I have been RV camping for 4 years and have created lifetime memories since I first bought my RV. Owning an RV has allowed me to travel with my husband and our dog to gorgeous places I would not have otherwise gone. During this time, I have also learned that there are unexpected things about RV camping that many first-time buyers are not aware of and once they learn more, they are not sure RV camping is worth it.
RV camping is not always glamorous so many do not think RV camping is worth it. There are tasks many find unpleasant such as dumping the toilet. There will also be unexpected costs, unpredictable weather, limited cell service, and towing and backing up a trailer can be challenging.
Let’s talk about what to know about owning a travel trailer so before you take the leap into RV ownership you can decide if RV camping is worth it for you. Because owning a travel trailer pros and cons need to be weighed out.
Once you’re aware of these facts, and are still eager to go for it, then RV camping is right for you!
Here is a list of the 8 worst things about RV camping.
You Need to Dump Your Toilet Contents
At home you flush the toilet and the waste material magically disappears. When you own an RV with a bathroom there are extra steps you need to take to dispose of this waste.
The waste in your RV toilet dumps into a holding tank and this is your black tank. To empty this tank you connect a sewer hose to the tank and a septic system and flush the contents out.
Yes, you will be carrying and using a sewer hose every time you go RV camping.
During this process you might get a whiff of some unpleasant odors and let’s face it, this is not glamorous.
I got pretty grossed out the first time I watched my husband Tom do this. Just the thought of handling the sewer hose, even with gloves made me cringe, and not knowing if the person before us at the dump station had any spillage were things I was thinking about.
There are other RV bathroom things like poop pyramids. Yes, I said poop pyramids. Sometimes it is hard to get all of the solid waste out of the tank.
Dumping your RV tanks is part of the RV camping experience. You will be dealing with bathroom things that you would never have to do at home.
Unexpected RV Expenses are Expected
The true cost of RV camping is more expensive than just the initial expense of purchasing your camper. And today RV prices continue to rise.
Why are RVs so expensive right now? There is high demand and low inventory and this has caused RV prices to climb up.
After you buy an RV there will be unexpected costs you need to be prepared for. This is one of the biggest downsides to owning an RV because it is the unknown.
Expenses will vary depending on the age of your RV, how often you use it, and how well it is built and maintained. The truth is, you will never know ahead of time just how much your unexpected expenses will be.
Some of the most unexpected expenses that you will face include:
- Essential RV Gear
There will be must-have gear you need to purchase before your first RV camping trip. And these essentials can add up quickly.
This is a list of the top RV must-haves:
- sewer hose
- sewer hose support
- disposable gloves
- dirty water hose
- safe drinking water hose
- 30 amp electric power cord
- RV surge protector
- bubble level
- stackable leveling blocks
- RV toilet paper
Pro Tip! Here is a handy RV essentials checklist.
- Fuel Costs
When towing an RV additional fuel costs is often an unexpected expense for RV newbies. The reason fuel costs more is because it takes more fuel to tow the extra weight of the trailer.
How much more you will spend depends on the weight of your trailer, your tow vehicles MPG, the cost of fuel, how far you are traveling, and the type of roads you will be traveling on.
- Maintenance and Upkeep Costs
There will have ongoing maintenance and upkeep costs for the RV you buy.
One of the first maintenance costs I incurred when I had to replace my RV battery because it stopped holding a charge. I have not had to replace the tires yet, but I know the time is coming.
It is wise to fix these smaller repairs when they happen so the initial repair does not become a bigger, more expensive repair down the road.
- RV Repairs
RV repairs are the biggest unexpected cost an RV owner will have. Some of of these repairs can be caused by human error. For example if you hit a tree when backing up into a campsite.
Other repairs naturally happen because you will be towing your RV down the road and this causes wear and tear. Mechanical things can get damaged and stop working such as a water pump.
When something in your RV does break this could cost you a couple hundred to several thousands of dollars.
You May be Forced to Escape the Connected World
Are you fine spending a few days without a cell signal or internet connection when you are RV camping? How will you feel if you can’t check Facebook, Instagram or watch a YouTube video?
Over half the campgrounds I have camped at had little or no cell service. When you are use to having internet access and suddenly find yourself without service this can be an adjustment for many people.
For me being out in nature is the thing I love most about camping. In fact some of my favorite camping locations do not have any cell service at all. This took some getting use to for me.
