Camping World

When you have an RV, you'll probably end up at Camping World at some point. Camping World is the RV and camping super-center. They carry everything you might need for your motorhome and camping advneture. They service RVs and do installtions as well. They are located all over the country and have a good on-line site.
Camping World - RV & Camping Experts Since 1966

WiFinder

Though finding wireless internet access is much easier and better than two years ago, you can’t rely on WIFI through Starbuck’s or any other WIFI outlet in many places in the country. When we got to Eugene, OR we found out that the entire city was not wired for wireless yet. Oops. And this was after we parked the rig downtown in three parking spaces (yes, we fed all the meters). The best resource to check is www.wifinder.com. You can search the WIFI spots anywhere in the country (and some other countries as well). For other, and more convenient solutions that we have found to stay connected, click here.

The Trailer Life Directory

The Trailer Life Directory lists over 18,000 RV parks in the US, Canada and Mexico. They give short descriptions and rate the parks according to their own rating system. It’s a great resource to have, but there are a few more places to check…

Go Camping America!

Go Camping America! (www.campingamerica.com) lists parks in the RVIA network. The site is well laid-out and easy to navigate.

KOA Kampgrounds

KOA campgrounds are located all over the country and have minimum standards for services and cleaniness so they are usually a safe bet when there are a couple of choices and you’re not sure which way to go. Again, each park is privately owned, so the level of amenities varies from place to place.

Before you leave -- Stock up!

Certain service places that we relyed on in San Francisco, are not available throughout the country. Most notably, for us, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Bally’s Fitness Clubs, 24Hour Fitness Clubs, Pete’s Coffee, Starbuck’s with Tmobile Hotspots, IKEA, and the Container Store. These are things that we miss and when we find them, we stock up on whatever we can, or use their services to the utmost.

You may have to drive a bit to find a dry cleaning establishment. They are not necessarily near the park location. Most parks have good on-site laundry facilities.

Good Sam Club

The largest RV Club in the world. The Good Sam Club offers its members discounts at RV parks & campgrounds, discounts on RV parts & accessories, free RV trip routing, discounts on gas and diesel, and so much more.

Family Motor Coach Association

We’re lucky that I have a sister who collects and forwards are mail to us. If you aren’t as lucky, the Family Motor Coach Association has a highly recommended mail forwarding service.

Banking on the Road

If you bank at Bank of America California, you cannot deposit checks through the ATM’s anywhere but California. Something about their system is different than the rest of the country’s branches. You may deposit your checks inside the bank through a teller.

RV Park Reservations

Most RV parks are privately owned and don’t necessarily run like a hotel chain. When making a reservation, get as much info as you can if they don’t give you a confirmation number, (i.e. the person’s name who made the reservation). We never had a problem with getting to a place and not having a spot, but we did have challenges when trying to change an arrival or departure date.