According to RVIA (RV Industry Association) 25 Million Americans go RV’ing every year. 10 million people own RV’s and 1 million live in RV’s full time. New RV sales in the US, while slowing over the last 18 months or so, are still very strong. Through September 2019, annual delivery of new units has topped 309,000.
Hi my name is Camma Griffith and our family is planning a trip for June 5 thru June 16. 2021. There will be 6 adults want 6 kids ranging from 12-18. We will have a pull behind camper and a RV. We are leaving from mo and wanting to see Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone and Colorado possibly glenwood springs. We have a pretty active group so interested in sightseeing and hiking but also activities that teenagers might like. Do you ever plan trips for a fee? I am open to any suggestions that you Might have in addition to the areas I proposed. Looks like you definitely know what you are doing. Thank you Camma Griffith
Hi Camma, Your trip sounds really exciting. We don’t do trip planning, but my biggest recommendation would be to get an early start- especially if you want to camp within the parks. CHeck out our articles on Yellowstone and Custer State Park. You are doing a lot in a short period. Our strong recommendation is to see less places for a longer time, so you don’t feel rushed. Best of luck!
I agree with the roving Foleys. If possible, extend your trip or make your trip in two or three. Last year we took our two 7yo grandkids to Rushmore then Yellowstone, then to Colorado. We never really had enough time to enjoy ourselves. This year we took the month of July, saw less but had way more fun. The kids enjoyed the trip much more.
Buffalo Bill State park near Cody, WY is beautiful and easy drive through Custer. Lots of wildlife to be seen on the wildlife trail. Info available from the state park or visitor center. One of the highlights was seeing the “ begging burros”
Early evening is best. Have fun!
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for the tip about Buffalo Bill State Park. It sounds like a nice spot and I hear there is a pretty impressive dam there as well. Just to clarify for our readers, your comment kind of morphed into Custer State Park, which is in South Dakota, near mount Rushmore. That is where the wildlife trail, and the Begging Burros can be found, as well as elk, prairie dogs, coyotes, pronghorns, and massive herds of bison. Definitely one of our favorite places!
We just got our first travel trailer and I would caution that trying to travel as far as if you were simply driving will be exhausting. Setting up each evening and breaking camp takes longer – is more tiring – thank you’d think if you’ve never done it before (for instance, you don’t think about the time it takes to simply stow/secure everything for traveling).
Agree with the Foleys, you’ll not be able to see everything worth seeing in that short amount of time. We make a trip like that every year and take at least 3 weeks to visit the places you are planning to see. Also, we start making reservations a year to 9 months in advance to guarantee a spot. I already have reservations made for 4 rigs, 8 people, for Aug 2021 taking a similar trip and couldn’t get every RV park I wanted. Good luck.
My wife and I are about to start a long adventure in our new TT. We have been preparing for several months now and are just waiting to get the call from the dealer that our rig has been delivered. We plan to take several short trips with the new rig to work out any issues. After that we have a plan to be on the road for at least a year touring the lower 48. I have plotted a tentative trip route with no true plan for dates except our first stop and completely flexible to change our destinations. The picture at the top of this page with campers along a river and the beautiful mountains and looks like a lake in the background; where is that located. I think we would love to see that location. We do plan to boondock as much as possible and I have researched how to be preparred. Our next purchase prior to departing will be a generator and basic camping gear if we choose to leave the camper for a day or two hiking! We are so excited and I will continue to watch your blog for other great hints, thanks!
Jeff, Congratulations on your new adventure. You are going to have a blast! Good planning (not planning.) Leaving yourself open to stay or go as you please is the best way IMO. Best of luck!
I was wondering, i asked in my first comment about a picture on this page. “The picture at the top of this page with campers along a river and the beautiful mountains and what looks like a lake in the background; where is that located.”
Do you know the location of this place, or is it just a stock picture?
Thanks,
Jeff
Sorry- missed your question. It was a stock photo. Totally wish I had the skills to take images like that!
You will need to think about driving. When we traveled we would drive from 9am to 3pm. By 3 we would know where we would be camping and it gave us plenty of time to set up camp! You do need to be flexible, if you are former or retired military, there are beautiful family campgrounds in every state, and they are way less expensive than state parks! But there are state parks that are just beautiful! NY was the biggest surprise of all. Upper NYS is absolutely beautiful!
Great tips, Karen!
Thank you for emphasizing the need to give yourself time to settle in, at the end of the driving day. That is what I have thought and planned. We will keep our travel days as short as possible and yes we are both retired military, so yes we will try to take advantage of the military bases. There is a blog called Poppin Smoke that has a lot of suggestions and reviews of those facilities. It is very helpful and informative.
Here is a link to one of the sites for Military Facilities.
https://www.armymwr.com/programs-and-services/outdoor-recreation/camping-rv-parks
And the one I mentioned before Poppin Smoke is below.
https://www.poppinsmoke.com/tips-for-using-military-campgrounds/
Good luck to all, happy and healthy camping and safe travels!
Jeff and Louie
Great links, Jeff- thanks! Military folks should definitely check these out- some fantastic places to camp.
FYI…Colorado has 58 14er mountains, NOT 14!! We have the most of any state. It’s one of the reasons Colorado is so breathtaking!
Thanks for catching the typo.
I wish you had more listings for private & state parks for rv camping in Michigan…
HI Jill, As a Michigander (I grew up in the thumb) I would love to do an article on the many wonderful places that Michigan has to offer. But then everybody would know! Lets keep the secret between us. Ssshhhh