Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

If you are looking for a spectacular way to camp without the crowds and expense of commercial and overcrowded campgrounds, try dispersed camping in National Forests...

If your camper has good boondocking capability, you’ll find this the ultimate form of true boondocking, aka “dispersed camping.”

There are no hookups, no designated campsites, no firepit, picnic table, or anything else looking like a normal campsite.

But dispersed camping just may be the best camping you have ever experienced!

Continue reading Spectacular Dispersed Camping in National Forests at RV Lifestyle.

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How To Keep Bees Away From Your RV

Many RVers love to be outside enjoying nature. Bees are an integral part of nature, doing the huge job of pollinating plants and trees. As they travel from flower to flower, bees collect food to take back to their hives.

Of course, it’s hard to enjoy the natural world when you get stung or your campsite is being swarmed. Bees can be a very real and pervasive problem at many campsites, especially in late summer and fall. Being armed with the knowledge of how to keep bees away from your campsite will help you enjoy nature. It may even save your camping trip from disaster.

Are bees out to sting us?

Honey bees make delicious honey that can be spread on morning toast when we camp. Bumble bees just bounce and bumble clumsily around, collecting nectar from flowers. They’re actually trying really hard to not get in anyone’s way. Most of the time, neither of these types of bees will sting unless they are provoked.   

Honeybees and bumblebees only sting when they perceive a threat to themselves or their hives. However, there are honeybee hives in the southern US that have cross-bred with aggressive African bees. These hives are often far more aggressive than regular honeybees. The honeybees that mix with African bees are more likely to swarm people and sting them aggressively. At the end of the day, honeybees and bumblebees aren’t out to hurt anyone. They just want to collect their nectar and go home. 

Dealing with RV waste isn’t glamorous, but it’s essential. If you haven’t learned how to empty your RV’s holding tanks, start there. But if you’re comfortable with how RV waste systems work, you may want to know what an RV tote tank is and why you might need one. 

What is an RV Tote Tank?

An RV tote tank is a portable waste tank. It allows you to empty the contents of your RV’s holding tanks to the nearest dump station without transporting your entire RV. It’s a popular option for full-time RVers who aren’t always at campgrounds with full hookups, especially campers that tow travel trailers and fifth wheels. 

RV tote tanks come in varying sizes, but most are smaller than your RV holding tanks. That means you may need to make multiple trips to completely empty your tanks. Tote tanks are useful for extending your trip a few more days before it’s time to move your recreational vehicle. 

What are the Pros and Cons of RV Tote Tanks?

There are definite benefits to the ability to dispose of your black and grey water without moving your RV, but there are also some considerations. Let’s look at them closely:

Advantages of RV Tote Tanks

Disadvantages of an RV Portable Waste Tank

Why You Might Need an RV Tote Tank?

RV tote tanks are great for many reasons. First off, always finding RV parks with full hookups isn’t a reality of RV life for everyone. If you’re a weekend warrior, you probably don’t need an RV tote tank because you’re either camping at full hookup sites or staying for such a short amount of time that hitting a dump station on the way home isn’t too much trouble. 

Camping in an RV presents endless opportunities for people to have unique journeys around the globe. There are different levels of camping and adventures, but each requires a baseline of essentials to ensure that you and your group are always safe. Having critical camping gear or a camping “kit” is the best way to go!

Having emergency / essential supplies provides peace of mind and security to any travel environment. Most adventures require you to rely on yourself in some capacity, so having these essentials empowers you to take control of your situation and survive no matter what.

Some essentials can be carried with you, while others are tools, systems, or components that work with your RV. There are survival levels, so it is important to be ready for all of them, even if it is just fixing an AC on a hot day. Essential is essential.

Tools of the (Camping) Trade

Critical gear starts with ensuring your equipment works or can be fixed. A toolbox composed of electrical tape, wrenches, screwdrivers, superglue, self-tapping screws, tinsnips/wire cutters, white lithium or lubricant, and a carpenters knife will cover most jobs that may arise.

