Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

Let's face it: These are challenging times. And after a week at the recent Hershey RV Show in Pennsylvania, where we talked with hundreds of real RVers, there are some real RV worries for 2023 clouding the future for many. Not that any are willing to toss in the towel. To a person, everyone we talked to planned to do their best and Keep Calm and Camp ON - as the silly T-shirt says. But unlike many so-called RV industry leaders, who always spin a rosy future, real RVers are realistic and candid about all the challenges they see ahead over the next 12 years in this post-COVID world, where a variety of issues are complicating their RV travel and camping plans.

Continue reading Real RVers talk about their RV worries for 2023 at RV Lifestyle.

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California visitors have no shortage of RV parks and resorts to choose from. The problem becomes finding the best spot to stay! You can guarantee that there are a lot of resorts vying for attention, but the Emerald Desert RV Resort near Palm Springs should rank high on your list. 

This is a beautiful and lush RV resort that boasts wide open spaces, lovely landscaping, and tons of amenities. It’s the perfect resort for RVers who want to travel in style. 

California has been a destination for travelers, RVers, and snowbirds for a long time, so there’s a thriving hospitality culture in this state. When you stay at Emerald Desert RV Resort, all of your needs will be met (and probably exceeded). Let’s do a deep dive into this resort and explore exactly what makes it such an appealing destination for RVers. 

Go RV camping near Palm Springs

Emerald Desert RV Resort is located at 76000 Frank Sinatra Dr, Palm Desert, CA. This location is nestled in the Coachella Valley, close to Palm Springs. It’s also right in the middle of Santa Barbara and San Diego, so you can enjoy these large coastal cities during your visit. 

The Los Angeles RV Resort (formerly Acton / North LA KOA) is now open as a Good Sam Campground for guests in historical Acton’s beautiful Soledad Canyon. Located just 45 miles from Los Angeles, Action Camp has all you need for the ultimate camping getaway or as a base camp for your SoCal explorations. The fun family-friendly campground offers lots of amenities.

Enjoy the swimming pool, volleyball & basketball courts, convenience store, outdoor café-style area, indoor lounge and more. Perfect as a large group retreat center with wide open fields for family reunions, school groups, clubs and nonprofits. There are full hookup RV sites but if you don’t have an RV, reserve our Woody tents, cabins or teepees or maybe a deluxe tent site with power. Camp with a touch of glamour… Glamping! This lovely canyon area has limited cellular signal but there is Wi-Fi available for those times you do need to stay connected. There are plans to add educational programs and more, so checkout our website often for activities.

Local area attractions include Universal Studios, Hollywood, Disneyland, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Dodgers Stadium, museums and more! Enjoy day trips to Santa Monica, Malibu and Venice Beach. AND it’s a must-stop base camp for hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail. Stay for a night, a week, a month or more!

Get a great deal on your next fifth wheel and take something to the campground that gives you all the space you need for a great night’s sleep. These fifth wheels with a master bed slide–out offer a spacious bedroom for you to get your beauty sleep in every night at the campground. Learn more about these five amazing fifth wheels below!

This couple’s coach offers residential features that will help you feel right at home at the campground. There’s a residential refrigerator, a kitchen island, and a king bed in the master bedroom! Additional features you’ll love include a 50″ HDTV with hidden storage behind it.

Additional Features:

Get an incredible deal on this Coachmen Brookstone 290RL fifth wheel that offers a king bed set into the slide in the master bedroom. There’s a large wardrobe for all your things and a spacious shower in the bathroom to help you wash away the day before you crawl into bed. You’ll love the theater seating in the living room for family movie nights.

Additional Features:

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Clever Ways To Reuse Plastic Bags & Bottles In Your RV

We live in a world that emphasizes single-use items. This is a simple truth and one that we all need to try to work around. Although many items (such as plastic bottles and grocery bags) are designed to be thrown away after a single use, many people have discovered how to reuse these items.

We tend to accumulate plastic bottles and bags in bulk, especially if you buy a lot of bottled water or forget your reusable bags at the grocery store. Although they can be reused for simple purposes like multi-use water bottles or trash can liners, many people have found unique and interesting ways to make these items useful again. 

