Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

If you dream of getting out to the campground without a worry or care, these Entegra Coach Ethos class B motorhomes are the perfect choice. These RVs are built to make the drive to the campground comfortable and easy to make sure you start your adventure off right. Below, we’ll show you three of our favorite floorplans to help you start planning your next big escape.

Save big on your next adventure with this Entegra Coach Ethos 20A class B motorhome on sale today. You can take $34,000 off this incredible RV for two and put those incredible savings into your next camping trip instead! Inside this RV, you’ll find enough seating to bring along your camping buddies. The rear sofa extends into a comfortable bed for two, giving you a great space to rest after a day on the road.

This pre-owned RV is available now, but it won’t last long! Take it home today!

Additional Features:

If you’re looking for something that offers versatility, the Entegra Coach Ethos 20D class B motorhome is the way to go. This unit offers a spacious pop-top to give you additional sleeping and storage space. You’ll love that the kitchen is equipped with a pantry for all your drinks, snacks, and more. There’s sleeping for four inside this motorhome, so you’ll be able to travel comfortably with your family.

Do you crave outdoor adventure? Then, you’ve found paradise! Death Valley, Mount Whitney (the tallest mountain in the U.S. Lower 48 at 14,505 feet), the gorgeous Sierras, and other California attractions are all within reach. Visit Alabama Hill plus nearby lakes, trails, and rolling rivers. Welcome to breathtaking views from our 100-acre RV retreat, settled along a one-mile circumference around beautiful Olancha Lake. From your campsite in Lake Olancha RV Park, you’ll find the majestic, snowcapped Sierra Mountains to the West and Death Valley to the East. Enter a 400-foot, rock-walled entrance to our serene, lakeside surroundings.

Attractions

Olancha is a cozy mountain town with a population of around 200 residents. Surrounded by the Sierra Mountains to the West and Death Valley to the East. There are so many adventures waiting for you for day trips from our park!

RV Sites, Tenting or Glamping Cabins

Our intimate campground hosts 50 spacious, pull-through RV sites equipped with full hookups, 30 and 50-amp electric, cable, and Wi-Fi — all at affordable rates. Prefer tent camping? Camp among 10 tent sites nestled in the heart of nature. Our family-friendly, pet-friendly grounds offer five fully furnished cabins ranging from one to three bedrooms at affordable rates — perfectly suited for extended stays! If you love camping with your favorite creature comforts, you’ll love our cabins! We offer short and longer-term stay rates, so whether your adventure is brief or extended, you are welcome.

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When you aren’t plugged into a power pedestal, your RV’s generator is your main AC power source. To keep it running efficiently and maximize its lifespan, you’ll need to learn how to winterize your RV generator. 

Of course, the exact procedure depends on the make and model of your generator. Begin by consulting your generator’s owner’s manual or contacting the manufacturer for generator winterization best practices. 

That said, here are the reasons to winterize your generator and an overview of how to do it. 

Why Winterize Your RV Generator?

Here are a few reasons why it’s smart to winterize your RV generator when you aren’t using it for an extended period: 

One of the most beautiful – and perhaps overwhelming – parts of buying a fifth wheel RV is finding the right floorplan. Fifth wheels come in numerous layouts, and you’re bound to find one that fits your personality and needs. Below are just a few options that are popular among RVers.

Because fifth wheels tend to be longer and heavier than some travel trailers, they require a truck with a higher towing capacity. Use our Towing Guide to find out how much your truck can tow before you check out these popular fifth wheel floor plans.

Before you take your new 5th wheel on its maiden voyage, download or print and laminate this hitch checklist for reference. 

Bunkhouse Fifth Wheels

Big family or RVing in a group? Bunkhouse models feature loads of sleeping spaces to keep everyone comfy. Add slideouts and these models are spacious enough to accommodate multiple people comfortably—even on rainy days.

Featured RV – Forest River Sabre 350BH

The Forest River Sabre fifth wheel offers a unique floorplan with a raised bunkhouse area in the rear and ample storage space underneath. That basement storage area is accessible from the fifth wheel’s rear exterior, and there’s also an outdoor kitchen on the passenger side. 

Planning that epic RV trip across North America? Good Sam has added 54 new campgrounds to its network for RVers eager to jump into the camping life. Good Sam members save big with the 10 percent discount. While exploring, discover all of the RV campgrounds in the Good Sam Network.

If you’re not a member, joining is simple: Purchase a membership at any Good Sam Campground, or sign up online. Before making reservations, check each campground’s seasonal information to determine availability.

