Finding Good Florida RV Campgrounds

Stephen King calls Florida the land of the newlywed and nearly dead.  I have heard others call Florida God’s waiting room.  Certainly I have observed one thing for sure: Florida RV campgrounds are old!  We have had a tough time finding parks that are newer, that offer even basic services and that have been updated recently.

Disclaimer: This is Just My Opinion!  I am Going to Have Some Written Amusement!

And, they are loaded with park models and territorial owners.  More and more of these Florida RV campgrounds are going for that crowd because it brings in income on a year-round basis.  We full time RVers are getting pushed out in favor of this particular demographic:  from up north, they come for the winter months, and they turn their noses up at RVers when in actuality the names for most of these parks have RV in it, not park model!

I am all for RVers joining the club and traveling in their RV.  It is good for the industry.  It is a great lifestyle, but we are getting squeezed out by non-RVing crowd taking over these Florida RV campgrounds.

The park we are in right now was so busy earlier in the year I could hardly get in and out of my site with all the vehicles here and due to the narrow roads of this old park.  It is called an RV Resort.  Hardly!!

There is no resort about it!  It’s old, asphalt looks like twenty miles of bad road, NARROW streets, poor sewer service that has no draw to it, you get one 50amp plug and that’s it.  We tried to sit out when the weather was nice but got eaten alive by no-see-ums and mosquito’s.  Oh, and trains all hours of the day and night!  In the busy season, there could be ten a day!

We are sandwiched in between two park models.  On our street, there are seventy-five percent of the sites that are park models.  The rest of the park is even a higher percentage.  If you want just RV sites you park on grass and then don’t have full hookups.  They call them overflow sites.  The surprising thing is that in February people would take anything because they could not find RV sites because they waited till the last minute to book a reservation.

This place may be for some people, but it is sure not for me.  These people are all my parents age.  Hey, we are all going to get old, I just don’t have to be reminded of it every day.  Actually, it’s not the age of a person, it’s the attitude.  I call them lemon trees!  I have met some folks in their 80’s who don’t act this way.  It’s just most of these people at these Florida RV campgrounds just act old.  And nosey too!!  Tell one and the whole place knows about you.  And what they don’t find out, they make up!  I guess they have nothing better to do!

We Are Having Some Fun Now!!

Hey, I am not knocking old people, well not too much.  My parents are in their late eighties and at that age things just look a little different I guess. Have old people made Florida what it is?  What is going to happen to these RV parks when this generation is gone?  I guess there will be a lot of empty old park models!

I have been traveling around Florida for the past seven years and I have found few parks that I really liked.  The ones I did like charge $50 or more dollars per night, and in the season.  If you don’t mind parking on grass (or weeds), ants and palmetto bugs in and around your rig, being able to watch your neighbor perform acts that should be private due to closeness of RV sites, people thinking that cutting through your site is their God-given right, unlevel sites, and difficulties navigating through these parks, then some of these Florida RV Campgrounds are for you!

You can find them on most of the discount camping clubs!  You can be sure if they are offering a discount, there may a reason why!  They are great for an overnight stay, but that’s about it!  You have to check out there website and the RV Park Review website to be sure.

Again, this is my website and my opinion, and I am entitled to express it!  I want you to be aware, do your research and choose wisely, or you may have a very unhappy stay.

Lindsey checking in here with the “RV Weekly Bark Report”.  I just wanted to have my say about this whole Full Time RVing Dogs thing.  Mom and Dad give their opinions but where’s the voice of the furbabies.

First off, I want to say I don’t appreciate being call neurotic, whatever that means.  They take me from a huge house, put me in a moving house and now in a tiny house.  What’s next?  Will we all be living in my crate?! No way, that’s all mine.

Anyway, it is really cool to have them around most all the time and now I get to go with them when they go to work inspectin’ moving homes is what dad calls it.  I guess you call that work.  I’d rather just watch from the window.  I see them crawling all over other homes on wheels.  Some like we used to have, some like ours and some really big ones. 

