RV Travel News & Blog Articles

About 50 miles west of the Arizona-New Mexico state line on old Route 66 lies Petrified Forest National Park. Created from ancient river beds and inland lakes, the area is known as the Painted Desert because of its colorful sandstone and mudstone deposits.

What sets it apart from other desert landscapes are its numerous petrified forests, created when the plant material from trees was replaced with quartz over millions of years. Today, the park glistens with multi-hued rock layers and exposed fossils, enticing visitors to explore an out-of-this-world setting for a closer view of nature’s handiwork.

Why Visit Petrified Forest National Park in Your RV?

Photo Credit: NPS Jacob Holgerson

The park is a perfect destination for RVers, with navigable paved roads and spacious pull-outs. Many hikers love the idea of heading off into the hills for an hour or two and returning to the comfort of their RV for shade and a bite of lunch before cruising to the next park highlight.

The park encompasses over 221,000 acres and is home to hundreds of plants, animals, fossils, and rock formations. As of June 2018, the park achieved International Dark Sky Park status. It is also one of the few national parks allowing leashed dogs on most trails.

When to Visit Petrified Forest National Park

The park is open year-round, but with a location in the middle of the Arizona desert, temperatures range from above 100℉ to below freezing. This semi-arid desert grassland is home to plants and animals that know how to adapt to these extremes, so you’ll need to be able to as well. 

One of many luxuries of modern RVs is the ability to create shade with a button. RV awnings protect you from light rain and sun and create an outdoor patio space perfect for grilling, relaxing, or hosting tailgate parties.

RV awnings aren’t complicated, but you must know how and when to use them correctly. Otherwise, you could wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of your awning ripping off your RV because you forgot to retract it before bed. 

Here’s everything you need to know about RV awnings. 

How to Open and Close an RV Awning

Before you operate an RV awning, it’s important that your RV is parked, leveled, and stabilized properly. Check out this video to learn how to level and stabilize your RV: 

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For a visit to the untamed Alaskan wilderness, where your survival depends solely upon you, find your way to Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. There are minimal named locations on a map of this park. In fact, there are no roads and no services — just mountains, rivers, wildlife, and solitude.

Visitors come to this region above the Arctic Circle to really get away from it all, at a rate of fewer than 10,000 people per year.

Why Visit Gates of the Arctic National Park?

Photo Credit: NPS by Laurie Smith

Imagine ecosystems that haven’t been tampered with, vibrant colors as far as the eye can see, and the northern lights in winter. Gates of the Arctic is a frontier of glaciers, rivers, and wildlife unseen by most, making it a bucket list adventure for any traveler.

Because there are no roads into the Gates of the Arctic, visitors must take an air taxi or hike into the park. Drive your RV to Fairbanks, as several RV parks can act as your home base in this part of Alaska. Then catch a bush plane into any region of the national park for hiking and backpacking in the summer or snowshoeing in the winter.

When to Visit Gates of the Arctic National Park

Photo Credit: NPS by Laurie Smith

Gates of the Arctic is a wilderness park, open year-round to those seeking solitude and exploration. Time frames to come to the park are dependent upon visitors’ activities.

We want to hear the unique way you RV. Tell us about your rig, your camping style, and what you love about the RV life.

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North Cascades National Park, located in Northern Washington, is where the crowds are few, but the adventures are abundant. Steep, gray, snow-capped mountain terrain expands for hundreds of miles, and the park is just 2.5 hours from Seattle.  

Sometimes known as the “American Alps,” the North Cascades are surrounded by vast pine forests, vivid glacier lakes, and wildflower meadows. Elevation in the park reaches 9,206 feet. The North Cascade Mountains call every lover of the outdoors to come to visit its wild terrain.

This park boasts over 300 glaciers, which makes it the highest concentration of glaciers in a national park, second only to Denali National Park in Alaska. In addition to its raw beauty, it is less congested with people, even during peak season. North Cascades ranks in the top 10 least-visited national parks, making it a prize for many.

Why Visit North Cascades National Park in an RV?

Photo by Michal Balada via Shutterstock

The North Cascades is meant to be driven. The North Cascades Highway, or State Route 20 (SR 20), is the only paved road through the park and the main means of travel. There are 30 miles of SR 20 that belong to the park, and an average drive-through takes about an hour. 

