How to Plan a Summer Vacation

Summer’s upon us, so you’re probably looking to hit the road pretty soon to start making memories with your family in your RV. Just make sure you’re taking all the right steps to planning the best summer vacation for them and you. Broadmoor RV has provided a guide to hitting all the necessary bases for creating the best vacation that’s stress free and filled with lots of fun activities. If you still need the RV to match, stop by our location in Pasco, Washington, near Seattle, Kennewick, Walla Walla, Spokane, and Richland. We also serve La Grande, Pendleton, and Hermiston, Oregon.

Choose your Destination

A great way to help get the ball rolling is to figure out where you want to go. This can either come in the form of one final destination you want to hit, or a collection of hot spots you’d like to visit. Head to the coast to take advantage of the warm beach weather, or start exploring some of the other parts of the country for new experiences. No matter where you want to go, having your destination in mind can help you with the next step.

Plan your Route

Now that you know where you’re going, figure out how you’re going to get there. This is going to be particularly helpful for RVers who don’t have as much driving flexibility as commuter vehicles. Think about what kinds of roads you’re most comfortable driving on. Maybe you like the easy pace of a scenic bypass (not to mention the incredible scenery), or maybe you prefer the straight and narrow interstate. Either way, make sure the roads you’re taking are equipped for heavier, longer vehicle units.

Next, do a little math. How many hours will you be traveling and where do you expect to sleep every evening? Whether you can reach your destination in one day or you need a few days to get there, make sure you’re making all the necessary reservations. During peak camping season, you may find most RV campgrounds are tight on space, so reserving spots as early as you can is going to prevent some nail biting later.

Finally, check out some of the attractions you’ll be passing on your way and decide if you want to make a rest stop at a more entertaining location. Whether it’s a major tourist attraction or a quirky offshoot, combining your bathroom breaks with a fun activity can help keep your family engaged and stave off the crankiness that long bouts of travel inevitably bring.

Make your Packing List

Now it’s time to pack and there’s a lot to do. Even if you have some experience in road tripping, if you’ve never travelled in an RV, then you’ll need to prepare yourself for a lot more gear to load. Knowing exactly where to start though can be tricky. We suggest keeping track of all supplies you use on a regular basis. Whenever you do something around the house, make note of everything you used to accomplish the goal, from linens to dishware to food to cleaning supplies and more. This will give you a fairly extensive list, but it’s a starting point.

From there you can remove supplies you won’t need and add any specialty items just for camping, like outdoor sports equipment, powersport vehicles, and supplies to roast marshmallows. If you’re still struggling to get things started, consider looking into some of the smartphone RV apps. These can come with lots of great features, including packing lists. You can start a blank list or you can use one of their pre-generated lists to help you get started.

While you’re getting your family ready, make sure your RV is getting a little TLC before you hit the road. Perform a thorough inspection (and give it a wash if it’s coming out of storage for the first time) and if you spot any maintenance issues, then contact the Broadmoor RV service department to get that taken care of before you hit the road. We welcome all current and future RV owners from Pasco, Seattle, Kennewick, Walla Walla, Spokane, and Richland, Washington, as well as La Grande, Pendleton, and Hermiston, Oregon.