Author: The O’Phalens

  • 3 Best Kanab RV Parks for Your Utah Vacay!

    3 Best Kanab RV Parks for Your Utah Vacay!

    We love the Kanab, Utah area for its adorable downtown and amazing outdoorsy adventures in every direction! Since we were stayed here for a few weeks, I thought I’d check out the Kanab RV Parks options and give you detailed reviews. I hope this helps make your decision of where to stay in Kanab with your RV easier!

    If you’re new here, we’re a fulltime RV family that’s been living the nomadic lifestyle for almost four years now. If you’re just getting into RV life, feel free to take a look at our list of RV essentials that we recommend.

    Now let’s chat about Kanab RV parks so you can get your stay booked!

    Kanab RV Parks

    Hitch-N-Post RV Park

    If you’re looking for the most budget-friendly and most centrally located Kanab RV parks option, Hitch-N-Post RV Park is it. This park is small and tight (check carefully if you’ve got a big rig!), but clean and comfortable. Reviews also mention how friendly the host is, which is always a big plus. This RV park is walkable to just about anything in Kanab and the price is right for full hookups. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here for a week or weekend of exploring in and around Kanab!

    Some other quick facts about Hitch-N-Post RV Park:

    • Fenced in dog area, communal fire pit and games area
    • Really reasonable monthly rates
    • Clean, level, gravel sites
    • Street noise from both sides

    Dark Sky RV Campground

    If you’re after views and budget isn’t an issue, Dark Sky RV Campground is your best Kanab RV parks choice. The sites are the largest of these three parks (we saw a fifth wheel and semi truck fit in one!), plus they have cute picnic tables with shade and a fire pit at each site. The red rocks views are the reason to stay here, though. Plus the whole place has a fresh and hip vibe. This is the perfect stay for a campground where you might want to simply relax at your site for a bit and take in the gorgeous surroundings. They were even recently voted one of the top small campgrounds on Campspot!

    Some other quick facts about Dark Sky RV Campground:

    • Guests rave about the showers, which are indoor and outdoor and have heated floors
    • Many reviews note that this is their favorite park they’ve ever stayed in
    • Zip line, tetherball, and dig pit for kids
    • Offers e-bikes and off-road vehicles to rent (free e-bike rentals if you stay 3 months!)
    • On-site dog care for an extra fee
    • 30 amp hookups, pay attention to the cancellation policy

    Kanab RV Corral

    Kanab RV Corral is sort of the middle ground between the other two parks. It’s not quite as inexpensive as Hitch-N-Post or as centrally located, but it does have better spaced sites and a more homey feel. Only about half of the park is big rig friendly, so pay attention to which site you’re choosing. This is a great budget-conscious but lovely Kanab RV parks option.

    Some other quick facts about Kanab RV Corral:

    • Pool, laundry, fenced dog area, complimentary smokeless fire pits & wood
    • Gravel sites that are really level
    • Very clean shower and laundry facilities and hosts that live on site
    • You will hear street noise from the main road

    I hope these Kanab RV parks reviews were helpful in boocking your Utah stay!

    If you’re really up for a budget trip and are set up to boondock, check out our favorite Utah dispersed camping locations. If you’re interested in learning how to boondock on public land, I’ve got a guide to everything you need to know to get started!

    Boondocking 101 Guide

    $7.00

    This 10-page guide will assist RVers in learning the basics of boondocking, or camping off-grid! We share everything we’ve learned as a family living off-grid and boondocking in our RV.

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    Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.

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  • Dispersed Camping Utah: Free Outdoor Adventures!

    Dispersed Camping Utah: Free Outdoor Adventures!

    Dispersed camping Utah, 4 RVs parked outside of Moab | O'Phalen Adventures

    We just can’t get enough of Utah! As a full time travel family heading into our 5th year of travel, we rarely visit a place twice. But we’re in our third time through Utah, and I’m excited to share some of our favorite dispersed camping Utah spots with you!

