8 Great Instagram Accounts Every RV Owner Should Follow!

Have you joined in on the Instagram craze yet? We think it’s the perfect social media hub for the RV enthusiast. Even if you can’t RV 24/7, looking at campers in pretty locations is almost as good.

Signing up for Instagram is easy, but finding great accounts to follow can be tricky. Here are our favorite Instagram accounts for folks that love RVing.

Go RVing (@gorving)

When it comes to great pictures of RVs in magnificent locations from coastal Maine to Southern California, GO RVing’s Instagram account is the mother ship.  Their gallery provides daily inspiration for your next great road trip.

Go Parks (@goparks) 

For stunning photographs that celebrate the beauty and historical significance of our National Parks, National Seashores, and National Historic sites there is no better gallery.  From sunrises glowing through Mesa Arch in Utah to black and white photos of John Muir in Yosemite, this account will help you find your park!

Vintage Camper Trailers (@vintagecampertrailers)

Can’t get enough of fun photos of vintage trailers from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s?  Then this gallery is for you! Vintage Camper Trailers features teardrops and canned hams and every historical oddity in-between! The classic cars that are often matched as tow vehicles are just the icing on the cake!

Hip Camp (@hipcamp)

Those of you who like to wander off the beaten track and park your rigs in more adventurous places like “farms, vineyards, and nature preserves” will find much information and inspiration in Hip Camp’s gallery.

Monica Bennett (@j5mm_blog) We love Monica Bennett’s RV-centric photography of the Pacific Northwest so much that we asked her to provide the cover image for our book, The Idiot’s Guide to RV Vacations.   Monica’s photos are filled with romance, wanderlust, and perhaps most importantly, the delicious local foods that she cooks while camping.

Mandy Lea (@mandyleaphoto) 

We started following Mandy Lea after hearing a great interview with her on the Girl Camper podcast in iTunes.  She describes herself as a “Full time teardropper, full time photographer, and full time adventurer” and her gallery has the dazzling photos to prove it.  Her feed is jam packed with waterfalls, mountains, and deserts. Take us there!

Jonathan Irish (@jonathan_irish)

This National Geographic contributor has a dream—traveling to, and photographing, all 59 U.S. National Parks during the 2016 centennial.  His pictures, like the parks themselves, are magnificent and breathtaking. We hope a coffee table book is in the works.

Peter Holcombe (@peterholcombe) 

Peter Holcombe is a professional photographer and kayaker who travels full time with his family in a Class B RV.  For beautiful photos of mountains and rivers with an emphasis on kayaking there is no better account.  His wife and daughter also crush rapids on the kayak and they are featured in many of the photographs!

As RV enthusiasts, Instagram is our favorite social media platform since we can enjoy beautiful images of camping even when we can’t be out in the RV. Follow these eight great Instagram accounts for your daily dose of RV therapy!

Fantastic RV Resorts around America: Have You Experienced This Popular Trend?

Camping used to mean pitching a tent in the woods, and cooking your meals over an open fire. And while you can still find that experience at many state and national parks, a new trend has been emerging along with the record growth of the RV industry: resort campgrounds.

What’s the difference between your average campground and an RV Resort? Two words: activities and amenities. The best ones will have pristinely landscaped RV sites with full hook ups, indoor and outdoor pools, Jacuzzis and saunas, and plenty of lounges and rec rooms. They will also host a full roster of daily activities for adults and kids, as well as restaurants, snack bars, and ice cream shops.

Resort campgrounds are a fantastic place to enjoy all the benefits of the RV lifestyle. Once you park your rig, you don’t even have to venture offsite. In many cases you can start your day off with an adult Zumba class, play in a ping pong tournament during the afternoon, and end your day in the perfect way—toasting s’mores over the campfire with your loved ones.

Here are some of the best reviewed RV resorts from around the country. Make sure you check out their websites to find out what amazing amenities are offered at that particular location.

1. Campland on the Bay in San Diego, California. This beachfront resort offers campers the opportunity to go jet skiing or surfing just steps away from your RV sites. Yoga classes, live music, and sports tournaments will keep you busy all day, and at night you can enjoy dance parties and parades.

