The best RV trips are hard to beat — early-morning wildlife encounters, late-night conversations with new friends, a beautiful balance of riveting and relaxing. But turning those dream adventures into realities takes a lot more than luck. Which is why we’ve developed a few strategies that help put those mind-blowing, memory-making vacations within reach.
Warm Away Your Winter Blues
Sunlight helps boost our bodies’ serotonin levels — so it’s no wonder that spending months on end tucked into our turtlenecks has us feeling a little down. Fortunately, there are campgrounds where short sleeves are viable virtually year-round. One of our favorites is Palm Canyon Hotel & RV Resort in Borrego Springs, California. With grounds that look like they’re straight out of an old Western and night skies that look like they’re straight out of a planetarium, Palm Canyon has an ever-present air of adventure. Their grounds provide easy access to hiking and RVing in and around the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. And their on-site saloon regularly hosts live music. We’ve been known to leave Palm Canyon looking a little tanner and feeling a lot sunnier.
Shelter Cove RV Resort & Marina
Summer is a Time For Solace
No biology homework. No band practice. No ballet recitals. With the weight of routine lifted, we have better bandwidth for relaxation and reflection during summer. And one of our favorite places to find it is Shelter Cove Resort & Marina in Crescent Lake, Oregon. Perched on the shores of Odell Lake, it’s perfectly positioned for reeling in a few rainbow trout. And as a popular stop along the Pacific Crest Trail, it’s a great place to catch a conversation with a backpacker too. Shelter Cove sees a steady stream of regulars, and we can absolutely see why — after a week on the water, our heads always feel clearer and our hearts a little lighter.
Shelter Cove Resort & Marina
Keep Some Year-Round Destinations Top of Mind
We love taking trips on a whim, because spontaneity always adds a spark of excitement. But to prevent our last-minute planning from landing us in a sub-par site, we keep a list of campgrounds we’ll enjoy year-round. One of our favorites is Flying Flags RV Resort & Campground in Buellton, California. With roaring fire pits, refreshing pools and remarkably popular bocce courts, we often find a few new friends. And with easy access to the vineyards of the Santa Ynez Valley, our taste buds often find a little adventure too. Average temperatures range from 73° to 39°, so we know we can always count on Flying Flags for a comfortable getaway.
Chasing the sun in the winter, finding serenity in the summer and doing a little pre-planning for those unplanned trips has helped greatly improve our great-vacation batting average. And with a sound set of planning strategies, we know that you’ll be on the highway to heavenly RV vacations in no time too.
Highway West Vacations is a curated collection of hotels, campgrounds and RV resorts. You can explore and book their properties at highwaywestvacations.com.