RV Road Trip Planning for Beginners: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

“Once you go RV, you never go back.” That’s what someone said in a YouTube video I watched while panic-Googling “how to drive a motorhome” the week before our first trip. I laughed then. Now? I kinda get it. There’s just something wild and freeing about having your home-on-wheels with you 24/7, even if you’re also hauling around a toilet that you have to empty yourself.

RV road trips are booming globally, and platforms like RVShare and RVezy have made renting super accessible. But if you’ve never done it before, planning your first trip can feel like trying to prep for a moon landing. What size RV do you rent? Where do you sleep? How do hookups even work? And seriously, what’s the deal with poop tanks?

This guide is everything I wish we had known before our two very different RV adventures—one across the western U.S. and another through the stunning Canadian Rockies. We’ve made mistakes (a lot), figured stuff out the hard way, and honestly—had the time of our lives. So let’s break it all down.

The freedom of waking up to views like this is what RV travel is all about.

The first time we started looking into RV rentals, we were overwhelmed. There are just so. many. types. Class A, Class C, travel trailers, campervans—what’s the difference and how do you even decide?

We went with a Class C for our first trip—a mid-size motorhome that felt like a good balance between comfort and drivability. Rented it off RVShare in the U.S. and RVezy in Canada. Honestly, they’re like the Airbnb of RVs. Super easy to filter by size, price, and amenities. Also, a YouTuber we liked recommended them, and we trusted the vibe. We kept seeing CruiseAmerica and CanaDream rentals at every campground too, so those are solid options if you prefer bigger, commercial outfits.

Biggest thing? Think about how many people are coming and what kind of driver you are. Class A RVs look like buses and are way harder to drive, while campervans are nimble but tight on space. We liked the balance of the Class C because it had a bathroom (which we barely used, to be honest—public restrooms and campground showers were way easier to keep clean), a bed above the cab, a decent kitchen, and wasn’t too terrifying to steer.

Also—check for things like mileage limits, whether the rig includes linens, kitchen stuff, and how the insurance works. Our first rental had a 100-mile-per-day limit, which we definitely blew past. We went over by more than 1,500 miles during our 13-night U.S. trip. Oops. Lesson learned.

From left to right: Our U.S. Class C rental near the coast, and our Canadian Rockies setup.

And okay, story time: we spent an entire day trying to figure out how to turn on the microwave. Felt too silly to message the host. When we finally gave in and asked? Turned out the microwave was just broken. The host ended up reimbursing part of the payment and we made do with just the stove for ten days. Character building stuff.

This part’s super fun but also kind of a trap. We totally over-planned our first route. Like, we mapped out every single day down to where we’d stop for gas. Didn’t stick to it at all. And that’s okay.

Start with a general idea—what region do you want to explore? We did a 13-night loop in the western U.S. on one trip and the Canadian Rockies on another. (We’ll link those itineraries here when they’re ready!) Then look at drive times. Anything over 3–4 hours per day gets exhausting fast. That said, we did have a couple 7–8 hour days, but we were two drivers. If you're solo on the wheel, definitely try to avoid that.

We used Google Maps for everything and spent a lot of time Googling sights, viewpoints, and campgrounds. It worked just fine, even if it meant juggling 14 browser tabs and a bunch of saved locations. You do what you gotta do.

Now, about buffer days... they're great in theory, but when you’ve booked campgrounds in advance (which we recommend), they’re hard to squeeze in. If there’s a spot you really don’t want to miss, consider booking an extra night at a nearby campground. That way if the weather sucks or something throws off the schedule, you’ve still got a shot. We had to skip Sequoia National Park because of awful weather, and we didn’t have wiggle room. Thankfully it wasn’t our top priority, but missing something like Yosemite would’ve been heartbreaking.

Flexibility is key—some views are worth slowing down for.

And if you can, try to mix up your stops—some national parks, a few campgrounds with hookups, maybe a cheeky Walmart night. Variety helps.

Alright, let’s talk about the part that scared me the most: driving the damn thing. I watched at least 20 YouTube videos the week before our trip. I even took notes. I did end up brushing some tree branches with the top of the RV—not ideal, but luckily, no damage done.

Keep your eyes on the road—but don’t forget to pull over for views like this.

What helped most was understanding the overhang behind the rear wheels—when you turn, the butt swings out. It's called off-tracking. Watch videos like “How to Drive a Motorhome” and “RV Masters: New Driver”—they show you real footage and explain it all in normal-person terms.

Biggest tip? Use your mirrors. Like, a lot. Get cozy with those bad boys. And take turns wide.

Parking in cities? Forget it. We aimed for a Walmart or similar on the edge of town and walked or Ubered in. Way easier than squeezing into downtown parking garages and praying.