Getting Campground Reservations is Challenging
People are enjoying the freedom to travel and explore the great outdoors more than ever.
According to Go RVing 11.2 million households now own an RV, up 26% over the past 10 years.
This is good news, but the reality is this means that today the most desirable campgrounds are often book up just hours after the campground opens up for reservations.
Four years ago when I first bought my RV I was never concerned about finding a place to camp even if I decided to go at the last minute. Those were the good old days!
But the fact is getting campsite reservations at popular campgrounds such as National and State Parks can be challenging if you do not plan ahead and make reservations far in advance.
Pro Tip! Use this service to get campsite cancelation notification alerts.
Unpredictable Bad Weather
Bad weather can put a damper on any camping trip.
People spend most of their RV camping time outdoors and rain can be a nuisance especially if you are a weekend warrior like me and it ends up raining all weekend.
Even if you do not plan months in advance, the forecast can be looking good for the upcoming weekend, but mother nature may have her own plans.
In Minnesota the summers can get hot and when the humidity raises, it can be miserable just standing outside.
More severe weather can be dangerous and it is advised you always know where nearby shelter can be found in case of unexpected severe thunderstorms or for tornado warnings.
Pro Tip! I was recently caught off guard in high winds and this was a scary situation. You can see what happened here and learn about the NOAA radio to keep you and your loved ones safe.
It is Difficult to Keep a RV Clean & Tidy
Every time you see a photo on social media of the inside of someone’s RV while they are out camping it looks so inviting. It’s sparkly clean, organized, and tidy. Do not believe your RV is going to look like this when you are camping.
I am one of those people who like to keep things clean and tidy. But I found keeping my RV as clean as I wanted it was hard when I was camping, especially the floor.
At home I take off my shoes before I enter the house but I am constantly going in and out of my RV so taking off and putting my shoes back on each time just is not practical. Even if I wear flip flops and take them off, dirt still gets tracked in.
And if you have a dog, even more dirt will get tracked in.
At the end of most days my RV floor is filthy dirty.
To help me combat this, every morning I sweep the floor and after every camping trip I do a through cleaning job as part of my teardown process.
Small spaces can quickly become cluttered and when things are cluttered this makes me feel unorganized. So, if you like tidy too you this is going to take extra effort on your part.
Learning New Things is Essential
If you have never owned an RV there is a learning curve.
There will be things that are fine to figure out along the way such as how to attach a sewer hose, how to clean your black tank, how to winterize your RV if the temperatures fall below freezing, or how to maintain your RV battery.
Then there are the things you must know before your first trip.
Two of the most important things you will need to know as is how to properly hitch and unhitch your RV. Doing these two thing properly will ensure safety for you and your family while you’re towing your RV down the road and also ensure that your RV is always safe and secure when it is parked.
Towing and Backing Up a Trailer Can Be Challenging
If you have never towed or backed up an RV it can be challenging for the first time.
Backing up an RV is different than backing up a car. You need to turn the steering wheel in your tow vehicle the opposite way to get your RV to go in the direction you want it to. This can be confusing at first for most people.
I have watched my husband tow and backup our Little Guy Max for years. He never had any problems and made it look easy so I thought after a few times practicing I would nail it.
When my vehicle was moving forwards I had no problems. There were a few things that I needed to adjust for like when I pulled into a gas station but this was not difficult for me.
However, backing up has been very challenging for me. I can’t count the number of times I have practiced backing up and I still do not feel comfortable doing this. Sometimes I can back my RV into a campsite and sometimes I still struggle to do this.
The main reason experienced RVers have problems backing up is because there may be limited room to maneuver the tow vehicle and the RV into the campsite.
Over the course of time I’ve witnessed my share of people who have struggled backing their RV into their campsite. Not because they did not know how but the campsite was really narrow or there were trees or big rocks to look out for.
I mention this because even if you feel comfortable backing up there will probably be a time when you will pull up to your campsite and wonder how the heck you are going to back your camper in there.
Conclusion: Is RV camping worth it? I absolutely think so. Being out in nature makes me happy, I get rejuvenated and exploring new places has changed my life.
🎦 KEEP WATCHING: These videos will help you research buying an RV
Make Memories, Not Regrets Video Playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMwD3tcbfnyFTRz3b5taY4h8-Fcjhl_eK
