A couple who traveled across 48 states in an RV share 17 things they wouldn't take a road trip without (2023)

FAQs

What is the 3 3 3 rule for RVing? ›

So, recapping, the RV 3-3-3 rule broken down is to 1) drive no more than 300 miles each travel day, 2) arrive no later than 3:00 p.m. and 3) stay parked for 3 days. This RV driving rule helps to make your RV adventure safer. But also, you and your fellow travelers will enjoy the journey as much as the destination.

The RVing 2/2/2 rule is a safe and effective way to plan your travel. It means drive no more than 200 miles a day, stop every 2 hours, and stay 2 nights in each place. Some RVers also put an appendix on the rule encouraging drivers to arrive at an overnight destination by 2:00 p.m.

It would take about 224 hours of driving (9.33 days) to complete the whole thing. So you could probably do this entire drive in around three weeks…but you should probably take more time to enjoy the drive (and make a few extra detours).

The number of people who can sleep comfortably in an RV varies by model within each class, but it's generally 4-8 people for Classes A and C, and 2-4 people for Class B. However, the number of people allowed to ride in an RV is usually limited by the number of seat belts within the RV.

Declaring your main home

Your main home is the one where you ordinarily live most of the year. This can be a boat or RV even if it doesn't have a permanent location. As long as it contains the required facilities, you can claim it as your main home on your taxes.

The short answer is: Yes, as long as you live in the right place. The primary factor to consider is your jurisdiction's zoning codes. Most cities have rules that require all places of residence (RVs included) to follow the same ordinances.

Generally, to meet the physical presence test, you must be physically present in a foreign country or countries for at least 330 full days during a 12-month period including some part of the year at issue. You can count days you spent abroad for any reason, so long as your tax home is in a foreign country.

The answer is: It depends. For some RVers, driving more than 100 miles a day or so is out of the question, while other road warriors like to cover up to 500 mile or more a day. Still others prefer a sweet spot of somewhere between 200 and 400 miles a day.

Never drive more than 500 miles per day.

When it comes to driving distance, Alaska is the longest. It's a large territory. To begin with, the journey to Alaska is far less challenging than most people imagine.

What is the longest state to drive? ›

The largest state, which is Alaska. It would take almost 24 hours and 1,073 miles to drive from Homer, on the Pacific coast, to Prudhoe Bay, on the Arctic Ocean.

Just make sure you're properly buckled in for your safety. Conversely, sleeping in an RV bed while someone is driving is not allowed. Even if you live in a state where all passengers aren't required to wear a seatbelt, it isn't safe.

Full time RV living has become quite popular in recent years because of everything it has to offer families. For my family, our RV is a home on wheels that gives us the opportunity for everyday adventures. The RV lifestyle gives us complete freedom over where we go and what we do.

However, if you're looking to purchase land and live in an RV full-time, a few states stand out as more accommodating than others. In addition to the ones mentioned above, some of these are: Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nevada, and New Hampshire.

The Rules Of Primary Residence

Where you spend the most time. Your legal address listed for tax returns, with the USPS, on your driver's license and on your voter registration card. The home that is near where you work or bank, recreational clubs where you're a member or other family members' homes.

In addition, a home contains a lifetime of memories, not just a market price. However, though a home is certainly an asset when thinking about your net worth, when crafting your income statement for retirement, your primary home should reside under the expenses column.

Yes, your RV can be a tax write-off, no matter how long you've owned it. New and used RVs are both eligible for tax deductions in many states. If your RV is your home, certain deductions may also apply.

We have seen monthly full time RV living budgets from fellow travelers as low as $1,600 and as high as $5,000. If you really want to go minimal, you can easily live this life for around $1,000 per month by finding a free spot to park your rig for extended periods or by becoming a camp host.

It is financially smart to live in an RV. Living in an RV means living a lot smaller with a lot less stuff. You have less room for everything – clothes, toys, tools and more saving you a lot of money. Along with less space, you save on utilities and home-improvement projects if you own your home.

