Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

Most of us associate summer with some form of camping or outdoor recreation. But not all national parks are great summer destinations. Many parks in the Sun Belt, for example, experience sweltering temperatures. So if you want to check off a few destinations on your national parks bucket list this year, you’ll need to focus on the best national parks to visit in the summer in the U.S. 

As a general tip, many U.S. parks experience the height of visitation during the summer months. You’ll need to plan ahead to secure campsite reservations, book guided tours and research safety tips for the activities you want to do once you reach your destination. 

Because national park campgrounds fill up quickly, consider campgrounds outside the park too. Park campgrounds can also get expensive, and because they see such high visitation, keeping up with maintenance can be tough for park staff, especially toward the end of the camping season. 

Good Sam Parks provide an affordable alternative to camping inside the parks during peak season. Good Sam members can save big with a 10 percent discount at any of our 2,000-plus Good Sam Parks across North America. Sign up online to purchase a membership or simply buy it at the Good Sam Park you visit (discounts apply immediately).

The 10 Best U.S. National Parks To Visit in the Summer

That being said, your journey begins with a simple decision: deciding which park to visit and planning your national parks road trip! So here are a few of the best U.S. national parks for summer trips: 

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The Pros And Cons Of Group Camping 

Group camping can be a fun way to spend time with friends, family, and colleagues. Some people have found that it’s a great way for them to have fun and bond, while others think it is crowded, overwhelming, and not worth the money. Both experiences can be true, so it’s important to explore the pros and cons of group camping. 

Many people have gone camping with their families or friends in the past, but as you add more people into the mix, there’s more potential for fun and disaster. Preparation is always important, but there are some commons pros and cons that are worth remembering.

If you’re interested in group camping, we’re here to educate you about what it is and why people do it. There are lots of positive aspects of the experiences, but there are negative ones as well. Many of the aspects we’ll discuss below will vary depending on the specific campground/campsite you’re using. These are generalizations, but they are good guidelines that will help you determine if group camping is a good option for you.

What is group camping?

First off, let’s give a quick explanation about what group camping is. The name is pretty self explanatory, but it’s a practice that’s becoming more widespread and popular nowadays. Group camping means that a group of people (usually 10 or more) reserve a specific site/sites within a campground and spend the majority of their time together.

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How To Deal With Highway Traffic In Your RV 

Driving an RV in heavy highway traffic can be very stressful. As much as we may not like it, we’re going to run into highway traffic at some point in our RV life. 

While we may not be able to avoid highway traffic in our RVs, there are things we can do to increase our own safety and the safety of others until we can get out of it. We researched to find the best tips to help you deal with highway traffic in your RV. 

 1. Plan your trip to avoid highway traffic.

Plan your route with RV LIFE Trip Wizard and the RV LIFE App so you’ll know exactly where you are going. Google Maps can also advise you on how to avoid highway traffic. However, whenever using Google Maps in your RV, you should always double-check the satellite view of the map. Google has sent more than a few RV travellers down roads that were definitely not designed for RV travel. RV LIFE Trip Wizard will always show you RV-friendly routes, wherever you are headed. 

2. Be well rested when you start driving.

It’s a lot harder to deal with the nuances of crazy highway traffic when you are tired. Make a point of getting a good night’s sleep before you leave on your trip so you’ll be alert and ready to react to changes in the environment on the road.  

The forums at RV.net reveal a common fifth wheel hitch mistake that often happens to new (or even experienced) fifth wheel owners. This mistake has to do with using a fifth wheel hitch improperly, but the good news is that it can be avoided fairly easily.

The All-Too-Common Fifth Wheel Hitch Mistake

Imagine you’ve driven several hundred miles to your destination. You’ve been in your truck for hours, and you finally arrive at your campground. You’ve positioned your fifth wheel on the campsite after a couple of attempts and some slight adjustments. Everything is perfect.

You add wheel chocks to hold your fifth wheel in place, lower your landing legs, disconnect from your fifth wheel trailer hitch, and extend your slides. You set up your camping chairs around the fire pit and start prepping dinner. That’s when you realize you’re out of cooking oil and need to make a store run. Or maybe you just need drinks or sides to go with dinner. 

You double-check that the cables are disconnected between your truck and fifth wheel…all good there. So you hop in your truck, shift into drive, start to pull away, and then CRACK! What mistake did you make?

The answer: you forgot to lower the tailgate! As a result, your fifth wheel pin box dented your tailgate. 

If you are looking for an RV to take you and your family around the country or just to your local campground, you’ll find an incredible deal on your favorite brands when you shop used RVs! Check out these five amazing pre-owned RVs on sale today at fantastic prices you won’t want to miss. Learn more below.

Save on this luxury fifth wheel when you snatch up this incredible used 2022 Alliance Paradigm 354RD today! This unit is in fantastic condition and features two separate living areas so that you can easily entertain friends and family. You’ll love that the basement pull-out storage tray gives you ample space for your outdoor gear and camping equipment.

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Set up your home away from home for an unbeatable price when you take home this used 2018 Forest River Salem Villa Series 4092BFL destination trailer. This floorplan features a loft with sleeping space for the kids and private master bedroom. The living room offers plenty of seating space, and you’ll love the kitchen island with a dual basin sink.

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When you first lay eyes on Lake Tahoe, it’s almost hard to believe it isn’t a protected national park. But for the millions of visitors that flock here each year, that means unprecedented public access to some of the clearest water in the world. 

There’s no shortage of fun in the Tahoe Basin, from motorized or human-powered boating to exploring the Sierra Nevada mountains on foot or bike. To help you set up your RV as an adventure sports basecamp in Tahoe, here’s everything you need to know about Lake Tahoe camping. 