Ensure that your tools fit the bolts or screws in your RV, and you will be ready to tackle most jobs. Come to expect minor repairs. For example, lights fall, jackets rip, and leaf springs rattle loose. Good preventative maintenance is one of your best defenses against a crisis or significant problem.

It's time to talk about dangerous weather while camping. You are going to be threatened by it. Because besides sunny weather and blue skies, unfortunately, storms, heavy winds, tornadoes, hurricanes, and hail are also a part of camping life.

So when bad weather hits, what should RVers do?

That's what we discuss in detail in Episode 404 of the RV Podcast, sharing our suggestions and those from the RV community at large.

Continue reading Dangerous Weather while Camping: Staying safe in storms at RV Lifestyle.

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Get all the space you need and more when you take home a Highland Ridge travel trailer with 4 slides! These incredible travel trailers are packed full of amenities and features that will keep you and your entire family comfortable no matter how long you plan to stay! Learn more about four of our favorite floorplans below.

You won’t want to pass up this deal going on right now! You can save over $20,000 on this Highland Ridge Mesa Ride MR330BHS travel trailer that features a bunkhouse and a private master bedroom. Additionally, the interior gives you ample floor space because of the four slides outs!

Additional Features:

Sleeping for seven and two outdoor awnings are just a couple of the features you’re going to love about the Highland Ridge Open Range OT338BHS travel trailer. There’s a full and a half bath on board to ensure everyone has space to get ready for the day, and you’ll love that the outdoor kitchen makes it easy to cook around the campfire! Plan your next multi-family vacation in this amazing travel trailer!

Additional Features:

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Top-Rated Bozeman RV Parks & Campgrounds

Bozeman is a growing university town that has retained its small-town charm. The picturesque town is in the Gallatin Valley and has the Rocky Mountains as its backdrop.

This town has over 300 days of sunshine each year and plenty of indoor and outdoor activities to keep every traveler entertained. Outdoor enthusiasts will love the biking and hiking trails of Gallatin National Forest and nearby Yellowstone National Park. The area is home to streams and rivers brimming with fish. Bozeman has some of the best skiing in the country. Bridger Bowl is popular with experienced skiers, both locals and tourists.

Arts are important in Bozeman, and they have regular symphony, theater, opera, and ballet performances. You won’t want to miss the Museum of the Rockies, which showcases the people and animals who have called this area home for millions of years. The Taylor Planetarium is located on the museum’s grounds and is both informative and fun. Downtown Bozeman is extremely walkable. It is overflowing with amazing restaurants and quirky shops.

So, you want to buy your family an RV? Awesome! RV ownership and all that comes with it can be one of the most rewarding things you can do.

By buying an RV you’ll learn new skills, travel to breathtaking locations, and show your family all that this great country has to offer. There are state parks, national parks, lakefront campsites, and so much more.

Before you hit the open road though, you’ll need to purchase your RV. Where do you start when shopping for an RV? I thought you’d never ask.

1. Start at the Kitchen Table

It might sound kind of odd, but you should really start at your kitchen table. You need to sit down with your family, specifically your spouse or significant other, to go over your finances and potential budget to determine what you can afford. Snacks are optional, but one thing should be mandatory: don’t go into the RV buying process without knowing what you can easily afford.

You should have a full dollar amount that you feel comfortable paying for the RV and a monthly amount that you can easily afford. If you’re taking out a loan to buy the RV (the vast majority of buyers choose to finance an RV purchase) then you need to make sure you have a number that you can pay each month without putting needless strain on your family.

Have you recently retired (or are about to) and are ready to buy an RV so you can spend your retirement exploring the open road? If so, you’ve probably had some worries over what RV is the best fit for your lifestyle.

We’re here to help! First, there are a few questions to ask yourself to narrow down which RV is the best RV for all the adventures up ahead in your retirement.

How Will You Use the RV?

