How to Plan a Memorial Day Weekend RV Trip

The best way to enjoy Memorial Day weekend? In an RV, of course! There’s nothing quite like kicking off the summer with a trip into nature, a cookout or two, and the company of some good friends. 

All that said, because so many people want to spend the weekend camping, it is important that you plan your RV Memorial Day trip well. Luckily for you, I have lots of experience to share in that area! Here’s what you need to know as you plan your camping fun. 

Choose Your Destination Early

The first step you need to take is, of course, choosing a destination. Keep in mind the fact that Memorial Day weekend is a popular time to travel, meaning campgrounds will fill up quickly. Because of this, I always make sure to book my Memorial Day reservations as early as possible. If you do need to wait until the last minute, consider choosing a less-popular spot. 

Some of my favorite Memorial Day RV destinations include:

• National parks
• Ocean beach parks
• Lake or riverside parks
• Forested parks
• Small towns, especially those with fun festivals

Map Out Your Route

Once you know where you’re going, the next step is to plan your route. Sure, you could just plug the address into your GPS and hit the road, but then you might miss out on cool things along the way. 

I personally like using tools like RV Trip Wizard, Roadtrippers, Atlas Obscura, and Google Maps to find the places we want to stop during our travel days. 

Make sure to include:

• Fuel stops
• Food stops
• Rest areas
• Sightseeing detours
  

As you plan, you’ll want to make sure the roads are RV-friendly. Watch out for height restrictions, weight limits, etc. RV Trip Wizard can help a lot with this!

Prep Your RV

Before you hit the road, get your RV totally travel-ready. This is especially important if this is the first trip of the year and the RV has been sitting in storage all winter.

First, do a pre-trip inspection. Check tires, brakes, lights, and fluids to be sure the RV is ready to take on the open road. It’s also a good idea to test water systems, the A/C, the generator (if you have one), and all propane appliances to be sure everything is in working order so there aren’t any surprises when you arrive at your campsite.

Of course, you’ll also want to stock the RV with all necessary essentials. If you took bedding, towels, and dishes out of the rig before putting it into storage, it’s time to put those things back. Groceries and toiletries will also need to be picked up, and you’ll want to make sure you have items like camp chairs, necessary hoses and leveling blocks, and clothing layers for changing weather. 

Plan Food & Meals

One of the greatest things about traveling in an RV is the fact that you have your own kitchen wherever you go, meaning you can make your own food. This has been great for us because it allows us to save money and eat healthy as we travel. 

Of course, cooking your own food does require some planning. Just a bit of forethought will make cooking in your RV a whole lot easier so you can fully enjoy your vacation. It’s also handy to have all of your groceries packed and ready to go when the grocery store is far away.

Some things you can do to make cooking in your as easy as possible include…

• Choosing easy meals such as one-pot meals, sandwiches, and meats and veggies on the grill
• Making use of an Instant Pot or slow cooker.
• Prepping meals in advance, cutting all vegetable and marinating meat as necessary
• Turning the fridge on well in advance to allow it to cool down completely before stocking it.

Plan Activities

What you do during your trip can make or break your experience. Make sure you do some planning in advance so everyone has a good time while you’re out on your Memorial Day RV trip.

First of all, make sure to take advantage of where you are. Go hiking, kayaking, or swimming, and do a day trip or two to see the sights. You might also want to look into local parades or festivals that might be happening over the weekend. Attending these sorts of events is a great way to get to know the local community while having some inexpensive fun. 

Besides planning outings, it’s also a good idea to bring entertainment for the RV and campsite so you have something to do during your downtime. Games, books, and movies are all good for indoor fun, and things like frisbees, a cornhole set, and a ball to kick or toss around are all perfect for outside fun. 

Expect Crowds and Be Flexible

Memorial Day weekend is one of the busiest weekends for campgrounds, as well as tourist spots. Go in knowing that things are going to be crowded, and give yourself extra time for traffic and check-ins. I also recommend having a Plan B for overbooked sites or unexpected changes. These things don’t happen often, but our plan B has come in handy from time to time. 

Practice Good RV Etiquette

Because campgrounds are so crowded on Memorial Day weekend, it can be easy to step on other campers’ toes. Obviously, we all want to have a good time, so make sure you’re practicing good campground etiquette in order to keep from offending your RV neighbors. 

Some basic campground etiquette rules are:

• Follow quiet hours
• Clean up after pets
• Leave no trace at campsites
• Be neighborly (offer help, share stories, or just wave!)

Memorial Day RV Trip FAQs

Still have questions about planning a Memorial Day RV trip? Below are answers to some FAQs.