I wonder if they would get one of those for me for my birthday?  It’s coming up in July in case anyone is interested.  I could play fetch from front to back in those big ones and not run into the bed all the time like I do here.

Mom did get me some really neato food when we got this littler home.  I used to get some frozen raw food, but now she found freeze dried for me. She said there is no room in the freezer anymore for the frozen.  I really, really, like this better.  It’s called Stella and Chewy’s.  All different kinds of flavors.  

At first I thought we were getting 2 more furbabies, one named Stella and one named Chewy but it turned out to be just a red bag of food. Mom says it’s way better for me, better ingredients. What’s an ingredient? All I know is it tastes really good.  

She said maybe if Maya (my sister that’s gone over the Rainbow Bridge) had it during her life she may not have gotten Lymphoma. That’s another big word I don’t know. All I know is Mom said Maya had it and then she never came back.

Another cool thing is sometimes mom would let me drive the big truck. (Don’t tell dad! He would never give me the keys. He had issues with slobber on the steering wheel.)  I’m hoping that maybe I can take the little house out for a spin sometime.  It’s not that much bigger than the truck.

Mom is always a pushover for a pleading look.   She’s always smothering me with kisses.  Gees!  I tried to hide next to the bed, but she found me there.  My crate is the only other option. Maybe she won’t see me there.  I try to blend in.  Is it working? (Does my butt look big in this crate?)

So stayed tuned for more of my Bark Report as it would appear that mom and dad like full time RVing dogs.  I guess I’ll stick around for a bit.  It’s getting funner the more we move around.  Enough said, Lindsey out.

Pam here!  Okay, we let Lindsey have her say.  Let us know if you want to hear more from her.  She’s quite busy but I am sure we can tear her away from her nap to write some more good stuff!

And as always, please feel free to leave comments and Lindsey, I mean we will get back to you!

Happy tails, I mean Happy Travels!!

Greetings Everyone!  Pam and I are taking our web site in a new direction! We want to share more of our personal experiences with you in regards to the full time RV living lifestyle.  We have been fairly static in the past seven years of full time life, but since we have changed from the monster truck and 5th wheel to living in a small RV: living in a Class C RV to be exact, all 29 feet of it, we have more to share with you!

Lindsey, the neurotic Corgi, has also expressed her desire to be more a part of the conversation.  She says she has had no input thus far on how this RV life affects her.  So we are going to allow her to share some of her thoughts with you too!  She wants to be able to let her canine friends in on what this full time RV life is all about.

We have been living in a small RV now since we traded our truck and 5th wheel back in late February.  It has taken some time to get everything we had in the fifth wheel in the right places in the Class C RV!  Of course we could not fit everything we had in the fifth wheel in here.  So, we have a 6×12 cargo trailer to pick up the slack.  I am still working to secure everything so that when we hit the road at the end of May, we won’t have a tossed salad in there!

The Honda scooter we have had always been transported on the back of the 5th wheel on a platform that I had built.  Now it can safely go in the trailer and be kept out of the elements during travel.  It is also so much easier to get stored due to the lower height and secure mounting of the Condor Scooter Chock.  I have been using that device since 2010 and it has worked well to keep the scooter secure during travel.

This summer we will be traveling up the east coast holding RV inspector training classes.  Our travels will take us along the east coast states, perhaps as far west as Ohio, up into the Northeast states, and maybe even into Canada as it looks like the NRVIA may make its way to our friends in the northern country, Eh?

We have taken the Class C RV on some shorter road trips around Florida and find it so easy to navigate, to park, to break camp, and to live in!  It has everything we need to be comfortable.  I really love having a generator available with the push of a button, unlike the 5th wheel that we had to use an external generator.  That was never a quick process!

We were parked at Lazydays RV Campground in Seffner Florida last week.  I was holding a 5-day Advanced RV Inspector training class at their Rally Park.  We spent the week with five NRVIA certified RV inspectors.  They are a great group of guys that really worked hard to get everything they could out of the class!

