7 Reasons To Go RVing This Thanksgiving

The New Tradition of Fall Holidays RV Camping

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and that means it’s time to make your holiday plans. For some, this is as simple as deciding to attend the usual event at Grandma’s house. However, some people don’t have this option, and others will be looking for something new to do this year because of the pandemic.

If you’re in either of these camps, you may be wondering what kinds of options you have. You could of course stay home and make a meal for your family. That would be fine, but for many, this simply isn’t exciting enough.

Don’t Put Your RV in Storage Yet

If you’re looking for a new holiday tradition, we recommend thinking outside the box and turning to RV camping. 

1. Find good weather

One of the best things about having an RV is the ability to travel to good weather. Want to spend your Thanksgiving in a warm climate? Head to Florida or the Southwest and soak up the sun. Prefer a place with a lovely fall feel? Head north to see the gorgeous fall foliage and get in the Thanksgiving spirit. 

2. Seek out fall activities

You can also find a variety of seasonal activities to enjoy around the holiday. If you want a Thanksgiving hike, look for a campground near amazing trails. Want to visit a farm or pumpkin patch? There are locations all over the country to choose from.

There’s no limit on what you can do during your holiday celebration when you have the wheels to take you to other places.

3. Try a twist on Thanksgiving foods

Cooking a Thanksgiving meal in an RV is challenging. That said, it’s totally possible, and it gives some motivation to try doing things a bit differently. Maybe you’ll try cooking some foods over the fire, grilling things you would normally bake, or change up dessert and have pumpkin s’mores instead of pumpkin pie.

Don’t want the hassle of cooking in your tiny home-on-wheels? You could also try a local restaurant for Thanksgiving. You’ll get a special and memorable meal without all the cooking and cleaning up.

4. Skip the housecleaning

Speaking of cleaning, another fabulous thing about an RV is the fact that it’s so easy to clean. While cleaning a house can take an entire day, cleaning an RV from top to bottom should only take an hour or two, possibly even less. This is great news if you have guests coming to your holiday meal, as it means less work without sacrificing any of the fun.

5. Spend more time outdoors

That good weather we were talking about? When you’re camping, and especially if you’re out boondocking, you have plenty of space to enjoy it. While this might not seem like much to anyone who has a large yard, it’s huge for anyone who doesn’t have a yard of their own.

Outdoor space is also beneficial if you plan on having a large gathering for Thanksgiving. Many people live in small houses or apartments where large gatherings at home simply aren’t an option. Going camping and taking advantage of the great outdoors to spread out is the perfect solution.

6. A great way to spend time with family

At the end of the day, when the celebrations are over, it is nice to cuddle up with your immediate family in your tiny home. If you are visiting family from out of town, it can also provide a more comfortable and safe experience than taking a flight and finding a hotel for the holidays.

7. Extend your camping season

While many RVers closed out the camping season as soon as the leaves started falling from the trees, we find that in most parts of the country, it’s possible to continue RV camping well into the fall and even all winter if you are well prepared. In fact, Thanksgiving tends to offer the last few cool, crisp autumn days before the true winter weather sets in.

Going on a Thanksgiving RV trip gives you an opportunity to extend your camping season just a bit longer, ensuring you close things out with some wonderful memories that’ll tide you over until you pull the RV out again in the spring.

As you can see, there are a variety of great reasons to head out in your RV this Thanksgiving. For tips on cooking a Thanksgiving meal in your RV, check out this guide from Do It Yourself RV. This video from Wandering Wagners also shares some great tips:

Chelsea Gonzales

Chelsea Gonzales is a full-time RVer, freelance writer, and roadschooling mama who loves sharing her expertise about RVing with kids, roadschooling, and full-time RVing. The entrepreneurial and free-spirited author is also artistic director of the Aistear Mobile Irish Dance Academy, and currently travels with her family in a 27-foot travel trailer. Chelsea’s informational articles about full-time RVing, raising children on the road, camping, and destination features appear on her blog, Wonder Wherever We Wander. throughout the RV LIFE network, and in RV industry media outlets such as Outdoorsy, Coach-Net, and RV Share.