Archive for the ‘RV information’ Category
Snowbird Time – Where to Stay
Most snowbirds usually go to the same place each year. Maybe it is time to become a little adventurous. Do a little research to find a different place to camp in your RV. Think about what you want to do to occupy your time. It is great to spend time in the warm weather and there is so much to see and do in all the states with warm weather. Have you seen all there is to see in the South? I’m sure you haven’t.
Weather you are going to Florida, or Arizona, which are the most popular places to spend the winter. It doesn’t really matter. In all the states there are a variety of things to see and do. Arizona has so much to offer with many different types of scenery to see. New Mexico is the same way. Many many different types of scenery. Florida’s scenery isn’t that great, but there are so many different attractions, including lots of golf.
It might be worth researching to have a new exciting adventure RV camping.
Swim with the Manatees in Crystal River, Florida when RV Camping
The mantees come in to Crystal River every year when the cooler weather comes. The water temperature of Crystal River is always 72. Manatees leave the gulf when the gulf water temperature gets cooler.
If you have never experienced swimming with the manatees, it is a exciting new adventure. The manatees are very docile animals and will hover around you. There is a law that you can only touch a manatee with one hand. The manatees like to be petted and are not at all afraid of people swimming amongst them.
There is a real nice campground in the Crystal River area called Encore Crystal Isles Resort. If you have a boat, there are lots along the water that access the Crystal River Kings Bay where the manatees stay in the winter time. To get one of the water front lots you must make a reservation way ahead of time. If you don’t get a water front lot to dock your boat, there is a boat ramp for access to the water and also a place to park your boat.
In Crystal River there are places that you can sign up for manatee tours that supply wetsuits, masks, and fins. If you have a boat, wetsuits, masks, and fins you can look for pontoon boats in Kings Bay with divers to find the manatees.
There is also three sisters springs to visit. It is an beautiful place and fairly large. The water is crystal clear. Sometimes th manatees are in that area.
Enjoy TV Like at Home when RV Camping
If you have direct TV or Dish you can take a box to the RV to watch TV. Fortunately my RV has a dish and hookup available. If your RV does not have the satellite dish and hookup capability, you can get a satellite dish and do it yourself.
We watch whatever we are use to watching.
You can get a mobile satellite dish that works when traveling. This really is good to have when you have kids traveling with you. It really keeps them busy and out of your hair.
Planing for a Week of RV Camping
Planing for a week of RV camping. First of all, where to go? Then what to prepare for meals while RV camping so that you can have more time for fun. What food to take, kitchen stuff, bathroom stuff, cloths, and miscellaneous items.
Store as many things in your RV as you can to make getting ready easier. I store all bedding and towels, first aid kit, chairs for outside and the beach, cleaning supplies, soap, shampoo, tooth paste, mouthwash, pots and pans, bowls and baking pans, place mats and pot holders, paper towels, napkins, dishes, flatware, glasses, cooking utensils, glad bags, garbage bags, tools, flashlight, bug spray, grill, cleaning supplies for cleaning the outside of the RV, broom, games.
If you plan well, your camping experience will be great!
Meal preparation Food to take
spaghetti sauce Spaghetti
macaroni & cheese Texas Toast
soup Steaks
vegetables for steaming Chicken
Salmon Loaf Potatoes
Carrots
What to take for kitchen Onions
Slow cooker Roast to cook in
Folding griddle slowcooker
Spaghetti pan for draining 1 can of mushroom soup
Sharp knife 1 packet lipton onion soup
hamburger
Mayo
Already stored in RV mustard
Can opener catchup
Coffee pot butter
Flat ware bread
Glasses peanut butter
Dishes jelly
eggs
What to take for bathroom bacon
Tooth paste bisquick
Tooth brushes milk
Mouth wash cereal
Bar soap tea
Shampoo coffee
Qtips sugar
Deoderant coffee creamer
Clothing Miscellaneous
Bathing suits Flashlight
Beach Towels Cell phone chargers
Underwear Cameras & chargers
socks CD’s
Thongs First aid kit
Shorts Books
Long pants Games
Tee shirts Chairs
Shirts Cover for picnic table
Jacket Tools
Time to Hit the Road…
If you have kids, you probably take an annual family vacation. However, between expensive hotel rooms, dining out and pricy amusement parks, family vacations can cost a small fortune. One solution to high priced vacations is investing in an RV (Recreational Vehicle). Once thought to be vacation travel mode of senior citizens, more and more families with young children are purchasing RV’s or tow-behind campers, instead of tickets to Disney. Even with gas prices rocketing, camping with an RV is still cheaper than staying at many resorts and hotels.
There are numerous benefits of RV camping. Prices of RV campgrounds are far less than that of most hotels. You can stay a month at a campground for what you would pay for a weekend at some hotels. In addition, there are hundreds of national parks and campgrounds to choose from all across the United States. Some parks have RV restrictions, but many, including, Yosemite, Yellowstone and the White Mountains National Forest in New Hampshire, all have RV accommodations.
