7 Expert Tips for New RV Owners (2023 Guide)
Life on the road comes with all sorts of hurdles—avoid them with these seven secrets from long-time RV travelers!
If you’ve found yourself dreaming of RV life—the open road ahead, your family by your side, adventure on the horizon—you’re far from alone! Right now, there are over 11.2 million RV households in the USA—that’s an increase of 62% over the past two decades!
It turns out, life on the road calls to more and more people every year. But with big adventure comes some big learning curves. Learn from RV experts with these top seven can’t-miss tips for new RV owners!
1. Follow the 333 Rule
When you’re on the open road, it’s safety first, 24/7. That’s why RVers know to always follow the sacred 333 rule:
- 300 MILES: Never drive more than 300 miles per day. If you average that mileage out, you’re looking at 5 hours of driving at 60 mph. Plenty of people drive longer than that for one-time trips, but if you’re an RVer, you might be driving multiple days in a row—and that’s not sustainable. Plus, studies prove that monotonous highway driving leads to more sleepiness and fatigue than city driving. Keep it safe, keep it short.
- 3:00 PM: Never arrive at your destination later than 3:00 PM. Arriving at an RV campground isn’t the same thing as pulling up to a hotel. You need time to get checked in, set up, and secured. A 3:00 PM arrival time gives you time to enjoy your destination and get everyone settled before dark!
3 DAYS: Never stay less than 3 days at any one location. There’s no hard and fast rule about this one, but most RVers find that 3 days gives them enough time to enjoy the area, relax, and catch up on life admin (such as mail or pharmacy runs).
2. Prepare Your Itinerary Ahead of Time
Freedom might be one of the most appealing lures of road life, but that doesn’t mean you should drive around aimlessly. For a successful venture, you need to know where you’re headed, how to get there, how long it takes to get there, and what supplies you need.
You can always make your plan the old-fashioned way, but we encourage you to also take a look at some of the more modern RV inventions! Apps like RV LIFE Trip Wizard can help you plan comfortable travel times, routes, gas stops, camping ground appointments, and more.
3. Keep a Watchful Eye on the Weather
Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter how well you plan: the weather will always have a mind of its own. If you’re heading out on the road, you need to be keenly aware of what weather you’re driving into—especially in an RV. If ice, snow, frost, or heavy rain pops up on your weather app, proceed with caution. Most campsites won’t mind you staying an extra day to wait out the brunt of the storm.
4. Know Your RV's Dimensions and Plan Accordingly
Switching from a standard-sized car to an RV means you need to adjust your speed, turn radii, and, sometimes, your entire route!
Your average RVs may not be quite as massive as 18-wheelers, but they are large enough to be banned from certain roads. This presents quite a problem when you rely on a GPS. Your app of choice might tell you that a certain route splits into trucks and cars, but it won’t tell you which one you should take—and if you don’t know how you measure up, it’s easy to get stuck.
Luckily, apps like RV-Safe GPS let you plug in the measurements of your RV for reliable navigation.
5. Take Breaks
Not only will breaks clear your head and boost your energy, they’ll also give you a chance to see the country you’re driving through. The rule of thumb is a 15-minute break every 2-3 hours for maximum alertness behind the wheel. Plus, part of travel includes the joys of seeing the sights—so see them! You can always pair your overlook with a light snack, coffee, and a stretch before heading back out on the road.
6. Keep Your RV in Tip-Top Shape
Not only will breaks clear your head and boost your energy, they’ll also give you a chance to see the country you’re driving through. The rule of thumb is a 15-minute break every 2-3 hours for maximum alertness behind the wheel. Plus, part of travel includes the joys of seeing the sights—so see them! You can always pair your overlook with a light snack, coffee, and a stretch before heading back out on the road.
7. Sign Up for a Virtual Mailbox or Mail Forwarding Service
Modern travels deserve modern mail solutions! If you’re on the road, you may go months without a permanent address to call your own. That makes receiving time-sensitive mail and packages an absolute nightmare.
The easiest solution for your mail headaches is to use a quality virtual mailbox like Traveling Mailbox. How does it work?
- Sign up for a virtual mailbox service, and you’ll get a new unique mailing address that sends your mail to a secure mail processing facility.
- When a letter or package is sent to your virtual mailbox address, your provider receives, scans, and logs it.
- You’ll be notified that your mail has been received.
- Log on to view the scans of each piece of mail.
- From there, you can tell Traveling Mailbox to toss junk mail, open time-sensitive bills, and even deposit checks on your behalf!
Need your mail now? No problem at all. We also offer mail-forwarding services to anywhere in the world. You can forward all of your mail to your nearest post office or just keep it to the essentials. It’s all about putting you in control of your mailbox so that you can enjoy life on the road. Try Traveling Mailbox today and get your mail on your terms—wherever your wheels take you!