2. Jellystone Park in Hill Country, Texas. This Jellystone Park has all the amenities you would expect from a Yogi Bear Park, and then takes it up a couple notches for some extra fun. The outdoor pool and splashpad are world class, and the laser tag tournaments will bring out the kid in even the most stressed out adult.

3. Stone Mountain Park Campground in Atlanta, Georgia. Uniquely located within a state park, this campground has all the bells and whistles with a pool, volleyball court, and playground. The activities in the surrounding park will really blow you away, though. Ride a high-speed cable car up to an historical monument. Explore the rope bridge course that incorporates geysers and fountains or ride the historic railway through the park.

4. Lake in Wood in Narvon, Pennsylvania. This pristine resort has beautifully landscaped sites and impeccably maintained amenities, offering indoor and outdoor pools along with a splash pad for the little ones. The food at the Gnome Café is cooked to order and the ice cream is hand dipped. You can paint pottery in an art class or attend religious services in the on site chapel.

5. Normandy Farms in Foxboro, Massachusetts. This award-winning campground stands out for its well-trained staff and attention to detail seen in all the site facilities. You could go from one organized activity to another all day long, or you can lounge around one of the four pools. Want to go for a thrill ride? Take your mountain bike to the BMX course, but try not to wipe out on the ramps.

Remember, these amazing RV resorts are very popular and book up early during peak vacation times, so if you want a prime spot, reserve in advance. Other than that, your only job is to park your rig, unwind, and enjoy all the amazing activities and amenities the modern RV resort has to offer!

8 Great Gifts for the RV Dad

It’s almost Father’s Day, and the last thing your dad needs is another tie. But what to get for the guy who has everything? We have compiled a list of great gear for the RV dad or granddad in your life. Read on to find that gadget that Pop can’t live without…

1. Truma LevelCheck, $69.99. Want to save dad the hassle of lifting and shaking the propane tank to guess how much gas is left? A quick swipe with the Truma LevelCheck will show exactly how much propane is still in the tank.

2. TastePure 25’ Heated Drinking Water Hose, $67.50. Give your dad the gift of an extended camping season with this heated hose. Even if the temperatures dip below freezing, the water will still keep flowing into the RV.

3. RV Lock 4.0, $239.99. Let’s face it…the standard RV door lock doesn’t provide the security we all want for our precious cargo. This RV lock fits all standard travel trailer and 5^th wheel doors, plus comes with keyless entry and remote fob.

4. Weber Q1000 Grill, $169.00. This is an RV dream grill since it’s small enough to fit in the storage bin, and big enough to cook steaks for the whole family.

4. Bristle Free Grill Brush, $16.95. You may think your dad has all the grill accessories he needs. But if he’s still using a bristle brush, it’s time for an upgrade. A bristle free brush will guarantee the only thing added to that burger is  awesome flavor.

5. Anderson Camper Levelers, $39.99. Do you hear your dad huffing and puffing as he piles up the wood in an attempt to level the RV? That means it’s time for levelers, which magically take the stress out of this frustrating task.

6. Igloo Freestanding Ice Machine, $139.00. No one said that dad has to rough it when traveling in the RV. There’s nothing like a cold drink after setting up camp, and this ice machine will help him chill out and relax.

7. Camelback Forge 16 oz. Travel Mug, $29.99. This is a serious travel mug for a serious coffee drinker. It will keep your beverage hot for hours, whether you are taking a morning hike, or swinging the hours away in a hammock.

8. Estwing 4 lb Special Edition Fireside Friend Wood Splitting Axe, $50.00. The campfire just got a bit more authentic with this beautifully crafted axe, perfectly for splitting up big logs and getting that flame roaring.

Happy Father’s Day to all the wonderful camping dads out there. We hope you are lucky enough to unwrap a new RV gadget this month!

5 Easy Ways to Personalize Your RV

Many new RVs are decorated in a neutral color palette, making it simple to add your own personal style highlights. But where do you start? We recommend some easy and affordable additions that will make your RV truly feel like a home away from home.

