Expert Advice
Kimberly Button shares why she loves RVing and some helpful tips for new RVers.
RVing not only allows you to travel more easily, but it also has a way of making you realize what is truly important for your happiness. After two years of RVing, here are the most important things we have learned.
1. Campers are Amazing We have been surprised time and time again by the generosity and helpfulness of the camping community. If you need something, you can always ask a fellow camper. Chances are they’ll lend you their tools or their time to help.
2. There’s a Lot of Planning While wandering across the country and camping overnight on a whim sounds exciting, there’s ironically a lot of planning needed in order to be so carefree. Road conditions and closures, weather, free camping locations, and availability of food and gas are all things that need to be researched beforehand. The apps RV Life and Roadtrippers are great options for pre-planning your trip and updating it as you travel.
3. You Don’t Need Much to Be Happy RVing can be a form of minimalism, but we still found ourselves bringing more than we ever needed. It is very true that experiences are much better than things! All that “stuff” weighs you down in more ways than one, especially when you consider your gas mileage or towing capacity.
4. Places Will Surprise You Some of our favorite memories aren’t from the big-ticket destinations, but rather from small towns and unusual tourist destinations that we stopped at in-between our travels.
5. Living Off the Grid is a Skill to Master Learning how to happily live with limited power and water is an art form. Once you learn some basic skills, you will be surprised at how the world opens up for new adventures. If you aren’t used to dry camping yet, try it for a weekend and see how you do. Harvest Host is a great option for anyone who wants to “boondock”. They have nearly 4,000 locations nationwide for one-night stays including golf courses, wineries, breweries, farms and more.
6. Build in Time for Rest Long travel days, setting up camp and hours of outdoor activities can wear you down over time. Be sure to have at least one day a week without a packed itinerary to allow for physical and mental rest.
7. Travel Slower We started RVing with a grand plan to see as much as we could in a very short time. We were soon exhausted, and we didn’t get to see as much as we wanted at each destination. Add an extra day or two at your big destinations to allow for impromptu exploring.
8. Public Lands Are Amazing! We’ve traveled the world and seen amazing things, and yet we still can’t believe how magnificent our federally-owned lands are in comparison. The opportunity to see such varied landscapes and historical places, for free or little cost, is astonishing.
9. Chase the Weather While heading south to escape the cold is a perk of RVing, we’ve found it’s important to avoid other weather conditions, too. High winds, heavy rains, hail storms and excessive heat are all natural phenomenon that can make camping potentially hazardous. A good weather app is necessary.
10. Cell Phone Service is a Game Changer Being off the grid for a couple days is rejuvenating, but eventually the availability of data or Wifi is a must. Not every location is the same, so you must research ahead of time. We have seen major cities with terrible connectivity, as well as remote wilderness destination with fast data speeds.
Kimberly Button is the founder of CouchPotatoCamping.com. After a year of full-time RVing and working as a digital nomad, she’s not afraid to admit she loves fast cell phone data and hot showers as much as stunning vistas from remote wilderness campsites.
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