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stamppeddler's avatar
stamppeddler
Explorer
Dec 24, 2013

So how do you full time in your RV?

My better half and I are fairly new to full timing in our 5'er. We talked about it for almost a year before selling our house and taking the plunge last September. For the most part our experience has been good to date. We moved into an RV park in our home town for a month while we tried to get rid of stuff that we couldn't bring on the road with us. Then as the weather cooled off we headed to the coast for another couple of months before heading south to follow the sun.

Reading the various topics in the forums about what exactly defines a full timer, or whether or not to use tp in your black tank, or what is the difference between boondocking and dry camping, I couldn't help but think about some of our experiences and the places and people we've encountered along the way.

Some folks seem to travel in groups ( friends, family, hobby, or interest ) following fairs, or rodeos, concerts or what have you. Some folks stay for months on end in one place and have 2, 3 or 4 regular stops on their annual circuit. Then again some folks seem to dry camp on BLM land, while others camp in national or state parks. Here in Yuma where we are spending the winter, some parks are 5 star private resorts with fabulous amenities, while other parks are bare bones with nothing to offer but parking. The choices seem endless, there is something for everyone at every price point.

I ask the question out of curiosity. We have no set plan or destination in mind other than to be warm and in a sunny clime in the wintertime. So far we have only boondocked in a parking lot once. We have not stayed in a state park or on BLM land yet, we have only stopped at RV parks. A couple were awesome! A couple were tight and not so nice. We're in a nice comfortable park now and are taking day trips exploring the area.

I'm curious to know how you full time? What type of park or campground you prefer and why? Any favorite circuits? Lone wolf or part of a group? Favorite places? Near cities or as far from them as possible? Like I said, we are new to this lifestyle and have too much time on our hands :)

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  • MCIbus's avatar
    MCIbus
    Explorer
    Dec 25, 2013
    Wife and I make most of our money from media type jobs.

    Most years we will do the NASCAR thing (I hate racing).
    The winter I spend working at a x-mas tree farm.
    I know a lot of farmers that need temp help for a month or so during the year and love the work.
    We also spend a lot of time parked in the yards of family members.

    We are set up so that we can do about 10 to 14 days between dumping and if we can get a 20 amp outlet for power were fine.
    If were chasing NASCAR then we will stay in a campground 1 or 2 days a week and event camping the rest of the time.
  • Dog_Folks's avatar
    Dog_Folks
    Explorer
    Dec 25, 2013
    How do you full time?

    Do you mean this year? We have found our lifestyle constantly changing and evolving.

    Right now, we campground host at a COE park in the summer in the "north."

    Rest and do nothing for three or four months each winter in our home state of Florida at a small private campground.

    In between the two places we take our time, travel and explore. When traveling we use state,national, and COE parks. Besides my Access Pass, those have always been the type pf campgrounds we prefer.

    In the next few years? I don't know what or how, but I do know that I will love it. There is none better than this lifestyle.
  • BIKERK9's avatar
    BIKERK9
    Explorer
    Dec 25, 2013
    Been full timing for 3 years now. When traveling from point A to point B, there are many options available to spend a night at no cost. Being a member of Thousand Trails, Coast to Coast, Retired Army, National Parks Pass, BPOE, VFW and American Legion allows me short and lengthy stays at a savings. I also have my own personal RV spot 24/7/365 in a Palm Springs resort. With my RV, in its' garage is my full dress harley and a golf cart. In tow is my toyota pick-up for when weather is not for 2 wheels. I have 4 solar panel on top that allows me to boondock in deserts and along lakes and rivers where electricity is not available.
  • noplace2's avatar
    noplace2
    Explorer
    Dec 25, 2013
    We've been fulltime, really traveling, for 13 years. As others have stated, the experience can be anything you wish to make it. We did this to see things we've never seen, relax and enjoy life. We've been pretty good at it :).

    We are possibly different than the greater percentage of fulltimers. We are friendly. We'll say good morning etc. and I will be more than happy to help you with anything I'm capable of and you ask. What we are not is social. We have no desire to sit out in lawn chairs getting drunk (or not) and exchanging banalities ad nauseum or playing cards, etc.

    We enjoy being off the beaten path and the highlights of our time on the road have been those far removed from other people.

    You can see that this experience is predicated on what YOU want, need, desire. Only you can decide what you want it to be. The experiences of others might be entertaining, but that's all they should be. Do your own script and get out there and enjoy it.
  • Teacher_s_Pet's avatar
    Teacher_s_Pet
    Explorer
    Dec 25, 2013
    We seldom boondock, most of our stops have been in RV Parks, COE Parks, State Parks, city RV parks, and county parks with RV sites. We do stay in Mission Texas 3-4 months every year close to my in laws who winter there and almost 90.

