What's Your RVing Style?

[Mike D.]

We are newbies from Alberta, Canada and are getting ready to venture into the RV lifestyle in January and are curious as to what the favorite style amongst others might be. Are you planners; spontaneous; snowbirds; or ?? If spontaneous, how long do you usually stay in one spot? Do you call or make reservations in advance?

We will be dolly towing a Nissan Kicks. Any suggestions or cautions about towing or parking are appreciated.

Do you subscribe to clubs? Do you find them worth it? If so, what are the favorites and what would be the most beneficial to us Canadians?


Looking forward to and thank you in advance for your input. i

 

[paulwadley]

Last summer , we went from California to Florida and then north to Virginia before making our way back to California. We had planned out 3 locations ahead of time(Disney World/Universal Studios, Colonial Williamsburg Virginia and Verona Kentucky). We made reservations at those 3 locations and left time in between for driving between them. We just drove each day about 300 miles. Around lunch time we would stop and look ahead for a campground and call for the night. Worked out great. We stayed at some great spots at very reasonable rates(some as cheap as $30.00). If we called and nothing was available, we found another one along our route. Some were right on our highway and others were a short trip from our highway. We took a couple of side trips along our way stopping in Branson Missouri for a few nights and Tombstone Arizona a few nights. We were in no hurry and had no time restrictions other than the original 3 locations mentioned.

Paul

 

[ducksface]

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/f28/how-we-rv-27696.html

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

We've got into a pattern of picking a general area (2023 - Rocky Mountains, 2024 - Appalachian Mountains).

We plan our places we want to "experience". We pick a central location to camp (preferably boondock), then drive the toad to explore. We put several thousand miles on the Jeep last year doing that.

We enjoy lots of hiking in remote areas far away from civilization. We avoid metro areas and touristo traps like the plague.

 

[16ACE27]

As working people with limited time we usually had destinations on our planned trips with planned stops along the way. Our MO was drive 200 to 400 miles to a reserved campground arriving early afternoon. Explore, eat sleep and plan the next day with local attractions. Spend the next day (non-travel day) seeing the local attractions, changing plans as needed for the day and back to the campground for dinner. The next day being a travel day was pretty well planned except for departure time.

Rinse and repeat traveling every other day till we got to the main destination where we may stay several days before departing on the return trip via a different route to see different things on the way back using our every other day travel routine.

We applied that to a 33 day trip last year to Michigan to see the grandkids (staying there 5 days).

The previous year we did a 29 day trip where the destination was the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline drive. This was different in that we did the every other day routine to and from the destination, but on the Parkway and Skyline drive we traveled every day but only 100 to 150 miles so we could stop as we wanted along the way and still get to the campground early enough to also reach local attractions like Apple farms or Wineries.

Now that my wife is FINALLY retiring, we expect to shift to many destinations with no real time table and unplanned stops along the way as we meander from destination to destination.

 

[Lt Keefer]

Being retired, there is no hard and fast rule on how long to be gone and we never let cost get in our way. We usually take one big trip a year.
We'll pick a destination and make reservations there. Then we hit the road driving between 200 to 300 miles a day, usually on state highways. We'll make reservations for the first two or three nights on the road and then adjust our travel and reserve as we go. If we come across something interesting along the road, we'll stop and explore. Some days we travel less than 100 miles, but rarely more than 300. We try to go home via a different route than the one we took to our destination. Our big trip is usually 30 to 45 days. The rest of the year we take spur of the moment trips. One of will say lets go camping and we will. These short trips are usually 7 to 10 days long and within 300 to 400 miles. They are usually in Texas, but sometimes New Mexico, Oklahoma or Kansas. We almost never travel east on our short trips as I don't feel there is much to look at in those states.

 

[ADOR]

We are still working FT. We can take 21 days vacation each year. So each Summer trip need to be planned to the dot. I see you are from Alberta. We love that place. Been there two summers in the past. We drive 300-350 miles per day, stopping at rest area at night. If none is available, we try to find a local CG near the highway. Last time we went to Alberta was in 2022. Once we retire, then we can just travel with less planning on where to stay.

 

[atreis]

We're both still working full time, so vacation is limited. We plan most of our trips out in advance and make reservations for the summer two-week vacation during the winter. We'll do spontaneous weekends up to Drummond Island too. (I own property there.)

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

We're currently planning for two months next year in Utah/Idaho. We count ourselves very fortunate to be retired, still in decent physical health and able to travel at a leisurely pace. I know this won't last forever, so we're enjoying what time we have!

 

[JeffThor325]

I live in my motorhome full time. I also hold down a full time 40 hour a week job.

Setup and tear down to make the motorhome road ready and vice versa typically takes under an hour. I try to avoid driving more than about 300 miles (480km) per day.

If I'm just passing through an area with no real intention or desire of stopping, I'll most often stop at a rest area or truck stop. I also frequently use Harvest Hosts and Hipcamp. In four years, I can count on my fingers how many times I've stayed at campgrounds.

I often stay in the same area for several months at a time. Sometimes I will return to an area year after year. I have a strategy for finding places to stay and, in four years, have NEVER paid more than $200 a month for a place to park. I always offer to pay for water and utilities but have never once actually been charged. (I use so little that I think it's not worth it to even calculate.)

 

[DavidEM]

My wife and I are retired so you might call us spontaneous campers with a plan. I watch the weather a a few days out and if I see a 2-3 day window I will start looking for a campground/campsite. We like rustic campgrounds so we like to camp in state parks, USFS sites and NPs in that order of preference due to “rusticness”. NPs usually have gorgeous views along the way which makes up for their camping density.

