National Parks are incredible and almost other-worldly. If you haven’t visited one yet, make sure you add one or two to your summer plans now. We’ve been lucky enough to camp at 10 national parks so far, and every single one of them in the national park system have been incredible.
Theodore Roosevelt, often called “the conservation president,” impacted the National Park System well beyond his term in office. He doubled the number of sites within the National Park System during his time in office. Between 1901 & 1909, President Teddy Roosevelt signed legislation establishing five new national parks within the National Park System: Crater Lake, Oregon; Wind Cave, South Dakota; Sullys Hill, North Dakota (later re-designated a game preserve); Mesa Verde, Colorado; and Platt, Oklahoma (now part of Chickasaw National Recreation Area). By the end of his term the US was the proud protector of
There is nothing so American as our national parks … The fundamental idea behind the parks … is that the country belongs to the people, that it is in process of making for the enrichment of the lives of all of us.
Teddy Roosevelt
We’re going to show you all of the current national parks by state with images and short explanations. If you’re looking for the ultimate adventure, then this list is where to start with the national park system.
Advertisements
Please consider joining the gone community by subscribing below & following us on social media. It’s 100% free, and well worth the price of admission. We’ll update you with the newest RV lifestyle stories, tips and tricks, mental wellness tips, and so much more. DMs are always open to chat, and we’ll answer any questions you have about this lifestyle – it doesn’t have to be scary! We also promise not to spam your inbox with junk – we don’t care for that either.
Denali National ParkGates of the Arctic National Park and PreserveGlacier Bay National ParkKatmai National ParkKenai Fjords National ParkKobuk Valley National ParkLake Clark National ParkWrangell-St. Elias National Park
Wouldn’t you love to wash up on this shore at American Samoa National?National Park of American Samoa
National Park of American Samoa, American Samoa
Arizona
We went to the Grand Canyon in December 2022 – incredible!Grand Canyon National Park, ArizonaSagauro National ParkPetrified Forest National ParkPetrified Forest National Park, Arizona
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona
Saguaro National Park, Arizona
Arkansas
Hot Springs National Park, ArkansasHot Springs National Park, Arkansas
Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
Advertisements
California
Channel Islands National ParkKings Canyon National ParkMe at Zabriskie Point in Death Valley, January 2023Death Valley National ParkJoshua Tree National ParkMe at the Palm Oasis, Joshua Tree, March 2023Lassen Volcanic National ParkLassen Volcanic National ParkPinnacles National ParkRV’s can’t fit through Redwood trees, LOL, Redwood National ParkRedwood National ParkEl Capitan, Yosemite National ParkGeneral Sherman Tree (the world’s largest tree) at Sequoia National Park
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National ParkRocky Mountain National ParkGreat Sand Dunes National ParkOur Luna at Great Sand Dunes National, November 2022Mesa Verde National Park
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado
The climate is tropical in Biscayne National ParkBiscayne National ParkEverglades National ParkMarsh swamps in Everglades National ParkDry Tortugas National Park
Biscayne National Park, Florida
Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Everglades National Park, Florida
Hawaii
Haleakala National ParkA barren landscape in Haleakala National ParkHawai’i Volcanos National ParkWaterfall and spring at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
Haleakala National Park, Hawaii
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
Advertisements
Idaho
Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National ParkYellowstone National ParkGeysers spray hot spring water in all directions at Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming
Kentucky
A shot we took of former mining operations while in cave at Mammoth Cave National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee
Texas
Under the starts at Big Bend National ParkBig Bend National ParkGuadalupe National Park
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas
Utah
Arches National ParkBryce Canyon National ParkCanyonlands National ParkHorseshoe Bend at Canyonlands National ParkCapitol Reef National ParkA cave within Zion National ParkZion National Park
Virgin Islands National ParkBeautiful Palms at Virigin Islands National Park
Virgin Islands National Park, Virgin Islands
Virginia
Shenandoah National ParkSprawling hills of Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Washington
The beach at sunset at Olympic National ParkOlympic National ParkExcellent trail view at North Cascades National ParkNorth Cascades National ParkMount Rainier National Park
We have merchandise now! Everything from stickers, water bottles, RV pillows, blankets, and plenty of clothing options (t-shirts, shorts, yoga pants, sports bras, hoodies, and more!)
You can click the above green hyperlink, any of the below images, or copy and paste the link below into a new browser window. Any of these will get you to our new merch store – and we know you’ll find something awesome!
Pictured above are all of the 6x custom designs that we have. These are all sample images of the merch we currently are selling, although plenty of other colors, sizes, and products are available on our official store!
If you haven’t used a RV before, it can be a little intimidating. We’ve been there too (we all started as newbies!), so today we’re bringing you this RV guide for beginners to help make the process painless. After reading this RV guide, you’ll learn how to setup your campsite and all the needed utilities for a RV. This will get you out in the great outdoors and finding your next adventure in no time. We’re Matt & Bree with No Place Like Gone, and we’ve been living and traveling the US full-time in a RV for almost a year now, here are our tips for setting up an RV for the first time.
Time to read:
9–13 minutes
Please consider joining the gone community by subscribing below & following us on social media. It’s 100% free, and well worth the price of admission. We’ll update you with the newest RV lifestyle stories, tips and tricks, mental wellness tips, and so much more. DMs are always open to chat, and we’ll answer any questions you have about this lifestyle – it doesn’t have to be scary! We also promise not to spam your inbox with junk – we don’t care for that either.
If you have any questions while reading this RV guide, make sure to shoot us a DM on social media with the below links:
Below are the basic steps of RV set up, from pulling in to the campground to roasting those s’mores. Keep reading for a detailed description of each step.
Arrive at campground
Find site number
Park in site
Level
Release slides (if you have them)
Hook up your utilities
Electricity
Water
Sewer
Enjoy camping!
Arriving at the Campsite
Our RV parked in a campsite in SoCal.
Once you get to the campground you’ve decided to stay at, you’ll have to find where your campsite number is.
Generally, numbering starts from smallest to largest and increases the further you drive. Go slow and pay attention to directional signs. Once you find your campsite, park in front of it but make sure you aren’t blocking the road. You’ll want to hop out to walk the perimeter of the campsite before parking.
Look for where the utilities are located in the campsite (electricity, water, sewer) but keep in mind not all campsites will have all three. Confirm where the utilities hook up on your RV or camper (typically on the driver’s side).
Check and see whether it’s easier to pull-in or back-in to the spot, typically you can tell by how the campsite is angled against the road – the utilities will also help determine this.
Park Your RV With This Guide
If you aren’t by yourself, you’re in luck (for many reasons). The person with you should hop out so that they can help guide you into the spot. Parking an RV takes teamwork! This is especially important when you are guiding your RV back into a spot. Instead of shouting throughout the campground, it’s best if you get on the phone to communicate directions with each other.
Backing up a trailer is no easy feat for a newbie – it takes practice AND patience.
Once backed into the spot, give yourself a pat on the back! If you managed to miss hitting anything, give yourself another pat on the belly … it’s dinner time! Well, first you have to hook the RV up to power, water, and all of the other things but you’ll be bbq’ing in no time.
RV Leveling Guide
You’ll want to make sure the RV is level so that you don’t trip, get hurt, or feel wobbly. There’s also other benefits behind this like water and propane flowing properly as well. If your fridge runs off of propane it is especially important to be level to prevent damage to your appliance.
If you’re renting a RV or camper, you might not have the right equipment to level. Make sure to check with who you have rented fromif to confirm they provided leveling instructions.
Auto-Levelers
One type of auto-leveler.Another type of auto-leveler.
If you have auto-levelers, you are the luckiest of all. You would know this because they are a huge deal in the world of RVs. With auto-levelers you can press a few buttons and be leveled within a minute or two. That makes things easy, right?
Jack Stands
With automatic jack stands, you can press the buttons to maneuver the jack stands down onto the ground to help you level and support your RV. If you have manual jack stands, you’ll have to use an impact drill or lever to turn the jacks to the proper height on each side.
Leveling Blocks
10-pack of Camco leveling blocks. Click the image above to be taken to the blocks we recommend on Amazon.
We use leveling blocks because we’re cheap, woo! With these, you’ll have to pull up onto the blocks and check your levels a few times until you get it right. The blocks interlock and stack just like legos, nothing fancy here, folks.
Quick Guide to Slide-Outs
Slide-outs are a great way to gain additional space in your RV’s floor plan. Many rigs have 2-3 slide-outs and there’s also some without any. We live full-time in a 2022 Coachmen Cross Trail 23XG which is a model with no slide-outs.
Our motorhome: 2022 Coachmen Cross Trail 23XG in Jacksonville, FL.
You’ll want to make sure that how you parked allows adequate room for the slide-outs on each side. This will mean that you can not be parked too close to trees or any other obstructions.
Insider tip: Typically you’ll have to leave the engine running of your motorhome to operate the slides, whereas campers and travel trailers do not have this problem.
By finding the slide-out control panel (probably located in the interior of the entrance to your RV) you can operate the slide-outs with the buttons. Make sure that you don’t hear any crazy or weird noises as they are extending out.
Insider tip: You can also open the windows so that you can watch as the slides come out. This will give you extra views to watch any trees or potential danger objects.
Utilities Guide for RVs
Electrical Hook-up
We’re going to have a crash course on RV utilities. Make sure you have all the proper RV accessories and necessities if you are new to camping so that you don’t have any issues when you get to the campsite.
For the renters: if you’re renting, you should have a water hose, sewer hose, power cord, and potentially other accessories with your RV. Make sure to check with who you’ve rented from to confirm what came with your rental.
An electrical surge protector is highly recommended. Click the image to see the one we use from Amazon.
You’ll want to hook up your electrical surge protector and flick on the 30A or 50A breaker depending on what your RV or camper is. You’ll find this out by which cord you have – it’s either 3-prongs or 4-prongs.
50A with four prongs (far left), 30A with three prongs (middle), 15/20A is a house electrical outlet (far right).
Do not hook up your RV or camper power cord yet! You should only be putting an electrical surge protector to the power pedestal (a sophisticated word for “electrical hook-up”).
Flick on the 30A or 50A depending on your cord, and check if the power is all green lights and safe to use. Otherwise, bring up any grounding issues or faulty electrical problems to the campground staff immediately.
Once your surge protector gives you an A-O-K, it’s time to move on to the power cord. Flick off the 30A or 50A breaker (depending on which one you turned on) to connect your power cord to the surge protector. After, connect the other side of the power cord to your RV electrical connection port. Now is time for the power – flick the corresponding breaker from back on.
Water Connections
A water pressure regulator is recommended to protect the plumbing in your RV. Click the image to see the one we recommend on Amazon.A water filter guarantees you’ll have cleaner water coming into your RV. You’ll want this if you plan to drink the water. Click the image to see the one we recommend on Amazon.
You’ll want to start with turning on your water spigot at the campsite to verify that it works. Let it run for 20-30 seconds to remove any sediment and water that may be settled down in the pipe. Now you can turn it back off.