Just remember that it’s usually a good idea to thoroughly wash your bottles and bags before you use them for anything else. Plastic is sometimes porous, so it absorbs things it has touched before. Give everything a good soak and rinse before repurposing them!

How to reuse plastic bags

Plastic bags are very easy to come by, especially if you frequently go grocery shopping. Common uses for these bags include trash can liners, dog poop bags, and storage for additional grocery bags. But with a little work and imagination, you can use them for so much more!

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How Does The Harvest Hosts Membership Program Work?

Harvest Hosts is an RVer membership program that invites RVers to have unique overnight stays. I have been a Harvest Hosts member for every year I have been RVing, and it has been worth it.

It doesn’t matter whether you like wine or brews, farms or museums, and attractions or golf. There is a space for you at over 3,500+ choices across North America. And Harvest Hosts is adding hundreds of new ones every month. But just because it is one of the fastest growing RV services doesn’t mean you’ll want to join. So, why would you?

The Harvest Hosts stories

Every time my husband and I stay at a Harvest Hosts destination, we visit the owner and learn about their farm, winery, or entertainment venue.

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According to data published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there are nearly 2,000 devastating RV fires every year. An RV fire can start anywhere, whether you are on the road or parked.

Being aware of potential fire hazards in your RV and taking steps to mitigate your risk of a fire can go a long way to keeping your RV safe.  

Which RVs are most at risk of a fire?

According to a National Fire Protection Association report on fire hazards associated with RVs, older models of RVs have fewer and less advanced fire safety measures. They also have older engines and equipment that is more likely to fail, which is a common cause of RV fires. Most fatal RV fires occur in older models of RVs.  

When most people think of Colorado, they think about the Rocky Mountains and popular ski towns. The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve can often be overlooked, but it is one of the state’s most notable spots!

The sand dunes, which are believed to have started forming about 440,000 years ago from the combination of opposing winds and a huge supply of sand from the valley floor, are the tallest in North America. They’re a must-see for any RVer.

Why Visit Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in an RV?

Not only are the sand dunes a rare natural phenomenon, but the entire area surrounding the national park is filled with beauty. As you drive to the park, you’ll quickly fall in love with the San Luis Valley and be greeted with sweeping views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the east and the San Juan Mountains to the west.

Once inside the park, you’ll be amazed by its diversity. Its high desert landscape is home to lakes, forests, wetlands, grasslands, meadows, and shrublands. Plus, with over 100,000 acres to explore, you’re sure to find what excites you most!

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve was also recently named one of the quietest national parks, which is just another feature that makes it feel somewhat bizarre. It’s truly a park of contrasts that you have to see to believe.

Want to get more out of your RV? Subscribe to the Camping World YouTube channel, and never miss a video.

RV slide-outs have given otherwise compact RVs more interior living space since their invention in 1915. They completely change the look and feel of your RV interior, providing more space for cooking, lounging, and entertaining guests. 

But what do you do if your RV slide-outs don’t retract when you’re packing up camp?

Lubricating your slide regularly is one way to avoid this issue, but there is a way to operate RV slide-outs manually. The procedure varies based on the type of slide your RV is built with, so understanding that is your first step. 

Types of RV Slide-outs

RV manufacturers use different slide-out manufacturers in their builds. While there are more than these three RV slide types, these are the most common: 

There are hundreds of thousands of miles of scenic bike trails across the country and many of them are located near some of the best campgrounds. From paved trails to rural rail trails, the opportunities to go road biking, fat biking, mountain biking, and electric biking are endless. 

Whether you want to have access to nearby cities by trail or simply want to get some exercise in the great outdoors while camping, we narrowed down five of the best campgrounds located near rail trails and bike trails — all of which are Good Sam Parks. Save 10% with your Good Sam Club Membership when you stay at any of these campgrounds! 

Susanville RV Park — Susanville, California

Discover the windy path of the Bizz Johnson National Recreational Trail in northeastern California. The 25.4-mile scenic rail trail takes you from Susanville to Westwood with much of the trail winding along Susan River Canyon. 