Also, always check height clearances. Gas stations and fast food drive-thrus are not your friends.

Driving can feel stressful at first, but after a couple days you start to relax. Just take it slow, give yourself space, and remember—you’re not in a race.

If there’s one thing we underestimated on our first trip, it was just how important it is to plan ahead where you're going to sleep. Not just to avoid the stress of scrambling at the end of a long driving day, but also because not all campgrounds are created equal.

Our golden rule after a couple of trial-and-error nights? Book campgrounds in advance whenever you can—especially near popular destinations. National parks, scenic areas, and long weekends? Those fill up fast. We used Google Maps to find options, read a bunch of reviews, and then booked directly on the campground’s own website whenever possible.

We mostly stayed in campgrounds with full hookups, and honestly, that’s what we recommend if it’s your first time RVing. Having electricity, running water, and an easy way to empty the tanks makes everything less stressful. One even had a warm indoor pool, which felt like pure luxury after a long driving day.

Full hookups and fresh mountain air—worth every penny.

When it comes to selecting a site within the campground, look for “pull-through” sites if possible. That means you can drive straight in and out, no reversing required. “Back-in” sites are cheaper but way more annoying—especially if you arrive in the dark or your neighbors are sitting out in lawn chairs silently judging your 12-point turn. Not that that ever happened to us… (okay, it happened).

Now, about Walmart nights—we had planned to do 4 or 5 of them during our 13-night U.S. trip. After the first one, we quickly realized campgrounds were just way better if you can afford them. So we searched for more and ended up only doing 2 Walmart stays. The convenience is nice, but having a proper spot to plug in, shower, and relax makes a huge difference.

And if you ever find yourself needing to improvise, rest stops, truck stops, and even some casinos are also known to allow RVs to park overnight. But honestly? For your first trip, stick to campgrounds as much as possible. They’ll make life easier—and cleaner.

Let’s talk hookups—no, not the flirty kind. The RV kind. It sounds complicated, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a breeze. The first time we did it, it probably took us 15 minutes, mostly just double-checking everything to make sure we weren’t about to flood the campground or fry the RV. After that? Maybe 5 minutes a day. Super easy.

Power is usually the first thing we plug in. Most RVs are either 30 amp or 50 amp—make sure you know which one yours is because the plugs are different. Our rental was 30 amp, and the power cord it came with was massive. You plug it into the electrical pedestal at your site, flip the switch if needed, and you’re good. Power gives you electricity for the fridge, microwave (if it works, lol), lights, and—super importantly—your regular outlets. So if you’re wondering how to charge your phone, laptop, camera, etc.—this is it.

Water has two parts. First, there’s the water hookup. That’s a hose you connect from the campground spigot directly to your RV’s city water inlet. That gives you running water at the sinks and shower. Make sure you use a potable (drinking safe) hose. Bonus points for adding a pressure regulator so you don’t blast your plumbing. The second part is the fresh water tank. This is where you store water for when you’re driving or parked somewhere without a water hookup. On our RVs, they were two different plugs—so remember to fill both.

Also, your RV probably has a water heater, and you’ll want to know how to turn that on. Ours worked on propane or electric and heated up pretty quickly. We just flipped it on when we needed a shower or to wash dishes and turned it off afterward to save gas.

Now to the glamorous part—sewage. Your RV has two tanks: gray water (from the sinks and shower) and black water (from the toilet). You connect a thick, accordion-style hose to the sewer outlet on the RV and the sewer inlet on the campsite. First, open the black tank and let it drain. Then close it and open the gray tank—this helps rinse the hose a bit. Don’t forget to wear gloves. And double-check your connections before you open any valves.

If you’re not at a site with full hookups, you’ll use a dump station—same process, just in a shared spot. Most campgrounds have them near the entrance or exit. Hookups sound like a lot, but they really aren’t. Take your time the first couple days, and soon you’ll be plugging in and draining tanks like a pro.

Let’s talk about the behind-the-scenes stuff that keeps everything running smoothly: propane, power, and water. It’s not the sexiest part of RV life, but if you stay on top of it, you’ll avoid most surprises.

Propane runs a few essentials in the RV—mainly the stove, the water heater, and the fridge when you’re not plugged into power. We always made sure to start the trip with a full tank and checked the levels every few days on the panel. If you’re going on a longer trip, you’ll probably need to refill it. Most gas stations have a refill station, and there’s usually someone to help. Just make sure the propane is turned off when refueling. Easy and fast.

Power was simple for us since we stayed mostly at full hookup sites. We didn’t use any inverter setup—we just relied on campground power and had no issues. Lights, outlets, microwave, the fridge—everything just works when you’re plugged in.