It’s time to connect your water pressure regulator. One end of the water hose will then connect to the water pressure regulator, and the other end to the water connection on your rig (another word for RV). Be sure to look for the connection that says “city connection” or something similar and NOT “tank fill” – otherwise you’ll be filing your fresh water tank only!
Now you can jump for joy because all you have remaining for this section of the RV guide is to turn on the water and hope for plumbing to do its job. If you notice any leaks or spraying, turn off the water and try to tighten the connection where you saw an issue. Usually this is a simple and quick fix.
Sewer Connections
Remember, not all campsites will have all of these utility connections. Sewer is the least common to see, but many places that are more expensive do have a hook-up for this. If you want to know what van life is actually like, you may end up with poop on you at this point. Just warning you now so that you are prepared for the inevitable.
You’ll want to put one end of the sewer hose aka stinky slinky (lol, it literally is one though) to the waste connection on your RV. This will be a black plastic valve somewhere under the RV near the other utilities at the rear.
MAKE SURE THE SEWER VALVE HANDLES ARE CLOSED! There should be two of them and both should be closed or you will end up with a mess on your hands.
After connecting to your RV, place the other end of the poop slinky (I coined this term) down into the campsite sewer connection on the ground. From here you can let the tanks fill and dump once or you can let the gray drain while you’re parked. If you opt to leave the gray open (sink and shower waste) be sure temperatures won’t be dropping below freezing. Whether you dump once or leave the gray open, you have to leave the black tank (toilet and poop) valve closed and only dump it when you’re ready.
Insider tip: When you go to leave, you’ll always drain the black tank first and then the grey tank after because the sink water will help wash down the poop hose and any potential clogs.
Our new camping merch will level you up from RV beginner to RV pro.
Get to Camping!
That’s basically it … you’ve made it through this RV Setup Guide for Beginners. It wasn’t that bad, was it?
There’s plenty more to learn about this lifestyle, and we want to share it all with you. But the very best way to learn about it – go on a camping trip yourself!
And, we really want to hear about your adventure. If you’re reading this guide, that means you’re probably about to go somewhere awesome very soon. So, where are you camping? Tell us about it in the comments below.
Where Will Your Next Adventure Be After Reading Our RV Guide?
If you liked the blog, please share it with your friends (links below):
Please consider joining the gone community by subscribing below & following us on social media. It’s 100% free, and well worth the price of admission. We’ll update you with the newest RV lifestyle stories, tips and tricks, mental wellness tips, and so much more. DMs are always open to chat, and we’ll answer any questions you have about this lifestyle – it doesn’t have to be scary! We also promise not to spam your inbox with junk – we don’t care for that either.
DM us on social media (with the buttons below) if you have any questions or feedback about the blog today!
If you’ve ever bought a RV (brand new or new-to-you) then you know that not everything comes included – especially RV niceties. Expect to be searching Google for RV accessories near me a lot! Even brand new models need customizing to fit your liking. It’s similar to buying a house or renting an apartment, you’ve got to make it feel like YOUR home. Even if you LOVE everything about your RV there are a few additional things you’ll need to purchase before you hit the road.
Amazon has taken our shopping habits and injected them with steroids. We can buy literally anything from the comfort of our own homes. The Amazon fairies make it so simple to click on the app and start shopping; their engineers know the algorithm and know exactly what you want. There’s plenty of things recommended by the algorithm to buy for your RV; these range from accessories, necessities, RV niceties, and doo-dads. But with millions of options, what do you actually need?Glad you asked, here’s some of our favorite Amazon buys for RV life.
Advertisements
RV Niceties, Necessities, & Accessories on the Amazon Shopping List
Here’s the link to the Amazon wishlist that I’ll be referencing throughout this blog if you’d like to see it for yourself. You can easily purchase through this link (nope, we won’t get paid if you do), or you can click any individual item below as you’re reading to add it to your Amazon cart. Let’s jump into the RV niceties!
RV Necessities:
Water Pressure Regulator: This bad boy is a must. Occasionally when camping, you will find campgrounds that have extremely high water pressure (we’ve seen 100+ psi). This is way too high for an RV. High pressure is a death sentence for your cheaper plastic and PVC piping in your RV. It is recommended to have your water pressure around 40-50 psi. A water pressure regulator reduces the pressure down to a level that is safe for your camper.
Advertisements
Electrical Surge Protector: Another must-have. You can not safely hook up your camper straight to shore power. Shore power (or power pedestal, or electric box) is the in-ground power that you connect your RV to at the campground, these typically have both 30amp and 50amp hookups. If for any reason the power pedestal was to fail, that current will travel directly into your home on wheels and fry some serious bacon. Let’s not do that … okay?
Unique RV Digest-It Holding Tank Treatment: RVs go hand-in-hand with poop jokes, and for good reason. If you aren’t properly treating your black tank, you will have a (brown) mess on your hands – pun intended.
Scared of having your own holding tank mishap? Don’t worry, you aren’t the only one. We have heard plenty of horror stories of people going to dump and the unfortunate things that occur at the dump station including the dreaded sewer shower. Unique’s products are literally the $h**t! pun intended.
Advertisements
They make everything liquid so you don’t have to worry about clogs, poop pyramids, or issues at that dump station. All you have to do is drop a pod in with some water each time after you use the dump station. Unique works its magic and you don’t have to worry.
This is a 10/10 product and works the best out of several tank treatment products we’ve tried – seriously buy some TODAY. We don’t have any affiliation with them but we would happily be a brand ambassador for them!
Sewer Hose Kit: Camco makes a LOT of great products for RVs. Make sure you keep them in mind when browsing parts because they are a reputable brand. I am in no way affiliated with them, but maybe one day they’ll hit me up too. Opting for a kit with a clear elbow will making dumping MUCH easier, allowing you to see if there are any issues and when your tank is empty. Be sure to get a second hose – sometimes the ground sewer connection is far away and sometimes your first hose may get punctured and unusable – a backup is always a good idea.
RV Sewer Hose Caps: You MUST have an extra one or two of these handy. If you’re in a class C like us, or any other rig with low clearance, it’s inevitable that you’ll hit a bump and crack or lose your cap in the process. It’s also possible that you lose one at the dump station.
You just never know; so, grab an extra for less than $10 and be prepared. Before we bought this one with the included tether, we lost our cap in a parking lot. We hopped out to grab it and before we could, we watched as someone krrrrunccched our cap with their car tires … lol, RV life.
Advertisements
RV Accessories:
Portable Ceiling Fans: These are a life saver, especially in spring and summer. Which is probably when you want to be camping anyway, right?! So, just go ahead and order two or three right now. You can’t go wrong with these fans as they can make it feel much cooler when temperatures outside begin to climb. This brand is USB powered which is an added bonus for times when you may be running off of house power and are conserving energy – no need to crank that noisy generator! This is one of our favorite RV accessories for the summer!
Outside Patio Rugs: Do you want to track all kinds of dirt, sand, and mud into your RV? Well you won’t have to if you have a nice outdoor rug. These will help you keep the outdoors outdoors and dramatically cut down on the amount of dirt getting tracked into your RV. They will also help keep your campsite clean for those of you that like to walk barefoot outside.
This is the one we recommend because it’s the one (even the same pattern) that we use! It’s survived almost a year on the road and is showing minimal signs of use. They also make cool ones with LED lights made into the perimeter of them if you’re feeling fancy.
Advertisements
Outdoor String Lights: Want your campsite to be a shining star in the night sky? Well you can with these string lights! Not only do the Edison style bulbs look awesome, but they also are outdoor and weather-rated. String these between trees at the campsite, along the ground, or from your awning to illuminate your space.
Just be sure to turn them off when you go to bed so you don’t keep anyone up with your lights. And believe me, the campground police will not be happy with you if you leave your lights on all night shining in your neighbor’s window. If you want to make sure won’t forget to turn them off, consider using a Christmas light timer like this one.
RV Vent Shades: These are great for keeping the heat out of your roof vents. In the spring and summer temperatures outside soar and you’ll feel it getting warmer inside your RV too. Block out the sun and heat coming in from your roof vents with these. They attach with velcro so they are removable and foldable if you want partial light. They are also reflective and come in a variety of colors. Grab one for each of your roof vents (we have three!) – you can’t go wrong with these RV accessories.
Advertisements
Wheel Chocks: You place these under your wheels when you get parked in a new camp site so that you don’t roll away – literally. You can also use a brick, a block of wood, or a freakin’ rock if you really wanted to. PLEASE please be sure to use your chocks if you’re parked on ANY type of incline – but they’re always a good idea regardless.
X-scissor jacks: For you peeps with fifth wheels and travel trailers, you’ve probably got two wheels on each side of your trailer, or maybe even three. With a scissor jack, you can anchor two neighboring tires to each other which will not allow them to roll you away. Wowzers!
Advertisements
RV Niceties:
Hydra Hide Gloves: Why do I recommend these bad boys? Because, they will keep your hands clean from any potential “brown problems” while also allowing you to get a good grip on your connections at the dump station. Some people like to use disposable gloves, like the doctor’s office uses, but you literally throw away money that way. Piling up disposable gloves in the trash is not good for the environment, is costly, and they are prone to tearing – ew. We highly recommend getting these affordable RV niceties.
Weboost for RV: Have you ever been camping and had no cell signal?Welcome to the club, most RVers have. Having no cell signal is a very “typical” camping experience – especially when staying in state or national parks. These parks can be extremely remote – protected lands don’t have cell phone towers on them. This baby is expensive, but it’s worth it. A Weboost takes what little amount of signal there may be available in the airwaves, converts it, and them amplifies it back out to your devices to be a usable signal. We have had great luck getting signal in remote places with zero bars up to 3 bars or so. Worth it!
Advertisements
RV Water Filter: This is almost a necessity, but you don’t technicallyyyyy require one. Most of all, these filters ensure the water coming into your RV is clean and safe – you never know who was camping in the space before you. Hopefully it wasn’t the guy using the city water connection to flush his tanks, yum brownwater backwash. I understand that some people think all water is water, and they’re allowed to feel that way, but I don’t.
Doo-dads & RV Niceties
Stick-on Wall Hooks: These might seem dumb at first, but you’ll thank me later. These little hooks peel and stick on just about any surface and can hold decor, baskets, fans, lights, etc. We’ve used about 20 throughout our RV and they are easily removed without causing damage. Imagine what you can hang with these RV niceties.
Advertisements
Fuse Assortment: RVs have complex electrical systems that include fuses and breakers. RVs have traditional house-style breakers, but they also have car-style breakers aka fuses. You never know when a 10 amp fuse will blow. Sometimes a fix is as simple as swamping out a fuse for your lights or water pump.
Sewer Hose Seal: You can place this little doo-dad down into the ground sewer connection before you hook up. Then, you place your elbow or waste connection inside this fitting. Basically, it is a cone shape that tapers down so that you guarantee your sewer hose will fit any ground connection and will stay secure. Not all ground connections are universal, this allows you to adapt to multiple sizes.
Leveling Blocks: These are must-have RV accessories. There’s a billion different colors and sizes of these things, but what matters is that you get a ton of them. We have 40 blocks total for when parked on major inclines. Since our RV doesn’t have a leveling system or jack stands we rely heavily on these. Those with leveling systems or stabilizing jacks will not require nearly as many.
