We are pretty new to the RV life in America but did spend a little over a decade exploring Europe in the past. We’ve always been budget conscious travelers and that hasn’t changed when we switched from staying in hotels to our own home on wheels.
We recently shared a post called Wanderlust on a Shoestring, which was geared more towards our experiences with conventional travel. When exploring the country in an RV, you have other “budget traps” which is why we created this RV camping cheap version.
1) Travel in the Off-Peak Season
Just like traditional travel, hitting the road during off-peak seasons can save you a bundle. Campgrounds are less crowded, and rates are significantly lower leads to more opportunities for RV camping cheap. For instance, RVing in popular destinations like Florida during the summer can cut your campground costs in half, despite the hot and rainy weather. We are heading to Florida this summer, and the off-season rate is 20% lower than peak season rates.
As a rule of thumb, peak season for any place is when the weather is nicest. Think winter time in Florida, or Summer for the great lakes. Travelling during vacation times and over holidays can drive up costs even more so look at your calendar carefully if you are considering going to a popular destination.
2) Flexibility with Travel Dates
Being flexible isn’t just about flight and hotel costs. For RVers, flexibility means cheaper campsite fees and less crowded destinations. While there is definitely less variability in the prices of campground between different days, it does pay to keep an eye on weekday discounts that might be available. Use apps like RV Parky or Campendium to find the best rates.
3) Economical Campsite Selection
Instead of staying at high-priced RV resorts, look for state parks, public lands, or even free boondocking sites (more about this later). These locations are not only affordable but often offer a more authentic and serene experience. Remember, amenities vary, so plan according to your comfort with off-grid camping.
One recent example of how widely prices can vary was during our trip to Texas last fall. We stayed at the Woodland Lakes RV Resort which is practically in downtown The Woodlands among residential neighborhoods. Naturally it’s more expensive than some other RV parks in the area due to location and convenience. The nightly published rate is $70 (10% discount for Good Sam members). Our second stop in Texas was Lake Livingston State Park, where the published nightly rate is only $25 (plus park fees). If you want RV camping cheap, we love all that state parks have to offer.
4) Rethink Transportation
One of the benefits of RVing (especially if you tow a trailer) is that you always have your car along. The negative to that is that most of our rigs probably get pretty poor gas mileage even when not towing. We pull with a 3/4 ton Dodge RAM and get about 12 mpg on a good day without a trailer. Those miles (and gallons) can add up quickly.
The easiest way to avoid unneeded fuel costs is to plan your trips as efficiently as possible. One example of that could be bundling multiple stops, rather than heading out for each individual errand.
Another great way to save on gas is to bicycle, scooter or walk when you get to your destination. Most places in the US are not necessarily very walkable, but a few locations are the exception to the norm. We really enjoyed our stop-over in Little Rock, AR a few months ago. All of its downtown attractions are just a few steps away from the Downtown Riverside RV Park. Places like that can really cut down on parking fees, Uber rides and other transportation expenses. To top it off, at $30 per night, this place was a bargain!
5) Cook Your Own Meals
One of the perks of RV life is having your kitchen with you. Save money by preparing meals in your RV instead of going out. Buy at local markets when you can to pick up fresh and affordable ingredients. This not only cuts down on food costs but also lets you enjoy regional flavors.
Eating out is one of our “guilty pleasures” and we like to experience cities through their best rated local eateries. We make our stops count by carefully looking at online reviews and generally won’t go for anything under a 4.6 on Google. We completely avoid the “so-so” places and chain restaurants when there is nothing notable to visit and would rather cook at “home”.
CNET did a very good article comparing the costs of various homecooked meals vs going out for the same kind of food. The savings are truly tremendous.
6) Utilize Travel Apps and RV Memberships
We are members of Good Sam, and occasionally stay at places that are part of their discount program. Most of our savings in this category come from three areas: Costco for gas, Gasbuddy for gas on the road and Love’s and Pilot membership programs, each which currently let you save 10 cents per gallon when you fill up.
