HOW TO PLAN FOR EXTENDED TRAVEL IN AN RV

If you’re thinking about doing extended travel in an RV, here are some things to be aware of and our recommendations for dealing with them:

You will spend more time away from your friends, family and community. And while you may not be able to see these people as much, you can always make a point to visit them or have regularly scheduled trips to go back to your homebase. When doing this, you can either temporarily put your RV in storage or take your RV and moochdock on their property. And if you’re unable to visit in person, technology like FaceTime and Zoom are great ways to stay connected virtually.

Compared to a short RV trip or a weekend camping trip, there is a lot more logistical planning required for extended travel. You’ll need to figure out where you’ll stay, for how long, and how to manage necessities like water and power. Our best piece of advice is to give yourself plenty of time to plan, and to have a few different back-up options in case one location doesn’t work out. Having a plan A, B and C is also important should your travels be altered by uncontrollable events like weather or an emergency.

Unexpected maintenance items may come up along the way, especially since you’ll be using your RV a lot more. To help, it’s important to always know where a local dealership or repair shop is located in every city or place that you visit. There are numerous online forums and groups that list where to find quality maintenance shops across the country. We’ve also found it really valuable to know how to do some basic repairs on your RV. This includes things like knowing how to change a tire, checking and replacing filters, knowing basic electrical fuses and what they power, knowing how to clear and fix a blocked hose, and being able to fix any seals or cracks. Being able to do these things yourself will save both time and money. 

If you choose to travel extensively in your RV, you will have to downsize and purge your things. This is surprising to many people but trust us when we say you won’t be able to put everything you want in your RV. The space is too small and your weight is too limited. Try to focus on just the daily necessities and then allow yourself two or three “personal” items. If you discover that you need something, you can always add it later on.

It will be hard to find consistent, reliable internet everywhere you go. This is especially critical if you plan to work remotely or want to stay connected to friends and family. To help, we recommend purchasing an MiFi device or hotspot. We also have two different cell phone providers, which helps cover us should one provider have better service in a certain area. You can also purchase a Starlink satellite or another RV-specific internet device to help expand your coverage on the road.