Advertisements
Cabinet Tension Rods: After you drive down a windy road to a campsite, park, and open your cabinet doors – what happens? Everything falls out in an avalanche because it was shaken up during the drive. These tension rods can be inserted into smaller (medicine-sized cabinets) to hold everything in place from falling out. They also make large sizes for bigger cabinets.
BONUS Section!
Want to see a few bonus RV niceties for your rig? Keep reading!
Other Camping & Unique RV Accessories:
Clear Storage Bins: You’ll learn that keeping a small fridge clean is quite a task. Organizing the fridge is the best start, so grab some clear storage bins on Amazon with this link or at your local TJ Maxx. These also go great in cabinets and other small spaces.
Dish Drying Rack: In such a small place, it’s hard to find a place to dry your dishes. After washing, plop them down on this drying rack suspended over your sink to dry.
Advertisements
Extension Cord: You’ll need extra outlets, there’s not nearly enough within your small space. You’ll need to charge phones, laptops, video game consoles, cameras, etc.
Outlet Extender: These things are quite handy … they basically take your two normal outlets and convert them into 5 outlets + USB + LED light on there.
Advertisements
What Did We Miss?
Did we miss your favorite RV accessories, doo-dad or thing-a-ma-bob? If it didn’t make the list, please write our PR team and complain. Kidding, please don’t do that. I am the PR team. What other tips and tricks do you have? Please drop a comment below so we can talk about it!
Without Further Ado … How to Save Money While Camping:
1. Recyle Your Dryer Sheets
You can use dryer sheets more than once. Pop them bad boys into the dryer for a load of clothes as normal. When your laundry is done and the sheet is dry replace it in the box to reuse next time! You can easily get three or four loads of great smelling laundry from the same sheet this way.
2. Save on You Energy Bill
When you leave on vacation, or for a weekend escape, unplug all of your small appliances like your Alexa, TVs, alarm clocks, and anything else you can reach! Don’t pay for that “phantom” energy.
3. A Gourmet Date
Next time you go on a date with a potential cutie pie, make sure to split the meal & the check. This saves a TON of money!
Advertisements
4. Stock Up on Sauces & Utensils
Next time you are at a local restaurant or order takeout, make sure to get extra napkins, utensils, and sauce packs in your bag to take home. Why buy this stuff at the grocery store when they are giving it away for free?
5. Old Fashion
If you have found yourself gaining weight and those old pants do not fit you anymore, don’t worry about buying a new pair. Instead, leave them unbuttoned & just use a shoe string to hold them onto your waist! No need to zip the zipper or button them up, or to waste money on the newest fashion trends!
6. It’s Raining Cats and Dogs!
Is your car looking a little dirty? Time for a wash? Check your local weather channel for the next time it will rain. When it does, run out there and wash your car with the assistance of Mother Nature! No garden hose required. This also applies for your pets, or yourself for that matter.
Advertisements
7. Got Junk?
You don’t need to buy trash bags – EVER. Instead, save grocery bags when you go shopping and use them for all of your trash needs! They’ll fit the majority of your small bathroom, & office trash cans. For the kitchen & larger bins, use these mini-bags to take trash out in smaller portions – this will keep your trash can from piling up too.
8. Re-wear Clothing
You can rewear the same outfit at least 3 times before you truly need to wash it. Especially if you aren’t sweating or doing any intense work! Jeans & thicker materials can go even longer.
9. Movie Popcorn
Advertisements
I’ll admit that I stole this one from a story Rachel Cruze of the Ramsey Show told, but it’s brilliant. Order a bag of popcorn from the movie theatre and enjoy your movie! When you leave, fold up the popcorn bag and put it in your pocket. Next time you see a movie, bring the used popcorn bag, pop it open, & get that free refill at the concessions. This hack allows you to only pay for that over-priced movie popcorn once with unlimited refills!
10. Restroom Etiquette
The rules for the bathroom goes as follows: if it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down. This saves thousands on your water costs.
11. Ziplock Baggies
Don’t keep buying these bad boys. After you use one, rinse it out in the sink and let it air dry. Next time you need to store your favorite snack it’ll be clean like a brand new bag.
Advertisements
12. Interior Designer
Visit a couple of your local hardware stores and request free paint samples in a multitude of colors from each. Take the samples home and use them to paint your walls a new, lively rainbow – for FREE! Who said HGTV has all the tricks? Stay tuned in here.
13. Spooky Season
Right after Halloween, during the first two weeks of November is when they mark down all of the candy that didn’t sell. Stock up on all of your favorites at 50% off – or more. You can then use the leftover Halloween candy for Christmas stockings! The same concept applies for Valentines’ Day chocolates & Easter baskets.
14. Water Isn’t $3 a Bottle
After you have a nice Aquafina or Dasani bottled water bottle, refill it with tap water as much as you want instead of buying a fresh bottle. This works even better at a public place like school or work, where you don’t have to pay for the water yourself – FREE refills.
Advertisements
15. Hang Paper Towels Up for Later
Why keep buying those pesky paper squares if you can re-use them again later? Hang paper towels up to dry & then re-use them – you can easily get three of four uses out of paper towels before they begin to tear.
16. Wash Your Clothes in the Campground Shower
You can skip the laundromat after camping by just washing your stuff in the bath-house shower before you leave. Better yet, take a shower with some of the clothes on and you’ve slayed two birds with one stone.
Advertisements
17. Store Campground Water to Drink Later
You will have a water hook-up spigot at almost every RV campsite. If not, there’s definitely a water fill-up somewhere near the dump station. Make sure to fill up a few gallons of water in your left over water jugs & bottles for later. This saves you a few million dollars every week.
18. Free Coffee While Traveling
Stop into a local hotel to get some free coffee in the lobby. When you enter, you should see it sitting right out in the breakfast area. Just walk in, grab a cup, add sugar the way you like it, and head off. If they ask, you’re in room 301.
19. Who Uses Trash Bags, Man?
Advertisements
Next time you’re at the local dog park or see doggy relief stations, make sure to snatch up a few bags. You can use these for your dog later, as a food storage bag to put things in and tie closed, or as miniature trash bags – for FREE.
20. Try Carpool Trash Service
We’re pitching a new idea here – carpool trash service. Consider this a new service where you can drop off your trash and bags at your neighbor’s doorstep and they’ll take care of it bringing it to the dumpster for you. They have to go at some point anyway, so might as well save yourself the extra steps & effort.
21. Share the Warmth
Is it cold outside and you find yourself needing some warmth while camping? Check which of your neighbors left some firewood stacked outside and grab a few logs. This will help you stay warm, and they won’t mind – sharing is caring!
22. Luck o’ the Irish – FREE drinks
Did the neighbor leave out their cooler? Check what’s on tap – it might be a tasty new cider or a banger of an IPA. You never know. They won’t notice a few bottles missing & you’re getting to try out new beers you may have never had.
Advertisements
23. Be the Campground DJ
How much did you pay for your last concert ticket? Probably close to $200 per person, right? Why should you make everyone pay that much when you can become the campground DJ? Break out the bluetooth speaker, blare your music at full volume, and save your neighbors the concert ticket fees.
24. Puppy Play Day
We just had this happen to us at a campground and loved it. When you leave for the day to go sight-seeing, driving through the city, or doing a local hike, make sure you leave your camper windows wide open back at the park. Fido needs the fresh air and will also provide a free alarm system for your neighbors. This works best when your dog is a constant barker – keeping your neighbors safe by barking and keeping an eye out for danger.
25. Family Showers!
Have everyone wear bathing suits and shower together as a family so that you can save money. Why shower four separate times when you can do it all in one? Let’s preserve the environment & save some water for the fishes, man.
Advertisements
26. More FREE Water
When you’re out hiking and see a running source of water like a creek or river, plop your bottle down in there to refill it. If it makes you feel better, grab a Life Straw to help filter the water extra for drinking. Nature provides all that we need!
27. What’s the Wi-Fi Password?
You could buy an expensive Starlink for $699 or a T-Mobile Inseego Hotspot for $399 to get internet while on the road. But why do that? Surely someone at the campground has a network without a password – hack in & surf the web for FREE.
28. It’s On the House
It’s always beer-30 when you can find a great ale in the neighbor’s cooler like we mentioned above. But we’re not savages – be sure to recycle. Once you drink their beer, take back the bottle and leave it for them. I’m sure they care about the environment too, and in places like California, you can get them 5 cents back per bottle – win-win for everyone!
29. Make Your Own Path
Advertisements
Why follow the sidewalk to walk all the way around your campsite and the neighbor’s to get to the bathroom or shower house? By walking straight through their campsite, you can save on steps. Going through their campsite will also allow you to scope out their stuff for potential sharing opportunities.
30. Clearance Sale!
Amazon has frequent sales on outdoor furniture, but why pay for anything? It’s always on clearance over at your neighbor’s campsite. Eye something you fancy that they have – like that zero gravity chair? Bring something you have & swap out. Trading your $5 bag chair is a great way to upgrade and it can’t be stealing if you leave something behind for them to enjoy – it’s a fair trade.
Advertisements
APRIL FOOL’S DAY!
If you’ve gotten this far, we want to personally thank you for your time & hope this brought a smile to your face & a chuckle to your heart. It’s April Fool’s Day after all. If we made you laugh would you consider SHARING this blog with a friend? Use the buttons below or copy the link provided!
So you just got yourself a brand new (or new to you) RV and want to start exploring the world. Or maybe, you just grabbed a cheap tent and some cases of beer with your friends at the local Wal-Mart. Either way, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve got a guide to help you out with all of the different types of campgrounds.
There are plenty of options for camping that range from roughing it in the middle of the woods, to resort and glamping experiences. Prices and amenities vary heavily depending on where you stay, and you can easily overpay. In this blog we’re going to go over camping options for every budget and also tips & tricks for saving big.
Estimated time to read:
8–12 minutes
Have any questions about the nomadic lifestyle? Message us on any social media platform below:
If you like what you read today, make sure to consider joining the [gone] community. We’ll provide you with the newest updates to travel, minimalism, van life, and much, much more. (And don’t worry – we won’t send you any spam.)
Advertisements
State Park Campgrounds
According to a study in 2009, there are over 6,600 state parks within the United States. These parks sprawl over a total of 14 million acres of land. State Parks are fairly common across the US and are VERY popular during the spring & summer months. I’ve seen typical rates for dry-tent camping sites ranging from $15-$25/night and RV/hookup sites ranging from $30-$50/night.
State Parks highlight beautiful & ecologically significant locations – they typically include bodies of water and trails sprawling through the local topography. Prepare for a great time in the woods with any of these campgrounds. Spots are typically spacious with a few trees in between you and our neighbors. Another trade mark of the State Park system is the eclectic on-site camping stores. Here you can grab stickers and t-shirts to say that you’ve been there and any essentials you may have forgotten last minute for your weekend in the great outdoors!
Keep in mind, not all State Parks offer camping. Some of them are just day-use, meaning you can have a picnic there, hike trails, swim in the lake, etc. but are expected to leave the park right before dark. Rhyming will definitely be my fall-back job one day if this doesn’t work out. What do you think about me rapping about campgrounds?
