There’s no right way to RV travel
Everyone has a different idea of their ideal route and style of RV travel. Admittedly, it drives me crazy when people ask about route planning and timing on many of the RV facebook groups. Okay, so it’s not actually the question that bothers me… but the staunch stances on many of the answers. There are always wildly different responses from the group – some who couldn’t imagine spending only a single day at the Grand Canyon, while another response talks up the scenic drive along the south rim and key overlooks they loved. Some can’t imagine driving long distances, while others drive day and night to travel, without hesitation. The point is, everyone has their preferences and you should respect one another for it.
It is pretty common to see at least a few responses that take a hard stance of negativity at any route planning idea that is different from their own. This definitely sets new-comers and writers of the question up for some heavy sifting through answers. Opinions are just that… opinions, not rules. It is important to hear from a variety of opinions to help capture all the angles that could benefit in creating your own “more informed” decision. Consider this: if someone has a a negative response or takes a harsh stance against your idea or question, just assume they forgot to preface their response with, “in my opinion”, “from my experience”, or “based on the way I like to RV travel”.
A word of advice to those seeking suggestions for their route planning… provide your “why”. A route planning question is inherently vague and can have infinite solutions. I have seen better conversations and response come into play when the seeker-of-advice provides the details about why they are traveling. There is a clear difference in what may be an ideal trip based on your “why”. Think about a couple in their early 20s with only a week of vacation time and a desire to cover as much ground in a week as possible in a van. Then think about a full-time RV family of 5 in a Class A. There is certainly no one-size-fits-all approach. Just like all forms of advice, the quality of the advice increases when it is well-paired for the recipient (not what is best for the advice provider).
As you begin traveling, or perhaps as you become more seasoned, you’ll figure out what is right for you. There are some trips where we are simply trying to get from point-to-point, so we’ll have several long drive-days in a row (10 hours or more occasionally) to get there. Then there are other times when we want to see several attractions in a smaller geographic area, so we might stay in one place longer, finding a more centralized campground, and then take several day trips to tour around without having to pull the trailer. In some cases, there is something we want to visit that’s a little far, but not impossible, so we will drive out of our way to stop there and “check it off the list”, so to speak. Unfortunately, there are some times we simply don’t have time to see and do everything, so we choose our route and lunch stops accordingly and simply “drive by” a place we would love to spend more time in the future.
As we have traveled, we have met so many wonderful people along the way and everyone has their own style. As you figure out what works for you, consider the differences and whether some may work for you at various points in time. The most commonly heard advice from seasoned RV travelers is summed up as, “If you have more time, use it. If you don’t, make the best of it”. It may be generic, but it helps you to put it all in perspective.
Many travelers spend their time in beautiful places and driving along nationally recognized “scenic drives”. They may plan them according to the weather, the changing leaves, the wildlife, or because they’re simply in the area. There are many places that list scenic drives, so find the one that gives you the information you’re searching for. We enjoy the scenic drives within parks and some off-road trails as well. It’s a great way to see a lot quickly, but leaving the road and seeing nature up close gives you a different perspective. When pressed for time, in a given location that seems too vast for your short visit… the scenic drive can often be a wonderful source of inspiration and provide a taste for what you could do with a longer stay at that location. This can be great for deciding what you may want to do on a return trip. Even when you have more time, its often nice to use the scenic drive to get a lay-of-the-land. We found ourselves doing this a lot on our arrival days. This wasn’t something we originally planned. But, we would often have energy and excitement at the end of our drive day and use it to get a glimpse or a new city or park. Usually we’d take scenic drives on our arrival day that would have an anchor point, like a sunset vista or simply a quaint ice cream shop.
In our travels, we often found families who are either visiting many different national parks and/or trying to visit as many states as they can. It is not unusual to see RV travelers with sticker maps tracking the places they have visited. Many also hold a national park ‘passport’ and get stamps from different parks they visit. This aligns well with much of our travel, so we usually have a lot to talk about and get good information from these families. I do find it funny that everyone “counts” states differently. Some require that you sleep in the state, others that you simply drive through it. We decided to count a state… we had to be on an RV trip, physically be in the state and out of the vehicle, and had to spend money in the state. Just one more thing that makes every RV traveler different.
To each, their own.
Idiom
There is another style of RV travelers that is a little more unusual, but a lot of fun. We have met some families that travel to see more abstract attractions. Some want to fish and/or kayak on different lakes around the country, some want to visit all the different sand dunes (I never realized there were so many and in some seemingly strange locations), and some challenge themselves to eat at or drive by restaurants made famous from the show “Diners, Drive-thrus, and Dives“. I once had a co-worker who traveled the country in search of the world’s largest… whatever. When we were on a business trip in Minnesota, she had to go visit the world’s largest ball of twine. I had never appreciated these kinds of roadside attractions, but I can understand how fun it could be to make that your travel theme. You may consider driving Route 66 to be in this genre. Many people love the history, the views, and of course the unusual “kitschy” sites along the way.
In addition to the types of sights people seek out along their travels, I have noticed a significant difference in the way RV travelers drive and overnight. Some people prefer to spend 2 weeks at one location before moving, while others can drive through and spend less than 24 hours in one spot. I admit, I’m not a fan of moving every night, but sometimes it’s what we have to do because we don’t have unlimited time on the road.
Oftentimes, when visiting a state park or otherwise cool spot, we will see a camper van or other small RV parked and picnicking during the day. It makes us wonder, do some people drive at night and boondock at a park or scenic overlook during the day? Can you enjoy the peaceful scenery of a great spot during the day and avoid costly campgrounds each night by driving or doing quick rests at cheaper or free overnight stops? There’s something whimsical about that lifestyle, although we all need a good night’s rest and warm shower.
That leads me to the next thought. Some people prefer paved RV lots and full hookups, while others prefer scenic views and more natural surroundings. The first group may never consider the more rustic option of boondocking and not having access to water, septic, and electric. The latter group may shutter at the thought of seeing RVs lined up on a concrete parking lot, tucked in to their narrow spaces. I love waking up to see nature surrounding us on all sides, without close neighbors, and where the kids (and dogs) can run more freely. However, we love the reliability and ease of a big RV campground (especially when needing reliable utilities on work days).
The nice thing about RV travel is that you can do it your way. You can take as much time as you want, and make the most of the time you have. You’ve chosen this journey for a reason, whether you’re a Full-Timer or a Weekend Warrior. Don’t be afraid to try something uncomfortable, but whatever you do, don’t judge the way someone else travels.
