Archive for the ‘Travel By RV’ Category

PostHeaderIcon Traveling By RV: How to Have a Fun, Safe Time

RV trips are increasing in popularity.  Many couples and families are finding motor homes a relatively affordable way to travel.  Many also enjoy the option of traveling on the road while still having many of the comforts of home.  This is particularly true with long distance trips. Whether your next RV trip is a long distance or a short distance trip, there are a number of steps that you can take to help ensure that your next trip is not only fun, but safe.

The first step in planning a fun and safe RV trip involves deciding on an intended route.  This can help on a number of different levels.  For safety, deciding on a route ahead of time gives you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with that area by examining maps.  Even with an examination done beforehand, it is still important to bring a travel map with you.  In fact, if you are an RV owner, a map should be kept in your motor home at all times.

Deciding on an intended route ahead of time can also help you with activities and attractions.  Many RV owners and renters are known for stopping along the way to participate in fun activities or to visit neat attractions, like flea markets, amusement parks, or museums.  Researching what you can do and see before you leave for your RV trip can help to make sure that you will not miss out on anything fun and exciting.  It can also help you create a travel budget for yourself.

Speaking of money, it is important to have extra money on hand, especially for long distance travels and trips.  This is important for safety, as well as fun.  Always remember that gas prices vary from city to city and from state to state.  Money is also nice to have on hand if you ever decide to make any unexpected stops along the way.  With that being said, use caution.  Do not carry too much cash on you or leave it all in once place.  For travelers, traveler’s checks, debit cards, and credit cards are a great idea.

For safety, be sure to bring all needed documents with you.  These documents should include the proper identification, like a driver’s license, and insurance cards, such as those for health and auto.  Health insurance cards are particularly important.  If you or anyone in your traveling party, like your family, suffers an injury, you will want to be able to get help and treatment right away.  This is best done by having all proper documents, including health insurance cards, readily available.

As stated above, researching fun and popular activities and attractions that are along your intended route of travel is a great idea.  Also, be sure to plan activities for the road.  The good news is that you have a lot of options, as RVs give travelers more room than traditional cars.  If a television is present, movies are a good option.  Video games, board games, card games, and reading books are also great activities for the road.

For safety, be sure to use your best judgment.  Using your best judgment can do wonders for you.  For example, does an area that you wish to stop at look dangerous or unsafe?  If so, you may want to continue moving on and get gasoline or food at another place, when possible.  It is also important to keep safety in mind when staying at an RV park or a public campground with motor home accommodations.  Never invite strangers onto your RV, especially right away.  If you are traveling with children, be sure to set ground rules.

By keeping the above mentioned points in mind, your next RV trip is likely to be both fun and safe.  Remember that fun and safety go hand in hand.  You and the rest of your traveling party are more likely to have a better time when you are all happy, healthy, and safe.

PostHeaderIcon Traveling By RV: Tips for Winter Travel

When we think of traveling by RV, one of the first thoughts that come to mind is summer. Although summer is known as one of the most popular times to travel by motor home, it is important to remember that you do not have to limit yourself. In fact, many RV owners travel by motor homes all year round, including in the winter.

As previously stated, winter is a great time to travel by RV. With that being said, there are some dangers associated with doing so. To help ensure that your next winter RV trip is fun, as well as safe, try implementing a few of the helpful safety tips outlined below.

An RV inspection is an important component of safely traveling by RV in the winter. Although it does cost money to get your motor home professionally inspected, there are a number of benefits to doing so. Take all advice, especially where repairs or updates are involved, into consideration. Also, outright ask your mechanic if your RV is safe for winter travel.

Part of the fun associated with RV trips is seeing what you have never seen before. With that being said, during the winter months, you will want to try and stay on roads that you are familiar with. If you must take a new route, be sure to stay on the main roads. Main roads, especially highways and interstates are often much easier to navigate, especially in bad weather.