    In our opinion, dispersed camping is the best way to experience the outdoor adventure hotspot that is Utah. Hotels and RV parks are great, but boondocking in Utah really allows you to get closer to the amazing hiking here. If you’re interested in reading more about our take on the pros and cons of RV parks versus boondocking, I’ve written about that here!

    If you’re wanting to learn how to camp off-grid for extended periods, let us teach you! We’ve lived off-grid in our RV for most of the past year, and we know how intimidating it can be to start. We answer all of your Boondocking 101 questions for just $7!

    Boondocking 101 Guide

    $7.00

    This 10-page guide will assist RVers in learning the basics of boondocking, or camping off-grid! We share everything we’ve learned as a family living off-grid and boondocking in our RV.

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    Dispersed Camping Utah Locations

    Caineville (Near Capitol Reef)

    This spot is the perfect launchpad for Capitol Reef National Park adventures, it couldn’t be closer to the entrance to the park. Big rigs should stick to the upper road, and be aware that there is no cell reception out here. Find it as Capitol Reef East Dispersed on Campendium. This is such a great location for some of the more remote hiking in southcentral Utah.

    Lone Rock Beach (near Page)

    Lone Rock Beach is an iconic boondocking in Utah location, and for good reason. It’s gorgeous beach camping in the middle of the desert! This spot is near the Utah/Arizona border and is a great location for exploring all that Page has to offer and also some adventurous hiking in southern Utah. Big rigs can access this spot, but beware of deep, loose sand the further in you get. Definitely walk it on foot first! It’s $14 a night (no reservation needed), which includes toilets and a dump station.

    Moab (Near Arches & Canyonlands)

    We stayed in two different Moab locations, and there were benefits to each. Lone Mesa Dispersed was further from Moab, but absolutely gorgeous. It was also a great launching point for visiting Canyonlands National Park. The road in was long and pretty bumpy, and there was zero cell service. Klondike Bluffs Dispersed was easier access from the highway and therefore faster to get to Arches National Park. There was cell service, but it was less pretty. Both spots are big rig accessible if you’re used to bumpy BLM roads.

    Mount Carmel Junction (Near Zion & Bryce)

    This spot right between Zion National Park and Bryce National Park is a real gem. Not only is it conveniently located between two parks, but it’s also close to Kanab for supplies and there’s a dump station half a mile up the road. The most lovely part is that there are riverside spots where you can hear babbling water as you sleep. Super easy access from the highway for big rigs, just watch for deep sand in some of the pulloffs. We had full AT&T reception here.

    Spanish Fork (near Provo)

    Sheep Creek Dispersed is a great dispersed camping Utah spot if you’re wanting to visit the Provo area. It’s pretty and easy to access from the highway for any size rig. Be aware that you may share space with a herd of cattle! We had cell service here and enjoyed spending the week resting up after quickly heading south from Canada. Don’t miss the Fifth Water Hot Springs trail if you like a good soak!

    Valley of the Gods (near Monument Valley)

    Valley of the Gods is one of our all-time favorite boondocking spots (and the cover of my boondocking book!)! If your dispersed camping Utah trip goes anywhere near this part of Utah, I highly recommend stopping here. We stopped at the first pullout that was available, and there was one big dip that was a little hairy, but nothing we couldn’t handle. Views are 10/10, but come prepared with supplies because it is isolated!


    We think dispersed camping Utah makes the most sense, and I promise to continue adding boondocking in Utah spots as we find them! Here are the boondocking apps we use if none of these spots work for you, and everything I’ve written about boondocking (including spots in other states!) here.

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  • Things‎ to‎ do‎ in‎ Skagway‎: Beautiful Glaciers & Gold Rushing!

    Things‎ to‎ do‎ in‎ Skagway‎: Beautiful Glaciers & Gold Rushing!

    Things to do in Skagway Alaska |‎ O'Phalen‎ Adventures

    Our family spent a magical four months RVing Alaska last summer, and I loved it so much that I want everyone else to experience it, too! It’s one of our favorite places we’ve been in four years of fulltime travel. We even collaborated with the Skagway, Alaska tourism board to promote what a fun place it is to visit! So I’m thrilled to share our favorite things to do in Skagway Alaska with you today.