Anyway, we had a little graduation party the last evening of the class and Pam and I needed to head out as we had a commitment the following morning.  So, it was 7:30pm when we ended the celebration, and by 7:40pm we had jacks up, slides in, the electric awning away, electric and water attachments stored, and we hit the road.  That would have taken hours in the 5th wheel!

We arrived at our destination a few hours later, backed in, jacks down, services reconnected, slides out and it’s happy living in a small RV, just a different view out the window and only ten minutes after backing in. Awesome!!  In the past, in ten minutes I was still backing the 60-foot behemoth into the usually inadequate sized RV site.

We’ll keep you posted and have more for you in a few days.  Stay tuned and come back soon!  And as always, feel free to leave a comment if we can be of assistance as you look at the full time RV life.

Well, we did it!  We decided, due to business needs, to full time in a smaller RV!  For the past six plus years, we have been living in our forty foot 5th wheel pulled by our Freightliner Sportchassis.  It was very comfortable and served our needs well for that time.

But one thing is for sure.  When it came to moving day it never happened quickly!  There was always a list of things to do and everything had to be moved around in order for the 5th Wheel RV to be ready to move.  We, as well as other full time RVers, have had the discussions about larger 5th wheels, that they are great while stationary but a major stress event when it comes to rolling your RV home down the road.

Since beginning our RV Inspection business, we have felt that being more mobile would be beneficial in developing our business further.  The ability to move at will and with greater efficiency is needed.  So far, this is working well!  Since we have gone from 40′ to 29′, we have had no problem adjusting to the new space!

We have overcome the storage issues by acquiring a 6×12 V-nosed Diamond Cargo trailer to handle the items that we want with us: Honda scooter, bikes, personal items, etc.  Since the RV can handle towing 5,000 lbs with a 350 lb tongue weight, we are well below those numbers for our needs.

As far as the inside, the floor plan that we chose, the 27K for the Winnebago Aspect, has what we needed to be comfortable for our needs. We have been in the RV for almost a month, driven it 500 miles around Florida, and are very happy with how it is meeting our full time RV living requirements!

We can be on the road in an hour compared to a day or two.  And with our RV inspection business growing as it is, we need that kind of flexibility.  For some, that may not be an issue.  But for most, moving a 5th wheel can definitely be a stressful situation.  Ours was approaching ten years old and with every move new issues would arise.

There is nothing like rolling down the road in a motorized RV and being able to see what is going on in your RV as you travel the fine roads of these United States!

Has the smaller space been a detriment  to us?  Absolutely not!!  I can’t say we could have come from our 3,800 square foot house to this RV right off, but the jump from that to the fifth wheel, to this was a logical progression that was doable for us.

Sure, the shower is smaller, we don’t have a washer and dryer anymore, and we lack the openness of what we had, but we have a goal in mind and this new RV helps us to reach that goal.

Could you do the same?  I would say rent one first and see what it is like before you spend the bucks!  Oh, and by the way, we found our “like new” two-year-old RV at Lazydays and it was just what we were looking for.  I also inspected it and was happy with what we found.

It is always best to buy used!  You save a lot of money that way!  Just be sure to have a certified RV inspection done so you know what you are buying.

I will post more about the full time in a small RV living experiences soon!  Stay tuned!!

For RVers with 5th wheels, and especially those that enjoy full time RV living, sometimes we just need a little more cargo-carrying capacity! Especially if you want to bring along the motorcycle or the scooter!  I had this problem until I decided to build my own 5th wheel platform to carry my 305 pound Honda Scooter.

Getting around in the Freightliner Sportchassis can sometimes be a challenge when you just want to make a quick trip to the store.  So we decided to get the Honda scooter to fill in the gaps.  Its has worked out great!  It gets 70 miles to the gallon compared to the trucks ten.  It’s a truck and we don’t really care about that because its job is to pull our heavy full time RV living home.   But, the scooter is just so much fun!

