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no reservations, RV, RV Camping, RV Destinations, RV Life, RV Newbie, RV travel, RV without reservations, Travel Tips
When was the last time you went RVing without reservations? Many people feel uncomfortable not knowing where they will park their home for the night, but if you can handle a bit of uncertainty, the rewards can bring out the best the RVing lifestyle has to offer: comfort, spontaneity and adventure. Think you’re ready for the excitement? Here’s how to build it into your next trip.
First, Stop Over Planning
In a world where everything is Googled to exhaustion, many RVers think they need to know everything about how their trip will unfold. From the fuel stops to the rest areas to the RV park accommodations, people often think they’re playing it safe by charting out out every mile. Unfortunately, the old observation that “things don’t always go as planned” can hit close to home on RV trips. Tires go flat. Campgrounds fill up. Roads get closed. And horror of all horrors, the internet can sometimes disappear too!
Nobody wants to endure any of these headaches and the good news is that it’s totally possible to prepare for unplanned trip irritations while still having a great time RVing without reservations. You can start by getting your RVing protections in place, like establishing a Coach-Net roadside assistance plan.
Next, it’s time to consider a general area where you want to go RVing. Pick the destination you want to explore, then stash a Plan B in your back pocket too. This is especially critical when you go RVing to popular areas like national parks.
On your day of departure, be sure to arrive at your first preferred camping spot early enough in the day to check it out. Give yourself enough leeway so that if that first stop doesn’t work out, you can move on to your backup destination with plenty of time to enjoy the rest of the afternoon.
“At it’s core, adventure is the willingness to commit to an uncertain outcome with an open heart and an open mind.” – Author: Matt Walker
Keep an Open Mind
Nobody’s RV trip ever happens as perfectly as one hopes. And in our time-crunched world of shorter vacations and 24/7 connectivity, a getaway gone awry inevitably leads to bickering and disappointment. You can avoid these classic family RV vacation disasters by keeping an accepting, open mind about everything from the location of your campsite to the roads on which you travel. An open mind costs nothing to acquire, takes up zero room in the RV, and can be your best ally when things don’t go as planned. Practice remaining broad-minded and open to change, eventually RVing without reservations just might become your preferred way to travel.
And above all else, remember what a wise camper once said: A bad day of RVing is better than any good day at the office.
About the Author:
Rene Agredano, a Coach-Net member since 2015, is a self-employed full-time RVer who enjoys writing, jewelry design and animal advocacy. Her adventures with a three-legged dog and husband Jim are chronicled at LiveWorkDream.com
Frederick H. ~ “Called on Saturday and received a call back immediately. Leonard guided me through troubleshooting and forwarded pictures of different circuit breakers. He followed up with two phone calls to insure the problem was corrected.”
Coach-Net 
Just this summer in the Pacific north west. Being prepared to dry camp made it easier. Most rv parks were booked, but cancellations happen and being flexible about when and where made it possible to take advantage of the opportunities. Also being willing to take whatever hookups were available, including none, made many more spaces accessible. When medical issues forced us to cut the trip short were able to stop at Elks Lodges along our return route (most be a member). We have traveled without reservations since 2001. It’s a state of mind.
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I think there are a number of items that articles like these could have touched on (perhaps already in previous blogs).
Camping is a treacherous adventure. Can campers pull up and park overnight in national parks anywhere? What alternatives do campers have when bad weather closes down interstates, closes down fuel stops. Campsites during summer can often be full and children are left to run amock into the night, disturbing other guests. Campgrounds charge for many facilities that senior campers don’t need (hence free overnight parking sites). Interstate rest stops are often being closed or do not allow overnight parking. Walmarts are targets for criminals and a day doesn’t go by that convenience stores and stations aren’t being held up. Some states allow guns and some don’t (concealed weapons laws). Firearm inspections can be unannounced and your vehicle searched when entering certain sites. Currently, western parks are being shut down due to fires and smoke and causing breathing problems even in other states. One literally takes their life in their hands to venture in our RVs to our nation’s beautiful sites, and sadly our parks are short budgeted, causing less maintenance, especially when more rangers are sorely needed.
I don’t consider myself a novice, having owned six RVs (my first one in 1984). I’ve never traveled full time, however having made some extensive trips, feel I have enough experience to comment. There are several types of RVers. I’m not the type that stays in one place, so taking the time to physically check out a campsite upon arrival isn’t going to happen. I have to rely on the info at hand (internet ratings, locations, price, bulky manuals, maybe how it looks from the road and sometimes intuition). Usually, we can suffer through one night of a less than ideal campsite. Camping is a lot of work and one must constantly be concerned about dozens of vehicle items – things going wrong, where’s the next fuel stop, where to dump, getting stuck in a site, uneven sites, where to fill water tanks, obeying the site rules, and what my insurances cover. I’ve spent hours studying my insurances and comparing what they cover and which overlap. Believe me, you never know what will break down or run out of next! Yes, I have gauges, but there are pros and cons to those as well.
Please don’t interpret my comments negatively. I love to see our country and my bucket list is still pretty long. Over the 35 years, I’ve camped, it has changed considerably. I still encourage many to get out there and see our great country from the road. Happy trails and hope your bucket list is growing shorter!
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