10 Reasons You Will Love RVing in the Fall

You may have your favorite season for RVing.  No matter what your favorite season, or if you seek out specific seasons because you are a full-time RVer, Fall is worth exploring.  One of the first thoughts that come to mind is Fall is a more temperate season.  During these months, we can turn off the air conditioners and enjoy some of the free air around us.  But here are 10 other reasons why an RV Fall trip can be great!

Less Extreme Weather

The first thing you will want to do is decide how you want to spend your Fall.  Fall temperatures vary around the world.  Here is an example of the average Fall temperatures for every state in the U.S.  Fall can generate different memories for individuals based on where they are located.  For the most part, we can agree that humidity is usually reduced, resulting in less snow, rain, bad road driving issues, and less physical discomfort.  This can mean safer traveling.  It might be nice and healthy if you do not have to fight extreme heat or extreme cold while you do your adventures.  Some locations will more closely match your personal preferences so take the time to do your research.  Some Fall areas can be a little chillier while others may be an average of 70 degrees the entire season.

End of the Tourist Season

This is one of the best reasons I enjoy Fall.  I’m an introvert so fewer people can be a nice choice for me.  But there are a lot of reasons fall makes a good travel season.  In the travel industry, these periods are called ‘off-peak’.  It is the time when travel is not as popular due to school, work, etc.  Shoulder seasons vary by country but in the United States and Canada, they are usually considered to be in the early spring or late fall.  Certain months will land in the off-peak season because they are trapped between the summer months and holiday months.  Travel begins to drop.  The nice thing about Fall is in off-peak travel times, tourist numbers fall, prices are lower, and lines are shorter, but everything is still well-staffed and open.  Shop or restaurant hours or days may be limited but you still have access to all the features you get during summer travel.

Fall weather can be much more moderate than other seasons!

Expand Your Travel Zone

If you choose the area you want to visit based on cool weather, visiting in the Fall can help you visit top spots that are normally hot the rest of the year.  This is a great example temperature map.  It shows a path around the United States you can follow to try and stay within a 70-degree Fahrenheit area all year around.  If you wanted to stick to this temperature, you would only be visiting the Eastern seaboard during standard summer travel months.  But if you expand your travel time into the Fall, you could visit most of the West and still be in 70-degree temperatures.

Less Advance Notice

If you don’t plan months in advance or are unable to, traveling in the fall is a better choice.  There is more space available in campgrounds for last-minute decisions.  The average time you need to reserve RV fall vacation spots in the summertime can be as much as one year or more.  Six months is usually the average for advance bookings.  Also, a lot of national and state parks allow bookings about six months in advance.  Fall is also an easier time to snag one of the park sites that only allow first come, first serve camping.  You won’t always arrive and find everything taken like you will during the summer months.  And because you are in the low peak season, the rates can be better.

Pack Less

You don’t need coats, sweaters, blankets, or any of the extra-large items that take up space in your RV.  Layering is the key.  Just pack your normal summer clothes and if you have a chilly day or evening, wear an extra shirt or socks.  Even when it comes to food, pack less.  There will be more farmers’ markets open with fresh fruits and vegetables.  You also will have more access to all types of ‘pick your own’ farms. So, you can pick up fresh food to fix every day instead of packing items for longer periods.  This is a great way to try food that is local and not transported for days or weeks before you get access to it.

Wildlife is Active

Just like looking for whales passing by Mexico and Baja in February is ideal – there are animals, birds and insects best seen in the fall on land.  As leaves start turning and temperatures drop, you will see the arrival of animals who enjoy autumn.  Most animals become more active during the fall as they get ready for the winter.  Some find the fall to be the perfect time to migrate.  You won’t usually find these animals active in the summer because it is just too hot, and they stay hidden and cool.  Here is a list of some active fall animals, birds, and insects to look for: Hedgehogs, Barn Owls, Red Squirrels, Foxes, Deer, Grey Wolf, and Migrating Monarchs.

Cooking in the fall opens up so many opportunies!

Cooking Outdoors & Firepits

Now you can enjoy cooking outside without sweating over a grill.  The heat of your flames may just be what you want to knock out a little chill in the evenings.  Or create a fire just to sit around and have fun roasting over it with a Dutch oven or skillet.  You will have more time to experiment with recipes and cooking techniques when you are not in a hurry to douse the flames and cool off from the outdoor sun.  Just look up ‘what to cook over fire’ and you will have an endless list of recipes and videos to explore. If you enjoy firepits, this is the perfect time to sit around them with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate to warm up your insides and enjoy the warmth of the flames without being too hot or too cold.

Fall Entertainment

If entertainment is a big part of your RV experience, there are so many things that will add value in the fall.  There are more festivals in the fall.  If you are a wine drinker, more wines are released in the fall due to harvesting.  Do you like sports?  Football and tailgating are huge during this season.  And you can take your RV right near almost any sporting event and be right on site for the pre-game events.  How about state fairs?  I have always enjoyed the Texas State Fair!  Whether you are a child or an adult, you might like petting zoos, hayrides, and pumpkin farms.  It’s a great time to go to harvest festivals, apple orchards, and corn mazes.  You also have several holidays in the fall that add to the festivities.  Enjoy Halloween parties and events, celebrating Thanksgiving with family, and pre-Christmas planning with friends.  Fall is full of entertainment specific to this season so it makes it rich with entertainment options for the whole family that can be inexpensive and last for days.

Fall Foods

Even if you are not a foodie, there are foods that are popular and more easily gotten in the fall.  Traveling in an RV gives you a greater range of experiences and how people are creative with fall foods and drinks.  Pumpkin is great.  It isn’t so popular in the other months but in the autumn, it becomes a decorative staple and a much-promoted food and drink piece.  Enjoy your pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice drinks, and pumpkin everything in the fall.  Other foods you will find more of are caramel apples (or just caramel something), apple ciders, turkey (turkey legs at fairs), and cranberries.  Baked foods like casseroles and pies appear on the menu. Pie bake-offs spring up with all kinds of fall flavors.  Soups are a great food to try the local flavors but making your own in an RV can be very simple.  I love attending chili cook-offs too.  Don’t miss these hearty food events for a great fall RV experience.  Or go with a simple, natural, local fare like roasted seeds and nuts.  So why not RV when you can have fun, fall foods at the same time?

Create New Traditions

Sticking to the same trip and the same schedule can become a rut.  Different experiences, learning, and traveling can help our minds grow and stay healthy.  It can also help us stay youthful as we age.  Try something new in the fall you can’t always experience at home or in your traditional RV stomping grounds.  Try taking a scenic train ride through the autumn foliage or tour a winery for their fall harvest. Meet some new RV neighbors and do a harvest Thanksgiving potluck. Volunteer at a local food bank that always needs help putting together food baskets or serving a thankful community.  Make caramel apples from the ones you just picked at the local farm or drive a scenic byway and do a fall photo shoot of the scenery.  Maybe start touring a new haunted house near you at each RV stop in the fall.

RVing in the fall can add a whole new depth to your love of RVing. If you can give the fall season a try, you will be pleasantly surprised.  It can be both a money-saving choice and more importantly, it can be a different experience few tourists ever get to take advantage of.  Weigh the costs of taking off during a different season versus how you normally RV.  You will get to see and do more than if you visit the same place and the same season every year.  The rewards can be much greater memory-wise too.  Fall into fall for a great new adventure!