Real Life RV Tips for Real Life RVers

Evanne Schmarder-profile-image
Evanne Schmarder
July 15, 2025

TL;DR: 18+ years of RV life taught us that planning is key. Here are 7 practical, often-overlooked tips for safer, smoother, and tastier adventures on the road.

Real Life RV Tips for Real Life RVers

RVing offers an extraordinary kind of freedom and discovery, where the open road and the comforts of home meet in perfect synergy. It’s the thing I love most about the lifestyle. With 18+ full-time years under our belts, my husband Ray and I have learned that planning and preparation go a long way toward making every trip a safe, enjoyable, and memorable experience. In fact, we think it is essential.

For example, have you ever had to drop your fifth wheel in a parking lot to preserve the diesel fumes you were running on to fill up at the closest station down the street? We have. How about listening to the National Weather Service’s extreme weather alerts, typically reported on by county and, while you know there’s severe potential in the area, you don’t know what county you are in? Yep. That happened. Arrived at a destination with the explicit purpose of visiting a farmers market and hit its prime opening time on the head? Yeah, that felt good.

Take it from us, living and traveling in a small mobile space requires organization and routine. While we have dozens of them, here are our top seven often-overlooked, practical tips to help you make the most of your RV adventures.

A Place For Everything And Everything In Its Place

If you haven’t already, spend an afternoon organizing your basement. Use clear, stackable plastic tubs and label them with masking tape if necessary. Items that are infrequently used get placed in the back where tubs with hook-up utilities (electric, water, sewer, cable) and other essentials are in easy reach. Although we always aim to avoid breakdowns, keep safety items accessible just in case.

Inside, designate a specific place for your keys, glasses and wallet. Not only does this make it easier every time you leave the rig, but it’s also important in case of a late-night emergency.

Roadworthy

The night before you hit the road, fuel up, make sure you have adequate propane and charge your devices. Prior to leaving, check your tire pressure. Create an outside routine to ensure that every time you roll, your jacks are fully up and locked, your brake lights, running lights and turn signals are operational, your awning is secured, your steps are in and all hitches are correctly connected.

As an aside (and I know it’s controversial), we always close the propane tanks before leaving the park. Additionally, we alway make sure we have a fully-charged fire extinguisher in our vehicle. And wisely, a succinct indoor checklist taped on the inside of your kitchen cabinet door will help make sure you’ve completed all necessary tasks before leaving the site.

Food-forward

You’ll never go hungry with a fully stocked pantry, even if the markets are closed when you arrive at your destination. Pack your pantry with canned tomatoes, beans, tuna, oil/vinegar, pasta, rice, bouillon and spices. Add your own pizzazz with jarred olives, artichokes or special sauces you love.

As much as I enjoy looking through my beloved recipe box, there are several entertaining and useful recipe websites online. I am partial to (Steven Raichlen’s) Barbecue Bible, Pinch of Yum, and Well Plated by Erin, but you probably have your favorites. I’ve even been known to snap photographs of recipes in magazines and cookbooks and save them in a designated recipe photo album on my device.

If you’re a real foodie you’ve probably already researched local ingredients intending to discover their flavors. Explore and experiment, ask vendors at the farm markets, find out if things are to your liking by buying and trying, and plan to take your favorites with you.

State Visitor Centers

There is a plethora of knowledge to be gained at State Visitor Centers. That’s why we always take the time to stop, stretch and go inside. There we pick up maps, lists of events and attractions, information on state and national parks, brochures and ask about any road or weather conditions. We collect everything of interest and leave the travel material in the clubhouse or laundry room upon departing the state.

Height of the Moment

If you’ve ever decided to make a pit stop to visit the Oregon Trail ruts and found yourself down a rickety, narrow one-lane road facing a low, arch-shaped tunnel you know exactly how important it is to know your rig’s actual height, from the top of the A/C shroud down. The same principle applies to passing under bridges and tunnels in small towns and counties across the U.S.

In Case of an Emergency

No one wants to think about it but emergencies happen. The best defense? Preparation. When checking into a park make sure you know the park’s full address and the county you’re in. Consistently keep that information in the same place that you keep your keys and on your device. Carry a small but well-stocked first aid kit. Create a list either on paper or on your phone of your medical history, any drugs you’re taking and your emergency contact (which can be listed as an ICE (in case of emergency) in your phone’s contact list.

Filed under news that not everyone wants to know, there must be a secondary driver, able to take the wheel if circumstances require. These might include illness, impairment (as in, “I just stomped on my glasses!”) or driver fatigue. Bonus points if both drivers can effectively back the rig into a tight site.

Take a Pill

It’s always a good idea to travel with copies of any prescriptions you take and the labeled pill bottles that you receive from the pharmacy. If possible, use a national chain druggist such as CVS or Costco. This way, your records will be on file and your refills will be effortless.

Have a specific medical condition? Consider traveling with an abbreviated version of your medical records.

Sharing and Caring

Like all great communities, we’re stronger when we share our knowledge. These lived and learned tips are from our personal experiences on the road, designed to help you stay well-prepared, comfortable, and safe on your RV journeys. Incorporate them into your routine, add your own, and disseminate at will. Now that’s a great tip!

Happy and safe travels, fellow adventurers!

About Escapees
Escapees RV Club is a vibrant community of RVers offering educational programs and social events where like-minded adventurers can come together. From resources to discounts, we make life on the road easier, more affordable, and filled with unforgettable experiences
Evanne Schmarder-profile-image
Evanne Schmarder
Evanne is sure she got the wanderlust bug from her Grandpa and Nana who traveled the U.S. in their city bus conversion in the 1940’s as what we now call ‘workampers’. In 2000 she and her husband Ray set off on their own RV adventure, affectionately called Operation Sunshine, from hip but rainy Portland, Oregon
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