Susanville RV Park is nestled near downtown Susanville just 2-miles from the Bizz Johnson Trailhead. You’ll find plenty of space at this Good Sam campground with 101 full hookup sites and 45 big rig pull-through sites. It’s pet-friendly with bathrooms, showers, laundry, a fitness center, and WiFi. 

The nearby Bizz Johnson trail is unique because you not only get a view of the mountains, but it takes you across bridges, trestles, and even tunnels giving you a better look at the history of the Central Pacific Railroad. If you visit in October, be sure to check out the Rails to Trails Festival at the Historic Railroad Depot in Susanville.

The House of the Sun is an apt name for a place that hosts the world’s most stunning sunrises. At Haleakala National Park in Hawaii, visitors vie for the opportunity to see what Mark Twain once described as “the most sublime spectacle I have ever witnessed.”

It seems the sun begins and ends at Haleakala Volcano, where it is believed that the demigod Maui lassoed it in the sky, slowing its descent to lengthen the days on this beautiful island. Today, you’ll need more than a day to discover the treasures hidden between Haleakala’s rain-forested rocky coasts and the top of its desolate crater.

Why Visit Haleakala National Park?

Haleakala National Park is a remote region full of contradictory landscapes and topography. From sea level to over 10,000 feet, the park is home to an amazing array of wildlife and vegetation. Dolphins may greet you along the coastal rainforest and endangered songbirds might sing you to sleep at your campsite.

Awe-inspiring sunrises give credence to the park’s name, and it is easy to see how Polynesians believed Haleakala to be the House of the Sun. It’s one of the most unique places in the US and, honestly, the world. The wildlife is abundant and interesting, the views are spectacular, and the place is magical in all the right ways.

When to Visit Haleakala National Park

Haleakala National Park is open year-round, but temperatures and weather can be deceptive. Maui’s south Pacific location doesn’t receive the same four seasons as most parks in the US, so it makes more sense to break down weather patterns by the park district. But wherever you go, prepare for drastic weather changes.

Fifth wheel RVs offer many advantages thanks to their unique towable design. The fifth wheel hitch provides RVers with additional floorplans, amenities, overall length, and much more. But there is one glaring barrier to entry with fifth wheel RVs — most require a heavy-duty pickup truck.

Heavy-duty pickups are large and powerful machines. They’re also expensive, which dissuades many potential fifth wheel owners. Many buyers simply can’t afford to buy a heavy-duty truck, such as a Ford F-350 or a Chevrolet Silverado 3500, in addition to the cost of a fifth wheel (even if you buy a used fifth wheel).

Can You Tow a Fifth Wheel RV With a Half-Ton Truck?

Fortunately, there are fifth wheels designed to be towed by certain light-duty half-ton pickups, like an F-150 or a Toyota Tundra. If you already own a half-ton truck, you don’t have to settle for a traditional travel trailer if you’re set on a fifth wheel floor plan.

That said, not all half-ton trucks can or should tow all fifth wheel models. Use a tool like Camping World’s Towing Guide to calculate your truck’s towing and payload capacities. Understanding weight ratings is vital to selecting the right travel trailer or fifth wheel your truck can tow safely.

A base-level half-ton pickup may not be able to tow all fifth wheels. But half-ton trucks with high enough towing and payload ratings have the ability to tow many. With that in mind, let’s look at half-ton fifth wheels and the trucks that pull them.

September brings with it some of the best weather and the best places to visit if only to witness Mother Nature doing what she does best — painting her landscape with autumnal colors.

With summer, you’re forced to endure the heat. In winter, you must brave the cold. But fall gives you refreshing days sandwiched between cool mornings and nights that make it the perfect time to explore the country in your RV.

So, channel your inner Earth, Wind & Fire because the best places to RV in September will surely have you dancing from destination to destination.

Acadia National Park — Maine

Very few places compare to an east-coast autumn and Acadia National Park proves that point every year. With its rugged mountains, thick forests, alpine meadows, and windswept coastlines, fall shows off by transforming the foliage and the views entirely.

There are plenty of roadways to explore by RV as well as trails for hiking and biking and water for kayaking. Regardless of how you soak it in, the September views will not disappoint. Located on the coast of Maine, it’s the perfect way to wrap up summer.