Many people, like retirees looking for adventure, and young adults finding their own way in the world have made the shift to RV life. Although downsizing is how others turn a new leaf, others just want a weekend getaway in their new 5th wheel trailer. Either way, it’s safe to say that planning a road trip requires tools and careful planning. This is made easier all thanks to technology. Nobody has to deal with big maps (unless you prefer doing things old school).
Nowadays, navigation is as easy as having an app dictate to you which turn to take. There are the classic navigation apps, like Waze and Google Maps (which you should have installed too), but the direction isn’t the only thing you need to know. Having these apps is one thing, but being able to find what you need is another.
Here are other essential pieces of information you should know about and the apps that can help you:
A Reliable Weather Forecast
There are multiple ways of knowing about the weather forecast. But like almost everything else, there’s an app for that to keep life easier for you. Weather forecasts are especially useful when planning an itinerary or being on the road. It’s important to know how weather can impact roads, traffic, and driving.
The app AccuWeather helps with that. It provides detailed information about weather at least several hours ahead of time, no matter the location. It also updates the weather forecast every 15 minutes so you’re updated with any changes to be expected. Sound pretty neat, doesn’t it?
Knowing Where Friends and Family Members Are
When it comes to traveling with friends and family, it’s always a good idea to keep tabs on each other. There are apps for this purpose too, making it more convenient to know where your travel buddies are at any given moment. An app called Life360 is useful for when a group plans to split up for a while. With the app, you can set up a circle of your friends or family and it’ll automatically share the location of each one.
You can also exchange messages through the app. Another good one is called the MamaBear Family Safety app. As the name suggests, it helps parents monitor their kids, specifically their location. To take it further, the app has features like a panic button, tracking teen’s driving habits, especially when they speed or text while driving. Safety always comes first before fun.
Finding a Place for the Night
In planning the itinerary, it’s important to be clear about the destination and the estimated time of arrival to eliminate other inconveniences as much as possible. You have to be smart and timely about planning stops. Although every day doesn’t always look the same when traveling on the road, it’s nice to have some form of security especially with where your RV is going to be parked at night.
There are multiple apps out there that help ease this burden. AllStays Camp and RV for one does the trick. With its in-app maps, ability to filter campgrounds by 30 different amenities, and a list of over 32,000 campgrounds and public lands, it’s every traveler’s best friend. The downside though is that it isn’t free. But there are other good alternatives, too.
For one, the RV Parky app provides of list of RV parks, BLM, National Forest, Camping World locations, and Walmart branches. It also has reviews from other RV dwellers and enthusiasts, which can help you with the decision-making process.
Getting a Good Night’s Rest
If you’ve been tracking your sleeping patterns, then there’s no reason to stop now. Sleeping in a different location can be a new experience for the body, thus falling asleep won’t be as easy. To make sure you get restorative and refreshing sleep, utilize apps like SleepScore which tracks what time of the night you sleep light, and when you wake up.
If you feel like your RV isn’t level sometimes, which only makes you uncomfortable and unable to sleep consider using Bubble Level. It’s an app that functions just like a traditional bubble level, just digital. Use it to see if your RV is camped on a leveled surface to ensure maximum comfort on your end.
The Nearest Gas Station
Being on the road means you are bound to spend hundreds of dollars a month on gas. It wouldn’t hurt to save some bucks on a full tank of gas once in a while. You can keep tabs on deals, gas prices, where the nearest gas station is, and more with GasBuddy. It’s a great app for when you’re on the road, especially if it’s 24/7. Here, you can get notified about gas deals so you won’t have to pay full price. It comes with other features like driving habits, logging your fill-ups, and more.
Knowing Where to Find WiFi
If you’re dying for some decent WiFi, locating it can be tricky. Use an app like the Speedcheck app to give yourself a head start. Some RV parks have WiFi, but the connection isn’t always reliable. An app like Speedcheck can help you find the closest strong WiFi connection.
It’s important to remember not to get so caught up on WiFi and your devices. They’re useful tools, but sometimes it’s easy to get absorbed with them for hours. After all, being on the road is about adventure, new experiences, and having fun.