The first time to we wanted to move with this new addition we had to come up with a way to transport the scooter and not have to try and get it on the back of the Freightliner truck bed.  It is just too difficult to get it up on the bed and not be in the way of the 5th wheel while in travel mode.  So, I came up with an idea to build a 5th wheel platform that would carry the scooter and other items as needed.

Building Your Own 5th Wheel Platform!

Before I decided to do this I did check the cargo-carrying capacity on my rig to assure that I would not be exceeding the GVWR for the 5th wheel.  The scooter weighs a little over 300 pounds and the platform is right around 100 pounds, so I was okay given the other cargo that I have onboard.  For more information on this subject, you can visit a post I wrote for this website.

Now I did not build this 5th wheel platform all by myself.  I am not a welder but having an engineering mind I knew there was a way to get the job done.  I recruited the assistance of an RV tech that was working in a park I was staying at.  He turned out to be a welder as well.  So, he knew about RV’s and how to fix welds on them.

I had him look at the under structure of my Newmar 5th wheel and see if he agreed that we could weld two receiver bars to the main frame allowing for a removable platform.  The beauty of the two receiver bars was that it created a sturdy foundation to build the rest of the platform on.

So, my RV tech friend added some extra welds to the existing skid plates that attached to the main frame rails of the RV.  He welded a bar between the skid plates to allow for attachment of the receiver bars. Once he had welded those in place he was able to then build the steel platform using flat and angle stock, and the metal grid material you see here in the photos.

I had him weld the flat stock to the angle iron to give the platform rigidity from left to right.  He estimated I could carry 800 – 1000 pounds on the 5th wheel platform, but I would not put that much on there!  But, if I upgrade to a 600 pound scooter I know I would be okay carrying it.

I have discovered this platform has more uses than just carrying stuff on the back.  It sure makes it easier to clean the back of the RV, put the window screens on, get on the roof, and carry my generator during travel.  When dry camping at rest areas or truck stops it’s easy to plug the RV into the generator sitting on the back platform as it is always set up and ready to go.

The 5th wheel platform is removable if need be.  I have been using it for quite a while now and have not had a need to take it off.  The two receiver bars have the typical hitch pin that holds the square iron stock in the receiver bars.  For extra security, I put a locking hitch pin just to be sure the platform would not disappear.  You never know if someone may decide they like it more than I do.

In this photo, you can see the two receiver bars welded to the crossbar that is welded to the skid plates.  The 2×2 iron stock is inserted into the receiver bars.  From there, the rest of the platform was built on top of those two pieces of steel.

I use a Condor Scooter Chock to hold the scooter on the platform during travel.  When parked I remove it to keep it from rusting.  I have a folding ramp that makes it easy to load the scooter on the platform.  Given that the platform is only a few feet off the ground it is easy to walk the scooter up the ramp using the scooters own power.   Once loaded, the generator goes on and I am ready to hit the road!

I hope this has given you some ideas of how you can create your own 5th wheel platform.  It is a cheap method to haul your extra stuff during those times when the RV hits the road!

I am sorry I don’t have pictures of the scooter loaded on the platform at the time of this writing.  I will add them next time I am traveling.  I had not planned to write about this topic, but I am finding more and more people asking about my creation so I thought I would share it here on yourfulltimervliving.com!

If you have any questons, leave me a comment before you go!

Blessings,
Howard and Pam

Many people these days want to work from home!  It does not matter if that home is an apartment, a condo, a house, or like myself, an RV.  There are ways to generate income in the online world!  The trick is to find a way to learn from others who are successfully doing that!

How to Write a Blog for Money!

The website URL that you are visiting has been in existence since late 2011. I created yourfulltimervliving.com to share ideas and ways to make the full time RV living lifestyle easier for those who are looking to get started.  I also learned from others that if I use RV products, and like using them because they add value to my RV life, that I could make some money writing about my experiences and sharing those in a blog post.

