How to Plan an RV Trip Across America: From Camping Experts

Road Trip Planning for the Ultimate RV Adventure

Welcome to the exhilarating world of RV travel! Road trips are more than just miles on the highway; they create memories that last a lifetime!

Our approach is practical, drawing from our extensive travels across 26 states and numerous national parks like Badlands, Yellowstone, and Glacier. Each journey has been a learning experience; today, we’re sharing that expertise with you. We’re not just suggesting routes; we’re inviting you into the heart of family adventure.

Whether you’re planning a monumental cross-country voyage or a delightful excursion just miles from home, the best road trips are planned. We’ve navigated through the diverse landscapes of America, from the rustic charm of Kentucky to the Alpine slopes of Glacier National Park.

So, let’s dive into how to plan an RV trip across America, meticulously covering every detail across the vast expanse of America, a neighboring state, or a cozy local campground.

Stay tuned as we unfold the secrets to a successful and joyous RV trip, peppered with our personal insights and practical tips. Welcome aboard the adventure of a lifetime!

TL;DR: Mastering RV Trip Planning

Planning an RV trip, whether across America or to local destinations, is both an exciting and meticulous process. Our journey at Our Campfire Unplugged is enriched with tools and experiences that shape unforgettable trips:

Essential Tools for RV Planning: Among our essential RV trip planning tools are digital and traditional options like Facebook, RV Life Trip Wizard, Reserve America, and state park websites. A good old paper atlas also finds its place in our toolkit.
Planning Process Insight: Our planning starts about 12 months ahead, considering destinations and routes, and is fueled by tools like RV Life Trip Wizard for detailed campground information and reviews.
Practical Tips and Resources: We share our step-by-step planning process through detailed blog posts and YouTube tutorials, offering practical insights and visual guides for fellow RV travelers.

Whether it’s a cross-country adventure or a seasonal trip, our planning is thorough, ensuring each journey is as enjoyable as it is memorable. Embrace the true spirit of American RV travel with us at Our Campfire Unplugged!

What Tools do we use to Plan RV Trips?

Here’s a quick list of the various tools, apps, websites, etc. we use to plan our RV trips:

Facebook (App / Website)
RV Life Trip Wizard (RV and Motorhome Trip Planner App / Website)
Reserve America (Website)
Kentucky State Parks (check your state’s park website) (Website)
Good Sam and/or KOA (Websites)
Google Maps for road trip planning
Paper Atlas (Good ol’ paper)

Where do We Start?

In planning an RV vacation, let your imagination and dreams guide you. We find the only things stopping us are time for travel and budget available for travel. Put on your dreaming cap!

Cross-country trips

Map of RV Trip Wizard - plan your RV Trip

Our definition of a cross-country trip has changed from when we first started camping. And it will continue evolving. Initially, when learning how to plan a road trip in America, I envisioned going from coast to coast while stopping at every National Park and ball of twine.

I learned quickly that wasn’t realistic for us. I now understand how to plan an RV trip cross country, seeing it as a multi-state journey with overnights in various states. For example, our Great Lakes adventure in 2021, Gettysburg / Niagara Falls / Cedar Point in 2022, or our winter trips down to Florida and Charleston.

Lake Erie and Cedar Point — Lake Erie with Cedar Point in the distance.

That’s what’s so great about RV travel, there is no one single answer. You get to do what works for you and your family. In many ways, RV travel provides an opportunity to embrace a modern-day American Adventure.

I digress.

Sara handles the fine print details (e.g., calling and reserving campsites)!

Seasonal Trips

Our family RV trip planning involves working together on our seasonal camping agenda. We have kids, so planning for the entire year at once is challenging. We want our kids to be involved in activities at school, so we have to patiently wait for schedules to come out so we can align our trips.

Sara recently created an RV trip planning guide detailing her step-by-step process.

Below, I’ll demonstrate how to plan an RV trip using tools like RV Life Trip Wizard. We love RV Life Trip Wizard and recommend it to all the RV travelers we know.

Epic Cross-country Trips!

Planning our RV Trip Across America generally starts about 12 months out.

RV travel itinerary planning begins with deciding on the region and destinations. From there, I begin picturing maps in my mind of what our route might look like. Then, I use a paper atlas (like a Truck Atlas) to determine if my envisioned route aligns with the best RV travel routes.

With my rough sketch of the route, I begin looking and planning for about 500 to 600 miles out, where we will stop for an overnight or maybe a few days, depending on what activities are available.

For example, on our Gettysburg trip, each leg of the trip led to a destination we wanted to visit. Our Epic Western Adventure of 2023 required a few stopovers from Kentucky to the Black Hills of South Dakota!

Want to learn more about the Black Hills of South Dakota?

Mount Rushmore near sunset — Mount Rushmore

It’s time for the Magic of RV Life Trip Wizard

As an RV road trip planner, RV Life Trip Wizard is a favorite because it lets me search for RV parks in specific areas based on particular criteria. For example, the Wizard will enable searches by private campgrounds or state parks, review rankings, amenities, etc. Using the webpage for the Wizard, I select several RV parks and use the pictures to find campgrounds that look nice.

Also, the Wizard includes user-generated reviews. I find these helpful because visitors taking time to leave a review either liked the place and enjoyed their stay or had some particular issues.

Both are helpful.

Plus, users typically submit pictures. I do my best to contribute back to the community. Consuming content is good, and contributing is helpful for all of us. After all, we all want to read first-hand unbiased reviews of campgrounds.

I created a FREE step-by-step tutorial, which is available HERE. This simple PDF document illustrates my steps and some quick notes on how I planned a quick trip from Louisville, KY, to St. Louis, MO.

What how we use RV Life

The video and instructions illustrate a one-stop trip. For a multi-stop trip, repeat the process until you complete your route or journey. It’s the same rinse-and-repeat process.

Drawbacks

The biggest drawback is I can’t find a way to book campsites directly in RV Life Trip Wizard. Once we figure out our campgrounds, we must book using the campground’s website (e.g., Reserve America, KOA, specific site, etc.).

February 2024 Update – RV Life Trip Wizard includes a link to the campground’s website. This makes reserving a campsite easier!

Looking for a Free RV Road Trip Planner

One free option is Adventure Genie. This tool uses AI to help plan an optimal route and suggest campsites along the way.

Without registering, I created the simple map below. I must investigate the stops and campgrounds, but this process speeds up planning!

A paid version is available for approximately $50 that offers tons of benefits including building sample itineraries.