Advertisements
National Park Campgrounds
There are 423 National Parks in the United States says the National Park Foundation. These are your big hitters. When you think of iconic spots for nature and camping, you think of places like the Grand Canyon, and Yellowstone National Park. These are premier destinations that people travel to from all over the world to see.
Typically, these are near IMPOSSIBLE to get a camping reservation for, unless you are an extreme planner who is ready to book a year in advance – or more. These campgrounds are usually remote and don’t include hookups, or even cell service in many cases. But being in proximity to some of the most beautiful places in the world is well worth the lack of traditional amenities. If you have the chance to snag a spot at any of our National Parks – take it!
Advertisements
COE’s (Army Core of Engineers)
In our opinion, these campgrounds are some of the best, at least for how we like to camp. They usually have plenty of sites available at these campgrounds, ranging between 100-250 sites each. Often a portion of these spots are primitive (meaning no electricity, water, or sewer hook ups.) These are your cheap options to tent camp or boondock with your camper, typically ranging from $15-$25 per night to stay.
The other portion of these sites are for campers and RVs. These are usually electricity only, but they do a great job of positioning water fill-up and sewer dump stations near the entrance of the campground for camper use. These sites are usually between $20-30 per night making these some of the cheapest options to have access to electricity, water, and a dump station while you are enjoying the great outdoors. We’ve stayed for as cheap as $18/night at a COE with electricity.
Another great benefit of COE’s is that they are typically located on a large body of water like a lake or river where you can swim, kayak, or fish. These parks are very well thought out by Army engineers. They also offer shower houses and kid’s playgrounds in most cases.
Advertisements
KOA’s (Kampground’s of America)
KOA sign – You can’t miss it!Activities and more!Cabins are available.Trademark KOA fun – this is what they are known for!
When it comes to KOAs, these are located all over the place. There’s about 480 of them spread across the United States and a few in Canada as well. See the comprehensive list of KOAs here if you want to plan your next family camping trip at a KOA.
They have done a great job of placing KOAs near a lot of the major travel destinations. Places like beaches, National Parks, and mountain ranges will typically have a KOA within driving distance. It’s hard to miss one of these kampgrounds with their highlighter yellow signs on the road. In our experience, it’s pretty costly to stay here. We’ve seen prices around $60-$100/night to stay here. KOAs typically offer amenities such as wifi, full hook ups, a pool to swim in, and dog parks. If that wasn’t enough – they’re espeically geared towards children and will include host activities, theme nights, and kid zones too.
Advertisements
Private Campgrounds
You can find GREAT private campgrounds all over the place. These aren’t affiliated with the parks system or government (city, state, etc.) in any way. They’re basically like you or I opening up our own campground and making our own rules and campsites how we like them.
A great example here is Hollywood RV Park which is where we recently stayed right outside of LA in Hollywood, California. It’s a super cool place that actually houses many film makers and production set workers for nearby film studios. It’s about $90/night in a place like this – mostly because of the prime location in one of the hottest real estate markets in the world – Los Angeles County.
Advertisements
These private campgrounds can range all the way from $25/night hole-in-the-wall type of experience, all the way up to $150/night for your more premium look and locations. Sometimes, they even include things on site like yoga, church services, community events, art classes, or concerts.
Resort “Glamping” Campgrounds
Typically, “resort” or “motor-coach clubs” campgrounds revere themselves for being top notch. Sometimes, they only allow RVs or campers in their park that are models within the last 10 years (2013-2023), or may dictate the type of RVs welcome, to keep up with curb appeal. You will definitely be paying a pretty penny for these – let’s say $90+ and easily into $120/night. These are going to have the most amenities and activities and offer a resort-like experience.
Let me share a little secret with you. If you ever end up in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, then one of the best kept secrets is Ocean Lakes RV Resort. It’s incredible – and well worth the price of admission. Book early, because they generally fill up incredibly fast – months in advance.
Boondocking (BLM Land)
BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land is for staying over night with NO hook-ups. This land is actually provided by the government, for very small fees, to be used for camping off-grid or in the wilderness. Basically, if you want to get the hell out of society – you can grab a camper and have a blast in the great outdoors. These are most common out west, but can be found across the country.
BLM map provided by the Bureau of Land Management.
Advertisements
A great resource to use for this is FreeRoam, it’s an app and also website that you can download on the App Store. With this, you’ll be able to pop up a map for finding the nearest off-grid land for you to rough it out in.
Harvest Host (+ Boondockers Welcome)
Harvest Hosts:An RV membership program that allows self-contained travelers to overnight at unique locations around the country including farms, wineries, museums, breweries, and more! With 4773+ of host locations inside of the ever-expanding network, there’s an amazing experience waiting for everyone.
Boondockers Welcome: Enjoy truly unique stay experiences often without any sacrifice to comfort as 70% of Boondockers Welcome hosts offer hookups. Escape the crowded and noisy campground in favor of a private spot on beautiful property and a meaningful connection with a friendly host.
We have a great partnership right now with Harvest Hosts and also Boondockers Welcome. We can save you 15% right now on EITHER subscription. They’re normally $100/year for each of them individually, but we can get you down to about $80/year. Make sure to click the green text above to get the discount! Important: You may have to use code BWFRIENDS15 at checkout for Boondockers Welcome to work!
Advertisements
Military Campground/Army Camps/AFB
These are generally a cheaper place to stay, although you often have to be affiliated with the U.S. military in some fashion. These generally are your “on-site” living for most of the military branches: Army camps, Air Force Bases, etc. If you’ve heard of a family living on base in an RV with the member of their family that’s serving, that’s what this is.
You’ll typically see rates near $20-$25/night which is VERY inexpensive per night for full hook-ups and amenities. You can check with the local base campground if you can stay there not being military, but generally it’s for military and government personnel only.
Not Campgrounds – Wal-mart, Cracker Barrel
Oh, the glorious Wal-mart and Cracker Barrel. If you have ever heard of people living in a RV, you’ve probably heard of these two being common places to stay. We have stayed at a Wal-mart, but unfortunately not a Cracker Barrel – yet. If you are trying to save money and have a lower cost of living, than these are your best bets for the occasional stay.
Advertisements
Make sure that you ask the local Wal-mart or Cracker Barrel managers if they are OK with you staying overnight. Sometimes, they will not allow this and may even have signs posted in the parking lots about no overnight stays. You probably don’t want to get that knock on your door by the police in the middle of the night!
Campground Costs Breakdown and Averages:
Types of Campground
Average Price ($/night)
Notes
State Park
$35
Generally hard to get into without 2-3 months out reservation
National Park
$40
Sometimes takes 6 months – 1 year in advance to reserve
COE (Core of Engineers)
$20
Easy to land a spot often
KOA (Kampgrounds of America)
$70
Somewhat easy to get into
Private Campgrounds
$60
Plenty of availability as there are so many options and price points!
Resort Campgrounds
$90
All of the luxuries you would expect at most hotels nowadays
Boondocking (BLM land)
$50/monthly
Small fee to use them, no hook-ups
Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome
Yearly subscription
Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome are separately $80/year
Military Campgrounds/Army Camps/AFB
$30
Generally have to be in the military or branch that the campground belongs to
Other (Walmart, Cracker Barrel, etc.)
FREE
Sketchy at times, be safe out there!
This chart shows different type of campgrounds costs and descriptions.
Thanks for reading! As they say in French, au revoir!
Advertisements
Now that you’ve finished this great read, I ask kindly that you follow us on Instagram so you can keep in the loop of our travels! You never know, we may be the inspiration you need for your next destination 😉
The kids are back at it again, living in the van down by the river without a care in the world. “What the heck do they do for money?” you might ask. The answer is different for everyone. Some nomad jobs include camp hosts at campgrounds, have customer service jobs, work as insurance agents, or if you’re of the new-fangled age of kids, you can work remote freelancing. That’s what we’re going to focus on in this blog today! As always, I’d like to thank you for your time today. You’re in good hands!
Estimated time to read:
13–19 minutes
Real Quick …
Before we jump in, I’d like to remind you of the fact that money will not buy you happiness. Even nomad jobs can not produce happiness. It is merely a currency that allows us to exchange for products or services. Money really just is a tool – and it’s up to you to decide whether you want to have good, or bad, intentions with it. You tell your money what to do.
Plenty of people are talented in their own right, and Fiverr is the platform for them to grow and create their own business. It’s the first on the list of nomad jobs.
With Fiverr, you can search for just about any computer-type task that can be done. These range from: trip planning, video editing, graphic design, accounting, etc. You pay a basic fee for a service, enter your requirements and criteria, talk to the seller, and then they’ll return a finished product to you quick! Don’t forget to be nice and tip well.
As a seller you can work as much (or as little) as you’d like and Fiverr allows you the flexibility to work when you want to. With their huge categories of jobs available currently to work, feel free to jump in and start earning a commission today!
2. UpWork
Are you looking for another alternative to the above Fiverr? Introducing UpWork! We recommend this one as well because there are plenty of other jobs available.
Advertisements
You can create a seller account to sell your services to others as a 1099 contract employee, and work when you want to. The only “boss” you have is UpWork’s guidelines, and a different client to work for every time.
3. Start a Blog!
Plenty of digital nomads nowadays have a blog, course, YouTube channel, or something similar. It’s basically the work of the digital world – teaching others how to do very specific or niche skills.
I have seen quite a few of them to claim to make into the $10k-$30k per MONTH range. I obviously can’t back this one up with evidence as we aren’t a blog that huge (yet?), lol.
Regardless, if you are creative and love sharing your thoughts with the world, a blog should be as second nature as journaling is to most people.
4. Become a Freelancer Writer
You can write about anything, especially if you’ve got a knack for any given niche genre. If you know how to write, and have knowledge to share with others, this is the sign for you!
There are people who make a living reviewing video games and news, others who write scientific research papers, and the occasional blog-writer (that’s us!)
You can write about pretty much anything, as knowledge goes for a pretty penny when sold to the right mind.
Advertisements
5. Become a Bookkeeper
It’s easy to go online and get certified as a bookkeeper in little time at all!
Plenty of businesses are thriving yet need someone to help manage their numbers. That’s where you come in. Get certified, take invoices and expenses and help them know their numbers.
Websites like National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers (NACPB) offer plenty of options for educational materials, exams, and getting you certified to help businesses in no time. You can save $50 right now and then the certification bundle becomes $449.
*We are by no way affiliated with the NACPB, we just want to help provide you guys with the most resources that we can.
6. Be a Virtual Assistant From Anywhere!
This is one dear to my heart because it’s what my girlfriend currently does. She’s been helping multiple business owners get crucial tasks done while we’ve been on the road.
Advertisements
A personal (or virtual) assistant would traditionally book flights, plan events, get in contact with bill companies, hunt down clients for payment, and many, many other daily tasks. Here’s a website listing statistics and more information.
This is a very practical job, because everyone from CEOs to small-business owners need help handling billing, taxes, conferences planned, and so many other routine tasks.
