10 Reasons You Should Travel More In Your RV

RV Life

Why You Should Travel In Your RV More Often

Summer is starting to wind down and the RV travel season tends to go with it. RV owners look at putting their rigs in storage, emptying and winterizing the tanks, and getting ready for the flurry of holidays coming down the pipe.

This is a real shame. When summer winds down, so do the crowds, traffic, park and campground fees, hot weather, and bugs. This not only makes for a more pleasant camping experience, but it also keeps you in the RV mood, no matter what the weather.

Weather and camping conditions are just one reason to travel more in your RV. There are a few others that we want to discuss below, but before we do, we’ll talk about the elephant in the room: fuel costs.

Putting away the RV for the season will definitely save you money on gas and diesel. However, there are other things that will suffer if you quit RVing for the next six to eight months. These include your RV “muscle” memory, your rig’s systems, and even your sanity. These ten reasons go beyond just the price of fuel and cover things you may have never thought of during the RV off-season.

1. It’s good practice

How many of you have taken your first spring or summer RV trip and forgotten everything you learned the year before? It’s like going back to square one and becoming an RV newbie again. Taking a trip, even a short one, every other month or so keeps your RV skills up-to-date.

2. It’s a good way to test your rig and gear

It’s tough to test your RV plumbing or a new gear item when your RV is parked in your driveway. Taking another RV trip is a great way to see how your solar panels work in the late fall or even try out a new recipe in your rarely used RV oven.

3. You are going to meet a different sort of camping crowd

People who travel in the off-season or travel more often are a wealth of information about RVing in general. Hanging out with them is a totally different experience than being around the typical summer crowds and weekend warriors.

4. It keeps your RV systems “lubricated”

RV systems such as electrical, propane, and heating, water pipes and tanks, and engines were built to be used—not to sit around. Keeping your RV and its systems in continuous use is good for them.

It’s also good for you. Just like the first reason listed above, using your systems in all types of conditions will keep you educated about the systems and how to fix them when things go wrong.

5. You’ll get to see more places and experience more environments

Traveling throughout the year will allow you to see areas and weather you may not get to see during the summer. Yellowstone National Park in winter is a totally different planet than in the summer. Some busy roads and highways are peaceful in the early spring and late fall. Ocean beaches can be completely empty before a winter storm blows in. Just prepare yourself and your RV with additional supplies for whatever may blow in.

6. Planning is half the fun

How much fun is it to plan out your summer RV vacation during the winter? It’s what keeps you going through the blustery season. Imagine getting to plan several trips throughout the year—it’s even more fun. Plan your trips with RV LIFE Trip Wizard and the RV LIFE App to make your RV trip planning easier and more enjoyable.

7. Weather challenges make great stories

If you do find yourself having to hunker down in your RV during a snowstorm, thunderstorm, or dust storm, these opportunities make for some fun stories to tell later on. For instance, check out this article on Cold Weather Camping Mistakes We’ve Made.

8. You can check out the less popular areas

If you only take one or two RV trips a year, you will likely want to hit what we call the “Big Four”. These are national parks, state parks, amusement parks, and popular campgrounds. If you travel more often, you can check out the lesser-known wilderness areas, BLM sites, private campgrounds, and even the middle of nowhere.

9. You can go by yourself

Even if your family doesn’t want to join you, you have a few reasons above to head out on a trip alone. This is a nice time to practice parking and backing up by yourself, trying some new recipes, forgo setting up all the camp supplies, and going wherever you want by whatever route you want.

10. It’s good for your mental health

How often do you feel totally at peace when camping? I would guess it’s most of the time. Once you set up camp, pop open a beverage, and watch the sunset, all the planning and driving is worth it. How nice would it feel to do this more often?

Get tips from other RVers

One of the best parts about RVing is engaging with the community of traveling enthusiasts. iRV2 forums allow folks to chat with other RVers online, and get other perspectives on everything RVing, including products, destinations, RV mods, and more.

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