The Don’ts of Memorial Day Weekend Camping | Essential Guide for RV Travel
The RV camping season is kicking off this weekend. Every year Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer.
This year, while slightly different than the past, many RV campers are loading up their rig and hitting the open road.
Today we’re sharing seven “don’ts” for camping over Memorial Day weekend. If you follow these rules, you’ll be on your way to having an excellent holiday!
Let’s dive in.
Don’t Depart Too Late In The Day
The first step to any successful RV trip is giving yourself extra time for unexpected issues. Leaving too late in the day will put you under a time crunch to arrive before sunset.
And, we all know setting up your campsite in the dark is no fun.
If possible, give yourself an extra hour or two on the front end. Worst-case scenario, you arrive at the campground early.
Don’t Worry About A Reservation (If Free Camping Is Nearby)
Holiday weekends are the most crowded times of year at a campground. If you’re near free-camping, take advantage of it.
There’s usually more room to spread out, the price is right, and it’ll get you close to nature.
Campgrounds and RV parks often charge a premium for holiday weekends as well!
Don’t Forget to Check Your RV Tire Pressure
One of the easiest ways to ruin a travel day is with a flat tire. Before hitting the road, check the pressure of all tires.
Additionally, once you’re on the road, any time you pull over, put a hand on your tires to see if they’re all similar temps. If a single tire is running at a hotter temp, it’s a sign of a more significant issue.
Here’s an RV tire guide for travel days.
Don’t Host A Potluck This Year
RVers love potlucks. However, if you’re camping at an RV park, they probably have rules regulated large groups (especially if foods involved).
I know its a bummer, but we’ll all be safer if we skip the potluck this Memorial Day weekend.
If you’re on the risky side of the spectrum, Annie’s Campground in Wisconsin announce facemasks are NOT allowed. It sounds like they’d welcome potlucks.
Don’t Hesitate to Overnight Camp If You’re Traveling Many Miles
If you plan on departing your house late in the day, consider camping overnight at a Walmart. Not every store allows it, but if you’re covering a lot of ground, Walmarts are great for catching a few hours of sleep.
There are a few RV etiquette rules involved with overnight camping, but it’s way better than driving when you’re tired.
Don’t Forget Your Essential RV Site Accessories
Not all RV accessories are essential, but you can leave home without a few! Here’s a quick list of the equipment you must not forget:
- RV Sewer Hose
- RV Water Hose
- Wheel Chocks
There are so many other RV accessories that travel with us. In fact, here are 101 RV Accessories we recommend.
But, the shortlist above is the SUPER essential items you can’t forget.
Don’t Travel Without an RV Specific GPS Router
Have you seen the pictures of trucks trying to drive underneath a low-hanging bridge? The bridge always wins, and the truck looks like an open can of sardines.
This happens to RVs, too!
We use RV Trip Wizard. It lets us insert the specific specs of our RV (a 1979 Airstream) and creates a safe path for us to drive.
The Trip Planning tool and its companion RV LIFE GPS app can also steer us clear from steep mountain passes, RV restrictive tunnels, and dirt roads (that Google routes us on).
Haven’t Made an RV Park Reservation for Memorial Day? Here’s Our Favorite Free Camping!
To be honest with you, we hate paying for camping. There are so many free campsites in America (with complete privacy). You should give it a try! As a matter of fact, these free campsites are yours.
Every time you pay federal taxes, you’re contributing to these lands.
Here’s our list of the 20 Best Free Campsites in the USA.
Become a FREE CAMPING INSIDER and join the 100,000 campers that love to score the best site! Simply enter your email below.