Renee, her husband and their five kids have been traveling in their RV for four years. With a lifelong goal to learn, see and experience as much as possible, their family mission is to expand their minds, compassion, curiosity, and their worldview through travel.
Featured RV: Jayco Jay Flight Travel Trailer
Hitting the road in an RV with your family is not just a vacation; it's an adventure-packed opportunity to create memories and strengthen relationships. As you head out on your journey together, the key to a successful and stress-free RVing experience lies in having the right gear at your disposal. In this guide, we share ten of our favorite must-have items for increasing comfort, adventure and connection on your RV family adventure.
Camping and fire go together like marshmallows and chocolate. Because traditional wood campfires are not always convenient or even possible in some locations, a propane fireplace is the perfect replacement. Most portable propane fire rings can be hooked right up to the propane line on your RV for maximum ease of use.
A hammock is the perfect way to relax in nature. While many campgrounds do not allow things to be tied to the trees, you can still get your hammock-fix in by packing a hammock with a portable stand. Creating multiple outdoor spaces to spend time in is key to enjoying your RV trip with the whole family.
A paddle board is one of our top items to stock in your RV to help you enjoy and experience the areas you are visiting. A blow-up paddle board usually comes with a large backpack-style storage bag, making it easy to store and also easy to transport to any beautiful lake, beach, or waterway. Another reason we make space in our RV for 2 paddle boards is that they can be used in multiple ways by people of all ages, making it the perfect addition to your family RV packing list.
Multi-player lawn games like Bocce Ball, Kubb, or Croquet, require minimal storage space while offering enjoyable group activities directly at your campsite, fostering outdoor family fun. Bocce Ball is a particular favorite with our family, and we enjoy the challenge of playing it in whatever terrain our campground offers!
It's always a good idea to have a selection of fun, space-saving games in your RV. We are always on the lookout for games that are engaging, allow multiple ages to play and also have a small footprint. Some of our favorites are the Grandpa Beck games, Tapped Four and a standard deck of cards that can be used to play hundreds of different games.
Eating outdoors is one of the joys of RV living, but who knows what has been on those campsite picnic tables before your arrival. Getting a fitted table cover can quickly turn your campsite into a beautiful dining area for family dinners.
A pop-up tent that can fold down flat and be set up in seconds is a perfect shady place for the kids to play in your campsite or can be conveniently thrown into your bag for a day at the lake. It's always a good idea to include items in your RV packing list that serve multiple purposes and are easy to store.
Quickly turn your campground into an outdoor living room with the addition of a camping rug. Not only does a durable rug anchor your outdoor space and invite you to spend more time outside, but it also minimizes the amount of dust and debris that are carried into your RV—making it an absolute must with kids running in and out.
A rug sets the outdoor living space and camping chairs finish it off! Adding quality, comfortable camping chairs that fold down into an easy-to-store size is a must for RV travel with the family. You can even find small sized camping chairs for the little members of your family.
RV life doesn't have to mean giving up pretty dishes. Bamboo is the perfect option for shatter-resistant dishware that is both kid and adult-friendly. Opting for a bamboo (or wheat fiber) dish set that nests nicely inside each other is also very helpful for space-saving in your RV cabinets.
No matter the length of your RV travels, simply adding a few carefully chosen items can help make your family adventure that much more enjoyable. By having these essentials at your fingertips, you're ready to create an environment for lasting memories together. Happy trails and happy family RVing!
Travel trailers are the most popular type of non-motorized RV. No doubt you’ve seen one pulled down the highway hitched to a car or pickup. Travel trailers come in all sizes including tiny jellybean-shaped models with a chuckwagon kitchen in the rear to the massive house-on-wheels with picture windows and a sliding glass patio door.
Whether you're new to the world of RVing or you're ready to narrow your search, we're here to help you sort through it all and find the RV that's right for you. Explore RVs based off of your lifestyle and the features important to you.
