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Going on a trip in your RV can mean anything from a long weekend to an extended road trip. The items on your RV pre-trip checklist depend on where you are going and the duration of the trip you are planning. That said, there are some basics that everyone should review before setting out in their RV.

Let’s take a look at what those are and when you should do them.

3 to 6 Months Before Your Trip

Before you even think about heading out on the road, you need to check your RV’s condition and ensure it is safe and ready for travel. The last thing you want to do is end up stranded and have to deal with mechanical or electrical issues instead of enjoying your vacation. Here are all the things you need to do three to six months before you leave. 

• Have your RV completely mechanically checked, including internal functions. If you’re a full-timer, consider having your RV inspected by a technician at least annually. 
• Look at the condition of all latches, hooks, tires, awnings and any movable parts. 
• Make sure your hitch is in good order. 
• Check the condition of your HVAC system and portable generator.
• Make sure that there isn’t any mold or mildew on the inside of the RV or refrigerator.
• Make sure all propane or gas containers are filled up and not leaking. 
• Check to make all lights work, including vehicle lights, exterior auxiliary lights, and interior lights.

Though unrelated to the condition of your rig, it can be smart to contact campgrounds at or near your destination for reservations, if required. Many popular campgrounds fill up fast, and you need to plan well in advance. 

One Week Before Your Trip

About a week before your trip is where the bulk of the planning needs to occur. Doing all this a week out gives you enough time to get it done without having to rush. Some items to consider include:

• Put together a meal plan and be ready to prepare food at the campground.
• Gather all of the important paperwork, documents, and maps and have them in one place.
• If pets or kids are going, be sure to have all of their health documents and needed medications.
• Make arrangements for mail delivery.
• Ensure that all bills are paid and any other obligations are taken care of during the time you’ll be gone.
• Print copies of maps and directions (in case you don’t have internet access).
• Wash your laundry, specifically the clothes that you plan to take with you. 
• Go shopping for food and supplies you’ll need on your trip.
• Check generator fluid levels and RV battery charge.
• Confirm once again that motorhome or tow vehicle fluid levels are satisfactory.
• Fill the fresh water tank to your preferred level, but remember that carrying a lot of water with you adds a considerable amount of weight to your rig.
• Check to make sure that your first aid kit is complete.

Departure Day

Right as you prepare to settle into your RV and hit the road, it’s important to take some time and make sure you’re totally prepared for your trip. Remember the following important things:

• Check the tire pressure on the tow vehicle and the RV tire pressure.
• Fuel up the vehicle if it isn’t already.
• Clean all windows and mirrors.
• Fill containers for drinking water.
• Check all cupboards and the refrigerator to secure items that might move or shift while traveling.
• Make sure all awnings and any moving parts are secured.
• Close roof vents except those for ventilation.
• Confirm the refrigerator is running properly.
• Make sure all other appliances function as they should.
• Check your propane tanks, hoses, and valves.
• Ensure all external RV items such as steps, decks, and handrails are properly stowed.
• Make sure that anything carried on the roof or outside such as bikes or coolers are properly secured.
• Close all internal and external doors and cabinets.
• Check that the RV brakes are working properly. 

With every item on this checklist marked off, you should be good to enjoy your trip.

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How do you prepare for your RV trips. Anything you’d add to this checklist? 

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Are you looking to escape the cold and have some fun in the sun? Try these amazing spots for an RV Winter vacation. East coast, west coast, and in between—we’ve got you covered with the best winter travel suggestions in the country.

Tampa, Florida

We’ve enjoyed two fabulous winters in the Tampa Bay area and can’t wait to go back. From the amazing weather to the wide range of activities and a prime location for day trips, Tampa is at the top of our list of winter destinations.

Beaches are obviously a big draw for Florida visitors. Enjoy some of the sandy shores of Tampa Bay or cross the bridge to enjoy the fabulous Gulf Coast.

