Owning an RV opens up numerous travel possibilities, one of the most exciting being a cross-country road trip. Unlike a car, you can travel with everything you need in an RV, making it a great place to call home as you make your way across America. However, before you cruise down the highway with the windows down and the music up, you will want to learn how to plan a cross-country RV road trip to make sure you have plenty of time to see all of the amazing sights and attractions America has to offer.
How to Plan a Cross-Country Road Trip in an RV
Whether you are a seasoned RV pro or this is your first time on a big RV trip, a cross-country road trip is a big undertaking that requires some additional planning. Some tips to make sure your RV cross-country road trip is successful include:
Plan Your Trip Route
Planning a route for your trip starts with defining where you want to go and what you want to see. Do you have any specific attractions you want to visit? Once you have a main goal for the trip, you can begin planning a route.
Regardless of whether you plan a direct or meandering route, other important considerations are the weather, gas stations and RV-friendly roads. Paying attention to the weather is especially crucial in the winter months as you may see snow along your route.
Make an Itinerary
After you plan your trip route and the stops you will be taking, you will want to plan what you want to see and do. These activities can be things near the campgrounds you stop at or fun attractions along the way.
When you make your itinerary, be sure to include some space for free time. As with any trip, there will be unexpected stops and extended stays if you find a campground you enjoy. Accounting for these events also makes it easier to plan your budget more accurately.
Create a Budget
Budget is one of the most important considerations of a road trip besides route. While you may not have the typical hotel fees, you will have other expenses such as:
- Fuel
- RV campground entry fees
- Entry fees for attractions
- Groceries and restaurants
- Souvenirs
- Maintenance and emergencies
Book Your RV Sites in Advance
Booking your RV Sites in advance ensures you have a place to stay each night and prevents the stress of trying to find a campground at the last minute. There are hundreds of Kampgrounds of America Campgrounds across North America, making it easy to find an RV Site anywhere along your route. KOA has an easy booking process, so you can reserve your site before you head out or along the way.
Create a Packing List
You can use your destination and planned activities to create your packing list. For example, consider if the area is warmer or colder than your current location and how many changes of clothes you will need for each person. Also, think about what kinds of recreational activities you have planned, like swimming, hiking or fishing.
Regardless of your destination, some essentials to pack include:
- Medications
- Sunglasses
- Spare contacts
- Paper towels
- Toilet paper
- Wipes
- Diapers
- Feminine products
It is also wise to pack tools and emergency gear for your RV, such as a spare tire, jumper cables and flares.
Stay Safe on the Road
If you have never driven on a major highway in your RV, it may be a good idea to practice driving a few times before your road trip. Driving an RV is a very different experience from driving a car, and you want to make sure you can drive safely despite the RV’s size and limitations. If needed, you may want to practice driving defensively as well.
What Is the 3-3-3 Rule?
It may be tempting to drive as far as possible each day so you can see as much as possible. However, driving 10 hours a day every day is a great way to make your cross-country road trip in an RV less than ideal. The 3-3-3 rule is one of the biggest RV cross-country road trip tips and is as follows:
Drive 300 Miles a Day
Driving 300 miles may seem like too much or too little, but it reduces the risk of fatigued driving. Generally, you can drive 300 miles in four hours if you are doing 75 mph. However, with construction, crowded highways and bathroom breaks, a four-hour drive can easily turn into six or seven.
You will want to include any detours or side trips into the 300 miles as well. Many RVers try to stop every few hours to stretch their legs, drink some water and just take a break from driving.
Stay for 3 Nights in Every Campground
It’s common to overschedule your road trip as you try to see and do it all in a certain time frame. Slowing down allows you to really take in the sights and feel less stressed during your journey.
Moving to a new campground every night can be a frustrating experience as you are constantly relearning the campground and familiarizing yourself with the water, electric and sewer hookups. Spending at least three nights at every campground will give you a day to set up, a day to relax and a day to repack.
Arrive by 3 p.m.
Arriving by 3 p.m. is often the hardest rule for RVers to follow. Some RVers want to be able to sleep in every day. Others may get distracted by side trips and arrive at their campgrounds later than expected. Even if you just use 3 p.m. as a suggestion, it will greatly improve your RV experience.
Any trip is full of unexpected challenges, and an RV road trip across the country is no different. By setting a deadline of 3 p.m., you can still have time to handle situations such as spontaneously booking a campsite. Most campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and 3 p.m. is often the latest that any campsites will still be available. Arriving around 3 p.m. also offers the best chance of your campground hosts still being there to welcome you and answer any questions you may have.
Route Ideas
One of the many great things about planning a cross-country RV trip is you have multiple routes available to explore. Some options include:
Route 66
Route 66 is one of the most iconic routes in America and stretches 2,448 miles. While you can drive along the route in either direction, most travelers start in Chicago and head west to Los Angeles.
Border-To-Border
If you want to see the United States from top to bottom, the border-to-border route is a great road trip option. The route starts in Canada and stretches to the U.S.-Mexico border. Along the way, you will see alpine mountains and rugged deserts, making the border-to-border route fantastic for RVers looking for a little bit of everything during their road trip.
The Great Northern
The Great Northern route stretches 3,600 miles from Seattle, Washington, to Maine. This route is ideal for nature lovers as you will get to see some of the best landscapes in North America. Start your road trip in Olympic National Park and then head east to take in multiple national parks and areas like the Badlands.
The Loneliest Road
The loneliest road route isn’t too lonely as it follows the popular US-50 and connects the East and West Coasts. This 3,200-mile trip route mainly takes you through rural areas and small towns, allowing you to get a close-up look at the backbone of America. Most RVers start The Loneliest Road route in San Francisco and head East to finish in Ocean City, Maryland. Along the way, you will see several national parks, cross the Mississippi River and cross part of the Appalachian Mountains.
The Great River Road
The Great River Road Route follows the Mississippi River and stretches over 3,000 miles across 10 states. Most RVers start near Lake Itasca, Minnesota, and travel south to finish at the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, make sure to stop at the St. Louis Gateway Arch or try some Memphis BBQ.
Stay at KOAs Across the Country During Your Adventure of a Lifetime
With hundreds of campgrounds across the United States and Canada, KOA is the perfect place to stop and rest throughout your RV trip. Reserve your RV Sites today to start planning a cross-country road trip in an RV.
Leslie is a travel writer, copywriter, and web designer who gets butterflies from telling stories through words and visuals.
Her voice comes from a place filled with passion, dreams, and lots of sugar. “Cake over steak” is her go-to motto.
With over 10 years of experience in crafting words, and years of embarking on travels that have taken this Montana girl to some incredible places, Leslie loves the adventures of both body and mind her writing takes her on.
To see what Leslie’s up to in the writing and design world, visit her website here.
