After spending 46 days on the road, there are 5 things that we couldn’t have done without. These 5 things kept us happy and safe!

1. RV Life GPS APP– We didn’t know about this when we started out, but kind people at campgrounds quickly filled us in. I’m so glad they did! This allows you to input your camper’s size, and it routes you safely around tunnels and roads that are unsafe or too small for your rig. They offer a free trial, but after that the app does cost. We paid $65 for the year (you save a little by buying the whole year), and we found it well worth it!

2. A back massager for the driver’s seat. Driving over 10,000 miles, this provided much needed relief for our tired muscles. It was also a big incentive for me to take my turn driving.😆 Our daughters had gotten my husband this seat cover for Father’s Day before we left on our trip, and they were very forward thinking in this gift. It was amazing! It just plugs into the auxiliary power outlet in the car (also known as a cigarette lighter). Ours was like this one:

You could put one on the passenger seat too, but then who would want to drive?🤣

3. A fan…or two! Out west, it gets VERY hot in the summer. I packed a fan “just in case”, and I was so glad I did. We have 2 air conditioners, but our bedroom was like an oven at night. The cold air never seemed to make it to us even with all of the main vents closed. Without a fan, sleeping was miserable. Some campers only have one A/C unit, so a fan would be even more crucial.

4. A cell phone plan with an unlimited hotspot. There is very limited WiFi in most campgrounds – especially out west. Many campgrounds also don’t have cable, so we used our cell phone hotspots often to stream tv or use the computer. Relaxing and watching a movie after a long day of sightseeing was so fun for us, and we wouldn’t have been able to do it without our hotspots. We were able to add unlimited hotspots to our AT&T plan for less than $10 on each line. We added them to both lines because after 75 GB, the hotspot could be slowed down. With both of us having one, we were able to use them without being slowed down.👍

5. A diffuser. This may seem trivial, but RVs tend to have many unpleasant smells- black tanks, gray tanks, well water, outdoor odors, dogs, dirty laundry… and living in a smelly camper can ruin the camping experience. I ran a diffuser almost all the time with essential oils, and it really helped make the camper smell good! You could use a candle too. I did burn candles sometimes, but only when we were in the camper for safety reasons, so a diffuser is much more practical and can be run continuously. My diffuser was just one I bought at Goodwill, for $5. I see it’s at Target for $39.99.😆

So, if you are planning a long (or even short) camping trip, I highly recommend these 5 items for a much more comfortable, safe, and enjoyable trip!

A big RV trip, but the little things are most important