How To Plan The Best RV Trip Ever

No, it’s not just your imagination— RV camping has become insanely popular in the last few years (thanks to a certain something). In fact, 15 million households went RV camping in 2021 alone according to PR Newswire! With the influx of new RVers out on the road, there’s one major question out there: how to plan an RV trip. With that in mind, RVnGO has put together some tips to make sure that you’re planning the most successful RV experience possible.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a first-time RVer, our insightful tips for how to plan the best RV trip ever will have you as prepared as you can be for the road.

Let’s begin!

Best Tips For How To Plan An RV Trip

Lay Out A Detailed Budget

We know, this seems like a no-brainer. This first step isn’t included just because this list needed to start somewhere. When we say to lay out your entire budget, what we’re really doing is asking the important questions: what do I want to get out of this vacation and what do I need to do to achieve that?

Arranging your priorities first is a must. Then, do some research to see how far your budget will get you to reach those priorities. For this, you’ll need to think about what’s most important to you. If you’re working under a tight budget, you’ll have to think about whether to prioritize things like size or comfort over style, or whether or not the destination(s) are accessible once you account for things like gas, food, planned excursions/activities, or the cost of resort campsites.

Pro Tip: one of the best ways to save money at popular (read: expensive) destinations is to camp at state parks. Though they may not have the luxury amenities that private campgrounds are known for, state parks charge a fraction of the price and allow you to camp within nature.

Match Your RV To Your Budget

This is the logical next step after you’ve laid out your budget in its entirety. As we mentioned earlier, you’ll want to cater your RV to your budget and not the other way around. This way, you’ll have plenty of cash leftover to devote to the rest of your trip.

If you’re planning on traveling with a large group, you’ll need a larger RV like a Class A, travel trailer, or fifth wheel. Although larger RVs are inherently more expensive, you’ll be able to save some serious dough by choosing an older model. 

Likewise, if you’re traveling as a couple or in a group of less than 5 people, have an honest discussion on what amenities you don’t absolutely need.

Determine A Reasonable Driving Route

When we say to plan out a reasonable driving route for your RV trip, this means taking into account a number of factors about yourself, your RV rental, and the destination.

For instance, while most of us would probably prefer to drive down scenic backwoods roads, they’re not always the most RV-friendly. If you’re a first-time driver, you may want to stick to highways to avoid situations like low shoulders/potholes or narrow unpaved roads that can make things tricky. 

This isn’t to say that you absolutely have to play it safe and stick to highways the whole way. On the other hand, you should also be wary of bridge restrictions for large vehicles or low clearances on heavy traffic highways. 

The point isn’t necessarily to deter you one way or another. The bottomline is that you should research your route thoroughly before you go. 

Book Campsites Well In Advance

This is incredibly important not only for private campgrounds that are highly popular but also coveted state parks as well. When it comes to RV camping, spontaneous trips can be incredibly fun, and if you’re lucky, you’ll get truly awesome digs to stay in. 

That being said, the general rule is to book your campsites months in advance, particularly if your destination is incredibly popular. This goes doubly for booking campsites near popular holidays or events. During your research, be aware of local/national events or celebrations that may prompt higher prices for campgrounds and less availability. 

State parks in particular are known to fill up faster because in many cases, the number of available campsites is smaller. At uber popular destinations for RV camping like Yosemite National Park, you’ll want to book your campsite upwards of six months or greater in advance if you’re planning on going during high season.

Plan To Arrive At Campgrounds Before 5:00pm

Planning your route to make sure that you always reach your campgrounds before it gets dark out is equally important to first-time RVers as it is to seasoned pros. In fact, the general rule is to arrive at your campgrounds by around 3:00pm if possible to allow time for parking and setting up your RV entirely before it gets dark out.

When you’re planning your reasonable driving route, a big part of that “reasonability” is taking into account how many hours a day you’ll be able to drive and how far you’ll get in those hours. A common rookie mistake is to assume that you’ll be able to drive as fast in an RV as a car on the highway. In general, RVs travel at around 50-60 mph. Plus, that’s not taking into account things like lunch/nap breaks. 

Breaking your travel up into 3 hour chunks is a good way to stay safe. Driving an RV, particularly for first-time RVers, takes significantly more of our focus than driving a car. That amount of eye/attention strain will tire you out much more quickly, so be sure to incorporate stops along the way for plenty of rest, or to alternate drivers.

Because of the above reason, although we recommend making it to your campsite before dark, don’t try to be a hero and push it if you’re tired/just far enough away. 

As many RVers will tell you, it’s much better to pull into a Walmart parking lot for some urban RV camping than it is to try and push it to make it to your campgrounds at night. 

Schedule Gas Stops Wisely

The important keyword here is wisely.

This tip also goes along with planning out your reasonable driving route. When it comes to gas stations and RV accessibility, not all are created equal. 

We highly recommend topping up on gas opportunistically rather than out of necessity. This is to say that even if you’re good on gas, if you see a gas station that’s fairly empty or looks easy to maneuver around in, pull off and top up there. It can be a nightmare for first-time RVers if you find yourself running on empty and the next closest gas station is impossible to move your RV around in.

Spare yourself the stress and keep your RV topped up by stopping strategically at nice, open gas stations even when you don’t need more gas right away.

Benefits To RV Camping

RV Camping Is Cheaper Than Hotels

One of the biggest reasons why people choose to go RV camping rather than staying in a hotel is the drastic reduction in cost. On average, you’ll be able to save up to hundreds of dollars by RV camping rather than using hotels or Airbnbs, which have gotten more expensive over the years and in particular after the post-pandemic travel boom.

For a detailed breakdown on the complete costs of an RV vacation in 2022, including comparisons to traditional hotel costs, click here. 

Eco-friendly Travel

Even while utilizing diesel to fuel RVs, they are still a much more environmentally-friendly way to vacation than by getting on a plane.

For those of us that are conscious of our carbon footprints, RVing is a much more responsible way to travel than by traditional plane vacations. Plus, the RV industry is becoming increasingly environmentally conscious in recent years. 

For more information about how RVs are an eco-friendly way to travel, check out our article here!

Unique Experiences

Of course, perhaps the biggest benefit to RV camping is for what the experience gives us. RVing, at its core, has always represented a return to our roots. Nature is our greatest healer, and RV camping allows us to experience it in comfort. 

RV campgrounds are unique in how they can be catered to what you want out of your stay. If you prefer privacy and tranquility, RV campgrounds can provide that for you and your family. If you’d like to get a chance to meet new people and share experiences around the campfire together, RV campgrounds can do that too.

Whether it’s a social need or driven by our instinct to return to nature, RVing is the best way to truly “have it all” in your vacation.

RVnGO Gives You The Best Bang For Your Buck

When it comes to renting an RV, RVnGO is the best way to save money on your trip. We don’t charge any additional or unnecessary fees to either you or the RV’s host throughout the process. 

Our in-house concierge service is more than happy to address any questions you may have about the RV rental process. Check out our detailed breakdown of what sets RVnGO apart from the rest here.

What do you think about our tips for how to plan an RV trip? Let us know in the comments below!