Travel in Style: Your Guide to the Best RV Parks in the U.S.

February 19, 2019bankstonmotorhomes

RV camping doesn’t have to mean “roughing it.” You can travel in style by visiting one (or more!) of the best RV parks in the U.S. Here are a few of our favorites.

Do you cringe when you hear the word camping? You must imagine tents, dirt, and no showers.

While camping is not for everyone, taking an RV out for a spin is hardly “roughing it.” You can have all the comforts of a house while still being open for adventure.

Lots of people have the same idea. In fact, 10 million American households own an RV.

If you’ve ever thought about what it would be like to explore the great outdoors, an RV could be the solution. But where would you take your RV to?

Keep reading this article to learn about the best RV parks in the U.S.

1. Denali National Park and Preserve

If you’re looking for the ultimate RV campground experience, then you need to put Denali National Park on the top of your list. This national park is located in Alaska in the center of nature and spectacular wildlife.

The park has three RV-friendly campgrounds: Riley Creek, Teklanika River, and Savage River.

Keep in mind you have to make a reservation far in advance through a third party–the National Park doesn’t handle the reservations.

2. Yosemite National Park

Without a doubt, if you plan on taking your RV for a spin, you have to visit the legendary Yosemite National Park.

Yosemite National Park has ten RV campsites for you to choose from. Be aware that electrical, sewer and water hookups won’t be available. The only dump station is available at Upper Pines campground, so you should go prepared.

Also, campgrounds at Yosemite book fast, so make sure you book as early as possible.

3. Fernwood Campground and Resort

You’ve probably thought about taking a road trip down the Pacific Highway at some point in your life.

Well if you own an RV, why not make this a reality? Fernwood Campground and Resort is right in the heart of Big Sur, California.

RV campsites have access to water and electricity so you can enjoy nature without giving up some comforts.

4. Crater Lake RV Park

If you’ve always dreamed of exploring the Pacific Northwest, it’s time you take your RV to Crater Lake RV Park.

It’s recommended you plan for at least a week in order to experience everything there is to see.

The campsite has access to 30, 40, and 50 amp hook-ups and access to telephone lines.

Also, they have free wi-fi, so you don’t have to feel disconnected from the outside world. Not to mention you’ll have access to clean bathrooms and showers.

5. LVM Resort

If you think enjoying an RV resort is always about getting in touch with nature, then we should let you know that there are RV resorts that are all about luxury rather than “nature” and “the great outdoors”.

LVM Resort in Las Vegas is an RV luxury resort located only minutes from the strip.

This resort offers all of the amenities of a 5-star hotel but you can sleep in the familiarity of your RV.

LMV has a full-size swimming pool, two whirlpools, and even a tanning pool. Visitors can also enjoy the clubhouse, on-site restaurant, fitness center, and spa.

Check Out the Best RV Parks in the U.S.

Now that you know about some of the best RV parks in the U.S., it’s time to take your RV for a spin.

So where is it going to be, LVM, Denali, or Yosemite? And if there are a few more you think others should know about please share them in the comments! We would love to update this article with more of the Best RV Parks in the U.S. in several months.

If you enjoyed these ideas and would like to learn read more about road trip tips for your RV, check out our blog!

The Beginner’s Guide to RV Travel: 5 Essential Tips You Must Know

September 21, 2018bankstonmotorhomes

The Beginner’s Guide to RV Travel

Do you want to go on the ultimate RV trip this summer but it’s your first time RVing? Take a look at these essential RV travel tips that every first-timer should know.

Have you heard the news? RV’s are back, front and center in the hearts of the American population.

There were 15% more sales of RVs in the last year alone, and with sales steadily rising since the 2009 financial meltdown, the popularity of RVs has never been better.

Whether you’re young or old, traveling in an RV has something to offer, especially if it’s your first RV road trip.

With newcomers to RV travel in mind, here are 5 tips that you shouldn’t set off without knowing.

1. Don’t Overload Your RV

Before you set off on your RV trip, you need to check the maximum weight your vehicle can hold. Overloading your RV is an easy mistake for RV newbies to make, but it can be costly.

Crashing your RV while it’s overloaded will invalidate your insurance, so it could leave you out of pocket. If nothing else, it puts a heavy strain on your RV and could be illegal.