Speaking of the weather, always get updated weather information when on the road. If you have a satellite television or a television antenna installed on your RV, examine the weather forecast whenever you can. Even if your RV isn’t equipped with a television, there are still other ways that you can stay updated on the weather. One great way involves listening to the radio.

The easiest way to stay safe when traveling by RV in the winter is by keeping a cell phone with you at all times. Cell phones are a must have for any type of travel. Should you run out of gas, run off the road, or face another emergency, you will want to be able to call for help. In fact, did you know that many cell phone providers allow weather updates to be accessed through their phones? In addition to brining a cell phone, be sure to bring a charger as well.

Another easy way to stay safe when traveling by RV in the winter is by letting someone that you know and trust know where you are going, for how long, and when you plan on returning. This important tip is one that should be done even in the best of weather. In the event that you do not return home on time or if you are unable to be reached, a close friend or family member would have an idea of where to point the proper authorities, when looking for you.

It is also important to make sure that your RV is always filled with gas. Never let your motor home run on or near empty. This is extremely important during the winter months. Should you accidentally run off the road or get stranded in bad weather, you will want your RV to have enough gasoline to keep you and your family as warm as possible. When parked in a public campground or an RV park, a full tank of gasoline can also reduce the likelihood of freezing or other complications from cold weather.

The above mentioned tips are just a few of the many that you should implement, should you find yourself traveling by RV in the winter. The good news is that you likely already have a lot of needed emergencies supplies, such as water, snacks, warm clothes, and blankets on your motor home. With that being said, should you need to leave your motor home, which is generally advised against, be sure to leave prepared.

PostHeaderIcon The Importance of Properly Preparing for a RV Trip

Are you interested in taking an RV trip? If you are, you will want to take the time to properly and fully plan for and prepare for your upcoming trip.

As nice as it is to hear that should properly plan for and prepare for your upcoming RV trip, you may be curious as to what the importance of doing so is. After all, you may only be interested in visiting the next town over for a day or two. Even in these types of situations, with short RV trips, it is still important to properly plan and prepare.

One of the many reasons why you are encouraged to properly plan for and prepare for your upcoming RV trip, no matter where you are going or for how long, is because of safety. If your motor home breaks down, will you be able to get assistance right away? Those who own their own RVs are encouraged in invest in RV insurance or at least roadside assistance. For those renting RVs, it is important to determine, ahead of time, if roadside assistance is included in rental fees. When traveling, it is always best to prepare for the worst.

Another reason why you should properly plan and prepare for your upcoming RV trip is for your loved ones. When you take the time to do the proper amount of planning and preparation, your loved ones can take comfort in knowing that you are safe and out of harms way. This is ideal if you have children who will be staying behind. In fact, you may want to create a mini itinerary for yourself to leave behind; include what stops you plan to make, when you will check-in, as well as when you will return.

Perhaps, the greatest reason why you should take the time to properly plan for and prepare for an upcoming RV trip is so that you can have a good time. If your planning and preparation is rushed, you may find yourself missing important supplies. For example, what would happen when you went to take a shower and realized that you forgot the towels, and so forth? Not only can this result in additional expenses on the road, but it is also a huge inconvenience.

In conjunction with improving your overall satisfaction, proper planning and preparation, for an RV trip, reduces the amount of worry or concern you may have about doing so. For example, by creating a checklist in advance and going through that checklist before your trip, you can make sure that you have “all of your ducks in a row.” This is likely to provide you with a sense of comfort and security, which can help improve your chances of having a truly fun and memorable RV trip.

As highlighted above, there are a number of reasons why you should take the time to properly plan and prepare for your next RV trip. The good news is that it is relatively easy to properly plan and prepare for an upcoming RV trip. For example, make a checklist of what items you would like to pack, which items you will need to buy, stops you would like to make along the way, and so forth. Traveling by RV can be fun and exciting, but it can also be dangerous and frustrating if the proper steps are not first taken.