    If you’re planning an Alaska trip, I’ve written an e-book about everything we learned from living there for an entire summer! There are sample itineraries, ideas for every major town, and the best places to camp:

    RV Alaska with Kids Travel Guide

    $25.00

    If you’re looking for Alaska vacation ideas, you’ve come to the right place! This guide features 20+ pages of what we learned throughout a summer RVing Alaska with Kids.

    Things to do in Skagway Alaska:

    Walk the historic downtown

    If you do nothing else in Skagway, simply walking around the adorable little downtown area is a real experience. It’s gold rush era kitschy with a splash of Alaska glacial mountain range charm. The buildings are all adorably painted, and there are fun shops like the bookstore with the historic spelling of “Skaguay” painted on the front. Duck in and out of the stores and enjoy imagining that you showed up as one of the ambitious (and foolhardy?) gold rushers. Consider a meal at the Red Onion Saloon, a restaurant with a brothel museum that shares the building’s storied past upstairs.

    National Park site

    Speaking of gold rushers, Skagway has a wonderful little National Historical Park Visitor’s Center that you absolutely should check out. Read the displays and watch the short film to get context about why the town even exists. I can almost guarantee that you’ll be absolutely blown away by how many gold rushers descended upon the Yukon and what harsh conditions they survived.

    White Pass & Yukon Railway

    This historic train ride takes you through absolutely breathtaking views of the mountain pass that gold rushes had to climb (carrying a year’s worth of supplies!). It’s a pricey trip, but absolutely worth the money if you love vintage trains or gorgeous views. It’s definitely one of the iconic things to do in Skagway.

    Take a hike

    There are several hiking options around Skagway that range from a casual walk to a more strenuous option. You can walk from downtown to the Lower Reid Falls, which is a pretty walk and also nearby the Gold Rush Cemetary. For more of a challenge, consider the Dewey Lake Trails that lead to beautiful alpine lakes and have lovely views of the harbor from above. Experienced hikers might consider the Chilkoot Trail outside of town, which requires overnighting and a permit. But for an easier option, simply start the trail and turn back when you’re ready to head back to your comfy bed that night!

    Dyea trip

    History buffs might enjoy a day trip out to the historic Dyea town site. It’s the town that existed before Skagway was founded, and though there isn’t much left of it now, the setting is gorgeous. It’s a lovely place to camp or simply play on the rocky beach, plus the Chilkoot Trail starts out here. If you’ve followed my advice and watched the video at the National Park visitor center, you’ll have an appreciation for why this spot is important.

    Stop in for a donut or a brew

    Consider checking out the local brewery or donut shop for a special Skagway Alaska treat. Klondike Doughboy serves “doughboys” or sweet fried bread that’s delicious on a cold or rainy day. Skagway Brewing Company is another must-try local stop and an excellent place to warm up from the drizzle.

    Sled dog mushing

    If it’s in the budget and on the bucket list, I would highly recommend trying one of the local sled dog mushing tours. It really is a fun time to be pulled along by a team of happy dogs, and the scenery is amazing.

    Carcross day trip

    Carcross is just a brief jaunt into Canada from Skagway, and it’s absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. If you have the time (and a rental car, train ticket, or guided tour!), please add Carcross to your sightseeing list. The drive alone is worth it, plus Carcross offers a summertime outdoor shopping center with locally made crafts, amazing Indigenous artwork, the Carcross desert, and the oldest general store in the Yukon. We drove through Carcross rather quickly and wished we’d had more time to stay!

    Ferry to Haines

    If Haines, Alaska isn’t already on your list, it’s worth a ferry ride over for the day! The ferry takes just 45 minutes and you’ll be in Skagway’s less touristy sister city with lots of opportunities for bear and bald eagle sightings. If you’re interested in visiting Haines, check out my post about what to do there!


    I hope this post was useful to you in planning your time in Skagway! There are so many fun things to do in Skagway, Alaska.