Water conservation was also easy for us because we barely showered in the RV—only on nights we stayed at Walmarts. With most of our nights at campgrounds (with real showers), we never came close to running out of water. But if you’re planning to spend several days off-grid, be conservative. Fill your fresh water tank before leaving a campground, and don’t waste it.

Our habit was to check the control panel every morning: propane, battery, and tank levels. Two minutes max, and it gave us peace of mind for the rest of the day. If you build this into your routine, resource management becomes second nature.

Once you’ve figured out driving, hookups, and campground life, the day-to-day rhythm starts to feel kinda natural. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t little things that can throw you off—or make the whole experience way smoother if you think about them in advance.

First off, routines are your best friend. We got into the habit of doing a quick check each morning: tank levels, propane, what’s the drive plan, where’s the next dump station if needed. It sounds a bit intense, but it seriously saves time and brain power. You don’t want to realize you’re out of fresh water just as you're pulling into a remote trailhead.

From first to last: Playing card games inside the RV during downtime, Dinner with a view, thanks to our trusty portable propane stove.

Storage is an art. Every cabinet, drawer, and random nook matters. We tried to keep things organized by task—one bin for kitchen stuff, another for outdoor gear, a “shoes live here” corner, etc. And don’t forget to latch everything before driving. One time we left a heavy bottle loose in the fridge and took a sharp turn—the fridge door popped open and the bottle came crashing down. No real damage, but the noise nearly gave us a heart attack.

Cooking was surprisingly fun once we got the hang of it. The stove worked great, and we kept meals super simple—think stir fries, pasta, tacos. For lunch, we usually made sandwiches and packed them in the backpack for hikes, along with protein bars or fruit. On our Canada trip, our host left us a little portable propane stove—which was awesome for outdoor dinners at campgrounds surrounded by mountains.

Connectivity is hit or miss. Some campgrounds had WiFi, most didn’t. We used our phones for maps and playlists, and downloaded stuff in advance when we could. Honestly, disconnecting wasn’t a bad thing—it was part of the charm. Just make sure to download your routes ahead of time, especially in mountainous or remote areas.

Showering and laundry were a balance. As we mentioned before, we barely used the RV shower. Most campgrounds had decent showers, and it helped keep the tanks under control. For laundry, bring some coins! Most campground laundromats still run on quarters, and we had to ask our neighbors for change the first time. Not our proudest moment, but at least we got clean socks out of it.

Weather can shift fast, especially in places like the Rockies or the California coast. Always check the forecast the night before and pack layers. We had days that started sunny and ended with hail. Not joking.

And last but not least—build in some nothing time. RV travel is amazing, but it’s also tiring. Between the driving, setup, and sightseeing, it’s easy to burn out. We found ourselves loving the days when we just chilled at a pretty campground, made a big lunch, read, or played cards. It’s okay to not be in motion 24/7. You’re not just on a trip—you’re living in the RV, even if it’s just for a week or two.

Planning your first RV road trip can feel like a lot. And honestly? It kind of is. But once you're out there—coasting down a quiet highway, coffee in hand, mountains in view—it all clicks. The small stuff like hookups and tank levels becomes second nature, and the freedom of the open road starts to work its magic.

We made plenty of rookie mistakes, but we also had some of the best travel moments of our lives. Campfire dinners under the stars, waking up in the middle of nowhere to the sound of birds, getting caught in a hailstorm and laughing through it—all of it became part of the story. And that’s the thing: RV travel isn’t about perfection. It’s about the experience, the flexibility, and the adventure.

If you take anything from this guide, let it be this: keep things simple, plan the basics, and leave room for the unexpected. You’ll figure things out as you go. We sure did.

From coastlines to mountain peaks—our RV adventures spanned it all.

Got questions? Or want to share your own tips and stories? Reach out to us on social media or subscribe to our newsletter—we’d love to hear from you. And keep an eye out for our upcoming guides to our 13-night U.S. road trip and our adventure through the Canadian Rockies. Happy travels and safe driving!

Do I need a special license to drive an RV?

In most cases, no. A regular driver’s license (or international equivalent) is enough for Class B and C RVs. But always double-check local rules if you're crossing borders.

How do I find RV-friendly campgrounds?

We used Google Maps and direct searches. Sites like Hipcamp or KOA help too, but we often booked directly on the individual campground’s website.

Can I park and sleep overnight at Walmart?

Sometimes. Some Walmarts allow it, others don’t. Always check signage or ask security first to avoid problems.

How often should I dump the tanks?

Check your levels daily. We usually dumped every 2–3 days. Always empty the black tank before the gray to help rinse the hose.

What if I run out of propane?

Most gas stations have refill services. Pull in, ask for a fill, and they’ll help. Just make sure the tank is off before refueling. Easy and cheap.