BV Overlook Camp & Lodging, Buena Vista

With stunning views of the Collegiate Peaks, this getaway has access to hiking and biking trails, fishing, rafting, and hot springs. Tiny homes, yurts, and tent sites are available.

How do you manage trash and recycling in your RV? 

The biggest problem with RV trash cans is there’s often not a specific place for them, except in bigger, luxury RVs. Trash in an RV fills up quickly, becomes smelly, and attracts flies and animals. 

RV kitchens are so small that they rarely have a place to hang or store a trash can. This is especially true in micro campers or teardrops, meaning you’ll need to get creative to collect and dispose of RV trash before it becomes a problem. 

Depending on your floorplan, you may need to get creative to store an RV trash can and recycling in a conveniently accessible location in your RV. 

Where to Put RV Trash Cans

Most new RVers don’t think about where to put trash until they’re finished cooking and need somewhere for trash to go. 

Successful travelers are prepared travelers. They plan for what happens when things go wrong as much as they plan for things to go right. Because, in general, travel raises the stakes. Manageable situations at home can morph into the unmanageable when on the road and without a plan. And that’s especially true for medical emergencies that occur while traveling. 

Some types of travel activities expose us to more risk than others. And it’s easy to think we aren’t at risk if we avoid dangerous activities. A snowboarding accident in a remote location conjures images of medivacs, Coast Guard helicopters, and Hollywood rescues. But primitive tent camping or RVing at a campground? Not as much.  

Incidents on seemingly risk-free trips do occur. And these medical emergencies look different when far from help. So how do you best prepare for a medical emergency situation while camping, RVing, or traveling? Here we dive into unlikely situations we hope never to encounter as travelers. But if you do, now you have a game plan. 

What makes medical emergencies while traveling different? 

If you’re looking for a great way to get your family vacations started off on the right foot in 2023, these Forest River Georgetown 7 Series class C motorhomes are perfect. You’ll absolutely love how each of these floorplans gives you the space you need in a luxury design that makes camping feel like a stay at a resort. Learn more about our three favorite floorplans in this Forest River Georgetown 7 Series class A motorhome review.

Save big on this incredible Forest River Georgetown 7 Series 32J7 class A motorhome on sale now. This unit offers a large slide-out to maximize your living space while also providing you with plenty of storage for your things. You’ll love that the passenger seat features a workstation, which makes it easy for your partner to bring work on the road. Additionally, there’s an outdoor entertainment center, so you never miss a moment of your favorite shows or games.

Take this unit home for just $190,629!

Additional Features:

Get sleeping for five and enjoy a spacious living area in the Forest River Georgetown 7 Series 36D7 class A motorhome. The king bed in the master bedroom ensures you always get a great night’s sleep, and the wardrobe offers plenty of room for all your clothing and more. This design has a bath and a half to give you the privacy you need for multi-family vacations or entertaining guests at the campground.

Feeling overwhelmed by your search for the perfect travel trailer floorplan?

Searching by the type of floorplan (i.e., front living, bunkhouse, etc.) is one method. Another is to narrow your search based on leading RV brands. Sometimes, sorting through travel trailer floorplans isn’t as important as finding a model from a manufacturer you love. 

Watch this short video to discover the benefits of exclusive brand RVs: 

Now let’s highlight several intriguing travel trailer floorplans from leading RV brands. 

Coleman Travel Trailer Floorplans

Featured RV – Coleman Lantern LT 17R

Coleman’s newest Lantern LT floorplan is its most compact yet, and it’s also one of the most affordable travel trailers out there. It’s also lightweight and easy to tow with smaller trucks while still giving you amenities like a full kitchen and dry bath inside.

After a long dreary winter, spring break is often the first chance to take an extended vacation with your kids. Depending on where you live, better weather may be within easy reach — or, you may have to book a road trip to chase the sunshine with your RV to a spring destination. 

My husband and I are both teachers, and we’ve been lucky to have the same break as our children, up until our older son left for college. We usually take shorter trips close to home but know many RVers who take cross-state treks.

Planning for Spring Break Weather

While the word “spring” might conjure up images of blue skies and gentle breezes, the weather can vary greatly depending on your timing and your destination. My family’s break is usually early in March, a time when Midwestern weather sometimes serves up surprise snow storms. 

Most U.S. students have spring break at some point in March or April. For many regions of the U.S., the weather this time of year might best be described as “persnickety,” with temperatures and precipitation varying greatly, sometimes changing dramatically from day to day. 

You could easily argue that the national park system wouldn’t exist without the contributions of President Theodore Roosevelt. He was a force for change in how Americans valued land and championed the conservation of the country’s natural resources.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park honors that legacy and protects one of the most spectacular landscapes in North Dakota. One that held a special place in the heart of the President himself. Here’s our guide to RVing Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Why Visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park in an RV?