The rest of the highway continues for another 50 miles that comprise part of a 440-mile loop that has recently been named the “Cascade Loop Northern Scenic Byway.” There are numerous overlooks along SR 20, showcasing the park’s vibrant glacier lakes and alpine ranges. 

Finding the perfect gift ideas for RV owners can be a real struggle. The last thing an RV owner wants is one more item to fit into their camper’s limited storage space. But not all gifts have to be clunky and cumbersome. Great gifts serve a unique RV purpose.

Start by considering who you are gifting to this year. Ask what they love most about RVing and learn how they travel. Use this information to guide your giving.

In need of some help brainstorming gifts for RV owners? Discover Camping World’s Holiday Gift Guide for inspiration.

Gifts for the Camp Foodie

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There’s just something about cooking outside that’s thrilling. For those that love firing up the grill and covering the picnic table with a spread of good eats, consider cooking gifts for RV campers.

Camp Chef Artisan Pizza Oven is a real crowd-pleaser and the best way to make everyone’s favorite meal—pizza.Give the chef a practical gift to make life easier, a workspace all his own with the Folding Aluminum Grill Table.A Cast Iron Pie Iron is a fun tool for cooking tasty hand pies over the coals.RV ovens aren’t like the ones at home. The Omnia Stove Top Oven makes oven baking in your RV kitchen energy efficient and simple.Don’t let a delicious meal go to the flies. A Mesh Food Cover is a great gift idea for outdoor eating.This Telescoping Camp Fork is a perfect stocking stuffer and essential for marshmallow toasting.

Browse everything you need for a camp kitchen.

Learn to make the most of your RV. Subscribe to the Camping World YouTube channel, and never miss a video.

When your RV is plugged in, 120-volt alternating current (AC) can run appliances and small electronics. Just like in your home, circuit breakers control AC power and allow you to plug in safely. 

But what happens when power outlets or specific appliances stop working? Troubleshooting RV circuit breakers may only be part of the solution, but it’s an important piece when troubleshooting your RV’s entire electrical system. 

The video above shows you how to troubleshoot electrical issues associated with pulling too much power, like tripped breakers or blown fuses, and how to fix them. Below, we’ll go into more detail about RV circuit breakers, how they operate, and how to troubleshoot them. 

Understanding AC versus DC Power in your RV

Before you dive into circuit breaker troubleshooting, it’s essential to understand how RV electrical works. Here’s a short video introduction: 

Camping is a great activity that you can enjoy for a couple of days or for weeks or even months on end. While I know several people who spend long periods of time in their RV camping at various campgrounds around the country, I also know plenty of others who only camp on the weekend.

These weekend warriors need gear just like the camper who spend large periods of time hanging out at campgrounds. If you have someone in your life who loves to spend their Saturdays and Sundays camping, then this is the list for you.

Perma Chill 50 Quart Cooler

Made in the USA! This 12.5 gallon cooler is rated for 7 days of ice retention, making it perfect for backwoods camping and long fishing trips. The Perma Chill’s freezer-grade gasket, lockable lid, and tie-down slots make it easy and safe to haul to your campsite’s location.

The cooler features an integrated bottle opener, inch ruler for measuring your catch of the day, and comes in five colors.

Sequoia National Park covers an expansive 1,300 square miles and is home to Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the lower 48 of the United States. With roaring mountain rivers, granite peaks, an extensive backcountry, and signature Giant Sequoia trees, Sequoia National Park brings in over one-million annual visitors to experience its beauty. 

If you’re looking for the only place in the world to feel the immense power of these storied trees, then gas up your RV and hit the road. But before you do, here’s what you need to know about RVing in Sequoia National Park.

Why Visit Sequoia National Park in an RV?

Photo by Virrage Images via Shutterstock

Have you ever wanted to walk among giants? California’s two-for-one national park duo of Sequoia and Kings Canyon lets you venture into a land of otherworldly trees that almost seem too grand to be real. And with these giants growing only within a 60-mile area high in the Sierra Nevada mountains, it’s the only place you’ll be able to experience their power.

