RamonaCreel.com

Regardless if you are a travel pro or new to Airstreaming, our resident organizer and full-timing expert Ramona Creel is here to help you navigate the ‘Live Riveted’  life! This week, we checked in with her to ask her advice on some of the best camping, travel, and RV web resources out there.

How has hunting up RV resources changed?

Full-timing used to mean being at the mercy of the town in which you stopped. Good luck finding someone who sells toilet deodorizer in Wyoming, or who understands awning pulls in North Dakota, or who can fix a water tank monitor in Arkansas! But not any more!

Once you’ve been on the road for a while, you begin to figure out where to find the products and services that make mobile life easier (generally via the internet). To help out, I’ve compiled a list of useful tools/services and handy informational websites that I’ve discovered throughout my travels as a full-timer! Let’s start out with camping and RV-specific resources.

What websites are useful specifically to Airstreamers?

• Airforums — a generous and welcoming community of Airstreamers, ready to answer any question
• Airstream Life — monthly magazine and blog community dedicated to life on the road in an Airstream
• Airstream — new products, replacements parts, and service centers around the world
• Vintage Airstream — lots of great info if you’re restoring a classic or maintaining the one you’ve got
• Tin Can Tourists — get together with other vintage RV owners and talk about your rig
• Wally Byam Caravan Club International — these folks plan caravans and rallies just for rolling tin cans

Any suggestions for boondockers and dry-campers?

• Boondockers Welcome — helps frugal travelers connect with RVers offering dry camping locations
• Boondocking — database of places (generally out in the boondocks) where you can camp for free
• Bureau Of Land Management — you can camp for free on BLM property all over the country
• Harvest Hosts — free overnight camping at farms and wineries around the country
• Online Parking Rights Manual — listing showing the rules about parking on the street in any city
• RV Dumps — dump stations throughout the US (handy if you’re not staying at a park with hookups)
• Forest Service — find out where you can camp for free (on National Forest Service lands)

Where do you go to locate a campsite?

• Campgrounds — a convenient online search engine for campgrounds throughout North America
• Find A Campground — offers links to dozens of regional campground directories
• Free Campsites — lists campgrounds around the US for $10 or less a night
• Go Camping America — private and public parks around the US, linking to that park’s home website
• I Love Parks — locate any national or state park (in the US or other countries) all from one location
• National Park Service — all that your national parks have to offer to RVers, including a place to stay
• RV Park Hunter — photos and real reviews of the parks you’re considering
• RV Park Reviews — read forthright, honest, uncensored reviews on a park before checking in
• Woodall’s — directory of public and private campgrounds, along with ratings and amenity information

What are the best camping club discounts out there?

• Escapees — membership-based club that gives discounts on participating campgrounds
• Good Sam Club — membership-based club with a searchable directory of parks
• Happy Camper — membership-based club that offers up to 50% off on time-restricted RV rates
• Passport America — membership-based club that can save big bucks, within limitations

What if you need maintenance/repair hold on the road?

• Coach-Net — a fantastic roadside assistance service dedicated to RVers and their needs
• Plan RV — search over 25,000 RV repair shops to find one near you
• Repair Pal — independent reviews and estimates for tow vehicle repair shops from coast to coast
• Sunbrella — offers care and cleaning tips for your fabric awning
• Vintage Trailer Supply — if you’ve got an oldie-but-a-goodie, get the parts and supplies you need
• ZipDee Awnings — everything you need to keep your awnings in working order and looking snazzy

Thank you, Ramona, for sharing such valuable web links with us today. More to come next time! And if you need Ramona’s help finding the right resources for your next trip, contact her!