If the beach is not your scene, there are many quiet county parks and waterways for kayaking. Tampa is also home to a terrific zoo, aquarium, and several museums. Be sure to stay through the winter to enjoy the annual Gasparilla pirate invasion in January complete with a parade and flotilla of boats.

Where to Stay:

• Lazy Days RV Resort is located off Interstate 4 just east of the city. It has a deluxe pool area, fitness room, two dog parks (one for big dogs and one for small), large playground, tennis courts, game room, onsite restaurant, and much more. You can even order food and drinks from the bar poolside.
• Located in Northwest Tampa, Blue Bayou RV Resort is especially popular for the social snowbird crowd and has many activities during the winter months. Set amidst natural surroundings on Double Branch Creek, it doesn’t even seem like you’re in the midst of a city.

Gulf Shores, Alabama

Alabama may not be the first state that comes to mind when considering winter destinations, but that is exactly why it is such a great choice.

Not everyone has discovered the peace and tranquility that a winter vacation on Alabama’s beaches can offer. Mild weather (highs in the 50s in January) and bright sun shining on the sand make walks on the beach a perfect way to enjoy your winter days.

Where to Stay:

• Gulf State Park Campground is not your average state park. It has full hook up sites and a range of amenities you’d expect at an RV resort like paths throughout the park for walking and biking, laundry facilities, convenience store, pool, and beach access.
• Within walking distance to the beach and several restaurants, Luxury RV Resort is a great choice in Gulf Shores. Enjoy the large pool or recreation hall with plenty of activities for winter residents. This resort has regular visitors who return year after year.

Galveston, Texas

You don’t have to go to the Caribbean to experience island life. Consider becoming a winter Texan instead. Galveston Island’s tropical climate and breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico may provide the relaxing escape you’ve been hoping for.

With a small town culture and southern hospitality, you’ll feel right at home. There’s plenty to explore on this island with 32 miles of beaches, one of the largest collections of Victorian architecture in the country, a charming historic downtown, and plenty of outdoor activities.

Stick around through February to enjoy the third largest Mardi Gras celebration in the United States.

Where to Stay:

• Offering snowbird specials, Stella Mare RV Park provides fantastic rates during the winter season, including discounted monthly rates. This beautiful location boasts 25 acres of lush, scenic terrain perfect for a leisurely stroll right across from the ocean. With unobstructed views of the water, you may never want to leave the resort.
• If you’re looking for a campground with a lazy river, Jamaica Beach RV Park has got you covered. Think multiple swimming pools, one with a swim up bar, mini golf, and public beach access just across the street.
  This RV park is approximately 12 miles outside of the town of Galveston.

Tucson, Arizona

With daytime temperatures rarely dipping below 60 and hardly any sign of rain, Tucson is a top choice for snowbirds looking to soak up some winter sun.

It is the perfect setting for outdoor enthusiasts and urban explorers alike. For a closer look at the Arizona desert, spend some time hiking the trails of Sabino Canyon or exploring nearby Saguaro National Park.

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum also provides an interesting look at Tucson’s flora and fauna. For a taste of contemporary Tucson, spend some time perusing the galleries in the Catalina Foothills district or Mission San Xavier del Bac (known as the White Dove of the Desert), a stunning example of 18th-century architecture.

Where to Stay:

• The Tucson Lazy Days KOA offers a true resort experience. Whether you want to relax by one of the two pools, soak in the hot tubs, or play a round on the nine-hole putting green, you’re sure to find something on the full schedule of activities for you.
• Rincon Country West RV Resort has just about any activity you can think of: card games, shuffleboard, wood crafting, quilting, knitting, crocheting, hiking, Bible study, pickleball, tennis, and more. In keeping with the amazing Tucson food scene, they also have food vendors and a weekly farmer’s market.

San Diego, California

Warm winters and a world-famous zoo—what more could you ask for? San Diego offers temperate weather perfect for exploring the city’s many outdoor attractions including its notable food districts, parks, natural reserves, and beaches.

