Planning Your First RV Road Trip

RV Park Resort Orland, CA 2008

When we started planning your first RV travels we thought it was going to be easy. We bought our first motorhome (actually our 2nd but it had been years) and being we bought it used and it wasn't exactly what we wanted, we took some time to work on cleaning it up and updating it. Actually, that was fun, too. Allow time for getting the motorhome ready. It's best if buying used, to have it checked over completly. We didn't know but even tires have a use-by date, so to speak, and their age needs to be known. Have brakes and shocks checked for sure. Actually, anything you would want to have checked for the safety of a car, you would want checked for the safety of your motorhome. We were ready to go after almost a year of working on it. We already had our memberships at a few RV Resorts or parks so we thought we were ready to travel. Palm View RV Resort, CA

Not so fast. You want to be sure that you plan carefully for everything, but mostly the more important things. Things like insurance, prescriptions, physician information, and nowadays, your passport. Don't forget licensing. It helps to make great RV checklists before you start. Include as many things as you can think of or you can always research RV or camping checklists on the Internet.

When we first went out, we checked the internet for rest stops on the highway we knew we would be taking. They list them all.......all nicely numbered. You can find information there, too, on how long you can stay and if you're allowed to stay overnight. You really wouldn't have to worry about service stations, shopping centers, pharmacies, etc. if you have a GPS. Most list all those points of interest. And they list addresses, phone numbers and, of course, how to get there.

We do recommend having some sort of roadside service protection. We had to use it once when we had a flat tire on the vehicle we towed. And another important document to have is any service warranties you may have. Keep them handy and know how to use them. If you bought a new motorhome, then know your dealership info along with the warranty info. Know their phone numbers and names of contact people. You won't believe how helpful this information is.

Know what your RV insurance covers, too. Know your agents name and contact info. Call them ahead of time and discuss with them what you are planning to do BEFORE you leave town.

It all seems like a lot of work and it's not really the most fun part of an RV travel but once youget through it the first time, it'll be easy planning your next trip.