. You know, when we think about adding a place to the list. Now, we need to get serious and finalize our list, or at least get it more filled-out, so I can start plotting our future.
The Best-laid Plans…
It’s never easy to plan perfectly for the future because one never knows what the future REALLY has in store. This year is the perfect example. Who would have ever thought that the world would change so much in a year?
But planning is still important. The more one knows, the easier switching gears will be when/if needed.
If there’s a state or national park campground we really want to visit at a particular time of year, advance planning is a necessity. Those kind of sites get booked well in advance.
It’s a Process
I still have a lot to learn, but, the good news is, I have gotten started. I’m excited to have a new challenge to figure out. It gives me something to focus on beyond just making it through every day. And the amount of effort I put into this exercise now will certainly help make the transition to RV life more enjoyable. And enjoyment is key. I’m pretty sure we won’t want to live like nomads forever, so we need to make the most of our wandering life.
I’m very much looking forward to this next chapter in our lives.