Top 10 Tips for Loving an RV for 16 nights (with kids!)
Being travelers who are open-minded and open to all options, we try to vary it up with our experiences. When a great deal came across to reposition an RV from Chicago to Albuquerque, we jumped on it! We drove about 3100 miles with some detours through nine National Parks and Monuments to earn Junior Rangers badges in an endeavor to get the MostPerMile out of that brand spankin’ new RV! So what are my top ten tips for not just surviving 16 nights in an RV with kids, but loving it?
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1 – Pack Efficiently
When we live at home with our children, everyone has their space. Well, most moms know the only space we sometimes get is to go hide in the restroom with the door locked, but that is beside the point. Think of your living quarters at home, then
imagine compressing into about 300 square feet. For sixteen days. Regardless of where you pick up your RV, you definitely want to pack efficiently and plan it out well in advance. Of course, if you are flying somewhere to pick up your RV as we did for our one-way journey, sticking to the Southwest policy of two checked bags weighing no more than 50 pounds each was definitely our max, but we came in under utilizing packing cubes and planning out our laundry days in advance. Everything from toiletries, games, bed sheets, educational materials, and clothes fit right here on our luggage cart after flying into Milwaukee the previous evening and driving to the north side of Chicago to pick up our RV. Since we are those parents who have our children carry their own backpack and pull their own roller bag, they know the importance of packing efficiently for sure!
Off to pick up the RV, watch another refresher video on how to drive one (virgin RV’ers), and sign the forms, we knew we would be facing rain, a tornado watch, and 5:00 rush hour Chicago traffic, so all hands were on deck to keep this beauty looking good. After all, as a factory delivery, it only had 240 miles on it!
2 – Unpack (and store items) Efficiently
Taking time to unpack and place everything in it’s proper place is very well worth your time. Whether it is coming home from the store, unpacking in a RV, or embarkation day on a cruise (with a much smaller stateroom), you level of sanity will thank you profusely by making the effort to finding a spot for everything and telling each member of your family what is their space, what is your space, and what is our space. You have a small amount of living quarters to make the MostPerMile in the next several days and nights, and you don’t want to have any extra things infringing on your mental health! It will also help with meal prep in the kitchen and maximizing the available counter space, as well as remembering to put everything away when moving the vehicle.
3 – Plan a Menu in Advance
We all know what it is like to go shopping for a week at Walmart, but what about
- in a Walmart with a different layout you are accustomed to?
- with kids – who may be cranky from flying to pick up the RV?
- with the husband – who may have his own agenda he forgot to tell you about?
To save a lot of time, money, and once again, sanity, sketch out a menu in advance. Find ways you can buy that rotisserie chicken and use it for more than one meal. When will you have hookups at your campsite and when will you not? Did you grab that roll of foil to help
cook meals on the grill at the campground? Will the milk you purchase last until when you plan to eat the recipe that calls for milk? Can those tortillas for fajitas at night also have enough to use for breakfast tacos a day or two later without going bad?
4 – Enjoy the Views
Whether it is driving down the road, looking out the window, or gazing at sunset from your chair by the campfire, a RV provides exceptional views we cannot get in many places. Don’t be afraid to pull over on the side of the road to cook lunch
when you see a fabulous river view, or when sitting in road construction delays taking a peek out at the scenery. While the driver is always having to concentrate on the road, the co-pilot can definitely be snapping pictures of the scenery to help document the trip and memories, especially if the driver missed a peek here or there!
5 – Eat Outdoors… Often
Packing that cheap tablecloth and grabbing some rocks to hold it down is a great way to get the kids involved with setting the table (just remember to put the rocks back where they came from). That aluminum foil purchased on the initial grocery run will come in handy to make a variety of meals, including waffle cone s’mores!
However, we should’t forget about traditional campfire s’mores – a must on any camping trip! Just remember to close the doors to the RV when cooking on the campfire so that your temporary house doesn’t smell like a campfire at all hours of day and night remaining in your journey.