How To Get To and Around Lake Tahoe

A common remark that I hear from visitors is, “I didn’t realize it was so spread out.” Indeed, the lake is approximately 22 miles long, 12 miles across, and 72 miles in circumference. Because of the windy mountain roads, RVers will need to travel slowly and carefully when visiting Lake Tahoe. 

Be aware that it usually takes about two hours to drive around the entire lake–if you don’t run into any summer traffic. There are multiple ways to get to different parts of the lake. So here’s a quick rundown: 

From The East

If traveling in from the east, the two main cities before Lake Tahoe are Reno and Carson City. From Reno, you can take Interstate 80 to the town of Truckee. From there, you’ll have the option of taking Highway 89 to Tahoe City or Highway 267 to Kings Beach. 

Portable generators are a great addition to certain camping setups. They give you a safe power supply when you’re not camping with full hookups and can extend your boondocking trips. They can also be great for backup power at home during power outages. But you should know how to hook up a portable generator to use this RV accessory safely. 

Disclaimer: Read all operating instructions and safety precautions for your generator BEFORE starting it and plugging in your RV. Generators are different, so additional steps may be required for your specific model. 

How To Choose The Right Portable Generator

It all starts with choosing a generator model that can supply enough power for your RV. RVs have different electrical demands, which means there isn’t a one-size-fits-all option. 

Please watch the video above to learn more about choosing a generator for your RV. But at the basic level, here are the minimum recommendations for generator size based on RV electrical systems: 

Practice Generator Safety First

Hooking up a portable generator the right way will help to ensure your safety and the safety of your fellow campers. But there are some other generator safety tips and tricks that you should be aware of before you ever hook up your generator and fire it up. 

It’s no secret that summer is the most popular time of year to go camping. The long days, warm nights, and generally great weather make it the ideal season for travel and spending time outdoors. But when the mercury starts to climb—and the temperature moves from warm to scorching hot—camping in the heat can become an uncomfortable experience.

Fortunately, it isn’t hard to make a few adjustments and learn how to stay cool camping. Here are some tips for staying comfortable that don’t involve huddling inside the RV with the air conditioning blasting.

Stay Hydrated

One of the most important ways to stay cool and safe in the summer heat is to drink plenty of fluids. When your body starts to overheat, it begins to sweat in an effort to cool itself down. But if you’re not adequately hydrated, you may not be able to create the perspiration you need to maintain a safe temperature. This can lead to dangerous conditions like dehydration or heatstroke.

Drink plenty of water while active in the outdoors and enjoy other cool drinks while relaxing at the campsite. However, be careful not to indulge in too much alcohol when outside in hot conditions. Alcoholic beverages can actually cause dehydration, so save those for later in the day when temperatures are cooler.

Have a go-to insulated cup, mug, or thermos and keep it filled with fresh drinking water.

Major League Baseball season is in full swing. You can put a new spin on your experience by adding an RV to your roster of fan essentials. An RV is a great way to tour North America’s iconic major league parks, from venerable Fenway Park in Boston to San Francisco’s modern Oracle Park. Many parks accommodate your RV for baseball tailgating, allowing visitors can roast hot dogs and hoist brews before the first pitch.

Before your MLB tour, observe stadium rules. Between games, stay at a nearby Good Sam Park and relax and recount the best moments of the game.

Oracle Park, San Francisco, California

Sitting in China Basin and home of the San Francisco Giants, Oracle Park has received accolades for its neoclassical architecture and wide range of amenities. Sometimes referred to as the RingCentral Coliseum, the Oakland Coliseum is home for the Oakland A’s but also hosts concerts and conventions during the off-season. Watch home-run balls splash in McCovey Cove, the section of the bay beyond the right-field wall.

Tailgating: Lot A is located just south of the ballpark, along 3rd Street and Terry A. Francois streets. Cost: $40 ($80 for oversized vehicles). It opens three hours before the first pitch and closes one hour after the last out.

We all know finesse generally means doing something delicately or in a refined way, but what’s finesse fishing? If you’ve ever read any article I’ve written, you’ll know I preach finesse angling a lot compared to various other techniques. That’s because I grew up fishing the muck and mud of various small ponds throughout Pennsylvania.

During my time growing up, I learned a lot about working lightweight lures, with active presentations and bright and vibrant colors.

That’s just a taste of what finesse fishing is and in this guide, I’m going to break down all the details of finesse fishing so you can start working it in when needed.

What is Finesse Fishing?

The big misconception about finesse fishing is that it means light and small everything, but that’s not necessarily true. If we think about the word as a verb, it’ll help us better understand what finesse actually means.

If we “finesse” a fish, what does that mean?

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Where To Go Camping In Port Isabel, Texas

Port Isabel is one of the most popular destinations along the Texas coastline. It’s a beautiful area where visitors can enjoy sand, sun, and waves. As such, it has attracted many campers and RVers over the years, and there are a variety of Port Isabel RV parks and campgrounds to stay at.

Port Isabel is a pretty small area, so only a few parks sit right within the city itself. If you’re looking for a good place to stay within this region, check out the list of parks below. All of them are within 25 miles of Port Isabel (if not closer), so you’ll be well within striking distance of the beach if you stay at any of them. You can learn more about all of these locations and find more great RV campgrounds on RV LIFE Campgrounds or while planning your trip with the RV LIFE App.

The ocean is calling, so let’s check out some places to set up camp!

The best Port Isabel RV parks

Long Island Village