This year, vow to get out and see more in your RV. We hope these five resolutions will inspire you to make your new year the best one yet.
1. Travel slower
A common complaint RVers have is that they travel too fast and get burnt out. It’s easy to get caught up in the desire to see as much as possible and push the mileage driven each day and how frequently they move from one location to another.
Venice Beach Sand and Surf by Jason Mrachina is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
But traveling too quickly eventually takes a toll. It’s stressful to constantly figure out where the next campsite will be, set-up, and break-down camp.
Commit to slowing down in the new year, take breaks on travel days, and spend more time in one place. Not only will this save fuel money, but it will also provide the opportunity to get to know a location like a local instead of visiting it as a tourist.
2. Purchase an America the Beautiful National Parks Annual Pass
The America the Beautiful Annual Pass allows pass-holders to not only visit any of the 58 national parks but it also covers entry fees for over 2,000 federal recreation sites at lands managed by U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Luca Galuzzi (Lucag), CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Our national parks and other public lands are home to the greatest natural wonders in the U.S. There’s so much diversity, from caves to volcanoes to hot springs to glaciers to sand dunes. At $80, the annual pass is the most economical and convenient way to visit our public lands.
3. Visit places off-season
National and state parks can be overcrowded and far from enjoyable during their peak seasons. Take advantage of the flexibility and freedom that RVing brings and choose to visit those places during the off-season.
Not only will you be rewarded with having a park nearly to yourself, but you’ll also get first pick at the campgrounds and no strangers photobombing your shots. Off-season visits also means you get to see those places in a unique and completely different way.
4. Boondock more often
Boondocking is the ultimate camping experience. Escape the noise, rules, and costs of RV parks while still having all the comforts of your home at your fingertips.
It’s a worthwhile experience to wake up surrounded by nothing but nature. Read more about how to camp in the wild here.
5. Get solar panels
Why turn down free energy? Since most RVers are chasing good weather, there’s usually plenty of sunny days to help recharge your RV batteries. The freedom and environmental benefits that solar panels bring is worth the initial investment–which doesn’t even have to break the bank.
You can add a couple hundred watts on your RV rooftop or go with a ground deploy setup. Solar panels can help you stay boondocked longer and make you less dependent on a generator.
Do you have any resolutions for the new year? We’d love to hear them in the comments below.
