Expert RVing tips for a memorable family adventure.
Seeing America through an RV is almost as rewarding as seeing it through the eyes of a child. But traveling with little ones in tow can be a challenging experience. Finding family-friendly activities, stocking the pantry with healthy snacks, fortifying your ability to withstand the phrase ‘Are we there yet?’ a thousand times on repeat…
It’s bound to be hectic, but if you follow the tips and tricks below, you can limit some of the craziness and set yourself up for an unforgettable family vacation that will be cherished for years to come.
Finding a Family-Friendly Campground
When it comes to RVing with kids, finding a family-friendly campground is crucial for a successful and enjoyable trip.
What to look for…
If you’ve stayed at more than one campground you know how much variation there can be. Even campgrounds of the same brand, like KOA and Jellystone campgrounds can vary widely from stop to stop.
Make sure that wherever you plan to spend the night, weekend, or entire vacation meets your basic needs. For example, if you don’t have a bathroom in your RV, you’ll want to find a campground with nice restrooms, not just pit toilets. Better yet, many campgrounds offer family restrooms with sinks, showers, and toilets.
Once you’ve made sure the campground meets the barebones requirements, start looking into what types of activities and amenities it offers. If you’re traveling with younger children, a playground might be something you won’t think you need -- until your kids are on your last nerve and you want to send them out to play.
Many campground owners and operators understand the boundless energy little ones bring with them everywhere they go. As a result, you can find lots of locations with organized activities for kids and families throughout the year. Mostly scheduled between Memorial through Labor Day, these include tie-dying, hay rides, pancake breakfasts, ice cream socials, scavenger hunts and more.
…and how to find one
A quick Google search of ‘best campgrounds and RV parks for families’ and ‘kid-friendly campgrounds,’ will turn up numerous lists of the excellent options. Narrow things down by including the city, state, or zip code of your planned destination.
Campgrounds that are part of an organization like KOA or Good Sam have online directories of campgrounds across the nation and into Canada. Websites like CampSpot allow you to search for campgrounds based on filters and parameters like location, dog-friendly, family-friendly, top fishing-spots and more.
Safety on the Road
Now that you know where you’re going, it’s important to get there safely. First off, when packing, you need to be aware of both your RV and tow vehicle weight limits. Overloading or exceeding weight limits, as well as failing to properly distribute weight can create a hazard on the road, cause additional wear and tear on your RV and vehicle, and create sway. Consider adding a weight distribution hitch to your setup for added control and peace of mind.
Beyond packing correctly and having the right gear, make sure you are driving safely by utilizing the 3/3/3 RV rule. This is especially helpful when traveling with young children.
With the 3/3/3 rule you:
Drive only 300 miles a day. This usually ends up being five to six hours on the road at RV speeds.
Stop at least every three hours. You won’t regret the opportunity to stretch your legs, use the restroom, get gas, grab a snack, relax and regain your sanity after hours in the car with your family.
Arrive no later than 3 p.m. Setting up camp is a lot easier to do in the daylight and check-in can be less of a hassle if you’re not doing it after-hours. Plus, you can keep little ones to their dinner and bedtime schedules.
Additionally, consider childproofing areas of the RV that could be potential hazards for curious kids. Much like you would in a house, employ the use of outlet covers, cabinet and door locks, and safety rails on bunk beds. Padding sharp edges is always a smart move, as is simply keeping the floor clear of easy-to-trip-on toys and junk. And do yourself a favor: slap a cover on that control panel to avoid having your toddler reset all the settings.
Lastly, it’s smart to discuss “in case of emergency” plans with kids – of any age. Make sure they understand what to do in case of a fire, flood, or car accident, as well as what to do and where to go if they get separated or lost at the campground or during travel. To make the conversation a little less anxiety-ridden, consider turning it into a project by asking kids to draw up an emergency map or what-to-do list.
Organization
It’s amazing what organizing a few key areas will do to create roominess inside your RV. One of the most underutilized areas of storage space in a RV are the cabinets.
Many RVs have tall cabinets without any sort of shelving or organizing. That’s nice if you’re trying to stash large luggage and need more room, but frustrating if you have a row of canned goods and a jumble of chips on top in with lots of headroom left.
That’s just wasted space and a guaranteed mess of food coming down on you when you open the cabinet door after traveling. Plan ahead and purchase racks/shelves/cubbies/etc. to place inside your cabinets to create designated areas for items.
Meet your new best friend: The Command Hook. Accumulated jackets, hats, keys, and more will have a place to hang if you utilize bare wall space with command hooks. Over-the-door shoe organizers can work double-duty holding shoes and items like sunscreen, bug spray, hair brushes and dryers, Tylenol, and other toiletries.
Kids items like shoes, jackets, and hats pile up quickly. Provide a space for your kid to hang or stash their own items and eliminate the burden of picking up after them
Meal-Planning/Snack Prep
Starting a trip without any idea of what you’ll eat for meals can wind up being expensive. Think: fast food runs, trips to the nearest Walmart, marked-up groceries from the camp store…you get the idea. Plan out meals and don’t rely or plan on bringing your whole fridge. There simply won’t be room.
Plan out the main meals of the day, and be sure to pack plenty of snacks. While fresh fruit and cheese are always a fun choice for kids, crackers, granola, and other non-perishables are easiest to bring along because they don’t take up precious refrigerator space.
A utensil caddy can double as a snack station for kids while creating a sunscreen/bug spray/first aid station out of a three-tier organizer keeps important essentials handy, organized, and accessible.
Temper Tantrum Management
Fights are bound to happen, especially if siblings are traveling together. While this next piece of advice relates back to the 3/3/3 rule, it’s useful to help de-escalate conflict: Don’t rush.
RVing with kids and family should be a time of fun, adventure and exploration. Literally, take the time to stop and smell the roses. Or, more realistically, experience the roadside attractions. World’s largest ball of twine, anybody?
Consider bringing along some surprises for the trip, too. You can stock up at the dollar store with lots of fun snacks, drinks, and activities, like pocket games, puzzles, drawing supplies -- anything to randomly pull out of a bag during the trip to redirect heightened tempers and engage in a new activity. Don’t reveal all your surprises at once, though. Separate them up for times throughout the trip there and back, when you either want to incentivize or reward good behavior.
And just remember: On some occasions you’ll have to simply turn up the music, roll down the windows and wait out the tantrum.
Plan Ahead… But Not Too Much
This last tip is really just a reminder to get out there and have some fun. Yes, kids need structure, but they also thrive on spontaneity. Strike a balance between planned activities and simply going with the flow, and we promise this next trip with your kids will be a memory to last a lifetime.