Do you need to have writing experience to do such a thing?  No! You do need to know how to form coherent sentences and be able to put your thoughts into words that will make sense to others.  If that is something that is difficult for you to do this may be a problem at first. There are ways to overcome poor writing skills by using today’s technologies.  Once you try these and learn from your mistakes, proper writing skills can be developed quite easily!

How I Got Started!

By my schooling, I am an engineer.  By my work experience, I am an entrepreneur.  I love finding ways to make money and develop those ideas into a business.  When I started the full time RV lifestyle seven years ago I knew that running a business out of my home on wheels would be a good idea.  It makes moving about the country a much easier thing to do.  I have since developed that into multiple businesses that all are related to each other.

Like I stated earlier, at first I just wanted a website that I could share ideas and relay products that make RV life easier.  I had no idea how to do that. Traditional business is easy compared to navigating the internet: coming up with a niche, creating a viable domain name, building a website, hosting that website, writing content that will get Googles attention, and marketing the website to attract visitors who would be interested in what I had to say.

Can You Learn How to Write a Blog for Money?

Yes!  Absolutely!  You can do exactly what I did and have a website focused on something that interests you, and create a home based business at the same time.  With focused effort, hard work and time engaged in learning how to make your website better, you can do exactly what I have done!

How long will it take for your website to take off?  That is up to you.  Will you follow the online teaching exactly as it is laid out?  Will you watch each video and follow the steps exactly?  You can’t leave out anything.  Each piece of the training will help you write a blog for money if you follow the online training.  Each phase builds a foundation for the next step.

The online training and the help that is available from the community of like-minded people, from all over the world, is awesome!  Whenever I have had questions I get answers almost immediately from someone who has had the same issue I had.

I now have two websites!  That is a pretty ambitious endeavor because it is like running two businesses at once.  However, the new website is more focused on building my RV inspection business then it is affiliate marketing.

Can you Really Do This Too?

Would you like to try it for FREE?  There are no commitments, no credit cards needed to try it for free, and no time limit on your free account.  You can launch a free website and learn some of the basics for FREE.  You can check out the teaching that is available, interact with others who are doing the same, and decide if it is something you want to dig deeper into.

Got an idea for a website?  See if it is taken!

Did you find a domain name that you could build a free website from?

See how easy that is?  Now log in to get your ten free lessons and access to start building your online business!  I know you will find the process as enjoyable as I have!  The training process is so engaging it is almost addictive.  The social part is like Facebook on steroids.  There are so many great folks willing to help out!  

They have been in my shoes so they know what it is like and they are willing to share their knowledge.  Why?  Because it is a pay it forward community of affiliate marketers who wanted to learn how to write a blog for money, but they found so much more!

No Obligation – No Strings Attached!

When enjoying either the part time or full time RV living lifestyle, one cannot survive without some of the cheap RV accessories that are available to buy!  Well yes, you can survive, but some of these cool RV accessories sure make RV living just a little better!

Cheap RV Accessories

One of the really cheap RV accessories that you can buy these days is led lights to replace the current incandescent and fluorescent bulbs in your RV.  There are so many advantages to switching over to this newer technology, whether you are living in a sticks and bricks home or in your RV.  But especially the RV given its limited 12 volt capacity when using all your RV lighting.

Let’s face it, most RV’s can only carry so many batteries, and solar panels can not keep them charged under heavier demand.  When plugged into shore power, you can make your converter work pretty hard if you draw a lot of 12 volt power when using all your lights.  Remember, the 12 volt batteries are your piggy bank.  The converter will keep you going while plugged in to shore power, and the batteries are your energy supply when off the grid.

Either way, you can save a lot of power by switching to led bulbs in your RV!  They consume approximately one-tenth the power compared to incandescent bulbs.  Here are some other benefits of using led RV lighting:

Bulb Type                   % Creates Heat       % Creates Light             
          Incandescent                   85%                      15%         
          Florescent                         50%                      50%         
          LEDs                                 15%                       85%

Why use LEDs for RV lighting?