Sequoia National Park is easily accessible in under four hours from Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Francisco, and can easily be looped into a National Parks road trip with Yosemite to the North or Death Valley to the Southeast.

Because Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are in close proximity, having an RV for your visit to these parks allows you to easily bounce back and forth. You can easily go from seeing General Sherman Tree on the Sequoia side of the park to the Zumwalt Meadow on the King’s Canyon side on the same day.

Want to get the most out of your RV? Subscribe to the Camping World YouTube channel and never miss a video.

In your house, you rarely need to think of your oven pilot light — you only worry if it goes out. But in your RV, you’re responsible for lighting it and turning it off before you start driving.

The video above gives a quick, simple walkthrough of how to light your RV oven pilot light. Plus, you’ll learn when to leave it on and when to turn it off. Let’s cover all that. 

How to Light Your RV Oven Pilot Light

Your oven’s pilot light is located under the bottom tray inside the oven. Here are the steps for lighting it: 

Pre-Checks

Photo by Camping WorldPark, level, and stabilize your RV. Ensure you have LP in your container(s).Open the valve on top of the container.Set the regulator switch to the correct position (for towables with multiple containers). Check adequate propane flow by lighting a burner on your RV’s cooktop. 

Step 1: Open the oven door.

This makes it easier to check the pilot is being lit and prevents LP gas from dangerously building up inside your oven. 

Camping has long been associated with uncomfortable nights sleeping on the ground. That’s not the case if you take the time to upgrade your RV bed, which is a no-brainer when you spend roughly a third of each day using it.

Interested in reimagining what your RV bedroom could look and feel like? Camping World Design Centers help RVers plan and complete interior design projects, including making your RV bed the most comfortable bed ever.

How to Upgrade Your RV Bed

From replacing your old mattress to fitting it with the correct RV bedding, here are seven easy ways to upgrade your RV bed:

1. Get a New RV Mattress

Photo by Camping World

How old is your RV mattress? If your RV is more than eight years old, there’s a good chance your mattress is too. RV mattresses should be replaced every 7-10 years. If your mattress is older than that, it’s time to upgrade.

When considering an upgrade, it’s essential to be familiar with RV mattress sizes because they differ from regular mattresses. Here’s a quick breakdown: 

Whether you’re new to the RV lifestyle or you’ve been RV camping for years, it never hurts to hear some advice from time to time. After all, aren’t we all striving to make our next adventure our best adventure? We asked RVers for some of their best camping advice, and they had a lot to say. But first, let’s meet these road travelers.

Meet Our Experienced RV Campers

Image: Mike Wendland

Mike Wendland – The RV Lifestyle

Mike started his website, RV Lifestyle, with his wife in 2012 after deciding to spend their retirement traveling throughout the country. He also runs The RV Podcast.

Follow Mike on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Stef — The Fit RV

Stef is a health and fitness professional who promotes healthy RVing on The Fit RV. She, along with her husband, James, offers RV-related tips centered around fitness and tech.

Follow Stef on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park have the opportunity to experience firsthand just how powerful and awe-inspiring our planet can be. The park gives travelers the chance to get up close and personal with Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, two of the most active volcanoes in the world. These fearsome peaks continue to shake, rumble, and spew ash and lava in an impressive display of how Pacific islands form and grow.

Spread out across 344,000 acres, the park’s boundaries stretch from the black-sand beaches of the island of Hawaii up to 13,680 feet above sea level. This makes it an environment that is unlike any other on Earth, which is why it draws more than a million visitors on an annual basis. It is also why it should be on your must-visit list when visiting the 50th state.

Why Visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in an RV

Photo Credit: Vito Palmisano/Getty

The roads inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park can be narrow and twisting, which doesn’t make it very RV-friendly at times. That said, the park is very accessible to a Class B camper van, which can serve as an excellent base camp while exploring the landscapes there. This is especially true if you want to reach some of the more remote areas where you can get up close to flowing lava.

Unless you live on the island of Hawaii, you probably won’t be bringing your own RV along for the trip. Instead, you can explore options for renting one locally. This can be a fun and rewarding way to explore the region, including areas beyond the park itself.

