• RV Parks & Campgrounds
  • RV Sales
  • RV & Outdoor Gear
  • RV Maintenance & Repair
gs logo
  • Categories
  • Campgrounds, Parks & Places
    Campgrounds, Parks & Places
    America’s Most Scenic Drives
    8 Great Summer Getaways Across America
    Indiana’s Ceraland Sports Park & Campground Rolls Out Recreation Fun
    Oceanside RV Resort: Experience the Best of San Diego
    Aerial shot of resort
  • Subscribe

Sponsored

Tips for Taking Your RV Out for the First Time

author image
Julie Chickery
  • Campgrounds, Parks & Places
February 11, 2021

    February 11, 2021

    Taking your new RV out -- A couple embarks on a stroll through their campsite.

    Taking your new RV out for the first time can be a little intimidating. It may seem like there is simply too much to remember, but don’t worry. The list of things that scare you will shrink with time, knowledge, and experience. For your first time, these tips will help you make the most of your first campground stay.

    Advance Planning

    The best thing you can do to ensure a smooth first camping trip is plan in advance. More and more people are enjoying RV travel, making campground reservations important. If you are planning to visit a first-come, first-served campground, you’ll want to do a little research to determine the best time to show up in order to snag a site. It’s always a good idea to touch base with the campground office the day before you head out on your trip. Verify your reservation and verify what time you can check in. Even if you plan to arrive early, something unexpected could happen. You don’t want to roll up to a locked gate after a long day’s drive.

    Learn Your Rig

    Practice using the RV systems before you leave home. This includes the landing gear, leveling process, slide outs, as well as hitching and unhitching if applicable. Don’t forget driving and parking practice, especially backing up. We’ve arrived at a campground with a pull-thru site reservation only to find there was a mix up and needed to move to a back-in site.

    Summer Night RV Camping. Recreational Vehicle Class C Motorhome Under Starry Sky. Campground RV Park Pitch. Modern Camper Van.

    Getty Images

    Make a Checklist

    As you are practicing with your rig, make a checklist for packing, arrival, and departure. You don’t need a lot of gear to enjoy a great camping trip, but you will need some essentials. Create a checklist of items for setting up the RV at the campground. You’ll want to include things like:

    ✔ Deploy the jacks/levelers
    ✔ Chock the wheels
    ✔ Plug in the power
    ✔ Connect to water and sewer (if provided)
    ✔ Turn on the air conditioner (if needed)
    ✔ Open slides
    ✔ Turn on the water heater
    ✔ Turn on the LP gas

    This itemized checklist will help things go smoothly at the campground and ensure you don’t forget anything. You’ll also be able to use the list in reverse upon departure.

    Campground Arrival

    Many campgrounds have an office that you will stop at first to register. Pay attention to your site’s location on the campground map looking closely for the approach. The campgrounds are always marked well once you move beyond the entry and you want to be sure you’ve noted a few landmarks or site numbers to help you navigate to yours. Scout out your site before actually pulling into it. Take notice of the power, water, and sewer hook ups. Be sure there is enough space to fully deploy your slides.

    Campground Etiquette

    Remember that even if you can’t see your neighbors, they usually aren’t that far away. Be mindful of that when you are playing music or telling stories around the campfire. Most importantly, observe quiet hours. They are usually posted and typically start around 9 or 10pm. Also, be aware that the little privacy you have is limited to your campsite. Respect the space that other campers have chosen, and don’t walk through another campsite to get to another location in the campground.

    Rainy Day Vacation Fun for Families Previous
    Keeping Your RV Interior Clean When Traveling With Pets Next
    Julie Chickery

    Julie Chickery

    Julie and her husband, Sean, started traveling in their RV full-time 5 years ago after they each served 20 years in the US Air Force. Having lived in more than 10 states and 4 countries, the Chickerys decided it was time to enjoy the rest of the United States. They manage Chickery’s Travels, an educational and inspirational blog aimed at helping people realize their full-time travel dreams.

    Parks & Places
    NAMENEWEST

    • Campgrounds, Parks & Places
    August 15, 2024

    America’s Most Scenic Drives

    Good Sam Camping avatar image

    Good Sam Camping

    LOAD MORE

    Subscribe

    Enter your email address below and get the latest posts delivered straight to your inbox.

    For questions, please see our Privacy Policy & California Privacy Rights.

    We are Social

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
    • Rss
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram

    Good Sam Club

    Privacy Policy  |   California Privacy Rights  |   Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information  |   Targeted Advertising Opt Out  |   Terms of Use

    © 2023 Good Sam Enterprises, LLC. All Rights Reserved.