Winter RV Camping Tips : Media Camping Center, Hatfield, PA RV Dealers

Winter RV Camping Tips

By Carlette Dunstan

As someone who has experienced winter camping in an RV, I have found that it can be an enjoyable get-away during the winter months. You won’t have to contend with bugs and other creatures that are a nuisance in warm weather. And if you like some solitude, there are fewer of us RVers in the parks enjoying the winter scenery.

Careful planning and preparation will go a long way to ensure that your winter camping experience will be fun and memorable. Be sure to allow plenty of time to get to your destination during the daylight. It is a good idea to check the weather forecast for the area you are going to visit and to call the Highway Patrol for any road condition or weather alerts.

Try to plan your trip so that you can travel when the roads are clear. However, winter weather can be unpredictable and you should always be prepared if the roads become too hazardous to travel. Find a safe area off the highway (like a rest area, truck stop, or shopping mall parking lot) to wait out the storm. That is one of the exciting things about a winter camping in an RV, getting there can be half the fun!

Whether you have a motor home or towable RV, you should make sure that the automotive systems on your rig or towing vehicle are ready for winter driving. I’ve included a checklist at the end of this article with common items that you should check before embarking on your winter camping adventure. If the weather will be close or below freezing when you start out on your trip, it will help to turn your furnace on in your RV a full day before you leave. This will make it much easier when you arrive at your campsite to warm up your RV.

If you have access to an electric hook-up, take a couple of electric cube heaters along. They can supplement your RV heater. This will keep it warmer inside your RV and you’ll use less propane. Take along extra blankets or cold weather sleeping bags, and wear warm clothing in layers including woolen socks, and long underwear.

Be sure to put new batteries in your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detectors, and make sure that your LP detector is operating and your RV batteries are fully charged.Never use a catalytic space heater or any propane heater that is not vented to the outside.

Many RV’s have heated compartments or other means of keeping your plumbing system from freezing in cold weather. Refer to the owners’ manual in your RV for the proper operation of the heating and plumbing systems. Contact the manufacturer of your RV if you need additional information. Many RVs not so equipped from the factory can be modified with things like electric tank heaters and pipe heating elements to help keep the system from freezing. Check with the experts at Media Camping Center to learn more about these after-market products.

I hope that the information here you helps you have an enjoyable and safe winter RV adventure. Much more information about winter RV camping is available on the Internet. You can go to Google.com, Yahoo.com or your favorite search engine and type in “Winter RV Camping,” and a list of articles will help you find answers to your particular questions.

Winter is a spectacular time to go camping. Even if you don’t enjoy winter sports like skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing etc. A campfire will keep you warm and you can just enjoy being outside in the winter wonderland with your family or friends.