When to Visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Photo Credit: NPS by J. Wei

The park is open year-round, but occasionally some sections are closed due to volcanic activity. Before setting out for a visit, it is always a good idea to check the National Park Service website for updates. Additionally, the weather conditions within the park can vary greatly based on location. It is not uncommon for it to be hot and sunny at sea level and chilly and blustery at higher elevations. Mists often form above 4000 feet and temperatures at the summit of Kīlauea can be 12 to 15 degrees cooler than at the base. Bring a jacket and be prepared for wind and rain.

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of Colorado’s many gems for hikers, wildlife lovers, and adventure seekers. There are many ways to experience the Park, but RVing Rocky Mountain National Park should be on your national parks bucket list. 

Why Visit Rocky Mountain National Park in an RV?

Photo by Colin D Young via Shutterstock

Visitors from all over can enjoy the different ecosystems of the Colorado mountains while having the option to see a variety of high alpine wildlife. From thick pine forests and beautiful open meadows to high rocky peaks and bare alpine tundra, exploring the park allows travelers to escape city life and enjoy the Colorado wilderness.

There are several RV-friendly campgrounds within the park, making for a perfect place to basecamp for a few days. Visitors in longer RVs and trailers may be restricted on certain roadways, but overall, the park is fairly accessible to most vehicles.

When to Visit Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park is open year-round: 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. However, access to the park changes drastically depending on the season. When the park starts to receive snow, high-elevation roads close, limiting visitor access. 

The most popular time to visit is during the summer and fall, from the months of May through October, with the peak times being June through August. Timed entry reservations are required to access the park during the high season from late May to mid-October. 

Bryce Canyon National Park is a majestic destination in Southern Utah and is home to the highest concentration of hoodoos in the entire world. Many compare the canyon’s soaring spires and oddly-shaped hoodoos to huge, natural sandcastles.

RVing in Bryce Canyon National Park is an excellent way to explore the natural wonders of the canyon and surrounding desert.  Zion and Grand Canyon National Parks are relatively close by, so why not make an epic road trip out of your visit?

Why Visit Bryce Canyon National Park in an RV?

Photo by Alexander Lozitsky via Shutterstock

Traveling in an RV or with a travel trailer is a great option in Bryce Canyon National Park if you plan to camp at one of the park’s campgrounds or in the surrounding areas of Bryce Canyon City.  

But, if you plan to take your trip to Bryce during the late spring through the fall, vehicle size restrictions are important to consider before deciding to bring your RV into the park. Vehicles over 20 feet are prohibited from parking at the Visitor Center and viewpoints in the popular Bryce Amphitheater area when the free park shuttle runs from April through October.

Alternative areas to park oversized vehicles are available in less busy areas of the park, the Shuttle Station in Bryce Canyon City, and the campgrounds. The campground and paved park roads can accommodate RVs up to 30+ feet, but parking is limited for any RVs or trailers over 20 feet during peak season.

Want to get more out of your RV? Subscribe to the Camping World YouTube channel, and never miss a video.

Getting comfortable in a campground is much easier when you know how to level your RV right the first time. No one wants to stumble around their motorhome or Happier Camper, sleep off-kilter, or catch a swinging door to the face.

In addition to helping you get a good night’s sleep, some appliances like a propane refrigerator may not function if your RV isn’t properly level. So in this simple guide to leveling your RV, you’ll learn how to level your RV manually and with an auto-leveling system (if your RV is equipped).

Then you’ll be ready to kick off a relaxing camping trip!

Tools Needed To Manually Level Your RV

As a marine and terrestrial wilderness covering over 3.3 million acres, Glacier Bay National Park is a part of the world’s largest protected area and is a World Heritage Biosphere Reserve. Its terrain varies from tidewater glaciers at sea level to the summits of the Fairweather Mountain Range. The park offers a unique glimpse into the earth’s past, shaping our expectations for the planet’s future.

Glacier Bay is located in this southeastern Alaskan and is a place where visitors can come to spy brown bears browsing for salmon, breaching whales just off the coast, and stellar sea lions sunning themselves on rock outcroppings. Hike along beaches at low tide, over ice fields in the summer sun, and up rugged mountainsides as the landscape here reveals its secret allure.

