We get this question quite a bit as we RV and camp all across the US. Before, we go any further, we stay in RV parks or campgrounds 95% of the time. So, if you’re looking for a boondocking guide, this isn’t it. BUT, if you’d like to be a guest blogger for us on boondocking, please let us know.
To start off with power, water and sewer are great to have no matter where you go. I’ll take 2 out of 3, sometimes, but all 3 are ideal. We’ve had good dirt, gravel or grass spaces in addition to concrete ones, but ones I hate are too close to your neighbors. Let’s face it, RV parks and campsites are usually more crowded than boondocking, but some parks take it way to far. 20” wide spaces don’t work for RVs with slide outs on both sides. What about the RV parks that have spaces side-by-side, meaning you pull in and your neighbor backs in, which means you have an outdoor shared living area with a stranger. Great when you’re traveling with someone, ridiculous if you’re not. So, power, water, sewer, wide, clean, level is great. Pools, showers, bathrooms are icing on the cake.
So now that we’re parked, what comes out of storage?
• Weber electric BBQ is my favorite. Plug it in and you’re ready. No propane or charcoal, heats up quick, has a tray underneath to catch the gunk, and even leaves grill marks.
• Camping Table is mandatory…where you going to set the grill? We like this one as it completely folds down for easy storage and it has space to keep your BBQ gear while you’re on site.
• Reversible Mats are great for the campsite. You can sweep them off or rise them off and you don’t have to worry about rain or errant sprinklers.
• Can’t camp without chairs. There are so many different kinds but we settled on carrying 2 types. We use Club Chairs for conversational settings and for fire side nights but our favorites are the Zero Gravity Recliners. Afternoon naps come way too easy in these, and we’ve spent many a night sleeping under the stars in them too! One last mention, these sling chairs are great too and easy to carry down to the water.
• Our dogs are always with us and you might have them too. The Petmate outdoor water bowl is virtually indestructible. We use them at home and on the road. If your dogs are like ours, they are always getting into something and need to be washed and dried off. We travel with a Rinse Kit to wash them off. We love Leus towels. We know those guys and their towels are super absorbent and take a beating. Of course you need a Malo’o DryRack to dry everything when you’re done. BTW, we just added suction cups to the lineup and they are great for sticking DryRacks all over your RV!
• Red and White Checkered Tablecloths are mandatory. I know they are kind of retro, but nothing says camping like a “June Cleaver” tablecloth.
• Fire Pit and S’mores and required camping. We’ve had several different fire pits but we swear by Flame Genie. It uses wood pellets, which you can get in different aromas and it’s smokeless! Yep, not watery eyes.
• Let there be light! At nighttime we like this electric lantern. It does the job, is bring, portable and has good battery life.
I could keep going with many more options. But this is a good start for you and where we started. It seems like every time we take the RV on a trip, I end up with a list of items it would be cool to have. Like sewer hose support, BBQ set, Gear Straps, Awning Lights and more. Please let us know what you’re favorites and we’ll add them to our next update! Mahalo,
