Tips for RV Travel with Kids

Family vacations can be a feat to pull off, and traveling with children of any age can take a toll on even the most patient parents. But RV travel with the family doesn’t have to be stressful. In fact, loading up the kids in your rig can lead to some of the most enjoyable times you might ever have on a family vacation. The following are just a few tips that can help ensure that you and your family are happy, entertained, ready to create some fun vacation memories on your next RV trip:

• Make sure your RV has the sleeping space you require. This seems obvious, but double check that you and your partner will have a comfortable space to sleep as well as your children. Kids love lofted beds that are sometimes found over the driver and passenger seats in RVs, so be prepared for one or two kids to claim that bunk. But also make sure that either the couch or the dining area can turn into additional sleeping space, especially in the event that you have kids that like to spread out on their own.

• Tell your kids to pack up plenty of books, DVDs, toys, and games for the road. Keeping them happy and occupied while traveling is important, and being prepared with a variety of easy-to-do activities will help with this. While it may be difficult to get some kids to just relax, look out the window, and enjoy the scenery, you should still encourage them to do so, and maybe even suggest that they take notes or write a travel journal about what they see and experience.

• Plan for meals and snacks accordingly based on the storage you have available in your rig. Your RV may have a full-size refrigerator, so stocking it as you would the one at home may be a given. But if you have a smaller refrigerator, you may need to get creative with what items you plan to bring. And while it’s always important to be able to fix a snack or meal while traveling in your RV, just remember that the lure of fast food joints and quirky roadside diners will never subside for kids, so be prepared to indulge and eat out every once in a while.

• Choose places to set up camp that have activities for the kids. Whether you plan to stop multiple times throughout your trip or just once when you’ve reached your destination, choose campgrounds that feature fun amenities for kids, such as swimming pools, playgrounds, mini golf courses, and go-kart courses to keep them entertained.

So, before you ready your rig for your next family vacation, review these tips, discuss routes and possible pit stops with your family, and get the kids excited for travel. And before you know it, your kid-friendly trip will be underway!