Ultimate Guide to an RVer''s Online Resources

For many people, the internet has become a place where they can go to learn about a variety of topics. Between YouTube, blogs, how-to articles, and so much more, it’s nearly possible to learn almost anything online, making knowledge gathering so much more convenient than it used to be. For RVers, this is especially true. Through the use of a variety of forums, blogs, YouTube channels, apps, and other sources, RV owners can truly harness the resources of the internet to help make RVing easier than ever. Between finding gas stations, locating and choosing campsites, learning the RV lingo, and so much more, becoming an RVing expert is quite simple with the help of online sources. Below, we have highlighted some key resources for your use in making RV life much more convenient.

Fuel Stops

Stopping for fuel can be a bit of a hassle, especially in a larger rig. Before arriving at a gas station, it can be difficult to know if it will be large enough to accommodate your RV and whether or not it may have RV-friendly amenities, such as a dump station, water refill area, propane, and more. Fortunately, there are a few resources that can help you to find RV-friendly fuel stations. The two sites below have helped many throughout their travels and should be helpful to you as well.

• Loves: allows you to find Love’s locations across the country and see fuel prices for each
• Find Fuel Stops: allows travelers to find truck stops along a specific route

Sanitation stations

If you dry camp often or need to dump your tanks in between leaving your campground and arriving at home, then you may find yourself in need of a dump station. Locating these can be quite a challenge, especially in a new area. Many gas stations and other businesses have sanidump stations but do not always advertise this online. For this reason, having a few resources to help you easily find dump stations while out on the road is key. See below for a couple of trusty options.

• Sanidumps: locates dump stations across the country and provides pricing information
• Campendium: contains a search feature specifically for locating dump stations

Boondocking

Boondocking is a favorite style of camping amongst many RVers, but finding safe and legal boondocking sites is not always easy. In addition, it can be hard to learn ahead of time which sites will accommodate certain size rigs, the cell connection information, road conditions, and other important details. The resources below are great for finding and learning about sites before you even arrive to scout them out.

• Freecampsites.net: allows campers to find camping locations in a variety of areas across North America

-Campendium: Contains a feature specifically for finding campsites and lists lots of details about each site

-Overnight RV Parking : Helps locate RV camping across the US, mainly in business parking lots

• Boondocker’s Welcome: Membership resource for finding campsites on hosts’ properties across the country

• Harvest Hosts: Membership resource for unique camping opportunities across America, including locations at farms, vineyards, museums, and more.

Campgrounds

Similar to finding boondocking sites, it can also be a bit of a challenge to locate campgrounds in intended travel destinations. Knowing which campgrounds have which amenities and resources available and being aware of restrictions is important. This is especially relevant if you are traveling from far away. The resources below contain a compilation of RV parks and campgrounds, along with key information about each. This includes length restrictions, pet information, cost, amenities offered, and more. See below for more details.

• Campendium: utilizes a variety of filters to allow RVers to find their perfect campground
• RV Buddy: popular campground and RV park locator with reviews
• RV Parky: extensive RV park directory with filters and options to find the ideal RV park for you

Membership Clubs

Membership clubs can be a very useful tool for RVers. These can help you to save money at certain campgrounds, among other benefits, such as discounts on repairs, tires, restaurants, and more. See each membership club option to learn more about them and decide which is best for you, your family, and your travel style.

• Passport America: provides a 50% discount at many campgrounds across America
• Thousand Trails: a collection of nearly 200 exclusive resorts across the US with discounts for certain membership tiers
• Happy Camper Club: a camper discount club providing discounts up to 50% at select campgrounds and RV parks
• Escapees RV Park: an RV membership organization providing resources and community, mainly for full-timers
• Good Sam: saves members up to 10% at a variety of campgrounds, as well as discounts on other RV products and resources
• FMCA: an RV travel club offering members-only discounts and services

Internet Resources

Finding reliable internet coverage on the go can be a bit of a challenge. Certain carriers have more coverage in different areas, and some carriers may have little to no coverage available in some areas. For those who work remotely or require the Internet when on vacation, reliable coverage is necessary. The resources below should allow you to check the Internet signal ahead of time for certain locations, while other resources provide key information for staying connected on the go.

• RV Mobile Internet Resource Center: unbiased mobile internet information for anyone on the go
• Coverage?: this app (available on both Apple and Android) allows users to check coverage maps for different providers in specific locations
• Open Signal: uses user-aggregated maps of different areas to give real-time signal information for specific locations

Working resources

For full-timers, finding work on the road can be difficult. These resources below offer a variety of options and ideas for those looking to make income remotely.

• Workamper: information and job listings for those looking to both work and camp at the same time.

• Camping Hosts: another resource for finding camp hosting jobs across the US

• Flex Jobs: resource hub for finding a variety of online remote work positions

• The RV Entrepeneur: a podcast featuring a variety RVers and describing their remote work positions

RV 101

Being an RV newbie is hard, and there is just so much to learn. There are certain resources geared towards beginners that can make learning much easier. The below resources and blogs are written by RVing experts. They contain tons of simple but important information to take the guesswork out of new RV ownership.

• Gone With The Wynns: personal blog with tons of general RVing information from a couple who has been on the go since 2011
• The RV Geeks: personal blog for DIY RVers who have been on the road for 15 years
• RV Education 101: provides video and Ebook courses for almost every RV topic to make learning easier than ever

Roadside assistance

Breaking down in your RV is never fun, but having some resources handy in case of emergency is very helpful. Some insurance companies offer roadside assistance, but this may not fit the needs of all RVers. Both additional companies below offer assistance packages for breakdowns and other potential issues that could arise. Be sure to do your own research to decide which is best for you.

• Good Sam Roadside Assistance: a yearly assistance package with a variety of tiers for motorhomes and towable RVs
• Coach-Net: yearly roadside assistance package for both towable and motorized RVs

RV Repair

Let's face it: RVs are prone to breakage and damage. After all, each RV contains both mechanical components and house components, and repair needs are bound to occur at some point. If something on your RV has broken, it will require repair. Finding reliable repair can be a hassle, and not all repair shops are created equal. The resource below can make it much easier to find quality RV repair and have the job done right the first time.

• RV Service Reviews: full directory of RV service facilities, complete with extensive reviews

Trip planning

Trip planning for RVs can sometimes be a bit of a hassle. Some roads have length and weight restrictions, while others sometimes have tunnels and bridges that may not safely accommodate RVs of a certain size. In addition, inclement weather and road conditions play a role in travel safety information. Planning out your routes is key, and the resources below can help you to do that. Some of them may even help with suggestions for restaurants, hotels, roadside attractions, and more.

• Safe Travel USA: allows travelers to see road and traffic conditions with real-time weather updates
• Road Trippers: the ultimate road trip planner, complete with information for restaurants, fuel stations, campgrounds, and more
• Mile by Mile Road Trip: full directory of RV service facilities, complete with extensive reviews

Traveling to new places in an RV can be especially tricky for a new RV owner. Both RV amateurs and seasoned campers alike can benefit from many of these resources. Start utilizing any of these trip planning and camping tools today to make RV traveling easier than ever.