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Autumn is nearly here, and that means it’s time to start making plans for your fall camping season. There are several things that should be taken into consideration, including where to go, how you’ll stay comfortable, and of course, your roadschooling plan for the new year.
In this article we will discuss all of these things and more so you can head into the fall camping season with confidence.
Make Roadschool Plans
First and foremost, if you haven’t already, you need to figure out what your roadschool year is going to look like. For some this will mean choosing a new curriculum or setting up an online option. For others, it might just mean choosing some reading material to go along with their planned destinations for the next few months.
Whatever school means for you, use this time to make sure what you’re doing is still working and decide what your next steps on your roadschool journey will be.
Go Leaf Peeping
One of the very best things to do while fall camping? Leaf peeping, of course! The way the world changes colors during autumn is just magical, and when you’re in an RV, you have the luxury of finding the most magnificent colors and even following the changing leaves.
Try to plan to be in one of the following locations for some of the best leaf peeping out there:
- North Carolina in mid-October
- Vermont in mid-September
- Virginia in mid-September
- Maine in mid-September
- Arkansas in mid-October
- Michigan in mid-September
- Pennsylvania in mid-September
- Oregon in October
- Vermont in September
…or Chase the Warm Weather
Another option you have when you live in an RV? Chasing the warm weather. If you move south at the right pace, you can actually avoid the chilly fall weather entirely. Start heading south in early September and make your way to either Florida, South Texas, Arizona, or SoCal by the end of November, and you’ll almost never have to deal with bitter cold in your RV.
Plan Simple, Warm Meals
There’s nothing quite like a bowl of warm soup on a cold autumn day. Fortunately, soups, stews, chilis, and hearty pasta dishes are all super easy to make. We recommend investing in an Instant Pot, as well as the slow cooker lid that goes with it. This will allow you to use one appliance for all of your cozy fall-time meals.
Some great fall camping recipes that can be made using this appliances include:
We love that two of these can be left to cook for the day while you’re out and about, and the other one can be cooked in the pressure cooker in a matter of minutes, making it nearly as convenient.
Grab a Space Heater
Every RV comes equipped with a propane furnace. This is lovely when you don’t have access to an electric hookup. However, RV furnaces eat through propane like you wouldn’t believe, meaning cooler temperatures can cost us full timers a small fortune.
The solution? Electric space heaters.
Most RV parks include electricity in their camping fees (unless you stay monthly), so using electric space heaters is free with your stay. Really, even if you pay for your electricity, you’ll likely spend less money running space heaters than you would running your RV furnace.
The one time we do recommend turning on your propane furnace is when the temperature drops below freezing. The furnace will help keep your plumbing warm, so it doesn’t freeze.
Break Out the Layers
Layering up can also be super helpful when it comes to keeping warm. Even if you don’t like carrying bulky coats around, you can keep plenty warm by layering up sweaters and hoodies, even on the coldest fall days. In fact, we prefer layers over big coats because they are more versatile, something that is key when putting together an RV-friendly wardrobe.
We also recommend adding layers to your beds while fall camping. Throwing an extra blanket onto each bed will allow you to run fewer space heaters or turn your thermostat up, something that could save you some money depending on how you’re heating your home.
Invest in a Fire Pit
Chilly weather doesn’t have to mean you hang out inside all the time. You just need to find ways to keep warm so you can stay outside comfortably. The layers mentioned above will help with that, but a propane fire pit is another good tool to add to your arsenal.
Many campgrounds don’t allow wood fires. Keeping a propane fire pit means you can have campfires even when wood fires aren’t allowed. Not only will this keep you warm even after the sun goes down, it’ll also encourage more time spent with friends. After all, what could be better than hanging out with your road friends around a nice toasty fire?
Set Up a Clam Tent
Another way to spend time outside of the RV without freezing to death? A Clam Tent. We absolutely love these large tents because they are tall enough to stand up in and can hold a lot of people. We’ve seen full time families use them as offices, playrooms, party spaces, and more.
A Clam is the perfect place to hang out with friends while fall camping, and if it’s cold outside, a space heater will warm it up quite nicely.
Think About Winter
Finally, it is important that you look ahead to the winter during the fall camping season. Living in an RV means you have to have a plan for the cold weather, and the fall camping season is your last chance to make and solidify that plan.
Basically, you have two choices:
- Head south for winter and continue to enjoy relatively warm weather.
- Continue to travel wherever you see fit and find ways to protect your rig and stay comfortable.
Both are totally feasible.
Heading South
If you plan to head south, the best destinations for winter RVing are the states mentioned above:
- Florida
- South Texas
- Arizona
- SoCal
RV parks in these places do tend to fill up, so you will want to reserve your campsites well in advance.
Braving the Cold
If you plan to brave the cold in your RV, you will want to do the following:
- Buy a heated freshwater hose and heated sewer hose.
- Figure out how to skirt and insulate your RV.
- Get a dehumidifier and some DampRid for getting rid of condensation.
- Keep a generator, some fuel for the generator, and plenty of propane for the RV furnace on hand in case the power goes out.
There you have it, everything you need to know to make the most out of fall camping as a full time RVer. Get ready to have a fabulous fall, y’all!
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