This is the most important question you need to answer before buying an RV. How you use your RV determines the best type of RV for you. Here are some typical scenarios and the implications to consider when searching for the best RV:

Where Will You be Staying?

These are also important qualifying questions. Will your camping mostly be in…:

What Can You Afford?

Only you can answer that, of course. But here are two things to consider:

Just a couple of weeks ago, we shared 15 Ways to Keep Kids Entertained in an RV on a Rainy Day. So, today, we’re going to focus on the adults. We’re going to start off easy but don’t expect all of these activities to be lounging activities… they’re not! Sure, rainy days are a great day to relax, but that doesn’t mean you have to be completely inactive.

Continue reading 7 Best Rainy Day Camping Activities for Adults at RV Lifestyle.

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Make sweet vacation memories at Candy Hill Campground in Winchester, Virginia. Sitting in the Shenandoah Valley, Candy Hill serves as the perfect base camp for exploring a region known for its lush rolling hills, apple orchards and award-winning wineries. Folks who prefer to stay local can relax and enjoy the ample amenities and activities of the campground. Also, Civil War History and rugged hiking trails are on the menu in this northern Virginia destination.

History and Hiking, Above and Below

Visiting history buffs will discover a bounty of Civil War battlefields. Twenty minutes from Candy Hill Campground, the Cedar Creek Battlefield preserves the spot where Confederate forces surprised sleeping Union troops on an early October morning in 1864. In Luray Caverns to the south, visitors can walk through the cathedral-like rooms of the largest caverns in the eastern United States. Adjacent to the caverns, the Car and Carriage Caravan Museum showcases vehicles that transported people over the past century. Marvel at towering rock columns formed over the course of millions of years.

Hikers will be glad to know that Winchester is a short drive from access points to the Appalachian Trail. The Trails at the Museum of Shenandoah Valley constitutes a network of short, kid-friendly paths with some great art installations along the way. Advanced hikers will find thrilling vistas on Signal Knob, a 10.7-mile trek in the George Washington National Forest. This hike culminates on Signal Knob Overlook, once a Confederate lookout.

Candy Hill Campground also sits just 27 miles away from Shenandoah National Park. The sweeping expanse of land preserves 200,000 acres of a landscape dotted with rocky promontories, fields of wildflowers and bubbling streams. Take a hike to the rock formation known as Old Rag, which dishes out a stunning 360-degree view of the surrounding landscape. Ascend the 4,000-foot-tall Stony Man mountain for even more stellar vistas.

Traveling with a dog may seem like a hassle for some, but there are so many great perks that every RVer should consider. Here are the best perks of traveling with a dog, Jennifer and I have been traveling with a dog for over 10 years now. Since day one of our RV Lifestyle, we’ve had a furry travel companion. A BIG furry travel companion…

Continue reading 5 Best Perks of Traveling with a Dog at RV Lifestyle.

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Great RV Destinations: Tall Texan RV Park In Gunnison, Colorado

Colorado is a gorgeous state that has attracted many RVers over the years. Despite its name, Tall Texan RV Park is located in Colorado and stands out from the competition as a great place to stay. It’s nestled along the Gunnison River, in the beautiful Crested Butte Valley, and offers stunning natural views. If you want to enjoy some pristine woodlands, this is a wonderful place to set up camp.

Tall Texan RV Park can accommodate you in comfort with its full hookup RV sites and charming cabins. With its rustic charm and idyllic setting, this park might just become a new favorite of yours! Read below to learn more about the amenities, reservation details, and reviews for this park.

Overview

Tall Texan RV Park is located at 194 County Road 11, Gunnison, CO 81230. This is in the Crested Butte Valley and is a lovely area within a deciduous forest. The park is surrounded by 10 acres of cottonwood trees, which change colors with the seasons.

Like many parks in this area, Tall Texan RV Park is not open year-round. It’s availability spans from May 1- October 1. Colorado tends to get heavy snow during the winter, so the park is closed during this season. 