1. Pick a single pop or highlight color and then use it throughout the RV. Choose a color that you love and one that blends with the textiles already in the RV. Maybe blues help you feel relaxed and peaceful. Or perhaps reds bring you excitement and energy. Whatever highlight color you decide on, use it in every room to make the space feel roomier and unified.

2. Splurge on bedding. A good night’s sleep is so important when traveling in your RV, so don’t overlook the bedroom. A mattress topper, quality sheets, and a fluffy comforter will make sure you get your beauty rest, even when you are on the road.

3. Add some pillows and throw blankets. Using your chosen highlight color, find some patterned throw pillows for the couch and dinette. A couple of cozy throw blankets will also go a long way to making your RV feel like your own personal happy place.

4. Put up some custom wall hangings. You do not have to put any holes in your RV walls to display treasured family photos or collected prints. Adhesive squares and sticky Velcro will hold up great if attached properly. Some RVers create a feature wall by framing and hanging postcards from their travels.

5. Only introduce items you love. A new RV is clutter free, and keeping it that way will ensure that you enjoy all the time you spend in your home on wheels. Choose every item that you add with care, and at the end of every trip, remove items you didn’t use.

Your RV is your home away from home, and you can to feel as comfortable and relaxed while traveling as you do in your sticks and bricks. These five tips will help you personalize your RV in a simple and affordable way so you can focus on the fun part…the amazing adventures ahead.

3 Reasons to Plan Your Shakedown Trip Today!

Unless you are lucky enough to live in a year-round RVing climate, you are probably opening up the RV for camping season this month. While many experts recommend a “shake down” trip if you purchase a new RV, we strongly suggest that you make this a yearly tradition, even if you are a camping veteran.

What is a Shake Down Trip?

A shake down trip refers to a short, close to home, excursion with your RV for the purpose of testing out the systems and stocking up on necessary supplies.  We used to be so excited about dewinterizing our travel trailer and hitting the road that we skipped this tradition for years. Then we ended up on a 10-day vacation in Myrtle Beach without any running water. A problem that could have been easily fixed at home became a lot more complicated on the road.

Now we visit a favorite nearby campground where we enjoy a shake down weekend every spring. Something we avoided has become a favorite family tradition, an event we look forward to that marks the opening of our official camping season.

3 Reasons You Should Plan a Yearly Shake Down Trip

1. Identify any maintenance issues before embarking on longer trips.

We take very good care of our RV, and most of the time it opens up without any issues at all. However, fuses do blow out and squirrels do sometimes chew on propane lines.  When you set aside a weekend at the campground to tend to these basic maintenance issues, you can take care of your chores in a beautiful and relaxing environment.

2. Practice working all your systems in a low stress environment.

When you are on an RV vacation, you don’t want to worry about anything except enjoying your precious time at the campground. The last thing you want to do is figure out how to get your hot water heater working. Take care of this ahead of time on a shake down trip, and you will coast through your RV set up for the rest of the season.

3. Make sure your RV is properly packed.

Pack up your RV and then head out for your shake down trip. Once settled at the campground, you will inevitably discover items you forgot. No worries…your home is nearby and you can pack that tire pressure gage as soon as you return.  You might also discover a few items that you don’t really need. You can ditch that clutter before your next big trip.

Our yearly shake down trip has turned into a fun, relaxing way to celebrate the beginning of camping season. And other RVers seem to feel the same. This year we will be joined at the campground by many other camping friends, eager to test out those tanks and then share s’mores around the fire.

See you at the campground!

3 Make-Ahead Meals for Weekend Camping Trips

There is nothing more exciting than heading off to the campground after a long week at work. However, prepping for those short weekend RV trips can be a bit of a challenge.  The trick is to prepare in bits and pieces throughout the week, so that on Friday afternoon you can hit the road with no muss and no fuss.

One of the easiest ways to prepare in advance is by doubling your dinner recipes the week before and stocking your RV refrigerator with the extra portion. That way, you won’t have to do additional meal planning and food shopping for your short weekend getaway.

Here are three of our favorite make-ahead meals for weekend camping trips.

Tortilla Pie

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes

1 large can of beans, black or pinto

12 large flour tortillas

12 ounces grated cheddar cheese

1. Prepare the ground beef according to the seasoning packet instructions. Add in the can of diced tomatoes and the can of beans. Let simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Using non-stick cooking spray, coat the bottom of a casserole dish large enough to fit the tortillas.