          Safer – hot incandescent and fluorescent lights can cause fires in RVs – LEDs do not get hot enough to start a fire or blister your fingers
          Cooler – LED light bulbs run at a maximum of 165°F, 200 degrees cooler than incandescent and 800 degrees cooler than halogen bulbs
          Power Savings – a LED light bulb uses 15% of the electrical power required by an incandescent or halogen bulb for the same amount of light
          Longer Lasting – the expected life of a LED is 11 years of full time use; normal incandescents last up to 1,000 hours – 1% of the life of a LED – some are rated to sixty thousand hours!

Are there any savings from using LEDs? Yes!  Save hassle, time, and money!

  –  Batteries stay charged much longer and so, live longer
  –  Replacing bulbs is no longer a continuing task and cost
  –  Generator does not need to run so much, saving on expensive fuel
  –  Solar Panels can keep up even if you burn LED light bulbs all night
  –  Bugs fly away to find warmer lights
  –  Boondock longer and stay ‘off the grid’.

Are LEDs dimmable?

It depends on the type dimmer you are using whether LEDs are dimmable and to what extent.

LED light bulbs are fully dimmable with a pulse width modulator style dimmer.  The PWM works by turning the lights off, then on, then off, then on again, at a rate so fast that our eyes only see the total amount of light.  As the ‘offs’ get longer, the lights appear dimmer.

Now a rheostat dimmer works by reducing the amount of voltage to the lights.  LED light bulbs will dim to about half their brightness and at about 6 volts, they turn off.  There is not enough power to keep them lit.  With LEDs, the rheostat dimmer can be used as an on/off switch and for slight dimming.

What kind of bulb should I use?

Buy Here!

These are a must have of the cheap RV accessories options.  I love the light they produce!

I have talked about other cool RV accessories elsewhere on this website:

• Tire Pressure Monitor Systems to keep you safe on the road
• Electrical Management Systems to protect your RV electrical system, your expensive appliances and electronics when plugging in at RV parks!
• Induction cooktop units for safer cooking in your RV!
• Wireless handheld backup camera system for travel trailers, fifth wheels and toads
• King controls jack antenna upgrade to allow for improved TV reception in today’s digital age

Water usage aboard your RV is something that should be monitored for both quality and pressure.  As we have traveled around the country we see large differences in water quality and hardness.  Also, water pressure can vary greatly in RV parks depending on if the park is on well or city water.  I always check the water pressure at the faucet before hooking up.  I keep a gauge in my water bay to remind me to do that.  Maximum pressure on my rig is 60 psi.  Some parks I have been in have been over 100 psi!  That can ruin an RV’s water system pretty fast if you are not aware of that!

I have been in other RV parks where the pressure is at 40 psi.  Trying to take a shower is like standing under a weak garden hose with that pressure. In those cases, I just use my water pump to take an adequate shower. Also, the non-adjustable water pressure regulators that everyone like to use don’t provide enough pressure for today’s RV’s!

But, most parks do offer robust water pressure and the best way to have enough pressure, but not too much, is to have an adjustable water pressure regulator.  We use Valterra’s lead-free brass regulator.  I set it right at 60 psi and that allows adequate water pressure inside the RV.  We have some residential water fixtures in the RV and we really need the pressure to be right at that maximum of 60 psi!

Consider an adjustable water pressure regulator as one of the best cheap RV accessories that you must have!  It will save you from a lot of possible water damage from RV park water systems.

Blessings and Safe Travels,
Howard and Pam

I have noticed an emerging trend among the full time RVers who love their gadgets!  And I am in complete agreement on this one!  RV awning lights, especially led awning lights, are pretty amazing when you see them on at night!  This newer technology allows the daytime fun to carry into the night time without missing a beat.  It is surprising how bright these led awning lights are!

There are two ways you can mount these RV awning lights depending on what you like best.  They can be mounted up at the top of the awning, right underneath the sidewall awning rail, or they can be inserted in the awning tube and roll up inside the fabric when the awning is retracted.  Either way this can be a permanent installation that can be enjoyed each time you use your awning at night.

