Hipcamp: Swamp Cabbage Camp Photographer: Brian K
Learn Just How Simple It Can Be To Secure The Best Campsites For Your RV Road Trip
We’re all well aware that road trip planning comes with its fair share of challenges, especially when traveling in an RV. Our entire focus with RV LIFE Pro has been to make RV travel simple and enjoyable, helping you find just the right campground. We believe that finding a nice spot to stay for the night doesn’t have to be hard, whether you are looking to stay at a conventional RV park or campground or somewhere a bit more interesting.
That’s where our friends at Hipcamp come in. With an easy-to-use website and mobile app (Apple/Android), Hipcamp unlocks access to both last-minute RV spots and one-of-a-kind basecamps for extended adventures all over the US.
The best part? When you pair the Hipcamp app with RV LIFE Trip Wizard, part of RV LIFE Pro, it’s easy to get out on the road. Read on to learn why these tools are the perfect match for planning your road trip and booking great places to stay along the way, no matter your camping style.
Discover and book an RV campsite with Hipcamp
In addition to sharing public land camping information, Hipcamp connects RVers with a community of thousands of private landowners who welcome you to park and stay on their wildlands, farms, ranches, beaches, and land preserves. Here’s how to find the right spot for you.
Start searching for the perfect spot to stay during your road trip.
First, download the mobile app (Apple/Android) to browse on the road. Here you can type in a destination, or leave the search field blank to explore Hipcamp sites near your current location, and plug in dates to see what’s available on a specific day. (Use the handy “This weekend” or “Next weekend” buttons for quick shortcuts.) If you already have a route in mind, reference your RV LIFE trip to search where you’ll be exploring.
Determine your campsite wants and needs
Since each site is unique, Hipcamp RV listings detail the following:
- RV site logistics you’ll need to know in advance
- Available amenities
- How many guests are allowed per site
- Other essential info, such as whether or not pets or campfires are allowed
Use the various filters to find an RV-friendly location that matches what matters to you, such as pets allowed, length or class restrictions, and amenities like electrical hookups, onsite bathrooms and showers, potable water, picnic tables, or even Wi-Fi. It’s possible to narrow down your search to only show spots that have what you need, while also filtering to only show Hipcamp sites with landscape features you’re interested in, such as great fishing spots or secluded woodsy stays.
Pro tip: Booking a last-minute stay? Use the “Instant book” filter to show Hipcamp listings you can book without waiting for Host approval. These sites are ready for you to show up with no waiting period, sometimes even late at night.
Zoom in and out of the map to orient yourself with available property locations and distances. Each Hipcamp property tile lets you know approximately how many miles away a given site is.
Get familiar with various properties so you know your options
Read each property’s description, and know that you can also message Hipcamp Hosts within the app to coordinate your arrival, even when away from your laptop.
Once you’ve made a booking, Hipcamp Hosts are typically available (either in person or via messages) to answer questions, share area recommendations, and help with any issues.
Some popular Hipcamp searches to get your road trip started
Now plan your complete road trip with RV LIFE Pro
Once you’ve found your perfect Hipcamp locations, you can add them to your trip in RV LIFE Trip Wizard, the incredible visual planner that allows you to map out your RV-safe route, find fuel stops and rest areas, and see nearby points of interest to explore.
How to add a booked Hipcamp site to RV LIFE Trip Wizard
First, make sure you are logged in to tripwizard.rvlife.com and have started a new trip. If you need a short crash-course on creating a new trip, watch the video below.
For any Hipcamp locations you wish to add to your RV LIFE trip, simply type in the address or GPS coordinates for your booked Hipcamp location (you’ll receive this info after booking) into the search bar. Once the address appears in the drop-down menu, click the address shown.
You’ll now have a purple teardrop showing your exciting Hipcamp location on the map. Click the purple icon, choose More Details, add the number of nights you are staying, and then add it to your trip in the correct order. Don’t worry if you get it in the wrong spot; it’s easy to drag your stay up and down in the trip menu.
That’s it…just Search, Add, and Enjoy! Your Hipcamp stay is now part of your great RV trip. You can add all your Hipcamp locations to the trip the same way.
Find nearby points of interest
RV LIFE Trip Wizard includes a list of POIs to help you find area attractions, shopping, and dining. Click the Research tab, choose the Points of Interest, and scroll to your heart’s content, choosing POIs that interest you. When you find what you need, add it to your trip!
Map out fuel stops, rest areas, and dump stations with RV LIFE Trip Wizard
Fuel stops, rest areas, and dump stations are critical to a great RV road trip. The Trip Wizard uses your fuel capacity and MPG to show you exactly where you’ll need fuel. You can use the Rest Area and Dump Station POIs to round out a perfect drive to your next campground or Hipcamp destination.
Conclusion
RV LIFE Pro is the most complete source of public and private campgrounds, but admittedly, we’re not so great when it comes to those off-grid or interesting and unique places that aren’t on a standard campground map. For that, Hipcamp is the fastest and easiest way to find those tent camping locations, cabins, treehouses, and glamping sites for that special road trip. Download the Hipcamp app, and give RV LIFE Trip Wizard a try. Make them your go-to tools for your best RV road trip ever.
All around RV industry enthusiast who has been RVing for 8 years and enjoys trips with his wife and dogs in their diesel pusher.
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