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Recent inflation on the costs of nearly everything has everyone tightening their belts and looking for ways to save money. With huge leaps in fuel costs, some RVers are even questioning whether they can afford to take an RV holiday this year.

Luckily, there are still painless ways you can cut back on expenses so you can still RV without breaking the bank. Here are our top RVing solutions for affordable travel during these rather expensive times.

1. Camp close to home

Saving money by not driving as far is one option that makes RVing doable. You’d be surprised what you can find right in your own backyard. There are tons of attractive options for affordable RVing close to where you live. Planning your travels with RV LIFE Trip Wizard can help you find the best places close to home.

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RV propane tank covers are pretty innocuous-looking. Usually made from lightweight, hard-formed plastic, RV propane tank covers might not look as though they are really important to keeping your RV propane system functioning safely.

In this article, we’ll discuss what propane tank covers do and why you need them.

Why is it important to protect your propane tanks?

RV propane tank covers are an important part of your RV. They not only make your propane tanks look streamlined and sleek, but they also perform important protective functions for your propane tanks.   

However, these covers are not just about making your tanks look pretty. RV propane tanks contain highly combustible propane gas. Propane tanks and their valves are made of thinly painted metal. Without protective covers, they become corroded and damaged by rain, snow, and flying road debris. 

When it comes to weather, the scenery, and things for RVers to do, Arizona can't be beaten. Here's our list of the BEST places to camp in Arizona. We absolutely love Arizona. We keep going back again and again. For RVers, it has everything; mountains, National Parks, the desert and even beaches, and the London Bridge at Lake Havasu. From Tucson and the Sonoran desert in the south to Flagstaff (where they actually get snow!) in the north, there are few states that offer more places for the RVer to explore.

Continue reading The absolute BEST places to camp in Arizona for RVers (2022) at RV Lifestyle.

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I used to think that having pizza while camping meant finding a local place and ordering delivery — this, despite pizza being a family favorite. To say my family loves pizza would be the understatement of the year. I grew up not far from NYC, and anyone who has tried a delicious slice of NYC-style pizza knows how a good slice can turn around your whole day. And yes, I fold my pizza slices. 

We started eating pizza regularly, so we have changed our Friday meal plan and renamed it “Pizza Friday“. We don’t just do take-out pizza – no way. We have taught our kids how to make homemade pizza, everything from fresh dough to unlimited toppings. The kids have really gotten into creating their own pizza masterpieces.

Pizza Night at the Campsite

It has been fun to see them grow in the cooking process and experience the joy of making something with their own two hands. So it was natural for me to try to figure out how to incorporate our Pizza Fridays while we’re camping. I looked up many recipes on how to cook pizza outdoors. Most of those search results yielded how to do so over a campfire or in a cast iron pan.

I love my cast iron pan and cook many different dishes in it. As for cooking over an open flame, I’ll admit that I have not mastered that type of cooking yet (that excludes my excellent s’mores). And to be a hundred percent truthful, we travel in a Class A motorhome and enjoy bringing along as many of our “at-home “ cooking gadgets with us. This truly makes us feel that we’re home wherever we park our motorhome.

Use a Portable Pizza Oven

Since I’ve taken the lead on cooking outdoors during our trips, I’m facing the dilemma of how to make pizza at the campground. For us and many of you, the best and possibly easiest answer will be a portable pizza oven. I know, I know storage space is at a premium. I already carry at least two grills and adding a pizza oven would definitely make a dent in my precious storage space. After checking out a few on the market, I settled on Pizza D’lite propane-powered kit.

We're big fans of Harvest Hosts, but you don't have to take our word for it. Here are Harvest Hosts reviews that RVers just like you have shared in our Facebook group...

In short, Harvest Hosts is a unique camping membership. You pay a membership fee to join, and then you can stay overnight at different locations for free. While you don't get charged for the camping, members are usually expected to patronize the place they are visiting.

Continue reading Harvest Hosts Reviews: What RVers are Saying (+ Big Discount) at RV Lifestyle.

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