Smart RVing - Save Time on Shorter RV Trips

By organizing and planning accordingly, your weekends away can be enjoyed to the fullest extent.

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Words by Jessica Rider

With the high cost of fuel, planning short weekend trips is one of the best ways to still enjoy great RV getaways without feeling too much of an impact at the pumps. However, choosing a destination close to home may not be as easy as it seems.

There are two different types of RV trips. Longer ones that last more than three days and shorter ones that are less than three days. Both are very different and you need to plan more carefully for the latter to get the most out of your time on the road.

When planning short weekend trips here are some smart ways to choose the right destinations and campgrounds for enjoyable RV experiences:

  • Learn about events that are either hosted by the RV park or a local community within an hour or two of your home. Campgrounds and communities have events throughout the summer and into the fall and they can be a good starting point when deciding where to go.
  • Do an online search for appealing attractions around the campground or immediate area. You may realize that a nearby provincial park is also close to a theme park or another exciting area to check out.
  • Review the fishing reports at your local (or nearest) lake. If you’re an angler, there may be certain times of the year when the fish are especially active and it's close to an RV park. Where my husband and I live in Missouri, certain species bite more than usual during certain times of the season, which is when we like to head to our lake (s) and fish while we camp.

Short trips are our specialty and primarily how we enjoy RVing. My husband and I arrive at a campsite around 7 pm on a Friday and then head home at 4 pm on Sunday, and try to do as much as we possibly can in 48 hours. We focus on exploring each park, the food we want to try and enjoy a little relaxation.

To properly prepare for a short trip here are some tips to consider:

  • Plan an outdoor adventure like a 5 km (3 mi) hike or 16 km (10 mi) bike ride rather than an extensive outing. This will allow you to be more active and see an area in a shorter period.
  • Keep meals simple. Start with the basics and then add your culinary creation. You can add further ingredients to sandwiches or cook some simple gourmet slider burgers to spice up the norm while still keeping meals pretty easy.
  • Avoid setting up outdoor lighting and keep decor to a minimum to reduce packing it all up on Sunday.  This will allow more time to relax when you have limited time.
  • Pack only the essential toys for your kids. Rather than loading up the designated storage area with 20 dolls or games, bring only four or five. This may also eliminate worrying about forgetting anything while still having enough for the kids to do.

Back at Home

If possible, complete routine household chores like basic yard work, cleaning, and laundry before your trip to alleviate the stress of rushing back to complete them before Monday.

Short, weekend camping trips can be really easy and a lot of fun. They don’t need to be stressful by trying to do too many activities in a small amount of time. By careful planning, you’re bound to maximize your time at a campground and before you know it you’ll be enjoying relaxing weekend getaways more often.

Happy Camping!