Hitting the open road is the dream of many and, for as long as there’s been an Oregon Trail to follow, people have been drawn to the vast expanses of the outdoors and long road trips. Thankfully, covered wagons are no longer the preferred type of travel. RV camping is now a way to enjoy the open road with all the comforts of home. If you’re planning a trip, make sure you include these things.
An RV Awning
Okay, it’s not an absolute necessity from a food and water perspective, but it does allow you to enjoy more of the outdoors, even in the middle of the day. It creates instant shade outside and keeps your RV cooler as well because it blocks the sun from entering your windows.
A Backup Camera
Whether this is a necessity or not depends on how skilled a driver you are. However, RVs are a lot larger than most people’s everyday cars. Because of this, it’s often difficult to gauge distance. A backup camera can alert you to things, and people, behind you. This feature could mean the difference between a long vacation and one that’s marred by an accident. If your RV didn’t come with one of these, you can have it installed in a few hours.
A GPS
If you don’t have one of these on your phone, you’ll want to make sure you have a global positioning system in your RV. Knowing where you are, the speed limit, and where your next turn off is are all helpful things when you’re navigating the open road. If you can swing the extra cost, splurge on an RV-specific GPS. The TripMaker RVND 7710 GPS not only tells you where you’re going, but it will also alert you to things that are critical to the RV driver like low clearance on bridges and weight restrictions.
LED Lights
In warm climates, when all your RV lights are on, the vehicle temperature inside can get pretty toasty. Switching out your halogen lights for LED lights will save energy and, because they are cool to the touch, will not heat up your vehicle the way halogens do. They are also longer-lasting and less affected by vibration.
Emergency Roadside Assistance Club Membership
Whether it’s AAA or another group, roadside assistance can be a lifesaver. Even able-bodied mechanics need help once in a while. Don’t get stuck unprepared.
Walkie-Talkies
Face it, you’ve come to rely on your cellphone, but often in RVing you’ll find yourself in an area without coverage (gasp!). When you do, walkie-talkies can help you communicate with your party. They’re handy tools for parking in smaller spaces (especially if you didn’t take the advice and get a backup camera) and communicating without shouting.
Get out there and go with these items. Explore this vast country in an RV. It’s one of the best ways to see it because you are in control of your trip and, in the case of an RV camping vacation, the journey really is your destination.