How Do LED Awning Lights Work?

Are these easy to install?  Without getting too technical, I think this is best explained in a video!

Honestly, how cool is the Dometic light kit?  I don’t think it will be too long before these kits will be installed on all RV’s before leaving the factory.  It makes real sense to find a way to hardwire them to your 12 volt exterior light switch so you can control the power from the inside of your RV.  The remote adds that extra feature of convenience!

I like that the strips can be trimmed to fit custom lengths, and the 3M adhesive backing keeps the lights secure when the awning is closed. The wireless remote control adds convenience with its dimmer feature and handy key chain clip, and it functions up to 125′ from the unit. With seven vibrant colors all in one strip, you can program it to fade or step between colors (white, blue, pink, red, yellow, green and cyan).

7-Color RV Awning Lights Features

• 16′ of colorful programmable LED lights
• 350 LEDs
• Waterproof, long-lasting LED lights
• Lasts over 3 1/2 years with continuous use
• Simple installation
• Trim to fit custom lengths
• Includes wireless remote control with on/off button plus multiple program features to change colors
• Colors: white, blue, pink, red, yellow, green, cyan
• Contents include one 16′ adhesive-backed LED light strip, one wireless remote control, 12 volt AC outlet plug
• Energy saving if living off the grid
• Enough light to read by if desired
• Great for parties!

With the decreasing cost of this technology and the huge advantages of power savings, there is no reason to not switch over to all LED technology in an RV!  One RVer we know of switched all his lighting from incandescent to led lighting, including adding led awning lights.  With everything on, he said he was drawing less than 100 watts!

If you spend a fair bit of time off the grid, or even if you enjoy full time RV living and have to pay for your electricity use each month, over the long term led lighting could benefit you!  Some of the led lights I have installed in my RV are rated for sixty thousand hours of use!  Some of the incandescent bulbs I have replaced only lasted for a few months!  The filaments in them just don’t seem to last very long.  That is why I am a huge fan of this led lighting technology!

Blessings and enjoying your new led awning lights!
Howard and Pam

There are those who adopt the full time RV living lifestyle that do carry weapons on board their RV’s!  This important article is worth reading if RV travel with firearms is something you do.

A friend if mine, S.M. Ingersoll at laymenstactical.com was invited to help offer his valuable opinion on this subject.  I have no experience here.  He however has an extensive background in military and national security service as well as he is an NRA certified firearms instructor.

So here is what Mr. Ingersoll has to say on the subject!

“I am not a lawyer and none of the information in this post is to be construed to be legal advice!”

Late last month, my father and I began a discussion about traveling with firearms.  My dad has purchased a small RV and was keen to hear my opinions on carrying a firearm while on the road.  This sent me on a trip of my own to do lots of research on the subject. I rarely travel myself so I had to rely on the experiences of others to formulate an educated answer to my dad, after all.

The first thing I did was look through several forums and blogs that are more dedicated to this particular issue.  The one thing that I was able to take from them is that research on your destination’s local and state laws is paramount.  First and foremost is the importance of the decision to carry a firearm with you in the first place.

Carrying a pistol or rifle come with an inherent responsibility that you owe to every single person, place or thing that you encounter.  Your decision to carry could affect the lives of many more than just yourself and travel companions.  Once that decision is made, the decision on what to carry comes into play.

The primary question here is; what is your perceived threat?  Do you spend a lot of time out in more primitive camping areas?  Are predatory animals a concern?  Do you tend to just pull up to any ole’ parking lot to take a rest for the night?  Truck stops?  What kind of lockable storage is available in your rig?  These are important questions to ask yourself and making a list of your answers is helpful.

RV Travel With Firearms!

