10 Simple Ways to Make RV Driving Days Not Suck

If you’ve been RVing for a while, you’ve probably begun to dread travel days. Other than the new sights to see along your drive, these days can feel endless as you wind along unfamiliar roads to your next destination. 

Luckily, there are things you can do to make driving days tolerable. By adopting a few simple habits, you can cut down on travel time, reduce stress, and make your drives much more enjoyable.

Let’s begin! 

RV Driving Days Aren’t Picture Perfect

You know those movies that make road trips look amazing? They usually involve two or more friends hitting the road and blasting “Life is a Highway” as they excitedly drive towards the horizon. 

We both know this is not a typical reality and that driving days can be stressful and messy. Rarely do we have everything ready to go on time, making our arrival time that much more out of reach. Couple that with potential traffic jams, impromptu fuel stops, and inclement weather, and these days can be downright exhausting. 

So when you feel the drollness of long drives set in, you just need some ways to make things better. 

10 Simple Ways to Make Driving Days Not Suck

The following are 10 easy ways to make the most of your travel days. Keep in mind that you don’t need to adopt every single one of these habits. Even practicing one or two will make your driving days much more pleasant. 

Let’s dig in. 

1. Follow the RV 2/2/2 or 3/3/3 Rule

Not only will the 2/2/2 or 3/3/3 rule make your travel days easier, but they’ll also make them safer. By following this rule, you set limits for yourself and the amount of time you spend on the road.

Basically, the 2/2/2 rule involves limiting your driving to 200 miles per day, stopping for breaks every two hours, and staying two nights in each place. The 3/3/3 rule follows the same guidelines; simply substitute the 2’s with 3’s. This helps you avoid burnout and exhaustion while traveling. 

2. Pack and Prepare the Day Before

How many times have you found yourself rushing around on the morning of a travel day? Yeah, us too. 

On your next trip, prepare for your travels the day before. Simply get your rig road-ready the night before except for the essential items that you’ll need in the morning. Not only will you be ready to leave at your planned time, but you won’t feel so frazzled when you actually hit the road. 

It sounds so simple to say, but for some reason, it’s much harder to do. But we believe in you. 

Pro Tip: If long driving days don’t intimidate you then why not try a cross country road trip in your RV. This is How to RV Across America: The Ultimate American Dream.

3. Leave First Thing in the Morning

This rule goes along with the last one. If your rig is ready the night before, you can wake up early and hit the road right away. You’ll be on schedule and have a clear mind. After all, there’s nothing worse than feeling rushed when traveling to your next destination.

It’s during these times that we can make riskier decisions, which is unsafe for everyone. It’s also nice driving into your campsite with plenty of daylight to spare. 

4. Plan Your RV Safe Travel Route

This is another habit that’s easy to forget. It can be tempting to jump into the driver’s seat and blindly follow your GPS, but planning your route ahead of time is crucial.

Many times, there are unexpected detours, construction, and unsafe roads along our drive. By examining the various ways to get to your destination, you can plan around those unexpected mishaps and ensure the entire route will safely accommodate your RV. 

5. Plan RV Safe Gas Stops

Have you ever needed to stop for fuel but couldn’t find a gas station that was RV-friendly? This can be frustrating, and sometimes we can find ourselves in an impossible situation. To avoid this potential disaster, take a few minutes to look at your route the day before. Most GPS apps have icons that indicate fuel stops, rest areas, and other accommodations.

Are there any fuel stops en route that you know will be RV-friendly? Truck stops such as Love’s, Pilot Flying J, and TA will almost always cater to big rigs. Consider planning your travels based on the locations of these RV-safe fuel stops. 

6. Use a Trip Planner like RV Trip Wizard

If you’re the type of person who loves planning things down to the last detail, RV Trip Wizard is for you. You can plan your route (including fuel stops, campgrounds, and areas of interest), read reviews from other travelers, and avoid low clearance restrictions and steep road grades.

A trip planner will also keep you accountable regarding the number of miles you drive in a day and the amount of money you spend. If this sounds perfect for you, RV Trip Wizard is definitely worth the money at only $49/year. 

7. Use an RV GPS

If you’re not interested in a trip-planning app, consider upgrading to an RV GPS. These navigation systems are specifically designed with RVs in mind.

You’ll get advanced alerts, RV-safe routes, and even campground suggestions. These are features that most standard navigational systems don’t have, and they can be invaluable. For instance, you don’t want to drive hundreds of miles in one direction only to find that you have to turn around because of clearance restrictions. 

An RV GPS will help to prevent this situation by showing these obstacles ahead of time and ultimately making your life easier.

Pro Tip: Long driving days aren’t the only challenging parts of RV life. These are 11 Things No One Tells You About Living in an RV.

8. Prepare Road Trip Snacks and Food Beforehand

Here’s another tip that can make travel days much more enjoyable: Have you ever found yourself starving halfway through a trip with no food? Maybe you’ve had to pull over and make yourself lunch. Or even worse, you’ve had to drive out of the way to find some easy, fast food (guilty!). 

We’ve all found ourselves eating unhealthy on travel days out of pure convenience, and these unplanned stops can eat away our travel time. But if you plan delicious and healthy snacks ahead of time, you’ll arrive at your destination on time and feel good about your choices. Win-win!

9. Don’t Travel on Windy Days or in Inclement Weather

This probably goes without saying, but try to plan travel days around rainy, snowy, or windy days. You may need to plan your driving days at least a week ahead of time and keep tabs on the weather as your travel day approaches. 

Not only will you avoid a potentially dangerous situation, but you’ll also make the most of the time you spend on the road. 

Pro Tip: If you’re new to long, challenging drives, you may want to avoid these Scariest Roads in America.

10. Be Flexible and Adaptable

Last but certainly not least, try to be as flexible as possible on travel days (and really, any day!). If there’s one thing we know about RV life, it can be unpredictable. You truly become accustomed to constantly solving obstacles that come your way. And of course, the more adaptable you are, the easier life on the road will be. 

Going into your road trip with this mindset can make all the difference. 

Make RV Travel Days Easier with These Tips

For most of us, travel days aren’t our favorite days on the road. Yes, it’s exciting pulling into a new campsite, but actually getting there can be taxing. 

By following these simple tips, you can reduce travel time, save money on fuel, and maybe even enjoy the ride.

Now, tell us: How do you prepare for driving days? Drop a comment below!

Sharing is caring!