Travel Trailer Tips For Camping

 

With the holidays fast approaching, you should be making plans for the next vacation, (or even a relaxing weekend away) by choosing a favorite destination and gathering the camping gear.

These holidays vacations are perfect if you have a travel trailer and some experience with it. But what happens if you are beginner to the travel trailer camping scene? Then don’t worry, as these travel trailer camping tips, hints and information will get you on the right track.

A bit of planning and you will have a rewarding holiday, but still remember to bring your sense of humor, in case the weather turns bad. Anyhow let’s get into the travel trailer tips for camping.

 

Selecting Suitable Camping Sites

 

Some travel trailer and RV parks offer scenic and luxurious camping spot. Other places don’t, so the best spots will be taken up pretty quick.

Many people travel during the holiday season with the kids, so those nice scenic places can book out easy. Choose your popular destination, reserve the booking ASAP on time, because soon the spaces will be full.

Bookings should be done well in advance, and if possible, call the park before going to avoid disappointments at the gate.

Seek some online RV parks reviews and referrals from the people who have visited the sites before.

Use some maps and camping RV apps to search them because they can influence what you pack on the travel trailer.  Such as some spots you might need to bring your own extra water.

Also, choose a campsite that charges fairly in a way that you can readily afford even for the entire family.

The safety standards in a camping site are essential as well.

For the inexperienced travel trailer tower, avoid the deep and dense forests, valleys and mountain tracks that can be hard for experienced pick up truck drivers, little known towing the new Jayco travel trailer.

The terrain of the site must also have perfect drainage, sunlight during the day, and proper ground cover.

Privacy is also paramount because you do not want the neighboring campsites to interfere with your fun activities.

Basic facilities like water and medical services should be available within a reasonable distance from the site.

Remote wilderness locations are going to obviously be a lot further away to supplies, rather than a camping spot close to, say an outer city or suburban RV park.

 

Planning the trip

Plan the route properly, but it becomes easier when you have a GPS or a traveling app. Sometimes Google Maps can mislead at times.

The maps can choose shorter routes but ones that are unfavorable for the travel trailer to traverse.

You can also avoid low-lying overpasses and bridges because the trailer or the travel trailer may be higher than the normal vehicles.

Weight awareness is crucial because some bridges deep into the forest might not be robust enough to withhold the travel trailer, camper trailer or RV. It isn’t a good feeling towing a heavy trailer and you come across an old bridge, that doesn’t look like it would hold a normal car, little known a travel trailer too!

Planning can seem a little overwhelming for a start. So talk to as many people as you can. Make sure unless you rent one that offers roadside assistance, comprehensive insurance, reliable customer services, and member verification.

 

Packing the travel trailer, the camping checklist

The fun begins. (Sorry, I was saying that a little bit sarcastically. Actually, I should have saved that one for the dreaded unpacking of gear.)

A camping experience demands a lot of attention to detail because several things are needed to survive out there. (Especially if you have kids, who get hungry every five minutes.)

Therefore, even though you have a travel trailer, other accessories are needed, and so a checklist must be created especially if you are doing this for the first time.

With time, you will master the things to be packed, thereby not spending a lot of time wondering what is needed. The checklist will change depending on the trip, but lest the basics will be covered.

The checklist is among the top travel trailer tips and hints that will help to determine the things needed before the trip.

You might need backpacks to keep clothes, shoes, and foodstuffs. Things like extra food tents or gazebos, trailer jacks, and cooking gear can be kept in the cabin.

At times, you can hire a travel trailer that comes with all the camping accessories, apart from the necessities like food, water, and clothing.

You might not need a tent as well because you can spend the nights around a fireplace, and sleep in the travel trailer. But if you have some children and wet weather, another place can keep you sane.

You can pre-pack the basics, then start adding the luxurious items you may or might not require out there. Depending on who you ask, luxurious items and essentials are open to interpretation. For me, the tomato ketchup is essential!

 

Inspect the travel trailer

Check the van regularly when a chance arises. And this goes for any RV rentals as well.