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is an excellent destination to add to a Dakotas national parks road trip, looping in spots like Wind Cave National Park and the Badlands along your route. Because the closest major airport is nearly two hours away in Williston, ND, an RV road trip is the best way to explore everything this park has to offer. 

You can camp inside the park or just outside the entrance in the charming town of Medora – sometimes referred to as “North Dakota’s #1 Tourist Destination.” The town is an excellent place for an RV base camp because it provides easy access to the park’s scenic drives, hiking trails, and fossil displays. 

Perhaps the park’s biggest attraction is its wildlife – populous herds of massive bison, sprawling prairie dog towns, bounding pronghorn, feral horses, and seasonal elk herds are regularly spotted right from park roads. 

Should I RV with or without a toad? Once you’ve chosen a motorhome versus a towable RV, it’s common for this to be the next question.

What is a Toad?

A toad is a vehicle that RVers tow behind their motorhome. It’s also called a dinghy or a tow vehicle. Many people, including full-time RVers, RV without a toad. Depending on your travel style and your RV’s towing capacity, you may or may not need to pull a compact car behind your RV. 

If you’d like to know more about dinghy towing, check out Good Sam’s 2020 Guide to Dinghy Towing.

The Benefits of RVing With a Toad

RVers tow a vehicle because of the convenience once they reach their destination. It makes it easier to shop for groceries, sightsee, and navigate tight or congested city streets without moving your large motorhome.

Sure, it adds unhooking your toad to your campsite setup checklist. Once your vehicle is unhooked, you’re free to explore and run errands without driving your RV until it’s time to move to your next destination.

Do you have a pesky drawer or cabinet in your RV that doesn’t want to stay closed? While RV drawers and cabinets have closures, most RV travelers deal with this problem at some point. 

Learning to keep RV drawers closed during travel protects your RV from damage and ensures the safety of belongings and passengers. You don’t want items falling and breaking while on the road. 

Properly organizing your RV and securing cabinets and drawers can prevent items from falling out or falling on you when you open them once parked. 

Kinds of RV Drawers

Let’s learn what kind of RV drawers and cabinets are in your coach and how to secure each type. 

Overhead Cabinets

In RV floor plans, you’ll see these denoted as ‘O/H’ or ‘O/H Cabinets.’ There are kinds of overhead cabinets – doors that swing open to one side and doors that open upwards and are supported with struts. They hold shut with a double-roller catch, magnetic catch, or spring-loaded catch.

I would do anything to keep my dogs with me as long as possible.  But like humans, our dogs get older and time flies by too fast. Fortunately for our dog, Peanut Butter Brickle, we found a “fountain of youth” – the RV travel lifestyle.

I often hear people say that older dogs just want to sleep. Peanut Butter Brickle, our 14-year-old dog, would wholeheartedly disagree. For almost seven years, we have traveled in our RV with our dogs by our side. We sincerely believe that the RV lifestyle has added not only years to his life, but that the RV lifestyle has added quality of life.  And isn’t that what we all want? – a rich life of memories made with man’s best friend.

Don’t Underestimate Your Dog

People can still accomplish many fun and active things as we get older. Our dogs can too! You know your dog better than anyone. You know your dog’s health, limitations, and personality. If your dog is physically able to enjoy a walk, consider the RV travel lifestyle.

One of the best parts about RV travel for dog parents is that you can customize how you travel! Having a house on wheels allows you to take breaks more often, have your dog supplies on hand, and move to accommodate the weather. As our dog, Digby Pancake, got older he was more sensitive to hot temperatures. So we planned our trips and RV routes to avoid very hot temperatures. Invest in a remote RV thermometer so you can regulate temperature inside the RV at all times. A cooling dog bed can also help pups who are sensitive to heat.  We were known to get to a campsite that wasn’t shady or too close to others and ask to change campsites. If it didn’t work for the dogs, we moved on.

Even if your dog has limitations with age, like decreased mobility, there are ways to accommodate your dog. We purchased dog stairs from Camping World to get Brickle in and out of our tow vehicle more easily. We also purchased a ramp for Digby Pancake to safely get him in and out of the RV. Just like a regular house, your house on wheels can be altered in order to help your dog enjoy life to the fullest.

Spring break is just around the corner — are you ready?

The perfect Spring Break can be elusive. You’ve got one week to melt away those winter blues before the big work and school obligations return with a vengeance. The pressure’s on to find the right place — free from cold weather and rowdy college spring breakers — or you’ll have to wait until summer for your next big family excursion.

