A Planning Guide for Your First RV Trip

Hitting the open road in an RV captures the essence of adventure: spontaneous side trips, whispering pines or crashing waves at your doorstep, and the joy of carrying your home on wheels. This planning guide for your first RV trip will help you embrace the ultimate freedom machine!

For first-time RVers and travel enthusiasts, breathe easy; this guide is your roadmap to making memories that will last a lifetime. Let’s turn the key and gear up for an expedition peppered with personal stories, insider advice, and that pinch of moxie that takes you places far from the ordinary track.

Who am I to tell you how? I went from taking a Cruise America week-long RV trip and Minnie Winnie GO RVing adventure across Florida to being a full-time RVer for a year in my beautiful Cedar Creek 291RW. My husband and I have started at an elementary level and packed in many memories with minimal training or experience.

You can, too.

Deciding Where and How Far to Journey

Your maiden voyage might be a short weekend jaunt or an epic cross-country trek. Either way, balance driving distances with relaxation time. Craft a route that tantalizes your curiosity, but remember the hidden gem of RV (recreational vehicle) life is often found in unplanned detours and unscripted moments.

A good road atlas will quickly become your best friend. 

Remember to factor fuel costs into your itinerary planning, particularly for those longer stints, and align your travel tempo with the rhythm of relaxation rather than the rush hour race.

My husband (Eddie) and I follow the 2/2/2 rule: Drive 2 hours, 200 miles, or be off the road by 2 PM. It works like a charm!

Pro Tip: Have a final destination in mind. Are there any big cities that should be considered when planning your route? For example, you don’t want to arrive in Dallas or Atlanta at evening rush hours.

Choosing Your Campgrounds For Your First RV Trip

When it comes to which campgrounds to set your sights on, think of Goldilocks – not too big, not too small, it needs to be just right. You’ll want to look for sites that offer the right balance of natural beauty and amenities.

Full hookups are the RV equivalent of hitting the jackpot—water, electricity, and sewer connections set the stage for a hassle-free stay. We found that we loved KOA campgrounds and tended to seek them out. We also were not very good at backing in our RV, so we always paid a few more dollars for the pull-thru sites.

While state parks offer an immersion in nature, private campgrounds are beacons of comfort with their own communities and can be found with pools, WiFi, and even mini-golf courses.

Don’t forget to check out campsite reviews. Real stories from fellow travelers give the low-down on what to expect.

Stocking Your RV

Packing an RV is the art of remembering the “must-haves” and recognizing the “nice-to-haves.” Think about all-weather clothing, emergency kits, and a toolbox, and don’t skimp on the entertainment—books, board games, and playlists curate the backdrop to your adventures. And always, always have extra water.

My husband advises you to buy a heavy-duty tote to keep below (or wherever) in storage. You may add to it a good flashlight, 50 amp surge protector, extension cord with a couple of plug-ins, gloves, a bug zapper or spray, tablecloth, Clorox wipes, and a mat to go at the bottom of entry stairs.

Pro Tip: We purchased an 8×10 outdoor nylon area rug, which makes sitting outside more comfortable as we aren’t in mud, dirt, or gravel. It also cuts down on the amount of debris that gets carried into the RV.

Hooking Up Your RV

The symphony of setting up your RV involves a few crucial steps, but once mastered, it’s like riding a bike. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that I kept on my phone for hooking up and unhooking within a week and a checklist, and we were pros.

Every RV park has a different layout, but the song remains the same: power, water, sewer. Ensure your cables and hoses are long enough to reach the hookups, and always watch for level ground.

If you are RVing more than once, consider splurging on Valterra Slunky Sewer Hose Support to raise your hoses off the ground and keep the water flowing from your rig. A well-leveled RV equals a spill-free coffee table and a peaceful night’s sleep.

Making Your RV a Home

Personal touches add the warmth of home to your portable abode. Photographs, a cozy throw blanket, soft lighting – these accents tell your story. Be bold and decorate for the holidays, a trendy campground thing to do, or drape festive lights inside or out for a touch of whimsy. This space is yours to mold.

A few of our favorite touches were a decorative plate, an RV votive candle holder, Vera Bradley throw blankets, footstools, and a USA sticker map. 

Cooking on the Road

Your RV kitchen is a diner where every seat is a window seat. One pan meals become cherished recipes, and the grill is your sous-chef. Simplicity is your culinary companion – think easy-to-store ingredients, pre-prepped fruits and veggies, and a bevy of spices to keep things interesting.

We were lucky that our RV had a full-sized kitchen and could cook everything in it. However, it did require some thought into the prep process due to space and oven size. We use velcro straps to close the doors in case they open during transit. Being proactive about what can happen is vital when RVing.

Unearth local farmers’ markets for fresh finds and incorporate them into your meals. There’s something liberating about crafting a meal with ingredients from a place you never knew existed until yesterday.

Eddie suggests buying a portable grill to create a great meal and bring the dining outdoors. We opted for a gas grill, so there are no ashes to contend with. You can purchase small propane cans at Wal-Mart, grocery stores, and many campgrounds.

RVing is a Thrilling Adventure

Embarking on your first RV trip is like turning the pages of a book where the story unfolds at the pace of your pulse. There are scenes of sun-glazed mornings, and spectacular scenery awaits you.

There’s a freedom to this kind of travel that opens up a world of wonder—one where the destination is not as important as the campground and what you find along the way. It’s definitely something we are happy to have experienced.

For more about how we became full-timers, read this article.

With this guide in your pocket and a map on your lap, there’s no telling where you’ll go—but that’s the beauty of it. Happy travels, my fellow explorers. May your journey be as rich as the destinations you discover.