If you’re looking for a more cultural experience, Balboa Park is home to over fifteen museums and its striking old-world Spanish architecture is the perfect place to enjoy open-air concerts.

Where to Stay:

• The San Diego Metro KOA is a beautiful RV park near all of the major attractions. With mature landscaping consisting of numerous eucalyptus trees and flowering hedges to provide privacy, you’ll forget you are in the heart of the city. Enjoy the swimming pool, hot tub, and the onsite cafe. It is located minutes from the San Diego Bay Wildlife Refuge.
• Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve is less than 20 miles from La Jolla beaches and the San Diego Zoo but feels like it is in a world of its own. The park itself is huge, with mature trees, and water everywhere. Owned and operated by Padre Dam Municipal Water District, it is a popular fishing and kayaking spot.

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We’d love to hear from you! What is your favorite destination for an RV winter vacation? Leave a comment below.

 

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Join Crazy Family Adventure in this episode of Life on the Road as they explore Crater Lake National Park and cliff jump off an 18-foot-tall cliff into the icy waters. From there, the family continues on up the coast to Newport, Oregon, to try their hands at catching some crabs with a crab net.

You can watch the rest of Crazy Family Adventure’s Life on the Road series by clicking here.

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Thanks for a great first year of Stories from the Road!

In this episode, we’re looking back at some of the best stories that have shared so far: from acts of heroism to hilarious breakdowns.

Enjoy!

** Subscribe to Stories from the Road on iTunes, Spotify, or Google Play **

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Your RV is designed to be a camper and allow you to travel to new destinations and stay for a few days or more, but what if you’re at your house and you have people visiting from out of town? Wouldn’t that be a perfect time to use your RV as a guesthouse? It definitely would.

This often occurs around the holidays. Instead of packing your whole family into your home, think about using your RV as a guesthouse when people come to visit.

There are a lot of differences between a house and an RV. If you’re a seasoned RV owner, you might have forgotten all the little distinctions. If you have a guest coming to visit your home that has never been in a rig before, you definitely need to hold an orientation when they get there.

Here are a few tips for using your RV as a guesthouse at your home.

First Things First, Proper Toilet Operation

I will never forget the first time I had a friend come over to our fifth-wheel. Her daughter went to the bathroom and came out crying. “Mommy, they don’t flush their toilet here!” It was so hard not to laugh.

If you’re hosting guests at your home and using your RV as a guesthouse, make sure to tell them how the toilet flushes. Consider actually taking them to the toilet to show them where everything is, especially if they have young kids.

What seems obvious or easy in conversation may turn out tricky once they’re in the bathroom. Also, actually showing them the bathroom will help you remember anything you might forget if you just mention it off-hand.

Show Them Any Tricky Doors

I’ve also made the mistake of not sharing how to open the front door. I had one friend so frazzled I’m pretty sure she thought she was going to live in the RV forever.

Save your guests the embarrassment. Go through that when they first arrive. RV doors don’t always work like house doors. It seems silly, but it’s worth it to go over door operation so you don’t let your guests struggle with the latch or damage something.

Of course, if your guest is there for an extended stay, you’ll want to share how to open the fridge and in return, how to ensure it’s closed.

My mom stayed in our rig and was the worst about this. She was constantly asking how to open the refrigerator. In hindsight, I think if I would have shown her from the beginning, she would have understood better than having to figure it out on her own.

Not All Electricity is Created Equal

Using your RV as a guesthouse at your own home is great, but you probably don’t have a full 30 or 50 amp hookup for your RV in your driveway.

However, most houses do have a 15 or 20 amp that you can plug your rig into with a converter. Of course, this means the rig isn’t getting full power and won’t be able to power everything. Some things will simply not work. Definitely, share that information with your guests.