If you run into trouble, don’t worry. Check out the RV servicing solutions we offer for RV owners needing urgent RV repairs.

2. Share the Driving

Next on our list of tips for first-time RVers is designed to help you cope with long journeys. Driving can be exhausting, so if you’re driving with a partner, look to share the driving between you.

Training up a second driver is also a good idea if you find yourself injured and unable to complete your journey for any reason.

If you’ve never driven an RV before, check out these tips on how to handle and drive one.

3. Prepare for Wi-fi Not-Spots

We’re living in a digital world, and if you’re keen to share your holiday snaps with friends and family back home, you’re going to need internet wherever you go.

Lots of RV parks and public areas may come with public wi-fi access, but it isn’t guaranteed. Thankfully, you can prepare for wi-fi ‘not-spots’ pretty easily.

Pick up a mobile Wireless hotspot device that can connect to the internet over a cell phone network. This will give you internet wherever you go, although you’ll still need a good signal from your cell network for this to work. Be sure to check your current mobile device, many of them come with a hotspot option, which means your phone can easily become a wi-fi hotspot as long as your carrier has coverage where you plan to travel.

4. Never Forget Your Essentials

If you’re going RVing, don’t forget the essentials before you set off.

A basic first-aid kit is probably a good idea, packed with bandages and disinfectant at a minimum. We also think you’re going to need some wind-up torches and lamps (you won’t always have electricity to charge batteries).

There’s a whole lot of other essentials you could add to this list, so here’s an RV checklist you can use to be sure you’ve packed everything you need.

5. Be Spontaneous, but Not Careless

RV life is fun, and most of all, it gives you the chance to be spontaneous. New RVers can find this a tough adjustment, but it’s part of the fun.

If you find yourself at a location you enjoy, stay there a week or two longer. You’re in an RV, so the world is your oyster to explore!

That said, things don’t always go to plan, even when you don’t have a plan. Travel with a budget in mind, keep a full tank of gas, and have plenty of food and water to keep you going.

If you need to find a campsite to stay at, GoCampingAmerica can help you find a park in every state.

Enjoy the Fun and Avoid the Pitfalls of RV Travel

If you’re looking for freedom, RV travel offers that in spades. Your RV is your gateway to a life of fun and exploration on the road, but a little planning will help you avoid some of the more obvious pitfalls.

RV life isn’t for everyone, but if you’re looking for an exciting and low-cost way to travel, investing in an RV could be the best decision you make for your family.

Looking to buy an RV, or just to rent? Either way, why not contact us and discover whether our RV sales or rental options are right for your needs.

9 Essential Phone Apps to Add to your RV Tool Kit

May 10, 2018bankstonmotorhomes

We are sharing a fresh list of 9 essential phone apps to help make your RV life a bit easier this month. Some of these you might have heard of before, but we hope there is at least 1 or 2 on the list that are new to you. Here is our list of the top 8 tools worth checking out:

RVing Phone Apps for both Apple and Android:

Gas Buddy– it’s free and helps you find the cheapest gas in your area on the go! Gas prices are for USA and Canada only…and for every gas price reported you’ll earn points toward prize giveaway entries…They give away a $100 gas cards to keep reviewers motivated to share info.
Trucker path – No matter what type of RV you have, we all know it’s easier to pull through a gas station that is made for longer, bigger vehicles. Trucker Path will help you find the closest truck-friendly gas station, let you know if overnight parking is available nearby, inform you of low clearance issues, while also giving you access to navigation, real time overnight parking estimates, and reviews from their 600K drivers updating info. This app is also claims to show which Walmart locations are overnight stay verified. (for iphone users try Truck Stops and Travel Plazas)
RV parks & Campgrounds by ParkAdvisor (both) – this app shows a map and users click on their state and keep enlarging to see map pins that show RV Parks. While it does not claim to be an all-inclusive list, after a few clicks we discovered many of RV parks that appeared to be reviewed by seasoned travelers. Comments were clearly written to inform new travelers of key issues that RVers would want to know about like “many dogs roaming the park”, or “not a ‘resort’ by our definition, wooden steps had been built for several, decks had been added for several, and the bath house was in bad need of repairs”, or “Great campground with beautiful park. Spacious, paved, shaded camping spaces each with a picnic table and fire pit…”
Oh Ranger! Park Finder is an excellent resource for RVers too -Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder contains an exclusive database with information on thousands of different types of public lands, which can be searched to find activities like RVing, Hiking, Boating, Camping, etc.
The app scours databases that include info on several different types of public lands including:
National Parks
• State Parks
• National Forests
• Wildlife Refuges
• Bureau of Land Management (BLM) sites
KOA App– allows users to filter, reserve, and mark campgrounds as a favorite in the app… and driving directions and KOA campground info is supposed to be available off-line which can be super helpful!
WeatherBug (for Android and Apple) -When driving and traveling, accurate and current weather info is important for both safety and sight-seeing plans. WeatherBug, the best free weather app, powered by the world’s largest network of professional weather stations, providing the fastest weather alerts, real-time weather conditions, accurate hourly forecasts & 10-day forecasts, 18 weather maps including Doppler radar, satellite, lightning alerts, precipitation, local temperature, local pressure, local radar, wind chill, heat index, humid, wind, pollen, UV and much more!