3. Place a tortilla in the bottom of the casserole dish. Cover the tortilla with some of the meat mixture. Top with a thin layer of cheddar cheese. Place another tortilla on top of the cheddar, and repeat the process until you have layered all the tortillas with meat and cheese.

4. Sprinkle cheese on the top of the tortilla pie and cover in foil. Store in the refrigerator.

5. At the campground, cook the tortilla pie at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and hot. Serve with rice and a fruit salad.

Pasta Salad

Ingredients

1 pound bowtie pasta

1 6-ounce jar of prepared pesto

A medley of your favorite roasted vegetables (I roast asparagus, grape tomatoes, and yellow bell peppers on a sheet pan at 425° for 25 minutes)

1. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain.

2. Mix pasta with pesto sauce.

3. Add roasted vegetables. Store in the refrigerator tightly covered with plastic wrap.

4. This is the perfect dinner to serve on Friday night when arriving at the campground. A loaf of crusty bread makes a complete and hearty meal!

Barbeque Meatloaf Sandwiches

Ingredients

1.5 pounds ground beef

1 cup breadcrumbs

1 onion, diced

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce

1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce

1. Mix all of the ingredients together except for the BBQ sauce.

2. Form into a loaf and place in a shallow pan.

3. Pour BBQ sauce evenly over the top of the meatloaf.

4. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.

5. Cool and store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.  Serve at the campground on slices of sourdough bread with prepared coleslaw and potato salad.

Keeping meal preparation simple will ensure that those quick RV getaways are relaxing and refreshing.  That way you can return to work on Monday, rested and ready to plan your next great RV trip.

See you at the campground!

Stock that Storage Bin: 5 Gear Recommendations for the New RV Owner

These 5 inexpensive products should be among your first purchases when stocking your brand new RV.

As exciting as it is to prep a new RV for your first camping trip, it can also be a bit overwhelming. There is a fine line between being prepared and over packing, and you just might find yourself asking, do I really need this?

There are thousands of camping gadgets and gizmos that you might never actually use. But here are 5 pieces of gear that every newbie RVer should purchase before heading out to the campground.

1. Tire Pressure Gauge

RV safety experts recommend checking your tire pressure on every single traveling day, but many RVers don’t do this until they experience a tire blow out. Adopt this simple but important safety habit from day one. Tire pressure gauges are inexpensive, so you don’t have to bust the budget to stay safe. Our own gauge cost under $20 and has been working well for years.

2. Extra Water Hose

We were shocked the first time we showed up at a campground and couldn’t reach the water hookup with one hose. We were even more shocked at the price we had to pay to purchase an extra hose in the camp store.  Although this doesn’t happen regularly, experienced RVers know to always have an extra hose for those campgrounds that have the water hookup across the campsite from the sewer. Go figure.

3. Water Pressure Regulator

You don’t want to figure out the hard way that there is a water pressure problem at a campground. This rather inexpensive product can save you a tremendous amount of money by protecting your RV plumbing. It can also save you a lot of aggravation from uneven water pressure. The fancy ones come with a gauge and will run you about $50 or so. But if you are on a tight budget, get one of the simple ones for under $10. It will do the job.

4. Firewood Splitter

While you won’t be cutting down any trees at the campground, you will be buying your fair share of firewood at camp stores. A small splitter can be a lifesaver when the firewood is just too big to burn properly. Don’t let a bum campfire get you down. Be prepared to do a little chopping. As an added benefit, you will feel way more outdoorsy.

5. Fire Starters

You may have finely tuned Scout abilities, but most people don’t want to rub two sticks together until a campfire sparks. Keep it simple by always stocking a box of fire starters in your storage bin. You can buy them commercially, or make your own using one of the many ‘recipes’ found on the Internet. Our favorite DIY method is to buy candles at the dollar store, break them into one-inch pieces, and wrap the candles in wax paper.  Place one in your fire ring, and watch the magic happen.

These five inexpensive items will help keep you safe, keep your RV working, and get your campfire roaring. Because at the end of the day, that is why we RV– to make wonderful memories with our loved ones at the campground.

