NPS.gov
Plan you route carefully so you’ll arrive in the campground at a decent hour.
Words by Jessica Rider
Spending more time among Mother Nature came to the forefront of everyone’s minds this past year. For some of us though, we’re not in a position to sell everything we own and live in an RV full time. So, we have to experience nature as much as we can on the weekends.
After some health concerns in 2013, I needed to create a way to spend more time outdoors. After purchasing our first RV, I quickly started to build a lifestyle that would allow for much more time to connect and create adventures amongst nature.
Nowadays, my family and I spend at least two weekends a month in our RV visiting lakes, rivers, and campgrounds within three hours of our home. This allows us the opportunity to maximize our weekends and enjoy all the benefits that the outdoors has to offer.
Andrew Cattoir National Park Service
Utilize apps and park websites to find the best site at a particular RV park.
However, we’ve had to rely on some best practices and resources to make our joy of weekend camping worthwhile and easy. There are countless tips, ideas, and ways you can make things work for you but these are some of the easiest.
1. Plan the Next Week before a Weekend Trip
Don’t limit your time to rush home on the last day of the weekend to do the mandatory grocery shopping for the week ahead. Try using services such as Instacart that can deliver groceries on a late Sunday afternoon. Or, perhaps do all the week’s groceries just before you leave. This will allow some added time to stay on the road longer or enjoy trips further away. It will also help prevent feeling rushed or overwhelmed after getting home.
2. Use Online Tools
Utilize apps and park websites to find the best site at a particular campground. There are many available, but I like to use RV Parks & Campgrounds and Google Earth. I commonly go to the campground’s website, choose a spot, and then visit Google Earth to get a more in-depth look. After all, it can be frustrating getting to a destination on a Friday night and the campsite doesn’t look anything like it did in the original photos.
Calvin Smith NPS.gov
Try to have all of the essentials that are needed for weekend trips always in your RV. This way you’ll always have everything you want at a campsite.
3. Keep the RV Ready to Roll
Try to have all of the essentials that are needed for weekend trips always in the RV. The only thing I ever have to pack on Friday afternoon is food. Everything else is already ready to go. Visit a dollar store and purchase a set of kitchen utensils, flatware, towels, toiletries, etc, specifically for the RV. This simply eliminates the whole process of packing up (and unpacking) the RV every weekend, which saves a lot of time.
4. Drive Smart
Plan your route carefully when visiting a new destination. A quick search on MapQuest commonly offers the best routes. Stick to major highways and larger side roads. They may sometimes take a little longer but it’s better than getting lost in the dark late on a Friday night.
Calvin Smith NPS.gov
A little organizing and some common sense will make weekend RV trips go smoother and stress-free.
5. Organize Weekend Activities
Don’t try to do everything in one weekend. If there are a lot of activities in and around the RV park that can’t be done in two days, plan to enjoy them on future trips, and be sure to make reservations. This way it’s pretty much a guarantee to do the desired activity. Also, ask the campground host if there are specific activities or themed seasonal events like movie nights or Halloween parties.
Weekend adventures can be exciting, and just as exciting as longer trips. It just takes a little forethought and common sense to make the most of your time. Remember, the reason for camping is to relax and get away from all the stress of your daily life!
Happy Camping!