My camping radius is about 300 miles from home but often 150 miles or less and my duration is 2-3 days. I have a half dozen or more favorite campgrounds with their maps marked with favorite sites usually along a body of water. With a half dozen or so campgrounds and 5-10 favorite sites in each, I can usually find one that fits in the weather window.

Before Covid we would just wing it and go, but today both due to lingering Covid restrictions and more people out camping, we make reservations. Once in a while if the weather takes a turn for the worse I have to cancel and pay the cancellation fee, but that is maybe 10-15% of our reservations.

We camp 20-30 days this way each year and usually take a 500+ mile trip once to see friends or relatives.

David

 

[ducksface]

I've seen some mask requests on the Navajo rez but absolutely nothing anywhere near a commonly traveled rv type paved road...anywhere.

What should I be aware of as far as a covid restriction hold over?
Maybe i just haven't paid appropriate attention

 

[DavidEM]

The Covid holdover restriction that seems to be slowly lifting is the reservation requirement. Many state parks still do not allow walk ins. How that helps to control the spread of disease I haven’t a clue.

But you know bureaucracy. Once something is in place, good or bad, it usually stays in place.

David

 

[16ACE27]

The Covid holdover restriction that seems to be slowly lifting is the reservation requirement. Many state parks still do not allow walk ins. How that helps to control the spread of disease I haven’t a clue.

But you know bureaucracy. Once something is in place, good or bad, it usually stays in place.

David

That remains in place to lower payroll - they don't have to staff the office.

 

[Lt Keefer]

The Covid holdover restriction that seems to be slowly lifting is the reservation requirement. Many state parks still do not allow walk ins. How that helps to control the spread of disease I haven’t a clue.

But you know bureaucracy. Once something is in place, good or bad, it usually stays in place.

David

Yup, nothing like a government bureaucracy messes up a fun time.

 

[CactusJuice]

I have been retired a number of years but can't break the vacation mode of travel: go as many miles a day as I can, get up early and do it again. We rarely look at anything unless it is out the front window.

Since we went Class A (from midsize C), refueling has become a hassle so now we drive however far we can get on a tank, then fill up first thing in the AM when the pumps are not busy. That works out to about 450 miles per day with a little cushion. I used to do 600 or better.

 

[ducksface]

I have been retired a number of years but can't break the vacation mode of travel: go as many miles a day as I can, get up early and do it again. We rarely look at anything unless it is out the front window.

Since we went Class A (from midsize C), refueling has become a hassle so now we drive however far we can get on a tank, then fill up first thing in the AM when the pumps are not busy. That works out to about 450 miles per day with a little cushion. I used to do 600 or better.

We travel about the same.
We'll do the occasional 900mile day if we're in the flats.
We'll know it when we see it.
We seldom know it so we seldom stop to see it.

When we travel it's like building a mountain from the mashed potatoes.
We'll eventually recognize the reason.

Compelled by the void
Is the best term for our travel style.

 

[45Kevin]

We are newbies from Alberta, Canada and are getting ready to venture into the RV lifestyle in January and are curious as to what the favorite style amongst others might be. Are you planners; spontaneous; snowbirds; or ?? If spontaneous, how long do you usually stay in one spot? Do you call or make reservations in advance?

We will be dolly towing a Nissan Kicks. Any suggestions or cautions about towing or parking are appreciated.

Do you subscribe to clubs? Do you find them worth it? If so, what are the favorites and what would be the most beneficial to us Canadians?


Looking forward to and thank you in advance for your input. i

We are also from AB and have been traveling a lot each year in our van conversion. We are both retired. Last year we were on the road from September until late April. Went to the Maritimes, then diagonally across the US and then Baja. We found 8 months a little too long in a van and will be buying (if the deal goes through) a Thor Siesta class C for this year's trip. Had a hard time finding what we want hence the reason we are still at home.

If we leave later in the year and AB and the northern states are in winter temperatures we will drive about 500 KM a day. Once we hit warmer weather our typical day is hit the road at 11, drive an hour and a half and stop for a long lunch, then do another hour or two. 300KM in one day is big for us. We usually take secondary roads and keep our speed at 100KPH or less.

We spend the winter in Baja. We work our way down and then back up. We drive for a day then find a beach to stay on until we are out of water, usually a week. Then on to the next town for food and water and then on to the next beach.

We are almost exclusively boondockers and find good spots on the iOverlander app. It also shows dump stations, grocery stores, laundromats and most everything a van or RV traveler would need.

We also join Discover Baja Club (US$35) each year. Mostly for the reduced Mexican insurance rates. My wife gets better news about Baja from a Facebook group.

We joined Snowbird Advisor (free) to get a Telus phone plan for CAN US MEX at a reasonable price. CDN$65/mo for 150 gigs and unlimited talk and text.

 

[professorkx]

I am retiring the first part of 2025, but we have been snowbirds for the last 4 years since I work remote. We live in the northwest US, and except for one year in Florida for the winter, we are generally in the southwest US during the winter.

In the beginning, we made reservations. However, last year, we didn’t make any reservations, and WOW, the trip was the best winter trip we have had to date. I had thought it would be difficult to find an RV park for our restocking week (1 week each month to do laundry and restock food, with the rest of the time boondocking), but we never experienced any reservation issues. So, our strategy going forward is to just follow the sun and be more flexible with respect to location.

Once I resign and move into full retirement, we will be spending even more time exploring in our Magnitude, and we will continue to “go with the flow” without reservations.