RV Trip Planning Tools to Make Planning Easy
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Have you started to plan your RV trip? We have several tools that we use every time we decide which direction to travel. These tools help us cut our camping budget and help to make trip planning a breeze! I will share our favorite trip planning tools with you in the order in which I actually use them.
Plan Your RV Trip with These Tools
I will be giving you my tools in the order I actually use them. Of course, I start with the cheapest option first.
1. Boondockers Welcome
If you follow us on YouTube, you will know how much we love Boondockers Welcome (BW). This is a membership with an annual fee. Use it just a few times a year it quickly covers the membership fee.
What I really love is the ability to stay multiple nights. It gives us plenty of time to explore the area and get a little work done. We have also stayed at BW for only one night as we pass through to another destination.
Although the site is called Boondockers Welcome, many hosts offer amenities. We have been lucky enough to have everything from just water to full hookups. The host will list the amenities they offer on the Boondockers Welcome dashboard.
We have not been disappointed with any location. Actually, it has been the complete opposite. The hosts have all been so lovely and welcoming. We even have lifelong friends with hosts and guests we have met at Boondockers Welcome locations. And as you can see in the picture, there are over 3000 hosts. You can see the map of hosts before you join.
Use our discount code and save 15% on your Boondockers Welcome membership! Code: YouMeRV
Boondockers Welcome is a part of Harvest Hosts so once you sign up you will use the Harvest Hosts app and website.
Over 3000 Host Locations all over the Globe!
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2. Harvest Hosts
After Boondockers Welcome, I look for Harvest Hosts. We love this membership program. It reminds us to slow down and not be in such a hurry to the next destination. I enjoy the journey and the unique experience when we overnight with Harvest Host.
We have veered off our course to stay at Harvest Hosts, and each time it was well worth it! They offer overnights at many businesses, including wineries, breweries, golf courses, farms, museums, and amusement parks. As of this writing, they have almost 3,500 locations to choose from. And it beats a Walmart overnight every day of the week!
We also have a discount code for Harvest Hosts. Use it to save 15% on your membership. Code: YouMeRV
SEE OUR FAVORITE HARVEST HOSTS EXPERIENCE IN THIS VIDEO!
3. RV LIFE Trip Wizard
This is where we really dig in! RV Trip Wizard is hands down my favorite RV travel planning tool. I tried several others initially, but they did not flow as well as RV Trip Wizard (RVT). At this point, I would be lost without it!
But for those who have not heard of RVT, it is a fantastic trip planning tool with over 20,000 campgrounds with reviews and over a million data points!! You can filter by campground type, including BLM, COE, military campgrounds, state parks, national parks, etc. It is also easy to sort for the amenities at each campground, such as hookups, pet friendly, pool, playground, etc. Filters enable you to find free overnights, fuel, rest areas, dumpstations, and more. It allows you to add these stops to your route for better planning.
Then you can build your trip. It is easy to use and keeps me organized. I have this crazy fear of showing up at a campground on the wrong day! RVT makes sure that does not happen!
The video below will walk you through RV Trip Wizard.
When you sign up for RV Life Trip Wizard, you signup for a huge bundle. The bundle includes RV safe GPS via the RV Life app, RV Maintenance Tracker with alerts, campground reviews, and more.
Features of the RV Life app include
Search for campgrounds as you drive down the road using the same filters in the computer RVT version: park type, hookups, amenities, big rig friendly, pet friendly, etc.
There are over 10 million (yes, I said million) data points for campgrounds, including pictures, reviews, and, most importantly, cell phone coverage!
Download your trip from RVT for turn-by-turn directions
Input your RV dimensions and weight for safe RV routing
BONUS: You can download your route and use it offline. You won't lose your routing if you lose signal while you are out in the middle of nowhere (which happens in state and national parks).
If you haven’t signed up for RV Life, check out their 7-day free trial. It will give you time to play around with the entire bundle before you commit. But be warned: Once you use RV Trip Wizard, you will not go back to your old way of planning.
Save 25% on RV Life Bundle when you click the link!
4. TSD OPEN ROADS fuel savings card
Once I have our route figured out, I head to our Open Roads fuel app. I use the app to find the cheapest fuel for Ruby. I want to make sure I pay the lowest price, so I plan our fuel stops ahead of time. This app is available for anyone signed up for the TSD Open Roads Fuel Savings Card.
If you use diesel (RV or Truck), the RV Fuel Savings card is a must! We have saved as much as 72 cents per gallon! It is easy and free to sign up for the program. Find out more details in our blog TSD Logistics RV Fuel Savings Program, or head straight to TSD to sign up for the card.
5. Allstays
The last tool I use is Allstays. I use this app to search for a variety of different RV needs. This app will help you find RV dump stations, rest stops, propane, campgrounds, fuel, and free overnight parking (Walmart, casinos, Dicks, REI, Cracker Barrel, etc.). I use this app before and during our travels. It is a must!
The app has a one time fee of $9.99, and it is well worth the cost!
Bonus Tool: Mileage Keeper
Mileage Keeper is an easy tool to track fuel and other RV expenses. I have set up categories to track tolls, propane, def, and truck washes for Ruby. It is so easy to use, and it’s FREE! It is a great way to track RVing costs that get lost or forgotten.
Need More RV Trip Planning Help?
RV Trip Planning: Step by Step will walk you through the process of RV trip planning. It will make trip planning easy!
Want to save money on camping costs? Be sure to check out our Top Tips to Cut Your Camping Costs.
Get more RV travel ideas, tips, updates, discounts, perks, and more!
Every Saturday, Phil & Stacy publish the You, Me & the RV Newsletter, where they share weekly articles about all things RV and travel. Each week they scour the internet for articles that will inspire and inform you. They also share discounts, sales, and freebies! So don’t miss out! Sign up for the newsletter below.
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Phil & Stacy
You, Me & the RV
Author: Stacy, You, Me & the RV, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, 2020
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