6 – Love Thy Neighbors
When parking your RV, depending on the campground and campsite, you may be quite cozy with your neighbors. They may be experienced RV’ers who have gotten the
MostPerMile out of their RV over the years, and then some city-slicker comes rolling in along with two kids to crash their solitude. (cough cough) You never really know if you are going to be backing in next to someone with just a couple trees between you, or wide open spaces to toss a ball around (and no trees to block that view when you forget to close the blinds when changing clothes), so just remember that for the time being, you are neighbors.
But neighbors can be amazing. Have you ever needed help with an RV issue you didn’t quite know how to handle? Or developed a headache when you never, ever get one, and needed to hit up a neighbor for medicine? Anything?? Besides, it is an excellent opportunity for children to practice their social skills in meeting new adults, introducing themselves, and learning about others. Trading tips on an upcoming campground or sight to see along the way can provide some great evening conversation, especially if there was a recent bear sighting in the campground you were not aware of and need that reminder of some safety tidbits.
7 – Take Advantage of Nature Hikes
Many opportunities exist on a RV trip in a variety of places to get out and take a walk or nature hike. In fact, when staying in a National Park or State Park, be sure to check out the schedule of ranger-guided hikes as they
can add a plethora of information to your stay! Pack suitable hiking shoes, use your bug spray and sunscreen, and drink plenty of fluids as you hike in your group. Make sure everyone is aware of any potential safety concerns, and never hike alone. Finally, grab a trash sack to keep in your pocket so that you can pick up any litter on the trail you may come across. It is important to help instill the “pack in pack out” mentality with our children, the future generation taking care of our park lands. Many resources are available to share with children in advance of a RV trip with the Leave No Trace principles. Besides, after sitting in the RV traveling from one point to another, getting some exercise and fresh air will do some good for everyone in your family, regardless of age! Just be prepared in case one child gets tired, as one parent may need to carry them back.
During those walks, take time to just sit and enjoy God’s magnificent beauty – whether it is gazing across a lake at mountains or waiting for Old Faithful to show her glory again. Getting the MostPerMile out of a trip often includes taking a step back, relaxing, and admiring the world around us. 
8 – Get Wet and Dirty!
While we are often at home reminding our children to keep clean, and to an extent on vacation as well, don’t hesitate to get the MostPerMile out of your RV adventure by letting loose and getting wet and dirty every now and then! Whether it is a river hike (we always wear our reliable Keens) or gathering rocks, it’s okay on vacation to get a little wet or dirty!
9 – Play Some Games
Add some travel games to your packing list. Dominoes, checkers, and trivia games are some favorites, along with a standard deck of cards. If it is a rainy afternoon, they can come in handy inside the RV, or a beautiful afternoon, a great way to utilize that picnic tablecloth again. These are great opportunities for some family bonding, and are relatively inexpensive as well as easy to pack for the trip. Building those family memories is all part of getting the MostPerMile on any vacation, not just an RV vacation.
10 – Maximize Everyone’s Education
While we can bring along some educational materials for the longer parts of a journey, one of our greatest joys is visiting our National Parks and Historic Sites on any vacation, not just RV trips. The kiddos get the opportunity to learn with the Junior Ranger program, which is at no charge, and we adults learn a lot as well! Our children can learn anywhere – you name it! Our park rangers are fabulous along with tour guides in helping develop an appreciation and understanding for the area, with several examples here all taken while on this 16-night adventure in various National Parks (we actually earned nine badges this trip):
And I would be remiss to not mention the most important tip for loving your RV vacation:
Take the time to see the journey through your children’s eyes!
Give them the camera, and their photos may show things you never saw. They enjoy using the camera to contribute to the family photo album when back home, and can often
have a totally different perspective on things. Besides, the vacation isn’t about just the adults, so taking time to see it from their viewpoint enlightens us all in getting the MostPerMile out of a RV trip!
Possible Curriculum Correlations in Texas:
Way too many to list!! The world is an amazing classroom – just get outside and enjoy it!