    BTW a neighbor here in the park is from Kamloops, one of the few Canadians we've met from BC. Most of the Canadians that winter here are from Quebec and are a fun loving bunch.
  • BarbaraOK's avatar
    BarbaraOK
    Explorer
    Dec 24, 2013
    After 8 years we have settled into somewhat of a routine. Spend the winter in Arizona and then up the west coast in the spring. Each spring we take a different route, though it usually involves a few weeks in on of the many wine areas in California

    We then spend some time in the PNW since my 91 year old mother is there. After the 4th of July we head out for somewhere with the knowledge that we need to be in Tyler, Tx by the 1st of November for our annual checkups. Spend Thanksgiving with our DD and SIL in Tx and then in mid December we head back to Arizona for the winter.

    We did up the east coast one spring, never again. To many storms to deal with. But the east coast in early fall is great and we have enjoyed it many times. Also have decided we didn't like Florida (to many bugs) nor the Rio Grande Valley in Tx (to much dust) for the winter, but we do like the great Phoenix area.

    Barb
  • Bill_Satellite's avatar
    Bill_Satellite
    Explorer II
    Dec 24, 2013
    We stay at all of the types of sites you mention. Based upon where we are headed and how long we want to stay and what we want to do and what's convenient nearby and how's the weather (yes, we may or may not need/want utilities) we make a decision as to what makes the most sense for that particular segment of the trip. We traveled with a business partner for a year and while it was necessary, it's not something I would like to have to do in the future. I am always happy to meet someone at the next destination should we both end up there, but how we get there and when will always remain our decision. If we don't make it at all then that's OK, too.
  • Wingnusa's avatar
    Wingnusa
    Explorer
    Dec 24, 2013
    I guess the easiest thing to say about our method of traveling is erratic. We would never be able to travel with anyone else because many times we'll be heading one place and end up somewhere else because of an out of the way place we discovered. That's how we found the little park here in FL that we come back to every winter.

    We don't make it a point to Wallydock but sometimes it works well. We find shooting ranges that will let us boondock there as long as we're spending money there shooting. And for Brenda, Casinodocking is always an option...

    Don't let anyone give you grief over staying in RV Parks. They are safe in this nutty world. We've never had a problem in a park but still prescribe to the statement of trust your neighbors but lock your door. State and National Parks are good to stay in as are COE parks.
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Dec 24, 2013
    We headed N/E from So. Cal to tip of Maine
    Then down the east coast
    Then N/W from FL to WA
    Then down west coast
    Then east to east coast
    Then north thru inland
    Then west across top of US
    Then we zig-zag across US
    Then we went across US thru the middle
    Then we went north then east then south then west

    We plan a direction and then go.
    We hit the road to travel
    We stay in one place long enough to explore/adventure around the area
    Talk with locals to find the hidden spots

    We travel as much as possible on secondary/back roads
    And we travel MAX of 250 miles on travel day---which is typically Mondays (hit the road at 10am---in CG by 3pm at latest)
    WE stay in membership CGs (bought cheap via resale), COEs, state/national parks, city parks, fairgrounds, boondock (out in the dirt not Walmarts etc).

    We travel by ourselves.......have met/made friends and see them in different locales as we travel. Not planned just happens.

    It is what YOU make it........your choice.
  • Larryzv7's avatar
    Larryzv7
    Explorer
    Dec 24, 2013
    Well as I’ve already mentioned here, I rarely if ever go to private RV parks, especially now that I’ve learned that they charge extra for electricity if you’re going to stay a month or so.

    I am a military veteran with a service connected disability and I use the benefits that I have at my disposal. I can camp at military RV campgrounds, many which are on military bases, and they are like resorts to me because they have lots of amenities and do not charge you extra for electricity if you’re staying a few months.

    Most military bases have movie theaters, fitness centers and swimming pools which I can use. I sometimes eat at the chow hall with the troops where I find excellent companionship. They also have medical facilities which I can use and a lot of other amentias.

    I also camp at National Parks for half price with my “Golden Access” card and in many States I can camp for free at State Parks because of my disability. In my opinion State Parks have a different feel to them than National Parks, and both State and National Parks are a lot different than military RV campgrounds.

    So I do have some variety in my campgrounds; all military RV parks are not the same, some provide cable T.V. or internet service included in the camping fee. Some military bases have Christmas & New Years pot luck get together at their RV campgrounds, and they have various activities and events on certain holidays, Veterans Day, etc.

    During the summer months I usually go to State Parks located right on the ocean in California and in the winter I’m inland, sometimes at a State Park in the Mojave Desert. I am somewhat of a snowbird as I do try to avoid the snow and even sometimes try to avoid the cold temps.

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