    If you need help packing for your trip, be sure to check out my Alaska packing list and take a look at the other posts I’ve written about our time in Alaska:

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  • Boondocking‎ in California: Totally Free Places to Camp!

    Boondocking‎ in California: Totally Free Places to Camp!

    We’ve spent a chunk of this winter in Southern California and have been loving the sunshine and bucket list sights! So today I’m sharing a few of our favorite boondocking in California spots from this winter. If you’re looking for boondocking locations in other states, I’ve got those, too!

    As a fulltime RV family, we often disperse camp off-grid to save money, park in amazing places, and give our kids room to play freely. If you’re interested in learning more about the pros and cons of boondocking versus RV parks, I’ve written more about that here. And I’ve got a list of some of our favorite boondocking supplies if you’re needing some more gear to be comfortable without hookups.

    If you’re new to boondocking and wanting to learn how, check out our instant download e-book with everything we’ve learned to be able to camp off-grid indefinitely for just $7! It’ll pay for itself if you skip just one night at an overpriced campground. Plus I promise you’ll see the most AMAZING sights once you get started!

    Boondocking 101 Guide

    $7.00

    This 10-page guide will assist RVers in learning the basics of boondocking, or camping off-grid! We share everything we’ve learned as a family living off-grid and boondocking in our RV.

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    Boondocking in California Locations

    Alabama Hills Dispersed

    Camping in the Alabama Hills Scenic Recreational Area is a bucket list move for any RVer. There simply is no more gorgeous place to park in my humble opinion. The downsides are that, much like Sedona boondocking, dispersed camping in Alabama Hills has recently become much more restricted. This means that there are only a handful of sites where big rigs can fit and you’re allowed to camp. So you might struggle to find a place on a weekend (consider Tuttle Creek Campground as a backup!). The place we parked was the easiest to access for our giant truck and trailer and is called Movie Flat Designated Dispersed on Campendium. There are a bunch more spots for vans and truck campers.

    There’s a parking lot at the corner of Movie Road and Whitney Portal road where you can unhitch and scout if you’re nervous about finding a spot. Be sure to take Lubken Canyon Road to access the area with anything larger than a truck. Whitney Portal Road is washed out and closed as of Spring 2024. Tuttle Creek Road was windy even with just our truck alone.

    Be aware that, unlike many dispersed camping areas, Alabama Hills has a 7 day stay limit and 14 day a year maximum. We saw several rangers during our stay and they are enforcing the rules. You might also want to pay attention to the wind forecast and face your rig accordingly. It was very windy every single day the entire week we were there.

    That said, this spot is absolutely breathtaking and worth the trouble. Take a sunrise hike from your front door. Thank me later.

    Joshua Tree South Dispersed

    This is a fabulous spot if you’re visiting Joshua Tree National Park or Palm Springs (looking for Palm Springs ideas?). It’s pretty with nice sunsets, although not the most beautiful spot we’ve ever seen. Its best perks are the national park you can walk into, the large amount of space so everyone can spread out, and the super easy access from a major highway without being noisy. The downside is that it’s on the southern end of the national park so the major highlights are a bit of a drive. But the boondocking on the other side of the park is a bit sketch, so families especially seem to prefer this side.

    Plus there’s a nearby dump and fill in the national park campground. This is a great boondocking in California spot for those who are newer to dispersed camping and looking to get their feet wet. Our friends came to camp with us here and shortly afterwards added more solar to their roof so they can boondock more often!

    Trona Pinnacles

    Trona Pinnacles is another bucket list boondocking in California spot. There’s tons of space for rigs of any size, and the views are absolutely incredible. Especially of nighttime stars and springtime flowers (blooming the first week of April in 2024!). There’s a main parking lot with a maintained pit toilet where we parked because we didn’t want to risk driving further back. But you can simply park here and scout further back; we did see a few larger spots back there for the brave.

    Be aware that the road in is very bad. Like one of the worst we’ve done, including mud, sharp rocks, ditches, deep sand, and a big hill. Don’t come for several days after rain and leave if rain is forecasted. We saw a lot of wham I’m deeming “cautionary tale” mud tracks on the way in from vehicles who came when it was too wet and got stuck.

