Jenny Steadman, a dear friend, devoted family RVer and the Macaroni Kid Publisher for Cleveland East, generously answered my questions … even the silly ones.
Do you pack food before you leave or stop along the way?
It depends on how long we are gone for. If it's just a long weekend, or even up to a week, we try to pack everything we need (meal planning helps). If it is a longer trip, we will grocery shop about every 10 days and as needed. It also depends on your fridge/freezer space. We don't have much of a freezer so that affects us.
What are the 5 don't-leave-home-without-them food things we should bring?
- Snacks
- Easy/quick meals like hot dogs and lunch meat
- Microwaveable meals (like mac and cheese)
- Easy breakfasts (milk, cereal, oatmeal, eggs)
- And for a classic camping experience, don't forget the s'mores! (but every camp store sells these supplies, too)
Speaking of s’mores, in my mind, as the sun sets, my family is gathered around the fire beside our RV roasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories … but where do you get the wood? Do you pack it and take it with you? Buy wood? Gather wood?
Always buy wood supplied by a campground or seller in the area. It is frowned upon (and sometimes illegal) to travel with fire wood from different areas because of bug infestations.
I'm a-scared of the whole cleaning out the loo thing ... how in the world does that work?
We call this the “stinky slinky” and the poop shoot! It's a rather easy process that shouldn't be messy when done correctly. Most newer RVs seem to have a spot in the back bumper to store the hose. You attach one end of this hose to the camper and the other (with an elbow joint) to the sewer connection in the ground. We prefer to dump the black (toilet) first and then the grey (sinks/shower) second so it helps to clear out the poop. Some campsites have a sewer hook-up right there at your site. If not, no worries, there is a dump station to pull your camper up to.
Okay, say we want to go out to dinner. Do we take the RV and park it in a parking lot? Or once you hit campground you don't leave?
If you have a trailer, you leave it and take the car. But if you have a motorhome, and it's your only form of transportation, you take it! Make sure ahead of time there is adequate parking, though. You can call ahead or even just look on google maps at their parking lot.
Earplugs ... a must right?
Only if someone in your camper snores! Campgrounds are very quiet at night. There are well-observed quiet hours. You get to fall asleep to the sound of nature! Crickets! Otherwise, if it's hot, you'll have on the a/c and that drowns out all other noise.
Are bugs/mosquitoes a problem? My daughter is a mosquito magnet -- is there any way to keep them out of the RV?
When you have an 8-year-old who constantly leaves the door open like we do, mosquitoes are a huge problem and I too am a magnet and have suffered. Being vigilant about keeping the screen door on your camper closed is your best defense. Keeping lights off in the evening, citronella candles and lotions all help.
Any other tips to make our first RV adventure awesome?
- Be sure to know what kind of hook-up you have at the campsite. If it's only electric, you'll need to fill your tank with potable water before parking. (When you check-in, they can direct you to this hose.)
- When looking for a campsite, we like to use google maps to find shaded sites and larger sites! We also like to be by a playground if they have one.
- Be willing to go with the flow.
- It takes the refrigerator MANY hours to get cold. We turn ours on 2 days before so we can load it up before we leave. This way we don't have to worry about a cooler and ice.
- If you want a hot shower in the morning, turn on the hot water tank the night before so you don't have to wait in the morning!
- No matter how warm the climate, always pack layers. It can get chilly at night!
Thanks Jenny! I'll let you know how it goes!