Do you have a knack for creating knick-knacks? Can you sew, paint, carve wood, make jewelry, or anything else creative? Of course you can – and we won’t settle for anyone saying that they have no talents or skills. Everyone knows how to do something. Everyone has something that excites you. Maybe you like how things tick, maybe you really like people, or possibly you are great at organization.
Combine your passion with some crafting skills, then you’ve got a solid business model for markets like Etsy.
With Etsy, you can get super creative products from a small business and makers. Plus you are supporting a single person or merchant most of the time, and not a corporate shill seeking profit. I kind of like the feel of that personally.
8. Become an Educational Tutor
Not every student learns in the same way. Some are auditory learners, some are hands-on and learn by doing, and others need to hear information in a different way than their teachers will present it. That’s where you can come in as a tutor!
If you’re good at any subject, or even have the credentials of a teacher already, you can start helping students today! The Tutor website seems to be a great resource for this.
There’s potential for tutoring in any subject: math, science, English, Spanish, music, and plenty others. Get started helping kids grow smarter now!
Advertisements
9. Learn Graphic Design
Have you dabbled with Adobe Photoshop creating memes in the past? How about self-learning how to use a platform like Canva for social media graphics? Regardless, the world is your oyster in this category.
If you have an eye for logos, creating graphics, flyers, social media posts, or virtually anything else, you’ll thrive here. It really is a build-your-own adventure sandbox software. You can design flyers for a business, wedding invitations, social media posts, logo designs, and anything else you can possibly think of. Canva is amazing – I’m not paid by them to say that, we just use them for everything design-wise.
There’s always something that a business needs to look good in this marketing driven world of today.
10. Online Marketing
It’s no surprise that businesses are easier than ever to start with the rise of the internet. Basically, anyone can pop up a shop with platforms like Shopify and get started selling a product right away.
Advertisements
A core thing you need with any business is an audience, and a brand worthy of them telling their friends about. You have to be eye-catching, humorous, a great product, and also stand on good morals.
A marketing agent is someone who comes in and focuses on developing your brand, colors and schemes, designs, and more. They help make your product look better and better, and bring it to new heights, and eyes.
Is Van Life as Glorious as Instagram Lets You Believe?
Could you imagine living on the road as a digital nomad? Do you want to see different states, countries, and parts of the world? Are you bored of the sameness: sitting at the same desk, driving the same route to work, talking with the same people, doing the same old routines?
I know that I was, and that’s when we set out on this adventure. We’ve lived in 15 different states over the last 10 months. Literally. We sold our house, cars, and live full-time in a Class C motorhome. It sounds CRAZY! But, that’s the life that we have chosen to live. As awesome as this all sounds, we want you to see the realities of this life as well!
11. Social Media Assistant
If you would have asked me before writing this blog if I believed that being a social media assistant was a real job, I would have been baffled. But, here we are.
Yes, there are literally people whose entire jobs are to schedule posts, engage with comments, share their content on the internet, and run customer service fronts. Now hows that for making the list of nomad jobs?
I’m personally amazed at some of these jobs on the list as they’re all unique in their own way, but this one has me chomping at the bit. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that this work is easy, or bad. I just want to snatch this job for a huge company like Skittles or something. Sponsor me!
12. Website Designer
It’s no question that with the rise of the internet, websites are more important than ever. To get your name or business out there, you have to have an online presence. Eventually, brick and mortar stores limit you nowadays. Not to mention that the majority of people look up a business online to see their Google reviews before considering a visit.
The internet helps you quickly connect to anyone, anywhere, in the world. The better your website is designed, the more people will be likely to find it and stay engaged with its contents. Don’t skimp too much on this front, as you want a great product.
Find a great web developer right now on Fiverr to get started. You can actually learn a website builder like WordPress or Wix to help jumpstart your career in web development. To become great at it though, you definitely need to learn C++ and web coding at a later point.
Advertisements
13. App Developer
It’s no question that with the rise of the internet that website designers and app developers are more important than ever.
Apple offers plenty of resources from software development kits, digital textbooks to learn from, video explanations, and more. Although, some of these require a small yearly fee to get involved in their programs.
Every great app starts with a great app developer. Learn today, or commission someone on UpWork to help you turn your brilliant idea into reality. You never know what’s waiting for ya!
14. Get Paid to Walk Dogs
We’ve all seen that one person walking down the street. They’re walking six different dogs, and you are left perplexed by this. Most likely, they are probably walking dogs for a living, literally!
Yep, you heard me right. You can get paid to board dogs, babysit them for the day, and even walk them with apps like Rover. For what its worth, the name Rover is incredible.
Next time you find yourself planning a vacation trip or have to work and can’t plan to be around your doggos for a while, you can hop on the app and schedule someone to help you watch them.
This functions similar in the way that AirBnB works, where you open the app, find a local dog sitter and see their reviews, then contact them. Usually, when you go to drop off you will be able to meet the people and chat with them about all of their policies and vet (hah – good joke) if you want to use them!
15. Life or Career Coaching
It goes without being said that not everyone has ended up in a great spot in their current life. Sometimes we need help and we might turn to a friend, family member, pastor, or even advisor/counselor.
Advertisements
There exists plenty of certifications online if you’d like to get them as well, that offer to train you in the ways of helping people and their largest life decisions. The one I found online by the Certified Life Coach Institute claims to be $995 for the initial course and certification.
There is a lot of grey area in places like this, because you don’t technically need any kind of degree or training to be a “coach”. But it really gets down to the brass tax when you see the experience the coach possesses, which is much more important.
16. Create Online Courses
I know a fantastic woman who has various years of experience and certifications in dog behavior and psychology. Not only does she offer consulting one-on-one to help teach dog owners, but she decided to launch a course.
By viewing her course here online, you can get the majority of the educational information and what she teaches, but at a lower rate and at your own pace. It’s not personalized for you like the one-on-one opportunities are, but that’s kind of the point with the course is to learn the general skills for your pup at a cheaper price point.
Desiree uses a very wholistic method of training – not strength and dominance.
Teaching a course is always a great way to help others learn a new subject or skill they didn’t have before. Udemy is a great resource for courses online, and I’d also recommend SkillShare (who is giving a free month trial RIGHT now).
17. Edit Videos like a Pro with Final Cut Pro
Everyone needs video edited for social media – specifically YouTube and TikTok nowadays. Whether it’s an individual person who doesn’t have the time to string together all of their travel vlogs, or a company needing to edit together promo videos. Oh, and if it wasn’t implied – yes, some people are making money from their videos!
Advertisements
You can get started for free editing videos by using iMovie on Apple products. There’s also HitFilm which is free but has optional upgrades.
Once you get into the upper echelon, the majority of people use Sony Vegas, Final Cut Pro, or Premiere Pro as they are the top of the line softwares jam packed with movie-quality features.
18. Uber or Lyft Driving
Did you know you can become an Uber or Lyft driver even without owning a car? Let’s say you are a digital nomad like us, wandering across the USA, and you only have a motorhome (which is not fit for driving around city streets picking people up – trust me). Uber will let you rent a car through a partner company like Hertz for as low as $260/week. That’s discounted well below how much it costs to rent a car normally – usually double that number.
In larger areas like LA, Atlanta, New York City, you can rent just about any car that you want. Feel like driving people around in Mercedes-Benz luxury? How about saving the environment with an EV like a Tesla Model 3? You can get them all as a rental car, and make sure your passengers are safe, sound, and happy!
Another great thing about Uber and Lyft is that you get to pick when you’d like to work. Feeling sick today? Call out and sit home! Want to pick up three shifts tonight? Hop on the app and get going in your car! They make it seamless to transition from work-mode to chill-mode.
19. Uber Eats, GrubHub, PostMates
The barrier for entry here is low, as you just need a car, a phone, and some gas money (that’s the most expensive part). When you swipe one of these apps on, you can start driving to a store to pick up food for a customer.
You don’t have to cook the food, pick the order, shop for groceries, or anything. Usually, you arrive at the restaurant or store and go to the delivery pickup counter where the order should be ready for you.
This works on base pay plus tips, so treat your customers well to make BIG MONEY!
Advertisements
20. Instacart, Shipt, DoorDash
Feel like delivering groceries and other quick convenience store runs? You can often deliver prescription medicines from CVS, Walgreens, and other big box stores directly to a customer.
There’s plenty of people wanting grocery delivery straight to their door. They place their order on the app, you go shop it, and you get paid to hand deliver it to their door.
Me over here grinding at my third job once upon a time.
These apps make it so easy to hop on and do a few deliveries, then shut off the phone and take a break at any time. Your pay is heavily dependent on tips the majority of the time, because base delivery pay is usually not the best here.
Budgeting is Also Very Important
Although we’ve equipped you with plenty of ideas to work and make money, the fact still stands that you need to know how to handle your money. We have a sample RV-life budget with actual numbers, not made up, within this read below.
We know how valuable your time is, and that’s why we don’t want to waste a second of it. We want to help you build a quality life which begins with deciding how you want to live. By finding new ways to make money, you can afford to create this new life full of your passions, goals, and dreams. We aren’t here trying to sell you anything. We simply want you to be better off after every new read here on our blog. Thanks for reading today!
See you later – ciao!
Advertisements
Join the [gone] community to receive the newest blog updates about travel, money, mental health, and more.
This is what we’ve learned on our cross-country roadtrip:
Are you just getting into #vanlife or RV travel? Maybe you just bought your new camper and are ready to hit a nearby campground for the first “shake-down” trip? Or maybe you’ve been camping for a while and you’re seeking ultimate relaxation?
We know camping can be a scary thing … you’re literally deciding to go sleep in the woods and become one with nature. (Bears, coyotes, snakes, and bugs live out here!)
Well, step 1 is to read this blog & learn how to camp like a pro. Step 2 is to unplug from all of your devices so that you can embrace the great outdoors and enjoy your camping trip! Let’s get started.
Advertisements
The Dos and Donts of Staying at a Campground:
Do:
Do make a list before you pack up: If you don’t, you’ll end up forgetting something – and it’s usually something super important. Checking off items on a list helps keep you organized so that you won’t miss any of the important items you’ll need in the woods to survive.
Do say hi: Be sure to say hello to your new neighbors for the weekend (or longer depending on your stay). If you’re an introvert, wave at your neighbors when they look over. If you’re an extrovert, strike up a chat when someone walks by. You never know what you could learn from someone new. Do keep in mind that some people like camping to get out in nature (and away from people) though – don’t be overbearing.
Do act like the neighborhood watch committee: Keep an eye on your neighbor’s stuff, especially if they leave for the day. Most of the time there are no problems, but some campgrounds can be hotspots for thieves. Be sure to lock up bicycles and anything else that can “grow legs” and if you see someone fishy in your neighbor’s spot, report it. You’d want them to do the same for you, right?
Advertisements
Do arrive before sun set: Ideally you’ll arrive right at check-in time and be able to maximum your trip, but at a MINIMUM arrive before the sun goes down. I can’t emphasis enough how important it is to actually be able to see while you setup your campsite. Arriving on time also lets you to enjoy the sunset from your new campground spot. If you arrive after dark, good luck – you will be getting frustrated…
Do share your location: Let your family and friends know where you are staying and your plans for the trip. This is especially important if you expect your phone won’t have signal, you never know what can happen out in the boonies. If you’re in a more developed area tools like Apple’s “Find My” are a great way to share your location with loved ones.