    Reviews note that it’s busy on weekends with ATVs, but we had a really peaceful and beautiful mid-week stay. The sunsets are incredible, and there’s no shortage of Mars-like views in every direction.

    Other Boondocking in California Spots

    These are some other boondocking in California spots you might consider. I researched them for us, but didn’t end up using them (except O’Neill):

    • Corvina Beach Campground on the Salton Sea (be aware that the Salton is toxic)
    • Hot Springs near Mammoth Lake (there are a bunch of spots out there on iOverlander)
    • Casinos near Palm Springs like Spotlight 29 & Morongo
    • O’Neill Regional Park (dry camping near LA, the road in is very curvy!)

    If none of these options work for you, these are our favorite boondocking apps for looking up more places to stay!


    I hope this list has given you some amazing boondocking in California ideas! If you have any amazing spots in Northern California where we haven’t boondocked yet, please email them to kateophalen@gmail.com so I can share. And if you’re looking for boondocking gear recs, I’ve got a list of some of our favorite stuff.

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  • Things to do in Palm Springs with Kids: Colorful Outdoor Fun!

    Things to do in Palm Springs with Kids: Colorful Outdoor Fun!

    If you’re new here, we’re a fulltime travel family of five, and we recently had the absolute pleasure of spending a month in the Palm Springs area. So today I’m going to share some of our favorite things to do in Palm Springs with kids!

    Truthfully, Palm Springs with kids hadn’t really been on my radar, and we only ended up there because we were hoping to meet a bunch of other fulltime RV families. Which we did! The Thousand Trails RV park in Palm Springs is a fulltime travel family hot spot in winter. Mission accomplished!

    But we actually thoroughly enjoyed Palm Springs as a family destination in itself! There are so many things to do in Palm Springs with kids that we didn’t even finish our whole list after a month. If you’re planning a family road trip, I can’t recommend our Yoto players enough as a family travel lifesaver. Now let’s get to the Palm Springs ideas!

    Things to do in Palm Springs: Cultural Experiences

    Palm Springs Art Museum

    The Palm Springs Art Museum is small, but mighty! It’s got a bunch of fun modern art and works by local artists. They even offer free admission on Thursday nights! Just be sure to register in advance.

    Agua Caliente Cultural Museum

    The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum is a brand, new museum dedicated to the area’s original inhabitants. We always prioritize learning about the Indigenous people of the areas we visit, and this museum is really great opportunity to do so. It’s a small museum that will take just a couple of hours max. Keep an eye on the calendar for special events and family days.

    Moorten Botanical Garden

    The Moorten Botanical Garden is an adorable, family-run garden that costs just $5 to get in. The indoor cacti are particularly amazing, dubbed “the world’s first cactarium.” Go early in the day if you want cactarium pictures without other people in them.

    Robolights

    Robolights is an amazing outdoor art exhibit created by local homeowner Kenny Irwin. You can see the giant sculptures from outside the fence, or you can text Kenny in advance for an appointment to come inside. Be aware that Kenny expects a purchase or donation at the end of the tour. These sculptures are amazing, though!

    Palm Springs Air Museum

    The Palm Springs Air Museum is a fun stop for any kiddos who love things that go. Adult admission isn’t super cheap, but kids 12 and under are free!

    Rent Bikes to Explore the Colorful Sights

    Downtown Palm Springs is SO colorful and retro that just admiring the fun and funky colors is an outing in itself! Rent bikes (or bring your own) and jaunt around town checking out the street art, the famous Saguaro Palm Springs hotel, and the residents’ colorful doors. Here are a few brightly colored doors to mark on your list (be sure to be respectful and stay off of their lawns and walkways!):

    • 2396 S Sierra Madre
    • 2439 E Via Lazo
    • 2455 E Via Lazo
    • 2297 S Camino Real
    • 1099 E Sierra Way
    • 2344 S Yosemite
    • 2063 Madrona Drive
    • 1500 Lobo Way
    • 1947 Cadiz Circle

    To make it even more fun for the kids, consider printing out a rainbow scavenger hunt so the kids can check off door colors as you find them! My kids find any “adult” activity more fun if there’s a scavenger hunt involved.