Once you’ve narrowed down your needs then a selection is to be made. One thing to keep in mind is that RV’s are small cramped quarters.  Shouldering a shotgun or long rifle isn’t going to be a practical option inside the RV.  My suggestion here is to have a couple options on board.  A handgun of course, makes excellent sense inside a vehicle.  I also suggest the consideration of a pistol caliber carbine that shares an ammunition and magazine commonality with your handgun.  The same system applies if you’re more of a wheel gun fan, carbines are available in .38spc/.357mag and .44mag.

Of course, you have the option to carry whatever you wish, but this pairing in my opinion works well for the traveler. Whether you decide to go the route of a two firearm solution or a single firearm is a very personal decision and budget certainly comes into play here however, there are a few budget-friendly options in these categories that offer all the benefits at the price of one “top shelf” handgun.

Gun laws are what will be the most important thing to consider after you’ve decided to carry a firearm in the first place.  Different states and municipalities have different laws and ordinances and when you place yourself with a firearm in that area, your ignorance of these regulations will not be a defense to your prosecution if you are discovered armed.  These laws can limit the magazine capacity, length, and size of what weapon you can legally possess. There are a few websites that consolidate applicable laws in an easy to find database.  handgunlaw.us is an outstanding and very well-researched example of one of these.

Getting yourself a concealed handgun permit/cwp/chl…whatever your state calls it, is a very advisable thing for you to do.  Many states have reciprocity with other states that allow you to freely carry your loaded and concealed handgun into and through that state, without fear of prosecution.  Be advised though, that these reciprocity agreements do tend to change some, so research immediately before your trip to see if anything has changed.

There are also many states that are so-called “open carry” states. This means that a loaded firearm can be openly carried without breaking any laws. What this means to the RV traveler is that your firearm can be close at hand provided that it is concealed from view in your rig.  Whatever state you are from, if you are able you should have a concealed cary permit regardless of where you plan to travel to.

If you still have any questions after your research is done, a phone call or visit to the attorney general’s website for the state you plan to travel to could help to clear up a lot of things.  Many places also recognize the fact that when your RV is no longer moving down the highway and is serving as your “home”, the legal definition of your vehicle changes to a dwelling much like a hotel room is recognized as your dwelling when you’re inside.  This is a good question to have in mind while you’re researching laws or if you call to the attorney general’s office.

If traveling through more restrictive states, the federal standard for transporting of a firearm is to have it locked in a secure area (locking storage box or safe) and ammunition is to be locked away separately. I myself have no desire to visit places that would require me to give up my right and ability to protect myself and my family.

The important thing to take away from this post is that your own research is necessary and so important to keep yourself on the right side of jail walls. The reason for traveling is to see wonderful sites and enjoy your time on the road. Simply ignoring the laws will result badly for you. Make good choices and train with your chosen firearms. laymenstactical.com.  That is what will make the difference if you’re ever forced to use them in defense.  Enjoy your travels and have fun. As always stay safe, train and have a good un’.

As Pam and I travel we keep the weapon handy, but locked and the gun ammo separate from the handgun per recommendations of Stephen.  If needed, the gun could be quickly placed into service.  If questioned we are abiding by the laws of most states.  Diligence is needed when it comes to gun laws to keep up with things as they possibly change!

Thanks to Mr. Ingersoll for allowing me to post this helpful article on RV travel with firearms.  Please visit for more information on education, instruction, and making the average gun owner more skilled with their firearm.

Blessings and Safe Travels,
Howard and Pam

Summer 2015:  I recently visited with Stephen while we were passing through North Carolina.  He recommended a fantastic handgun that I bought, and I found it easy to handle.  His training skills are awesome!  He was able to teach me quite quickly how to SAFELY handle the gun.  I had never fired a weapon prior to that time but I found the process very enjoyable.  If you are in the Raleigh area, reach out to him if you want to be “armed and fabulous!”

Fall 2016 Update:  Pam and I were passing through North Carolina again and had a chance to visit with Stephen while at a local shooting range.  I joined he and his Dad to hone our skills shooting at targets. Stephen was awesome in helping me to correct a few shooting issues that take me left and low of my intended target.  Thanks Stephen!!