Irrespective of the age of the travel trailer, RV or camper trailer, it might develop mechanical problems along the way, and every stoppage should be used for inspecting it.

After all, you do not want a situation where it will develop problems deep into the wilderness where no assistance can be found easily.

Therefore, inspect it when opportunities arise, like stopping for gas, or a toilet break, check the towing connections, etc.

Walk around the caravan and look at the items are secure, like if you have any gas bottles or water Jerry cans mounted, the spare tire connection and travel trailer door should be checked it isn’t rattling or loose.

Traveling over corrugated dirt roads can play havoc on equipment. Some accessories might loosen up because of traveling for long distances, and so might need a bit of tightening.

Check the tires, bearings can get very hot on the travel trailer.

Any sign of trouble should be addressed straight away, and the experience down the road will be a lot less hassle.

Murphy’s Law will take over if little issues aren’t fixed promptly and eventually become big issues. The attitude of, “She’ll will be right” doesn’t go well when traveling along the Mohave desert or around the curvy road bends of the Rockies.

Ensure you have proper travel trailer insurance that will cover a wide variety of incidents.

 

Towing the travel trailer

Towing a travel trailer is quite different from driving normal vehicle or pick up truck, because you are basically towing a big heavy house behind you. (Well sort of, but you get the picture.)

The travel trailer is wider, longer and heavier, so you must allow more time to get to the camping site and back. As opposed to not towing anything.

If driving a travel trailer for the first time, try to have a guide by your side, or have him or her drive in the spots that might not be ideal for the first time travel trailer or RV driver. The idea is to keep the wheels of the travel trailer within the lane.

Drive carefully and condition yourself to brake earlier than in a normal vehicle.

It is advisable to maybe travel with some other RVs. They can give you some tips on towing and driving. (Did I mention backing a travel trailer, they might be good enough to back it in for you the first time at busy RV parks.)

 

Consider the weather

As a regular camper, you should know how seasons change, and not only in your region, but also, in the expected travel destination. When I have been to Canada and Alaska fishing, the weather can literally change through all the seasons in one day. (But the fishing is definitely worth it.)

You can organize a camping trip because your area is experiencing summer, but the destination site you choose is in the winter season or vastly different. (Think of the Alaska versus sunny California.) Therefore, you must do your homework properly of the area to know what to expect.

Regardless always pack some extra clothes to allow for a cold or wet change.

Also, your preferred destination can be in a perfect season for camping, but maybe the contemporary weather condition is not favorable.

Seek weather forecast details before traveling because what was supposed to be a perfect camping weather experience might be ruined by nasty conditions like heavy rainfall.

Some happy camping happens when the weather is calm and sunny, so that even the children can enjoy various activities during the day. The adults sitting around the campfire at night, or having a BBQ grill is a great experience. But without checking the weather, the trip can turn into being stuck inside the cabin for the whole trip, while it pours outside, so check the forecast first.

 

Recreation Vehicle parks

If you spend a few nights in a RV park, then you will appreciate sometimes having a site a bit further away from the noisy crowd. (There is nothing worse than music blaring at 1am in the morning of the noisy neighbor.) This goes back to planning and booking the site early, but ask the RV park owners, where is a quieter spot to set up.

You probably don’t want to be right beside the toilet block as well. Especially on  hot days at a busy camping spot. Think of holiday time at the hectic RV parks located close to the beach.

Booking early also lets you get the better scenic spots as well.

Some travel trailer and RV rental services have parking lots in various camping sites where their clients can readily park freely.

 

Conclusion -Travel Trailer Tips For Camping

Caravan camping trips are enjoyable experiences, mostly when they happen out of proper preparation and some good planning.

Even though trip planning can be overwhelming, you should be dedicated to the process because all you want is to have fun during the holiday. You can, therefore, talk to as many campers, friends and travel trailer owners who understands the demands of camping experiences.

Take advantage of the holiday seasons and go through a few travel trailer tips above, to hopefully get you on your way safely and have a great camping experience.

Travel trailer camping should be fun, so plan, remember the fishing rods and have a great trip!