    Download the FREE list of our favorite museums for kids

    We’ve created a totally FREE PDF list of our favorite museums for kids that you can download right now by signing up for our newsletter.

    O'Phalen Adventures' favorite museums for kids PDF

    Things to do in Palm Springs: Hiking

    Palm Canyon

    Palm Springs has a surprising amount of gorgeous hiking nearby, and this hike was our favorite! The hike in Palm Canyon is as long or as short a hike as you want to make it, and it’s relatively flat once you walk down into the canyon. It’s on the Agua Caliente reservation so you do have to pay to enter, but I promise that it’s worth it!

    Willis Palm Oasis

    Willis Palm Oasis is right outside of Palm Springs and is a super easy hike in the Coachella Valley Preserve. If you’re looking for even easier and free-er than Palm Canyon, this hike is a good one. We did not complete the whole loop because we were with friends; we just walked to the second oasis and back.

    Ladder Canyon

    Ladder Canyon is about an hour from Palm Springs, but totally worth the drive! It’s by far the hardest hike on this list; my phone clocked us as walking almost 7 miles. There are also multiple tall ladders involved, so it’s not for toddlers unless you’re wearing them. The drive out is bumpy and we appreciated having 4 wheel drive for it, although we did see sedans parked at the trailhead. All that said, the slot canyons are amazing and super fun if you’re up for a challenge! As always with slot canyons, don’t go if it’s raining anywhere nearby. Flash floods are dangerous!

    Things to do in Palm Springs with kids, 3 kids in a SoCal slot canyon | O'Phalen Adventures
    Ladder Canyon

    Things to do in Palm Springs: Food Experiences

    San Marcos Date Farm

    San Marcos Date Farm is just outside Palm Desert and a super fun stop for families interested in where our food comes from. You can purchase local dates and take a guided tour of the farm for a nominal fee. City kids will especially love seeing the animals on the farm.

    Canyon Creek Mushrooms

    Canyon Creek Mushrooms is a less rural stop, but in the same vein of learning how food is grown! You can take a tour of the facility and then purchase fresh mushrooms to take with you.

    Great Shakes

    Great Shakes is right on the main drag in Palm Springs and has super fun milkshakes that kids of all ages will love! It’s a must-stop while in town with a family.

    Cafe La Jefa

    This adorable coffee shop is less for the kids and more for the grown-ups who need to refuel to take care of said kids. The adorable interior is super instagrammable, and the coffee is yum! Stop in for a coffee break here, you deserve it.

    Things to do in Palm Springs with kids, family of five in Palm Canyon | O'Phalen Adventures
    Palm Canyon

    Things to do in Palm Springs: Day Trips

    Joshua Tree National Park

    If you’re headed to Palm Springs and you haven’t yet been to Joshua Tree National Park, it’s a must! You could spend days just in this park admiring the joshua trees (did you know they inspired Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax?) and climbing fun boulders. If you’re short on time, we recommend the following stops:

    • Rock climbing at Skull Rock
    • Walk the short Hidden Valley Nature Trail and hope to spot some wildlife
    • Check out Arch Rock and Heart Rock for fun photo opps
    • Stroll the magical Cholla Cactus Garden at sunset

    Don’t forget to stop at a visitor’s center so you can get your kiddos their junior ranger badges!

    Salvation Mountain

    Salvation Mountain is a fun art installation about 90 minutes from Palm Springs that’s worth the drive if you like funky outdoor art. It’s a SoCal icon, and it makes for super bright and bold pictures.

    Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.


    I hope this guide to things to do in Palm Springs with kids was helpful as you plan your trip! If you need ideas for how we keep our kids entertained and busy on long road trips, check out our roadschooling list. For more of our adventures, check out these posts:

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  • RV Parks Under $500 a Month: Bargain U.S. Stays!

