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In many parts of the country RV’s have been quietly tucked away for a long winter’s nap. This year’s camping season is now just a memory and the countdown has begun for the next camping season. So now it is just time to wait, or is it? We will look at 5 things you can do during the off-season that will give you a head start to new adventures! This blog corresponds to the YouTube video: 5 Things to Do During Off-Season.
Here are 5 things you can do during the camping off-season…
Check in on your RV regularly. If you do this, it will make it easier for issues to not go unnoticed when your RV is not being used. This will allow you to check for intrusions of any kind and remove any accumulated snow. On a recent visit to my R-Pod 179 in storage, I noticed something had chewed off a small piece of rubber casing from the outside cable outlet cover. It was good to know about when this happened so to stay alert for any future issues and put this on the punch list. Basically, when you’re not in your RV you don’t want anyone or anything else to be in or around it either!
Plan trips and book campsites for next season. While many of us see RVing as a freeing experience and just want to wing it, the truth is that those who plan ahead get the best camping spots. We have an entire live show devoted to travel planning off-season if interested. We also have a free State Park Booking Window and Reservation Guide on the site.
Planning is especially important if you will be traveling during peak summer season or if you have a larger RV and need larger sites. It is also vital to plan if you have to have a full hook-up site or just want that one site that is the best in the campground. These filters will mean more scarcity which means you have to book earlier.
Work on any repairs or upgrades to you RV. Off-season is a great time to do repairs and upgrades, especially if your RV is at your home or close by. Obviously, this is weather permitting, but getting to those upgrades you’ve wanted to do can help motivate you for the coming camping season.
One of my absolute best upgrades was to my dinette cushions for both my R-Pod 179 and Keystone Bullet 243BHS. I spend a good deal of time working from my RVs, so good seating foam is essential. This upgrade is fairly easy to do as well, and you can follow along using a video we did when we upgraded the foam. Maybe you’d like to install solar to your trailer or replace the mattress or paint and remodel the interior. These are all good candidates for off-season tasks.
Stock up on routine items. Off-season is a great time to take stock of items you may have depleted during this past camping season. Basically, you don’t want to be scrambling or paying higher prices looking for RV camping or maintenance items when the camping season starts. Likely demand for the items you need will be highest when everyone else is also looking for the same things. Items like water filters, RV toilet paper, holding tank treatment, water and dump hoses, etc., can all be purchased off-season just as easily (and many times cheaper) as when camping season starts. Most of these items are available from our Amazon storefront if interested. Starting your shopping from our store is a great way to support the channel at no additional cost to you.
Research your next RV. Maybe it is time to take inventory of your current RV. Is it still meeting your need? Is your current set up still working for you or is it time to consider a different option? Off-season could be a great time to research a new RV. RVTrader.com is a good place to start to level-set expectations on models available and pricing. If you go this route, it may also be time to prep your current RV for sale as spring comes around.
Bonus Tip: Fly south for the winter! Not ready for the season to be over? Consider traveling south to warmer places. This is a great way to extend the use of your RV during the winter months and is actually very doable if you have a job where you can work remotely (or aren’t on anyone’s time clock). I have done this many times and it has been a very good experience. There is nothing quite like finishing work for the day and then being outside in nice weather in the middle of winter!
There is a bunch of planning to do if you desire to migrate south to warmer areas for the winter and we do have a few videos on the subject. The bottom line is that it is very doable if you have a real desire to do so. If so, you will need to plan well in advance to set up the campsites and stops along the way. There is much more to say on this final tip, but it will have to wait for another blog!
All the best in your camping endeavors!
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