Do make a plan for your pooch: Most campgrounds will allow pets buuuuut, some don’t. Sometimes, you’ll have to pay an extra fee to bring your pup with you or there could be breed restrictions. Pets are not allowed on any trails within a National Park – so be sure to plan accordingly for a safe spot for your pup (DO NOT leave your dog in a hot car). Some campgrounds will even have dog parks on site – just make sure to check the rules beforehand and plan accordingly. Oh – and pick up your pup’s poop!!!
Advertisements
Do observe fire safety warnings: Sometimes, especially out west, there are fire bans in place. These aren’t because they don’t want you enjoying s’mores by the campfire. Bans are because conditions are so dicey that devastating wildfires can begin from just a single hot ember. Decade-long droughts and strong winds create conditions that can spread wildfires in the blink of an eye causing millions of dollars worth of damage and potentially loss of life for animals and humans in the area. If you do have a campfire, pour water on it to put it out, stir with a shovel, and then douse with even more water to completely smother the flames. This is the only, and best, way to make sure the fire won’t reignite and become a problem. Make sure you listen to Smoky the Bear and check local conditions before starting any fire.
Do check the weather: With today’s technology and weather apps available in the palm of your hand – there is no excuse for not knowing if storms are coming through. Check the weather multiple times before your trip and then again each day during your trip. A weather radio can be especially helpful in remote areas. It may seem tedious, but while camping you are especially exposed to the elements without the protection of a sticks-and-bricks home. Keep in mind that large bodies of water like lakes or oceans can make conditions worse. We learned this the hard way while tent camping on a point in Georgia during a hurrican-ado (hurricane-tornado, lol). Conditions can change QUICK, so be alert.
Do pack extra layers: Bring extra clothes, you’ll need them. Temperatures can vary widely between daytime and nighttime – it’s usually colder outside than you realize at night. You’ll also want an extra pair of shoes and socks in case yours get wet (no one wants to hike in wet socks).
Do enjoy the great outdoors: Ultimately, you booked this trip to get outside and experience nature. So, enjoy your time! There may be bad weather or bugs, but if you embrace it all with a smile on your face you’ll have memories to last a life time.
Advertisements
Don’t:
Don’t forget the necessities: There are thousands of gadgets and all types of gear for camping. Those are great, but don’t forget the basics. These are food, water, shelter (tent or camper), and a first aid kit. Making a list before you pack is helpful to ensure you don’t forget a single item.
Don’t bug folks during set up: We encourage you to say hi to your neighbors. But pleaaaaseeee don’t smother a fellow camper the second they pull in – no matter how cool their rig is. After a long drive, people need time to settle in and set up – give them time and space. After they’ve set up their temporary home, let the friend-making begin.
Don’t be the campground DJ: Blasting music assuming the whole campground wants to party is a no-no. Your site is your space & your music shouldn’t be audible beyond it. Keep in mind that your fellow campers may have small children, or consider your music offensive. A lot of people camp to enjoy the peace and quiet of nature – not Miley Cyrus’ newest hit blaring through your bluetooth speaker.
Don’t let your dog be a nuisance to others: We’ve yet to see an off leash campground – campgrounds require your pet to be leashed or confined to your space. This is for their safety and yours.
Advertisements
Don’t keep everyone up: If it’s past quiet hours – be quiet. Quiet hours usually begin after 10pm at most campgrounds and end around 7am – be sure to review your check-in paperwork for specific instructions. This includes generators, kids, dogs, and anything else that emits sound.
Don’t be trashy: Use the dumpsters and recycling bins provided by the campground. Don’t leave trash all over your campsite, or overnight where animals may get into it. Nature isn’t a trash can for our garbage – we have to preserve its beauty so that we can continue to enjoy it.
Don’t feed the natives: While they may be fuzzy and cute – wild animals are meant to be just that – wild. Don’t feed any wild animals and don’t leave food out where animals can get into it either. Be on high alert in areas that bears frequent. You can usually tell if there’s been a problem with animals searching for food if there are heavy-duty-bear-proof trash cans or locking food boxes on site.
Advertisements
Don’t leave your awning out overnightorwhen you’re away: Very often, strong winds or rain can come in unexpectedly (which is why we recommend you check the weather often). Your RV awning or stand alone pop-up canopy cannot withstand winds over roughly 20 mph (miles per hour). We also learned this lesson the hard way when our 10 foot x 10 foot tailgate canopy crumbled in the Colorado desert during a sandstorm that blew in randomly in the middle of the day with 50-60 mph winds.
Don’t cut through spots: Use marked pathways to get around the campground and be sure to keep an eye on kids playing. They may unintentionally run through your neighbor’s spot and get the “Hey you stinking kids – get off my lawn!!!” talk.
Don’t burn firewood from another location: Typically, the rule is don’t bring firewood from further than 50 miles away from the campground you are staying at. The reason for this is that you may unintentionally introduce new harmful species of bugs or plants that aren’t native to the area. This can severely hurt the wildlife and ecosystem of the new area you’ve brought the wrong wood to.
Don’t camp alone: Camping is always better (and safer) with friends – the more the merrier! With the right prep work, solo camping can be a restorative time in nature but we recommend always having a buddy with you. Be sure to bring camping buddies with you to enjoy the great outdoors safely; you may even help your friends discover a new hobby in the process. At the very least, make an Instagram post after your trip to share your adventure and the things you discovered during your time outside to get your followers curious about the great outdoors. Sharing is caring!
Advertisements
What Did You Learn From This Blog?
We’d love to hear your feedback. What did we miss? What are some of your campground do’s and dont’s? We are always looking to improve our quality of content so that we can help newbies and veterans of camping alike.
Join the [gone] community for more blogs about traveling the US, camping tips and tricks, and travel hacks.
Get plugged in with us by clicking the links below:
Runnnnn Forest runnnnn – quickly! The valley is on fire in Nevada at Valley of Fire State Park! A short one hour trip from the bustling city of Las Vegas will land you here in an appealing, yet unsure, landscape. It’s part desert & part Martian planet – including cacti who love the harsh heat and out-of-this-world sandstone formations towering above in all directions. The combination of wind, rain, and natural erosion over millenia have created this perfect (albeit HOT) little paradise at Valley of Fire State Park.
Advertisements
Table of Contents
We’ve organized all of the sections & park highlights below in alphabetical order. There’s also a handy table of contents to help you navigate around this read quickly! We hope that you put Valley of Fire State Park on your list if you ever happen to be around Las Vegas, Nevada!
then let’s proceed into the Valley of Fire, but prepare to get burned.
A shot of the road that runs through the center of Valley of Fire SP, Nevada.
Advertisements
Here’s a map to help you navigate your way around the park!
This is literally the same map we used to get around the park and plan our day trips. There’s no cell signal in the park so be prepared to go “old-school” and use your paper map & navigate like Lewis and Clark. You can conveniently download this map by clicking on the image above.
If you check out the map above, you’ll see you can enter from either the East or the West side of the park. Either way, there’s a park ranger operated pay gate at each end of the park so that you can pay the admission fee to get in. We also recommend asking for all of the paper resources they can give you. Usually this will land you the above map, detailed trail guides, recent local wildlife sightings, and things to do in the area nearby. Park rangers are your friends!
Advertisements
Atlatl Rock
Atlatl Rock is the name for this naturally-occurring rock formation, and there’s good reason. An atlatl (pronounced at-latl) in history, is a stick used by some indigenous peoples of North America to propel a spear or dart. What’s even cooler is that this formation includes scaffolding built by the park which allows you to get up close and personal with petroglyphs (ancient rock carvings by native tribes). These figures are one of the major pieces left behind by the ancient cultures who once resided here – potentially thousands of years ago.
Advertisements
Beehives
What’s that in the distance? BIZZZZ! Oh, wow! I didn’t know that bees could survive and thrive in the desert. On closer examination, they’re not beehives. But they do look just like them!
Over time, the wind has eroded these rocks into nature’s “perfect” shape – a circle. At this stop, you can literally park your car and hop right out to see them – with no athleticism required at all. The beehives are located directly inside the western entrance gate and make a great first stop in the park.
Natural beehive formation?Beehive, shown for reference of the similarities.
Advertisements
Campgrounds – Atlatl and Arch Rock
We saw multiple big-horn sheep walk through the campground, they seem used to campers and generally uninterested in our presence. I was lucky enough to capture this shot of them grazing on the mountain top the next morning. Although they seemed quite benign, be sure to keep your distance from them and their big horns to avoid a potential “ouch”!
Two big-horned sheep on the mountain top!
We stayed at Atlatl campground, which is first-come first-served. Yep, they don’t take campground reservations. There are a few spots with full RV hookups (and these go quick!) but most are “dry-camping” – this means no power, water, or sewer connections – a.k.a. “hike-in” or primitive camping only. This probably doesn’t interest most people who like to plan their trips months in advance or go “glamping” but hey, when you live life on the edge, the reward sometimes outweighs the risk. And we knew the reward of Valley of Fire certainly would be worth the small inconvenience. The pictures of this hotspot destination look incredible online.
We were, however, unlucky enough to watch the last RV spot get taken. We ended up squeezing into a site with no water or power, but that’s fine because we are set up for boondocking (camping without any hookups & being self-sufficient – almost like you would in a tent).
Advertisements
I considered sleeping underneath this rock shelter here. Quite spacious compared to our RV. (lol)
Arch Rock campground is definitely geared more to your purists. We didn’t stay here, but I can tell you that tent camping or #vanlife is recommended at this site with most sites being hike-in only. Not only do they not have any hookups, but the spots are much smaller here as well. Either way, the views are incredible in either campground and you will be surrounded by incredible sandstone formations.
Advertisements
Oh, and we left a small surprise behind:
It’s probably been found by now, but we left some hidden “artifacts” from our brand among the formations in the Atlatl campground. Good luck hunting!
Hidy Holes
Listen, this section was titled this way intentionally. How else would you name this? lol.
Through the looking glass…
Maybe my girlfriend, dog, and I are just Luna-tics (Hah! Our dog’s name is Luna) but we found plenty of cool looking “hidy holes” all over the park. You can’t miss them. You’ll see them on every hike, every trail, and in most little sections of rock if you keep your eyes peeled. They’re plenty of fun for you to take EPIC pictures in and take a break from the intense heat.
I can see my house from up here!Becoming one with the spirits.
Advertisements
Elephant Rock
Ever seen an elephant in a desert? No? Well us neither, until today.
Dad joke of the day: How do you eat an elephant?
One bite at a time.
Advertisements
Ready, Set, Action! 🎥
You can’t avoid how beautiful and “other-worldly” feeling this place is. Of course, being near Las Vegas and Hollywood, many big names have been attracted here from all around the entertainment industry. Plenty of film scenes were shot within the valley:
Viva Las Vegas starring Elvis Presley had multiple shots filmed in the park for the racing scenes in the movie.