    RV Parks Under $500 a Month: Bargain U.S. Stays!

    While we find RV travel to be a relatively affordable option as a full time RV family, it’s true that RV park stays can add up! We’re not independently wealthy, so we work hard to find ways to travel on a budget. I asked in a big facebook group of full time families for suggestions on RV Parks under $500 a month, and they had a lot of suggestions! I added those and parks I found by doing my research to create this massive list. This is a great list of budget campgrounds to start with, and I’ll continue to add more as people suggest them (have more suggestions? Email them to me at kateophalen@gmail.com!)

    Full disclaimer that we have not stayed at all of these parks, and so we can’t consider their inclusion on this list to be an an endorsement. Please do your research and read reviews before staying there! I’ve included a handful of county parks without hookups that were suggested because you may be willing to forgo hookups for an affordable stay. So make sure you verify the amenities offered, as well.

    By the way, if you’re moving into an RV for the first time and need suggestions for RV essentials and RV organizing ideas, head here! I know there’s a lot to learn and buy when you’re first getting started RVing. It’s my hope that I can help simplify some of it for you. We’ve been traveling full time for almost four years and living in our renovated RV for two years, so we’ve got some stuff figured out by now!

    Can I Buy You a Coffee For Putting This All Together?

    Yes, please! This list took many hours to compile, and it is my absolute pleasure to share it with you. But if you want to buy me a coffee for my efforts, it would be appreciated! It helps my family afford these RV parks 🙂

    Now let’s get to this list!


    Alabama RV Parks Under $500

    Albertville RV Park (Albertville)

    Branching Pines RV Park (Fort Mitchell)

    Camp Rucker RV Park (Daleville)

    Cedar Trail RV Park (Fort Mitchell)

    Crawford RV Park (Scottsboro)

    I-65 RV Campground (Creola)

    Plato’s Branch RV (Rogersville)

    Riverside RV Resort (Robertsdale)

    Arizona RV Parks Under $500

    Happy Trails Campground (Meadowview) (just over $500)

    Garden Grove RV Park (Sierra Vista)

    Kaibab Paiute RV Park (Fredonia)

    Lost Traveler RV Park (Yuma)

    Mountain View RV Park (Huachuca City)

    Safford RV Resort (Safford)

    Arkansas RV Parks Under $500

    Greers Ferry RV (Greers Ferry)

    Mount Olive Mercantile (Melbourne)

    Searcy RV Living (Searcy)

    Van Buren Recreation Area (Fairfield Bay)

    Whispering Springs Retreat (Belleville)

    Florida RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Rails End Wildwood (Wildwood) (just over $500)

    Shady Banks RV Resort (Cross City) (just over $500)

    Sunshine RV Resort (Lake Placid) (just over $500)

    The Cove RV Park (Esto)

    Georgia RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Flint River RV Park (Bainbridge) (just over $500)

    Warthen RV Park (Warthen) (just over $500)

    Indiana RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Misty Morning Campground (Cloverdale)

    Newton County Fairgrounds (Kentland) (just over $500)

    Iowa RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Alcock County Park (Frederika)

    Chickasaw Park (Chickasaw)

    River Ranch Camping (Nashua)

    Schildberg Recreation Area Campground (Atlantic)

    Split Rock Park (Fredericksburg)

    Twin Ponds (Ionia)

    West Idlewild Campground (Floyd)

    Kansas RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Garden City RV (Garden City) (just over $500)

    Maple Village RV (Goddard)

    Louisiana RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    American Dream RV Park (Iowa)

    Bonnie & Clyde RV Park (Arcadia) (just over $500)

    Cajun Haven RV Park (Egan)

    Old River RV Park (Maurepas)

    The Fishing Camp Tackle & RV Park (Monroe) (just over $500)

    Mississippi RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Diane Jackson Memorial RV Park (Sturgis)

    Indian Point RV Resort (Gautier)

    Pass RV Park (Pass Christian)

    Sugar Sands Campground (Vancleave)