See you there.

5 Tips for Exploring the National Parks in Your RV

The National Park Service is celebrating its 100th birthday this year, and traveling in an RV is the perfect way to join in the fun!

The National Park Service is celebrating its 100th birthday on August 25, 2016, and there is no better way to see America’s most beautiful destinations than in your RV.  Here are 5 tips for making the most of your National Park explorations this year.

1. Make your campground reservations now.

RVing has never been more popular, and for good reason. RV owners love the flexibility and comfort afforded by this lifestyle. But this means that campgrounds are filling up fast, and you should plan ahead.

If you want to be in the heart of our National Parks, look for available campsites at http://www.recreation.gov. Remember, though, there are also amazing private campgrounds located just outside of many national parks. These private campgrounds can offer the best of both worlds: fantastic amenities along with easy access to the great outdoors!

2. Consider visiting some lesser know national parks.

People will be visiting Yellowstone and Yosemite National Park in record numbers this year. But with over 400 national parks, lakeshores, seashores, and historic monuments, you can celebrate the centennial without fighting the crowds.  Oh, Ranger! is an app that can help you locate the nearest NPS sites no matter where you are in the country.

3. Buy National Parks Annual Pass.

Senior Citizens can purchase a lifetime National Parks pass for $10 and everyone else can get an annual pass for just $80. This will get you and a carload of people into any of the National Park sites that charge an admission fee. The best part about the pass is that it may just encourage you to visit a few more places over the course of the year. Of course, the flexibility of RV travel makes this easy as well!

4. Get off the beaten loop road.

Many visitors never venture far away from the loop road available at most national parks. Make sure you visit the ranger station and ask the experts for personally tailored advice, so you can experience the hidden gems and escape the crowds. Check the park calendar for ranger programs that will help bring alive the ecology and history of the park.

5. Bring all your toys!

National parks offer endless opportunities for outdoor activities including hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking, and rock climbing. One of the best perks of traveling by RV is that you can bring all your gear and toys along for the journey. Fishing poles, canoes, bikes, and backpacks will all be safely stored in your RV, just waiting to help you get the most out of your national parks adventure.

So hit the road in your RV and join us in wishing the National Parks a very happy 100th birthday!

Tips For Traveling & Camping With A Toddler

Via Camping World:

September 08, 2015 · By Brittany Miller · 0 Comments

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Hi! My name is Brit. I am mom to a wonderful 16 month old named Ollie and I’ve always had a love for camping. I really don’t think anything compares to being outdoors, disconnected from the “real-world”, spending time with loved ones. So when we came up with the idea to take Ollie on a road trip to Canada and camp in an RV with family for 7 days, I was so excited! I could not wait to show our son the beauty of the outdoors and spend time with our family. But, there was still a lot of packing, organizing and planning to do before we could hit the road.

I definitely feel like I learned quite a bit from our first road trip with Ollie, here are what I found to be the most helpful tips and tricks for road-tripping/RV’ing with our toddler:

1. Pack by outfit with gallon storage bags

• A few days before our departure I gathered a bunch of Ollie’s clothes, a box of gallon storage bags, a marker and got to work. I separated, folded and organized enough outfits for the trip (+ extras), packed them into the storage bags and wrote a description of the outfit on the outside of each bag – i.e. “Shorts + tank top”, or “Sweatpants, t-shirt + zip-up hoodie”. I thought this would provide a quick reference when dressing Ollie and anything that makes getting my toddler dressed quicker and easier I’m a fan of! I couldn’t have been happier with how organized this made me feel! No matter what Mother Nature threw at us during the trip, we simply had to look at the outside of the bags to quickly see what clothing items they contained; he was dressed for the weather in no time. As an added (and surprise!) bonus, whenever I was changing Ollie, I simply put his dirty clothes into the new outfit’s bag – so, if I grabbed a bag and saw that the contents didn’t match the label, I automatically knew that they were dirty clothes. This packing method was seriously so helpful; I will definitely be packing all of our clothes this way for every trip we go on!