Why Visit Glacier Bay National Park in an RV?

Glacier Bay National Park is only accessible by water or air, but that doesn’t mean you have to leave your RV at home. Alaska is very accommodating to RVers, event though the state is so large and remote that much of it can only be seen by plane or boat. So, drive your motorhome or travel trailer to Haines, Alaska, and take a ferry on the Alaska Maritime Highway via Juneau to enjoy this stunning park.

Alternatively, You can also book passage on a cruise ship along the Inside Passage anywhere from Bellingham, Washington to Vancouver, British Columbia for a trip to Sitka, Ketchikan, and Glacier Bay. Many smaller tour companies also offer intriguing trips to the park, with alternative itineraries that vary greatly from the standard large-ship trips.

Flightseeing will give you a unique perspective on the region, as well. You can fly over or drop into Glacier Bay Lodge and Visitors Center by aircraft to explore further. Floatplanes make frequent excursions in and out of the region, ferrying travelers with limited schedules who still want to experience as much of Glacier Bay as possible.

RVers need a basic tool kit to maintain their RV, and be ready for unexpected repairs on the road. If a cabinet vibrates loose during transit, you’ll need a screwdriver and screws. If you’re setting up camp, you’ll need a drill to wind out your scissor jacks. While you’re keeping your RV stored, you’ll need outdoor tools to keep the RV and the area around in clean.

You might have hand tools, power tools, and outdoor tools already in your garage, but you might not have cordless tools. Cordless tools can make camping tasks a lot easier like faster setup, cleanup, and repairs.

You might be thinking,

‘Sure they’re cordless, but they run out of power eventually. What then?’

You’re right; cordless tools use rechargeable batteries. If you’re you’re worried about losing power, invest in a portable power bank and compatible solar panels so you can charge whenever the sun is shining.

On our fall trip through New England, we found ourselves stuck inside the RV on numerous occasions due to the rainy season. While sitting inside we talked about how nice it would be to have a gazebo to set up so we could sit outside and enjoy the outdoors.

That’s what RVing is all about, isn’t it? Unfortunately, our truck camper doesn’t have an awning so a gazebo is the perfect solution for rainy days and so much more!

After our trip, we ordered the Gazelle G6 6-Sided Portable Gazebo from Camping World. We loved the looks of the Desert Sand color since it looked fresh and modern. We were also impressed with the size. Gazelle also has a 5-sided gazebo which has a smaller footprint, but we preferred to have more space.

The Gazelle 6-Sided Portable Gazebo

Image: Chase and Lindsay

Here are more reasons why we chose the Gazelle Gazebo and what we thought of it once it arrived.

Durable Quality

After unboxing the Gazelle G6, we were impressed with the quality. The bag itself has nice quality zippers, a carry handle, and even velcro tension straps to help decrease the circumference of the bag for easier storage. The material seems very durable, too.

At 670,000 acres, Kenai Fjords National Park is no small playground. Its vast icefields, with ancient glaciers scouring the land and deeply carved bays teeming with wildlife offer just a glimpse into its allure. Very few places host killer whales and mountain goats within the same boundaries, yet this icy wonderland is full of stunning anomalies.

From Resurrection Bay to Exit Glacier visitors discover life at sea and life on land are vastly different and dramatically astounding. From the world’s largest mammals to the planet’s smallest, Kenai Fjords is a park of exclamation points, and one well worth exploring to the fullest.

Why Visit Kenai Fjords National Park in an RV?

Photo Credit: Shelley Dennis

Only a very small portion of Kenai Fjords is accessible by vehicle, but the jumping-off spot for the park (Seward) is very friendly to RVs. The town has set aside hundreds of RV dry camping spots along the shoreline just for motorhomes and travel trailers.

Is there a more amazing view to wake up to than Resurrection Bay out your front window, with sea otters playing in the water just offshore? Glaciers line the mountaintops across the bay, and you can cast a line into the water from your front yard. This place is what RVing is all about!

When to Visit Kenai Fjords National Park

Photo Credit: Shelley Dennis

Kenai Fjords is accessible year-round but by different means of travel.