Fortunately, travelers can find lots of places across North America that welcome campers with moderate crowd sizes and reasonable temperatures (current weather conditions notwithstanding). Take advantage of the spring season to visit popular destinations long before they’re overtaken by summer crowds.

Sedona, Arizona

The crisp spring air makes Sedona the perfect place for mountain biking and hiking amid the iconic red rock formations that dominate the horizon. Cyclists of all levels can experience stellar trails that wind through rocky landscapes. Start at the Bell Rock Pathway (for beginners) and work your way up.

Recreational vehicles, like automobiles, require repairs from time to time. However, the RV has an additional assembly apart from just the vehicle, and that is the house and all the components that go with it. Because of the growing complexity of RVs today, these repairs can become commonplace over the years of ownership. Keep in mind, the need and frequency for many repairs is reduced by timely maintenance.

So, let’s look at some of the more common repairs that may be encountered on many travel trailers and motorhomes.

Replacing Burned-out Halogen Bulbs

These were, and are, used in mini ceiling pot lights as well as other wall-mount fixtures. They are 12-volt DC bulbs that tend to run quite hot and have a relatively short life. Adding to the reduction of life is improper installation procedure. Rubber gloves or a rag must protect the bulb from being contacted by a person’s fingers or hands as skin oils on the lamp will cause early failure. While these little halogen bulbs are quite pricey themselves, it may be worth spending even more by replacing them with the LED (Light Emitting Diode) types. These run cool and have a life that’s 25 times longer than halogen bulb and do not require the more cautious handling. LED replacements may be less costly in the long run.

RV Features Failing to Operate

This can be due to several reasons, including a tripped breaker or fuse, a wiring or component fault, or a mechanical issue.  However, it may be a condition that is becoming more common: poor contact of a switch or connector due to oxidation. The correction of this may require replacing a switch or disconnecting an electric contact and re-connecting it.  A contact cleaner aerosol should be applied to plug-in connector contacts to help renew their connectivity.

America’s Deep South never got the memo that winter meant huddling inside with a pile of blankets. In the Southeast snowbird region, the sun shines through much of the winter (although there may be a slight chill in the air) and locals welcome snowbird travelers with exciting festivals. Hoist a microbrew or feast on chili at fun-filled gatherings in the South.

Looking to catch some beads? You can find Mardi Gras celebrations throughout the region, not just in New Orleans. Looking for something less boisterous? Treat your snowbird sweetheart to Valentine’s Day treat with legendary Southern cuisine.

You’ll find a range of environments in Alabama, from the 150 miles of untamed inland waterways to high-tech rockets in the city of Huntsville. Visit towns like Mobile, the original home of Mardi Gras, or Birmingham, where steel is king.

Mardi Gras in Mobile, Jan. 21–Feb. 21, Mobile. For weeks, the streets of downtown mobile bustle with marching bands, colorful floats and costumed revelers in satin and sequins. This is home to “America’s Family Mardi Gras,” so you can bring the kids.

Take a break from your home away from home RVing and visit Voyageurs National Park. Voyageurs is Minnesota’s only national park and is unique because it offers a completely water-based experience for those willing to take the plunge.

With over 218,000 acres that are accessible year-round, Voyageurs National Park is an oasis of forests, waterways, and wild, undeveloped areas. Sharing its northern border with Canada, you will enjoy some of the best-unspoiled nature available in Minnesota.

Why Visit Voyageurs National Park in an RV?

Take a break from the road and trade in your tires for oars. Experience over 84,000 acres of waterways, 655 miles of undeveloped shoreline, and more than 500 islands. Open year-round, with no entrance fee, you can explore the pristine nature anytime. 

Boating, hiking, snowshoeing, stargazing, paddling, and more are all great ways to experience the park. The solitude and beauty of the park keep visitors coming back year after year.

Roughly a 4.5-hour drive north of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Voyageurs National Park is located in the northernmost part of Minnesota, sharing a border with Canada. 

Off-grid camping is the ideal alternative when you can’t find any spots at RV parks or campgrounds for your RV. 

In fact, some RVers prefer boondocking spots over RV parks or developed campgrounds. Camping off the grid often means better views, fewer people, and the ability to camp for free. 

Off-grid camping requires a little more preparation. From finding an off-grid-capable RV to learning how to drive it on the backroads, camping without electric power or running water takes planning and the right tools.

Learn how to boondock in an RV with the right camping gear and mindset before your next trip.

RV GPS Unit (and Paper Maps)

The first step to camping off the grid is getting there safely. Several sites help campers find free and legal places for primitive camping, like on public land or in national forests.