I learned this the hard way when we were moochdocking at my father-in-law’s house. It was summer, and I got stuck without air conditioning on a hot day.

As an extra precaution, go through all the RV systems with your guests and instruct them on what appliances can be used at what times.

You’ll also want to point out how to reset the circuit breaker inside the RV. Chances are it may take them a day or two to get used to the limited supply of power.

Invite Your Guests Inside as Much as You Can

While you might love the small space your RV affords you, your guests might take a bit to warm up to it. An RV can be a very small space to someone who hasn’t ever spent much time in one.

Depending on your guests, their family size, and the luggage they’ve brought to the rig, your RV may get cramped quickly.

Don’t forget about those loved ones out there in the driveway. Invite them inside as much as you can for meals and a place to kick back and relax. You can also go to them. Eat your meals outside, play some games in the yard, and have a campfire.

Make Life Easy for Your Guests

Getting used to the rig might be more difficult for some guests. Keep a flashlight by the door just in case they want to leave during the night. While you’re at it, add a spare set of keys to your home. This lets your company know they can come to your house if they need to. You could go the extra mile and light their path to the house for them.

Reflective duct tape is an inexpensive and easy way to do that. If you like DIY projects, you could try making this bucket light (pictured above). It can be a great way to light the way from your RV to the door of your home.

Also, make sure to keep a list of everything you’ve gone over for them on the fridge in the RV. That way if they forget something during their stay, they can look at the list. This would include the aforementioned toilet procedures, electric quirks, and so on.

Make Your Rig Feel like Home

An RV is meant to be a home on wheels. If your rig hasn’t been used in a while, make it feel like home before your guests arrive.

Put some comfortable pillows on the beds and couch, freshen up the linens, do a thorough cleaning, and make sure the trailer or motorhome has everything they need. Make sure to keep the following items in the camper:

• Silverware
• Dishes
• Pots and pans
• Toilet paper
• Laundry basket
• Food in the pantry and fridge
• Running water
• Movies, Games, Toys, etc

If you’re not sure what your guest may need, ask them before they arrive. The extra care may be just what you need to win them over if they aren’t so excited about that limited electricity. If you do things right and make your guests’ stay in your RV a success, they may even decide to get one for themselves.

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Have you ever used your RV as a guest house at your home? If so, how did it go? Leave a comment below. 

 

 

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Sometimes it takes a crisis to help you realize what you want. Sometimes you need a wakeup call—a kickstart for your spirit that puts you on a path to a better life. That’s exactly what happened to Mandy of Mandy Lea Photo.

She lived the typical nine-to-five working at a photography store in Austin, Texas. She was doing more or less fine when she experienced a divorce and a subsequent depression.

Mandy found herself stuck in a cycle that many people are in. One where they know they’re unhappy but don’t really understand why, or how to change their situation.

“I was just going from the grocery store, the gym, and work; the grocery store, the gym, and work, and that was it,” she told me over the phone.

Mandy grew up in Colorado. She’d spent time there camping in RVs and experiencing the outdoors. While she was having a hard time in Texas, she decided to take a vacation to the Grand Tetons to get away.

She camped there and got to see the sunrise one morning and take pictures. That sunrise changed her life.

“I was like, ‘holy crap this has all been out here the whole time, and I totally forgot the rest of the world is out here every day while I’m just home’,” she said. “It shook me out of the little globe I’d been living in.”

She knew something had to change.

Mandy couldn’t get her mind back into work and her routine. She thought about her trip to the Grand Tetons and the times she’d spent camping earlier in life in Colorado. Three days after her trip, she went out and bought a small T@G teardrop camper made by nüCamp.

“I like to say the mountains made me do it,” she told me.

Her Teardrop Camper and the Transition to Full-Time

 

Mandy told me she didn’t know she was going to quit her job and take her teardrop camper on the road full-time at first.

“I started camping every weekend,” she said. “And that made me happy.”