The above brick wall is the only prop that remains from the shooting of The Professionals in 1966.
The outside Mars scenes from Total Recall starring Arnold Schwarzenegger were almost totally shot in Valley of Fire.
The scenes from Planet Veridian III from Star Trek Generations were shot here in 1994.
Advertisements
🔥 Fire Wave 🔥
This wouldn’t be a top-notch blog unless I squeezed in one of my childhood passions, RuneScape. If you didn’t play this browser based game 10-15 years back then you just simply will not understand the phenomenon. RuneScape was one of those types of games that kept you coming back for more. There was constant progression, hundreds of quests, over twenty skills with branching paths of gameplay, and also it was multiplayer. You could talk with friends and new people on the internet all the time … and this was early at the dawn of the 2000’s (notably 2004-2007) where we used AOL (America On-Line) dial-up internet and AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) to interact. Oh, how times were different. Many of the younger generation are already forgetting how hard it was before the internet! Some of my favorite child hood memories came from playing this game along with plenty of friends, and grinding away as a teenager. Man, what a feeling it was to escape reality … try out Old School RuneScape today if you know what’s good for you! 😜
Advertisements
Anyways, back to the main point of this section … Fire Wave! Fire Wave is a medium-level fire spell in RuneScape that does decent damage to armored foes.
The Fire Wave spell from RuneScape:
Video games aside, these IRL (in real-life, an internet gaming term) fire waves were incredible to see:
A’hoy matey!Shiver me timbers!Sploosh!“Fire Wave” where the sandstone terrain has been swept by the wind and rain for thousands of years – leaving this beautiful effect across the landscape.
Advertisements
Doggie Adventures in the Valley 🐶
Whenever we go on a hike we love to take our pup with us (when permitted); luckily Valley of Fire trails are dog friendly! If you do decide to bring your pup on trail at Valley of Fire be sure to check the temperature of the ground and rock as the high temperatures in the valley can quickly cause damage to their soft paw pads. Doggie boots are also a great option for hot days. We did our hike in the early morning so temperatures weren’t a problem for us. But the most important thing to consider is WATER. Bring lots and lots – way more than you think you need for yourself AND your fury friend(s).
Here’s our cutie, Luna – she’s a year-and-a-half old chocolate Labrador Retriever crossed with a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. If you aren’t familiar with her breeds, she is basically known as a “duck dog” or “sporting dog” because of her natural instinct to retrieve ducks and other waterfowl when hunting. Do we hunt? No, not really. Does she hunt everything that moves? Yep, pretty much. She has more energy than three espressos and a bag full of sugar … and constantly keeps us on our toes. Taking her on hikes with us is a great way to let her get her energy out and let her “hunt” in nature – no ducks were harmed in the making of this blog.
Advertisements
Mouse’s Tank
These incredible rock carvings, are expected to date back as far as 2,000 years ago.
While this area has a strange name, the story behind the name is even more obscure. A Southern Paiute Indian renegade who went by the tribal name, “Little Mouse,” used this area of Valley of Fire as a hideout in the 1890’s. He was accused of gunning down two prospectors along with many other crimes in the area. This natural oasis held two pothole”tanks” of water and provided a natural hiding spot for him to escape his captors. He was eventually found in the valley and killed while trying to escape his pursuers.
Petroglyphs all over the park paint the ancient languages of. a past society who lived here.
Advertisements
Natural Arch
Few things are as awe-inspiring as a natural arch in the desert. Towering high above the rocks below, this arch is a highlight of the park. I’ll let you & the scientists try to figure out how the inside of the arch has managed to disappear leaving the remaining arch shape intact. Somehow, this shape has managed to survive thousands of years without losing the battle its duking it out with – gravity.
Advertisements
However Dark the Night, Tomorrow’s Light Always Follows
Thanks to the lovely iPhone 11 Pro Max I have (yes, I know there are three year’s worth of newer iPhones now) I was able to capture this amazing shot from our spot at the Atlatl campground one night. Look closely to see a rock balancing on the top of the formation. It’s amazing to see the capability of technology even in this remote wilderness.
Within this image, you can count the individual stars in the night sky – just like the once great philosopher Plato did. And I promise that this picture isn’t edited, it’s shot raw with the iPhone 11 Pro Max night-mode feature. You can definitely see the night sky beautifully at night here, and we highly recommend camping at least one night to witness it.
While we were there, the moon was almost full, so we could see fairly well at night; well enough that we were able to do a few short hikes around the campground without flashlights or other artificial light sources.
Advertisements
One Punch Man!
Have you seen the rants and raves about the anime One Punch Man? No? It’s fine, I’ll give you a quick summary here!
One Punch Man defeats all of the bad guys in the world by punching them – one impactful time. The anime is a hilarious comedy about saving the world, but looking cool while doing it.
I’ve recaptured in perfect detail how to defeat someone with one punch. Look at my form, and the velocity of punchy-ness. Spot on. I showed that rock who’s boss … and who says that heroes wear capes?
Advertisements
Petrified Logs
Millions of years ago, it is understood by scientists that the entire valley (and most of the continent) was covered in lakes, trees, and animals. Now, very desolate – as it is now a desert climate – not many trees or animals can be found here. Small bushes are sparse and most animals spend the hot days underground.
A petrified log is just what it sounds like – and it’s kind of freaky too. Instead of being wood like you expect normal trees to be, over time the trees that were found here have transformed into fossils.
Advertisements
Petrified wood is indeed a fossil, like animals bones. It forms when plant material is buried by sediment and protected from decay due to oxygen and organisms. Then, groundwater rich in dissolved solids flows through the sediment, replacing the original plant material with silica, calcite, pyrite, or another inorganic material such as opal. The result is a fossil of the original woody material that often exhibits preserved details of the bark, wood, and cellular structures.
Some specimens of petrified wood are such accurate preservations that people do not realize they are fossils until they pick them up and are shocked by their weight.
Advertisements
Petroglyphs
Petroglyphs along the rock faces – expected to have been here for over 2,000 years.
Petroglyphs represent an ancient language of yester-year .
On close inspection, you can see big-horned sheep (I put pictures of some of the sheep we saw in the Atlatl Campground section of this blog), a family or tribe, water, and many other depictions of the natural environment found here thousands of years ago. Scientists have done extensive research here to decode these drawings to understand the people that once lived here.
It makes you wonder what future generations will think of the English language and the notebooks with pen and paper writings we will leave behind.
Advertisements
Potato Chip Rock?
Someone call Lays … I think their potato chip ran away! What appears to be a distorted sandstone potato chip is actually a very thin rock holding on for dear life. Nature often finds ways to make things uniquely beautiful – all it takes is a little imagination. This is a wonderful depiction of that.
Advertisements
Our First Slot Canyon
Slot canyons are a fun phenomenon commonly found out west. Being from the east coast, our tourist hearts leapt for joy when we found this one along the White Dome trail. Simply put, slot canyons are spaces between two rock faces where the rock on each side narrowly misses touching each other. They’re nature’s playground and many enjoy hiking, climbing, and squeezing through these tight spaces. Sometimes you can find hidden areas to explore like waterfalls or caves.
Advertisements
Luckily for our first, this one was pretty easy to walk through and only required a few side-steps near the end – no squeezing necessary. Although, it was beautiful every single step of the way and we enjoyed geeking out over the rock stratification. Something about looking up and only seeing a narrow stretch of blue sky is mesmerizing.
The entrance to the slot canyon
So … You Made it Through the Fire?
Valley of Fire State Park got it’s name for obvious reasons – it’s hot, the sandstone is bright red, and at sunset the entire place glows a warm red, as if the valley were on fire. But there’s something else hidden in this valley.
It’s sense of whimsy, of curiosity, and child-like play around every corner. Each turn of the trail beckons, “What will you discover next?” There’s incredible vistas, slot canyons, dry falls, petroglyphs, towering bee hives, unique plants, rock formations, miles of hiking trails, and incredible creatures to discover.
We often say that nature is mankind’s’ playground and this park has been one of the coolest we’ve explored so far. If you’re in the Las Vegas area, step away from the glitz and development and see what lies just an hour up Interstate 15. It makes sense that over half a million people visit each year to discover the wonder of nature within – and we’re glad we got to be some of them.
Is van life as glorious as Instagram lets you believe? Yes, yes, it is. Case closed, stop reading here, let’s all go home!
I’m kidding – but really, every time you go on Instagram and TikTok you see them young kids livin’ their best life in a van down by the river! The worst part is that you can’t escape this content, because it’s all so appealing. Of course it sounds amazing to buy a kitted-out van, decorate it hella cute, and slap your Instagram handle on the outside. Trust me, I get it … we are currently living that life right now!
Advertisements
Before we jump in, we ask that you consider joining the [gone] community where you’ll learn about travel, van life, minimalism, mental health, and more!
Got any questions about van life? Hit us up in the DMs!
Starting out on a strong note, I hope that you like the smell of poop in the morning. When you go to pack up your campsite and leave in the morning, you’ll have to stand out by the lovely “dump station.” What’s that you might ask? Well, it’s exactly how it sounds – your RV takes a dump. You have to connect a hose to your black and grey tanks (black being toilet waste, grey being sink and shower waste). Then you pull a valve, and hear the lovely sound of water rushing through. Oh, and it smells great! Just like a wonderful sewer sanitation facility. Welcome to van life, my friend.
Shitter’s Full – clip on YouTube from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Advertisements
Much like being a parent to a newborn, expect to have poop all over you at some point. Well, it’s not always that bad, but sometimes it can be. If your waste hose decides to throw a tantrum, expect poop on you. Did you forget to weigh down your hose connection to where it connects to the ground sewer connection? As the waste water is rushing out, the hose could jump off of the connection and hit you in the face. At any single time. Hah – what a life. Even better, if you’re camping in below freezing temperatures, you may be greeted with a “shit-sicle” – where your tanks and/or hoses are frozen solid. The joy.
Not all campsites are created equal. Camping life can often be compared to “roughing it in the woods” as the good old phrase goes. If you’re lucky enough to have a shower in your house on wheels, they’re incredibly small and difficult to use especially if you’re boondocking (no power, no extra water, no waste connection hook-ups to your rig; you are completely self-contained & self-sufficient).
Basically, you’re living primal-style out in the woods like our ancestor cavemen and cavewomen and surviving off the land. Sometimes you only end up showering once every week or two, because you’re traveling so much. And guess what, while some campgrounds have showers – not all do in the wilderness!
Occasionally, you’ll find a nicer shower to use if you pay for the very expensive RV resorts and KOAs. Honestly, most of your cheaper campsites do have a shower – albeit not very luxurious. Picture crouching low enough to fit under the midget-sized shower head, avoiding touching any of the ick of the walls, keeping an eye on that spider’s web & spider staring at you from the corner – all in an ill-lit (non-heated) “outhouse” for lack of a better term. Camp showers can be a real treat.
Advertisements
The majority of RVs, campers, and motorhomes are just made to fall apart. No, I’m not joking … it’s a pretty common thing. Many, many, MANY of the campers and motorhomes of today are built so quickly that they just simply don’t have the same quality of most houses, or even the cars of today. Even if you spend a crap-ton of money on buying a brand new rig, expect it to have problems.