Arriving at a Campground for Newbees
If you start out with a large RV it can be a little intimidating. Learning all there is to learn about your RV, how to drive your beautiful new home, and of course parking and hooking up at a campground.
If you did not choose a pullthrough lot, you must always have someone direct you while backing into your lot. Never back up anywhere without someone directing you. This one basic thing you must remember.
When positioned in your lot, be sure to level your RV. Refrigerators do not like not being level.
Hook up to the electricity. Be sure the voltage is turned off when inserting your electricity cord. Once inserted flip the breaker and check to see if you have power.
Hook up your hose to the water supply and to your RV. Turn the water on as far as it will turn to insure that you will get the most pressure. Note: when the water is hooked up you will not use the water pump in your RV.
If your stay is a short one, you will not have to hook up the sewer hose. You can dump at the next RV campsite you stay. If your stay is for a few days or more, it is best to hook up the sewer hose. Attach your stinky slinky to the RV and then put a donut on the other end and put into the sewer. Do not open the valves to the grey or black water tank until you are ready to dump. Dump from the black tank first. After dumping the black tank, close the black tank valve and open the grey tank valve and dump grey water. The grey water will help clean the stinky slinky.
Hopfully, you have looked into better sewer solutions and gotten a hose the size of a garden hose. The sewer solution is so much better, easier, and cleaner. Hooking up is much faster.
If TV is available, hook the coaxial cable to the TV connection.
If you have slide outs, put the slide outs out. Set your microwave. Turn on air or heat.
Now you are good to do whatever you like. All of the above is not difficult and doesn’t take a lot of time.
Enjoy RV camping
RV Camping Information for Newbees
Be prepared is officially the Boy Scout slogan. But it really applies to many situations, especially planning for a trip in an RV.
RV Trip, Campground check list
Trailer Life is a must to find campgrounds throughout the US and how they are rated and contact information.
There are many clubs that you can join to save on your campground cost. Check the clubs out on the Internet and find out what campgrounds honor a discount for the campgrounds you wish to stay at.
Good Sam Club is a good club to join to get 10% discount at many campgrounds. Good Sam also has trip planning capability on their web site, which is really helpful. It works like map quest, and is geared to RV camping and will show all the campgrounds on your route honored by Good Sam, in addition you will get the total miles, time the trip will take, gas consumption and cost, and additional information that can be useful.
Other clubs are, Campclub USA which gives you a discount of 50%/night and Passport America also gives a 50% discount/night. There are some limitations though. There are more clubs. Check them all out to decide which ones will benefit you the most.
Call for reservations when you know you will be at a particular campground. If you are not sure if you will make it to the destination, don’t make a reservation. Campgrounds usually do not take cancellations unless the cancellation is 2 days in advance.
When making your reservation you will need to let the campground know the size of your RV, how many slide outs.
How many volts of electricity will you need (50 or 30).
If you have satellite TV, you will need to ask for a lot that has access to the south without trees blocking the path to a satellite.
What type of lot you desire. Pullthrough is much easier if you are towing a car, but it costs a little more. Many campgrounds have lots with a pad which is nice and makes it much easier to keep your RV clean inside.
Be sure to have a great trip!
Lake Wenatchee State Park in Washington State
Lake Wenatchee is another beautiful spot in Washington State where we like to go. Both the Wenatchee State Park and nearby Nason Creek have RV campgrounds. The Cove Resort is also another RV park within only a few miles. Cove Resort RV Campground at Fish Lake in Washington State
We love to drive our RV to Fish Lake near Leavenworth, WA. There’s a great RV Campground, the Cove Resort, which surrounds a little cove and is nestled in the woods.
It’s family owned and run. They can always give you good advice about fishing; where to go to pick mushrooms, where to drive on roads to look for wildlife, and where to eat if you want to have a night out.
I like to take walks through the woods or take a canoe out for a couple hours while my husband is diligently fishing off the dock. We also like to rent a boat or, when we have friends with us, we use one of the pontoon boats to fish. The wind can come up fast, so head back toward the Cove before you get caught in the chop and spray.
It’s a peaceful place, a great day’s get away or good for a relaxing week or two. Many locals come for a day for the great fishing. My best catch was an 8.5 lb Triploid trout.
Other bests are getting pictures of Osprey diving for fish, watching bald eagles soar over the high hills that surround the lake, taking our 4 wheel-drive through the woods to see deer, or watching the sunsets over the Cascade Mountains.
Osprey catching fish
Icicle River RV Park Campground in Leavenworth, Washington State
Icicle River Campground
Leavenworth has wonderful shops of all kinds, good eateries, and year round outdoor activities abound in and around the area that can keep you busy for days. There’s hiking, kayaking, skiing, golfing, rafting, snowmobiling, cross-country, fishing, horseback riding, biking, and tubing. Or, you can just relax at the Icicle River RV Park campground by the crystal clear Icicle River.
Levenworth