While she’d found temporary happiness, she was still frustrated because Texas is a huge state and the places she wanted to visit were too far away for a weekend trip.

After a year of being an avid weekend warrior and visiting many places close to her home of Austin, she knew full-timing was what she wanted to do.

“I decided that the only time I was happy was when I was camping,” she said. “I thought I can spend my life not happy, or I can do what makes me happy and find a way to make that work.”

Mandy decided that her happiness was her priority. After some preparations, she headed out full-time in her camper.

“It sounds weird, but most people don’t do that [put their happiness first],” she said. “Most of them are so concerned with the people around them, their job, money, and I think a lot of campers get that [there’s more].”

Mandy told me that she’s met a lot of people on the road who applaud her decision to put her happiness first and become a full-timer when she did. She said she meets older people all the time who wish they hadn’t waited so long to hit the road.

She’s learned a lot from the RV community and said there are many people who helped her along the way.

The Evolution of Mandy Lea Photo

 

From the beginning, Mandy wanted to be successful on the road. It wasn’t about neglecting her career or living as long as she could on the road and then coming back to a regular nine-to-five job to save up a bunch more money to go back out.

“I didn’t want to be a starving artist,” she said. “I wanted to make a legitimate living on the road.”

Early on, before full-timing, she got an unexpected boost when her first T@G teardrop camper was stolen. She posted it to Facebook and the story went viral. This gave her online following a serious boost.

Eventually, the camper was found, but in poor condition. Mandy moved into a new T@G camper and continued on her journey. She said that she doesn’t want to be known as the girl who got her camper stolen, but it’s an unavoidable part of her story.

Many of those people who were first exposed to Mandy through the theft still follow her today.

“I think it really speaks to my photography and the content that I put out,” she said.

Mandy was able to make her photography business and her blog work. She said she works more hours now than she did when she was in Texas. However, she loves what she does and gets to work for herself and do what she wants to do.

She does have more of a schedule now than when she started due to business obligations—photography workshops, speaking opportunities, RV shows—but she still has freedom with her business and the life that she wanted when she first set off.

Continued Travels

 

Mandy met her boyfriend, Kendrick—who was also living tiny in his Toyota Tacoma—during her travels and they both live together in a teardrop camper. It’s a T@B camper that’s a little bigger than the one she was in before. When they first started living together they were in Mandy’s T@G, but after a short time, they upgraded.

From there, the adventures continued, and she said they spend most of their time boondocking.

“We hardly ever stay in campgrounds. We almost always stay on BLM land,” she said.

She told me they spent a lot of time out in the wild—camping, hiking, backpacking, etc.

Lately, with more jobs and commitments, they’ve been spending more time camping in people’s driveways, hitting up a Walmart parking lot, or other less-wild boondocking spots.

Mandy said she still loves the freedom that comes with the lifestyle. She loves being her own boss and being able to live where and how she wants.

She also loves the smallness of the teardrop camper and the fact that because it’s so small you have to go out into the world.

“We don’t spend a lot of time in the camper,” she said.

The couple spends a lot of time outside in nature, experiencing what the world has to offer. She said it’s a good reminder that we’re here on Earth, and we need to take care of it.

“When you live in a city you kind of just forget it’s out there because it’s not in your face,” she said. “When you’re in a camper it’s in your face.”

She said she likes the fact that their footprint is really small, and they don’t have more stuff or use more resources than they really need.

“When you only have ten things, you choose those things very carefully,” she said. “So, you think about what things are most important to you in life, and you prioritize.”

As our conversation wound down, it was clear that Mandy’s journey is about the pursuit of pure happiness—something most people deprive themselves of. She had the courage and conviction to try something drastically different, and her life is better because of it.

Mandy’s story is about the power of small things—like her camper, big things—like the Grand Tetons, and everything in-between. It’s a story that shows us all why it’s important to take a good, hard look at our lives and ask if we’re really where we want to be.

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