This doesn’t mean buying used is necessarily the better option. The previous owner may not have taken the best care of their vehicle, or fixed the problems that it had when it came off the lot. What’s worse is if you are full-time traveling and every few weeks you’re in a new state and not able to return to your original dealership to get work done – no one wants to do “free” warranty work if they don’t have to. It’s a whole complicated process sometimes. Be prepared to get very handy yourself! An emergency fund is a MUST.
Behind the scenes of #vanlife.
I’ve learned that sometimes you just have to laugh about things in life … like when your radio literally blows up and catches on fire in a 6-month old RV. It leaves you questioning the workmanship of these rigs. Oh – and since warranty work takes forever to get done with most dealerships (think at least a six week waiting list) it’s just a whole hassle and headache.
So, $2,000 later, we skipped the warranty work and opted for a high-end radio with Apple Car Play capability in place of our original toxic waste of explosion that was installed by Ford and misleadingly called “a radio.” Plus, not to mention that we are full-time traveling so we can’t easily abandon our home on wheels for it to sit in a dealership’s lot waiting for work to be done – we love the outdoors but certainly prefer our bed over sleeping on the street.
Advertisements
Van life can be expensive. Can it also be cheap and a cost effective way to live? Sure, that’s possible too. There are some options for FREE camping like boondocking on BLM land, Harvest Host (click our link here to get 15% off your membership with Harvest Hosts – they offer unique stays at wineries, farms, museums, and more!) or the good ole’ Walmart parking lot if you’re not picky.
Yes, there are ways to literally park your 1987 Chevrolet van down by the river (BLM land offers this frequently out West) and live for next to free if that’s what you want to do. Mad respect, no hate here my brother.
But, if you go the traditional route and stay at average run-of-the-mill state park campgrounds and the like, expect to pay $30-$45 per night of camping. Not too bad, right? But if you find yourself in a place like Arizona, California, or staying at KOAs and RV “resorts,” you can expect to pay more like $60-$80 per night on average. We’ve seen campgrounds charging over $120 per night for premium spots in highly sought after locations. If you’ve opted for a larger rig, expect to pay even more at every place you stay to accommodate the sheer size of your land yacht.
Camping fees alone can be expensive, not to mention that while you travel you will have to consider the cost to fill up with gas and propane as well. If you end up with a monthly payment on your rig, it can sometimes be close to a mortgage payment. Then, you’ll need insurance, of course. And let’s not forget about all of the maintenance items (remember RVs don’t typically have the highest build quality). Then factor in groceries, internet connectivity, cell phone bills, clothing, and all the other necessities you need – the dollars stack up QUICK. You need a budget!
Advertisements
Van life is truly a “choose your own adventure” experience though; and there are, literally, thousands of different ways to camp and enjoy time outdoors. Whether you’re in a tent, million-dollar Prevost, a Subaru, or a travel trailer – we’re all here to camp, just in different boxes.
♫ Let’s talk about SPACE, baby. ♫
Are you absolutely in love with the HGTV-inspired DIY project that is your house now? The sprawling 2,000 square feet? Extra bedrooms you hardly ever use? How about the reading nook, loft, great master bedroom, hot tub, backyard, and all of the other spaces that you currently have? How about that three car garage that’s stacked to the ceiling with “yard sale” items and Christmas decorations from your childhood? Well, if you’re considering RV life, say goodbye to it all.
Advertisements
A joke meme about people on HGTV.
Hey, I’m not hating – just stating facts. Your average house on wheels will not be much larger than 250 square feet. Yes, you heard me right – 2-5-0. This is probably the size of your current master bedroom if you’re an average American. Most campers are microscopic compared to our luxurious “mansions” of today. And they have to be this way in order to be safely driven down the highway and maneuver under bridges. Having a slide-out (or multiple slide-outs) can help greatly expand your living area but these come with a whole other can of worms worth of issues – and don’t expect more than 400 square feet, even with this addition.
Again, RV stands for RECREATIONAL Vehicle. RVs, motorhomes, and campers were never intended to be lived in and traveled with full-time. Sure, with the right perspective, you can live in just about anything.
While some models are insulated and more suited for forever living, they still aren’t a sticks-and-bricks home. Often campers are made with cheaper, lighter-weight materials, with the intention of decreasing your towing payload and gas mileage. Longevity is typically an afterthought, if considered at all. For example, our toilet, sink, and shower (things we use every day) are all made out of cheap plastic and have already had issues – oooohhh the luxury. Don’t just believe my opinion – here’s the same sentiment from another RV and travel blog.
Advertisements
Out of Touch with Reality – a Van Life Nightmare
Here’s another fun reality for you millennials & Gen Zs: imagine not having internet or cell phone reception. Oh. my. God. That’s possible? Yes, there are still plenty of places that you can drive to and camp that will not have a speck of signal. Wi-Fi is most certainly out of the question a lot of the time as well.
Surely in 2023, they have something to help, right? Sorta. We’ve been in spots where even with our fancy (and expensive!) cell signal booster and Wi-Fi ranger you still can’t connect to the outside world. Sometimes it’s just you, your travel partner (if you have one), and your dog. Imagine this – no internet, no TikTok, no Instagram, no Google maps, no texting or calls. You may be (forced) to connect with the nature around you or to have to talk to your camping companions via real face-to-face human interactions. Oh, the misery.
Sometimes you gotta hang out the window to find that magical bar of cell signal.
Advertisements
Wrapping It Up:
Is Van Life as Glorious as Instagram Lets You Believe?
The short answer is – well, sorta. Just like anything, there is good and bad. Can it be incredibly enjoyable and look as pretty and glamorous as Instagram shows? Sometimes; but be prepared for plenty of “fun” along the way! You can’t have flowers without any rain – such is life.
Overall, selling my house, our cars, every piece of furniture, lawn equipment, and almost every worldly possession we had, was the best decision of our lives. This has been a meaningful stepping stone in my life, that has morphed into much, much more than just traveling the United States. We have learned how to live more simply, to appreciate the small things. We are experiencing all kinds of different cultures. We’ve eaten more than our fair share of new foods. We’ve seen some of the most incredible vistas and unique landscapes on the planet. And, we’ve grown closer together as a couple along the way – especially when the black tank sprayed its wonderful goop on us both. The memories, experiences, and joys of RV life do not have a monetary value. They’re priceless.
Would we recommend that everyone experience the world through travel like van life? Absolutely yes! Every single time. It’s worth it, even if you don’t think the lifestyle fits you – you’ll customize it to allow you to experience the world in new shades of beautiful. We hope to see you on our next adventure.
Advertisements
Join our [gone] community for updates about van life, travel, minimalism, mental health, and more:
With Harvest Hosts, you can choose many incredible stays that come with unique experiences, privacy, or even life on the farm! Boondockers Welcome is a nice partner program to stay with locals and use their hookups for the night! Keep reading for more.
Have you been scrolling Instagram looking at all of those hippie kids living their happiest life in a van down by the river? Or maybe you’ve seen our top notch social media posts about full-time RV life and it looks like what only happens in dreams. Either way, we want to help you get into living your best life as a digital nomad – or a traveling financial minimalist.
If you weren’t enticed already about outdoors experiences, how about the beautiful face of an Alpaca?
Two Roots Fiber Mill (Harvest Hosts member) – Greeneville, TN
Advertisements
OK, now that I’ve got your attention
One of the best things about owning a motorhome or camper is that you get to set up home wherever you desire next! Are you tired of seeing the same mountain every day? Well, pack up and head to the beach!
Whether you are new to the camping game, or have been doing it for years, there’s so many different ways to experience this lifestyle. The thing I hear from campers the most is that they want new fun ways to stay in the great outdoors, but they also are fed up with packed campgrounds and overpriced nightly rates.
I have the answer!
Harvest Hosts – awesome camping stays!
With Harvest Hosts, you can choose many incredible stays that come with unique experiences, privacy, or even life on the farm! The great thing about Harvest Hosts is that once you pay the yearly subscription, which you can save 15% off with our link here, you don’t have to pay additionally for camping at every stay you choose. It is recommended to buy something from the farm, winery, or museum that you stay at, though. What a small price of admission for an amazing stay.
So what kind of stays can you expect? Well, I can tell you first hand what we have done so far! Scroll through the pictures below to see.
These are just a few of the unique stays we have got to enjoy with Harvest Hosts! There’s so many more though. Recently, we’ve discovered a missile silo that offers tours, a bison ranch, and even a ski resort!
Advertisements
So how does all of this work?
Harvest Hosts normally costs $99/yearly as a subscription.
You can get $15 off yearly subscription with our code here, just use discount code HHFRIENDS15 at checkout for instant savings!
Stay at over 4300+ hosts with no camping fees.
Pick from stays at museums, farms, wineries, attractions, breweries, and more.
Over $1500 in exclusive member discounts to companies such as Goodyear, Jackery, Thousand Trails, and more!
Easy to use Harvest Hosts app you can download on iOS or Android.
Check hosts availability within the app or website anytime.
Plan stays along your travel route with trip routing features within the app/website.
Harvest Hosts – exclusive camping experiences are only a click away!
Boondockers Welcome – safe overnight stays!
There’s also a partner program called Boondockers Welcome
Want to stay at even more places? Maybe you want to stay closer within a big city, or need hookups so that you don’t have to run your generator all night. Boondockers Welcome is a partner program with Harvest Hosts that allows you to stay at even more places!
Advertisements
What’s it like?
Boondockers Welcome normally costs $79/yearly as a subscription.
If you have Harvest Hosts already, and purchase Boondockers Welcome, you save $10 making it $169/yearly to combine the two.
You can save 15% off your Boondockers Welcome subscription with our exclusive link here, just use discount code BWFRIENDS15 at checkout to save instantly!
Stay at over 3000+ places overnight, next to someone’s house or land, so that you can feel safer overnight not being alone!
Hosts can provide unique experiences, tell you about local things to do, and so much more!
Over 70% of hosts provide electrical hookups on site, so no pesky generator needed in most cases.
Small donations are recommended to give to the host if you enjoy your stay.
Take-aways:
We have thoroughly enjoyed our stays with both programs Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome. Between the wineries, museums, and lovely farms, there’s something for everyone. It’s not just the location, but even more so, it’s the people that you get to interact with during your stays. You will get to meet farmers who work their butt off every year to provide food to society. You will see beautiful animals that you don’t even see in many zoos. The kids can enjoy awesome museums and learn about history! Or maybe we can find you at a winery or brewery, discovering your favorite new drink!
We’ll see you at the next farm! 😄
Disclaimer: I am affiliated with Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome, which is why I am able to provide 15% discounts to both services.
Here’s some similar reads to keep you up to date with RV’s:
![10 Tricks for the [Perfect Trip]](https://noplacelikegone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/d3423-wp-10-tricks-for-the-perfect-road-trip-1200-c397-1200-px.png?w=580)
![What’s Your [Camping] Type?](https://noplacelikegone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/cac39-rvs-explained.jpeg?w=580)
No Place Like Gone 