RVing Phone Apps that are Apple Only:

All Stays Camp and RV (iphone only) is on almost ever app review list we found on-line. For those with iphones, a few clicks gives users info on areas to camp and RV.
LifePics is an app that is free and lets you order all of your iphone photos throug the LifePics Photofinisher network. This is network hsa over 18,000 stores located all over the world where you can print your photos and pic them up at places like CVS, Office depot, Ritz/Wolf Camera, etc.

RVing Website we had to include that’s not an App:

RVDumps.com – this is not an app- but we tested it on our mobile phones and the website appears to be mobile responsive. Plus, we could not find another app that provides dumping station info nationwide. Using a mobile phone as a hot spot, or using free wi-fi at a restaurant, RVers can hop on RVDumps.com and find a geographic map of the US and then navigate visually by selecting a state, and selecting different push-pin location markers for dump stations. What’s fabulous is the little pop up for each push-pin will show if the dump station is supposed to be free or if a fee is required. It also appears as if the free dump stations might color coded differently from the paid dump stations. When testing the light blue ones seemed to be free and the dark blue icons appeared to be paid.

There are plenty of other travel apps and sight seeing apps to choose from, but with these top picks installed on your phone you’ll be well on your way to a successful trip this spring!

Top 3 Reasons Why Renting an RV is a Smart Choice.

April 27, 2018May 25, 2018bankstonmotorhomes

The main reason why renting an RV is a smart choice-

How do you figure out if renting an RV is a smart choice? If you plan to use your RV the typical number of days per year (27) and you purchase your RV on credit, you will pay a premium of $200 more per day for the privilege of ownership versus renting! To make ownership finacially worthwhile you need to use your RV about 40 days per year if you buy the RV outright, or about 50 days per year if you buy the RV on credit. On the other hand, for those who live full-time in their RV, the costs per day can be well under $100. (from “Rent vs. Buy” by Dave Neale.)

More reasons why renting an RV is a smart choice;-

There are other solid reasons to rent an RV before you buy one for yourself of your family: (1) experience the difference in driving different types of motorhomes – handling a small Class C can feel a bit different from driving a longer Class A. Trying each size out for a weekend (or a week) can save you the experience of purchasing new and then up/down sizing. Are you as comfortable parking the Class C as the Class A? And yes, we know there are Class Cs that are of similar length to the Class As…so try ut the different lengths and see what feels comfortable for you and your driving partner. (2) Try out a couple of different floor plans. Why? well the bunk over cab may sound great…but what if your kid doesn’t like sleeping up high? What if navigating to the restroom at night from the bunk was more effort than they thought it would be? Can everyone use the shower with ease? These are experiences only gained by staying in an RV overnight. (3) Do you have a truck or SUV? If so, you may discover after driving a rental motorhome that you would rather park a travel trailer and drive your regular vehicle around to sight see and then return to your sleeping place in the evening. My sister and her husband bought a Class A (used), gutted and refurbished it, and then decided they would rather tow a 5th wheel they could park and drive their truck for sightseeing…

Learn more about renting at BankstonRVrentals.com

-by Tanya H. Miller

Marketing Director

Bankston Motorhomes, Inc.

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