Our recent road trip to Texas spanned approximately 2,300 miles round trip and used a total of 210 gallons of gas. Shopping around for gas and making use of discounted gas like Costco and Love’s savings program saved around $30. Not a huge amount considering how much we spent on gas overall, but still the cost of a lunch. If you are traveling long term, that dream of RV camping cheap will go out the muffler.
7) Smart Packing
In an RV, space is at a premium. Packing smartly can prevent overloading your vehicle, which helps with fuel efficiency. Use space-saving techniques and only bring the essentials. Remember, you can always pick up things along the way if absolutely needed. Every items adds weight to the rig, and more weight means less fuel efficiency.
Now. In all fairness, this is probably the tip that saves you the least amount of money during your trip. The EPA estimates that every 100lb of weight savings increases fuel efficiency by 1% on larger vehicles. So, assuming you get about 11mpg with your rig, saving 100lbs of weight saves a whopping $2.48 for every 1,000 miles driven. But the less you have with you, the fewer things you have to sort through when you’re looking for something.
8) Seek Out Free and Low-Cost Attractions
It’s no secret that things have gotten expensive all around, but it feels like attractions and events have really hiked their prices over the last few years. We generally stay clear of the more expensive attractions and look for more economical options.
Many locations have a wealth of free things to explore and experience. We usually start out looking at the local tourist office websites and researching from there. Sometimes you get lucky and find “free admission” days for sites. Sadly we missed one on our last visit to Ft Wayne, but the Ft Wayne Museum of Art offers free admission on Thursday afternoons (versus the normal cost of $25 for a family).
Likewise, many places large and small have free festivals, concerts or movie screenings. Often you can find out about those from the tourist office website as well.
9) Boondocking for Quick Overnight Stops
Campgrounds are often cheaper when staying for a week or longer. We find that our most expensive camping fees can be the “stop-overs” on long trips. These sites are often closer to the highway and can command higher prices than more remote stops.
While more and more places don’t allow overnighting, there are still plenty of places that open their parking lots to tired travelers. Campendium.com has a pretty good overview of places that allow overnighting. Walmart is the classic overnight spot, but other places such as Cabella’s and Cracker Barrel also often allow boondocking.
If you are heading west, there are many more free options available, especially if there is some public land nearby. We currently generally choose RV Parks over Boondocking for overnight spots but we have done some boondocking in the past. One of our most notable overnight stops was when we rented a Class C RV in Europe.
We were driving from Frankfurt to Venice and it began snowing fairly heavily before we reached the Alps. It was getting late and we really didn’t wont to risk crossing the mountains in the dark with heavy snow. Our trusty ADAC Camping guide pointed us to the parking lot of a municipal swimming pool and we were glad to get off the road. We pulled into the lot, walked the dog in the pitch dark, and went to sleep. When we woke up in the morning, the sun was just coming up and we realized we were parked in front of the most stunning vista of the Alps!
10) Book Campsites in Advance
Particularly for popular destinations, booking your campsite well in advance can ensure a spot and sometimes lock in lower rates for RV camping cheap. For high-demand areas, early reservations are a must.
This year, planning well ahead of time paid off for us. We are heading to Florida this summer and knew what campground we’d want to stay at well in advance. We watched their social media and scored a SWEET Black Friday deal which saved us nearly 30% off the published rate. So don’t forget to look for well-timed options.
11) Get Outdoors
Whether you are in a city or the forest, there is much to be seen if you go for a walk, hike, or run. We enjoy taking walks with our dog to help everyone relax as well as to get our bearings in a new place. If you stay at a state park or other natural setting, there are usually lots of hiking trails nearby of varying difficulties which we love to explore. It doesn’t cost anything extra and it’s great for your body and mind!
Traveling in an RV doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune to see the beauty of North America. With these tips, you can make the most of your journey without stretching your budget.
Your turn to share: Do you have any additional RV travel tips to ensure others can go RV camping cheap? Share your experiences and advice in the comments below!