2. Make your must-haves extremely accessible

• We have a plastic, 3-drawer container in our family room and each drawer is filled with different types of toys. I really wanted to avoid having to unload, unzip or unpack any of our bags while we were on the road. We decided that utilizing our 3-drawer container would be a perfect solution and, after packing up everything else, put it in the back of our SUV so we could quickly get to it whenever we stopped somewhere. We packed it with all of our essentials – top drawer was toys (so we could easily switch them out when Ollie started to get bored), second drawer had food and snacks, and the bottom drawer had extra clothes, diapers and wipes. It made all of our pit stops a breeze!

3. Bring a stroller!

• This may be an obvious one. Since we were bringing our carrier and our Pack ‘n Play, I didn’t think we would need our stroller. I was so wrong. Every day at the RV park I was wishing we had our stroller, mainly for naps and bedtime. There really wasn’t enough room in the RV to set up the Pack ‘n Play, and, although Ollie fits in his carrier still, he’s a little too heavy for me to carry around while he is napping. And since he is still in his crib at home, I didn’t feel comfortable leaving him on any of the beds in the RV to take naps. It would have been much easier to walk him in the stroller until he dozed off. Then we could have simply kept the stroller right next to us while we still enjoyed time outside. One of the other families we were with did this and it was such a good idea!

4. Temporary fence

• Ollie is at a stage where he wants to be independent and do things on his own, but still doesn’t listen to or follow complex directions. During our trip, I kept thinking about how great it would be to have some sort of fence so that Ollie could still roam free, but we could somehow keep him contained and have boundaries. If I had thought of this before our trip, I definitely would have purchased the Play Safe Fence from Camping World, you can view them here.

Below is a quick list of items we had that I found to be extremely useful, and also a list of things that I wish we had thought to bring.

What we had:

• Water shoes – these were great to have when we went exploring at the beach!
• Toys – we tried to bring a wide variety so that we could keep recycling them throughout the trip and keep Ollie entertained
• Sunscreen/insect spray for kids
• Hats (cold weather and warm weather)
• Clothes for layering
• Dry snacks (snack bag) – dry snacks in the car were an absolute lifesaver! Dried blueberries were definitely the biggest hit. We also kept snacks in a little travel bag, so when Ollie was hungry he just pointed to the snack bag and we knew exactly what he wanted!
• Easily accessible storage
• Organized clothes

What I wish we had:

• Stroller
• Play pen/temporary fence
• Toddler camping chair – we tried to buy this particular chair for Ollie the day we were leaving, but unfortunately in our rush to get on the road we accidentally only bought the umbrella that attaches to the chair
• Plastic tub for baths – we had a full shower in our RV plus the park’s showers, which were great! But Ollie loves bath time at home, so it would have been nice to give him baths in a “tub” while on our trip
• Extra empty bags

o One for dirty dishes/sippy cups – it would have been so awesome to have an extra bag that we could toss dirty dishes into until we got back to the RV to wash them!

o Dirty clothes – even though we had the storage bags for Ollie’s clothes, I kept thinking how much I would have loved to have a large communal bag for all of our dirty clothes. We ended up using a garbage bag, which definitely worked, but I think I would have felt more organized with a sturdier travel bag.

All in all, even if I felt like we forgot a few things, it was an amazing trip and we have some great memories that will last a lifetime.  Ollie had a great time, and we can’t wait to take him on more adventures!

Happy RV’ing!

Do you have any tips for traveling/camping/RV’ing with toddlers? We’d love to hear them! Comment below and let us know what has worked for you!

It Happens.

One thing that can damage your plumbing on your coach is what you put down the commode. If you aren’t using RV safe toilet paper products, you are using the wrong stuff.

When we see packaging that says “flushable” it makes you feel better right? I picture a fancy lab and smart people in white coats that have done all the necessary research to make sure that my plumbing can stand up to their product. While that may be true in a normal household, it certainly isn’t if you own an RV. The packaging MUST say ‘RV or Marine Safe’ on it to be safe.

Now if you own an RV that has a macerator pump, you have an advantage.  We still do not recommend using non-RV safe paper products.  This will ensure the longer life of your plumbing!  I found this Camco toilet tissue at Walmart for pretty cheap.