Can I retire and live in an RV? ›

Depending on your age and financial situation, you can retire and live in an RV. By the time many Americans retire, they live in a paid-off house and have more discretionary income. Moving into an RV during retirement can greatly minimize your monthly expenses and make your money last.

File Form 1116 to claim the foreign tax credit if the election, earlier, doesn't apply and: You are an individual, estate, or trust; and. You paid or accrued certain foreign taxes to a foreign country or U.S. possession.

Give Form 673 to your U.S. employer to claim an exemption from U.S. income tax withholding on wages earned abroad to the extent of the foreign earned income exclusion and foreign housing exclusion. Your employer will then withhold the correct amount of federal income tax from your pay.

Boondocking in an RV is when you camp without hookups to electricity, water, or sewage. You can boondock in many different ways, like staying overnight in a business parking lot or camping on public lands.

The 17 mile drive is widely recognized as one of the most scenic roads in the world. It's also RV friendly and we saw fellow RVers traveling on this iconic treasure. This Monterey road takes you through pebble beach golf course and is in a gated private community just off the PCH.

Driving Going to the Sun Road

Size restrictions apply on Going to the Sun Road. Your vehicle cannot be longer than 21 feet, including bumpers and no wider than 8 feet, including mirrors.

A 100-gallon fuel tank that gets 8 MPG can go 800 miles before refilling. However, a 25-gallon fuel tank with 16 MPG can only travel half that far. A Class C sits somewhere in between with a 60-gallon fuel tank. If you get 14 MPG, you can travel about 640 miles between fill-ups.

Whether you plan to explore beautiful destinations or settle into a convenient park, RV living can be economical and satisfying. There are more than a million Americans who live in their RV full-time. Many say they are happier and that the full-time RV lifestyle has improved their relationships.

While the standard RV will average about 10 miles to the gallon, the size of your RV can have a positive or negative impact on fuel economy. As illustrated by the chart below, the larger the rig, the more gas it consumes.

Average MPG for a Class A Gasoline Motorhome

Depending on size, weight, and other variables, large gasoline-powered Class A motorhomes typically get between 6-10 miles per gallon in ideal conditions.

What is the hardest city to drive in us? ›

The worst cities for driving are New York City, Chicago, Miami, Austin, and Los Angeles. Chicago drivers lost an average of 104 hours to traffic congestion during peak rush hour in 2021.

I-129, which is located 4 miles (6.4 km) southeast of US 77, is the shortest state highway at 0.286 miles (0.460 km) in length. In each instance, the highway crosses the Missouri River from Nebraska and ends at I-29.

Key findings:

Connecticut has the best drivers nationwide. States with a high number of DUIs also ranked high for other dangerous driving behaviors like speeding and accidents.

Answer: Rhode Island – more precisely the “State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations”, which is the longest official name of any state in the United States – and for what happens to be the smallest state (by area).

Best Free RV Navigation App

Google Maps (Android and Apple) is by far the best free option out there. This app allows you to add stops, avoid tolls, and much more. That said, Google Maps was not made with big rigs in mind.

For every 4.5 hours driving you should take breaks amounting to 45 minutes. For long-distance driving, this means you can drive around 500 miles safely in a day. You should adjust this figure based on the speed limit and likelihood of other circumstances such as toll roads, fatigue, and extended traffic or breaks.

When you're RVing on a budget, these costs can add up quickly. The cheapest way to camp is by boondocking, which is also known as “dry camping” without electricity or water hookups. Typically, boondocking RV sites are on public land and are either very low-cost or completely free.

RV air conditioning can be used while driving. This includes both the rooftop air conditioner and dashboard air conditioner. However, d epending on what source of energy you use, you may only be able to use the dashboard air conditioner.

Can you use an air fryer in an RV? ›

RV Cooking Made Easy

First, the best RV appliances are ones that are easy to use, can cook a wide variety of foods, and are practical to use for every meal of the day. The air fryer certainly fits this bill. Air fyers are truly RV cooking made easy.

It's illegal to sleep, walk around or even be inside an RV like a travel trailer, fifth wheel or any kind of pull-behind campers while it's moving. However, you can sit inside a Class A, B, and C motorhome that has seat belts, and you can legally use some of the facilities inside while driving.

34% are between the ages of 18 – 54 and 66% are 55+.

The short answer is that the average lifespan of an RV is around 20 years or 200,000 miles, whichever comes first. But the answer isn't quite that simple.

There is one that is even cheaper! That state is Montana. Montana has no sales tax and no personal property tax.

The Three Best States for Full-time RVer Domiciles

The best states for full-time RVer domiciles generally come down to Texas, Florida or South Dakota. All three states are income tax-free, the government entities will accept mail-forwarding addresses and they are headquarters for mail-forwarding services.

Whether you choose to move around the winter wonderland or try winter camping in one place, with a bit of planning and preparation, you'll find full-time RV living perfectly doable, and more importantly, enjoyable.

The ten-year rule at RV parks. “The Ten Year Rule” is a code that's enforced at many upscale RV parks around the country. The rule implies that RVs older than 10 years are too weathered and worn and should be prohibited. The rule is often enforced regardless of how pristine the RV actually is.

You know where to go and what to do, but how long can you boondock in an RV? Some national forests and BLM areas allow boondockers to stay up to 14 days. Others will place a limit to typically under a week. Designated campsites and parking lots will likely have stricter guidelines about how long you can stay.

How far should you travel each day in an RV? ›

The answer is: It depends. For some RVers, driving more than 100 miles a day or so is out of the question, while other road warriors like to cover up to 500 mile or more a day. Still others prefer a sweet spot of somewhere between 200 and 400 miles a day.

RV shipments are expected to fall through the first half of 2023 as consumers are squeezed by inflation, higher interest rates, and a slowing economy.

However, these campgrounds are independently owned and operated. What is this? This means that each KOA writes its own rules and regulations. So while there's no KOA corporate policy regarding the 10-year RV rule, some could enforce it.

RV and camper financing terms generally range between 10 to 20 years. Most lenders offer flexible financing terms for new and used RV loans and refinancing. Options include choosing a shorter financing term with a higher payment, while others may choose a longer term with lower payments.

Many “professional” dry campers are able to last 10-14 days without refilling water or needing to dump their tanks. This may be longer than you ever plan to dry camp, but with practice, most could easily last three or four nights. Dry camping may seem overwhelming and difficult if you have never tried it before.

Approximately 98% of national park campgrounds can accommodate RVs up to 19 feet long. You still have a good selection if your RV is smaller than 25 feet more than 90% of parks permit that length. The number of available campsites drops if your RV is 29 to 32 feet long since about 80% of parks will let you in.

Limited storage space

One of the biggest drawbacks of living full time in an RV is the lack of storage space. Most RVs try to include as many cabinets and closets as possible, but there's only a certain amount of space available. By necessity, most full time RVers need to embrace a minimalistic lifestyle.

Many big rig motorhome drivers say they could easily drive upwards to 700-800 miles a day.

Drive no more than 200 miles in one day. Stop every two hours for a stretch break. Arrive at the campground by 2 p.m. Stay at least two nights at the same campground. This is the 2/2/2 rule.

What time of year are RV prices the lowest? ›

On average, motorhomes and travel trailers are at their cheapest at the end of the year. You can also benefit from good deals in the neighboring months of November and February — after the high season ends and before the next spring season starts up.

Brand-new RVs start losing value as soon as they're driven off the lot and continue to lose value throughout the first year rapidly. The RV depreciation rate increases at a steady rate after that until your RV hits double digits in age. Once an RV is ten years old or older, its value drops more rapidly.

Is an RV a Tax Write-Off? Yes, your RV can be a tax write-off, no matter how long you've owned it. New and used RVs are both eligible for tax deductions in many states. If your RV is your home, certain deductions may also apply.