    Missouri RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Area71 RV Park (Shell Knob)

    DJ’s RV Park (Gravois Mills)

    Harrison RV Park & Campground (Harrison) (just over $500)

    Missouri RV Park Campground (Mountain Grove)

    The Hookup RV Park (Rogersville) (just over $500)

    The Weekender Cabins & RV Retreat (Plainview)

    Nebraska RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Chautauqua Park Campground (South Beatrice)

    New Mexico RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Dark Canyon RV Park (Carlsbad)

    River Ranch RV Park (Ruidoso Downs)

    Ohio RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Meadow Lake RV Park (Wooster)

    Oklahoma RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Big Sierra RV Park (Oklahoma City)

    Hammbones RV Park (Ponca City)

    River Camp RV (Broken Bow)

    Should Be Fishing Campground (Gore) (just over $500)

    Oregon RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Lakeside Motel & RV Park (Christmas Valley) (just over $500)

    Pennsylvania RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Burnt Cabins Grist Mill & Campground (Burnt Cabins)

    South Carolina RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Bass Lake Campground (Dillon)

    Broad River Campground & RV Park (Winnsboro) (just over $500)

    Texas RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Bayview RV Resort (Rockport)

    Boomtown USA RV Resort (Vidor)

    Coastal Oaks RV Resort (Rockport)

    Geronimo Village RV Park (Joaquin)

    Hook & Ladder RV Park (Fairfield)

    Lena’s RV Park (Gilchrist)

    Mid Lake Campground (Hemphill)

    Mission RV Park (El Paso)

    Oak Haven RV Park (Bryan)

    Paluxy RV Park (Glen Rose)

    Riverway RV Park (Llano)

    Southern Pines RV Campground (Lufkin)

    The Bluffs RV Park (Pittsburg)

    The Rez RV Park (Lawn)

    Totem Pole RV Park (Mathis)

    Twisted Pines RV Park (Kilgore)

    USA RV Resorts Millville (N Houston)

    Yellow Rose Canyon RV Resort & Campground (Mount Enterprise)

    Washington RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Blacktail RV Park (Bickleton) (just over $500)

    Desert Gold RV Park (Richland)

    Hammond RV Park (Westport)

    West Virginia RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Brooklyn Heights Riverfront Park (Parsons)

    Wyoming RV Parks Under $500 a Month

    Circle Cross Trailer Court (Rawlins)

    Marbleton RV Park (Marbletone) (just over $500)


    I hope this list has helped you with some ideas for affordable RV parks. I know there aren’t affordable places to RV camp listed for every state, so if you have more ideas please feel free to email them to me at kateophalen@gmail.com. I’d love to continue expanding this resource for us all! But it is simply true that some states are just less affordable than others, even for RV parks.

    It’s not always possible for us to stay under $500 a month on campgrounds, but we enjoy using Campspot to book our parks. Campspot calculates the monthly discount right on the website, so you don’t even have to call for a price quote! As a millennial, you know I love avoiding phone calls whenever possible hahaha.

    And if you’re really, really looking to save money, you honestly can’t beat boondocking. What is Boondocking? How do you learn to camp off-grid? I’ve got a guide for that!

    Boondocking 101 Guide

    $7.00

    This 10-page guide will assist RVers in learning the basics of boondocking, or camping off-grid! We share everything we’ve learned as a family living off-grid and boondocking in our RV.

    Category: ,
    Tags: , ,

    And I’ve written a whole post about the apps we use to find great (and free!) boondocking spots. Campgrounds are wonderful for many reasons, but they’re never as cheap as boondocking! I’ve written about the pros and cons of RV parks versus boondocking, too.

    Thanks for visiting our corner of the internet today! I hope you’ve found something helpful in your journey.

    Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.

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  • Alaska 101: RV Adventure of a Lifetime Starts Here!

    Alaska 101: RV Adventure of a Lifetime Starts Here!

    We spent an amazing summer living in Alaska in our RV, and there’s a lot about an Alaska trip that is intimidating to first timers! I’m hoping this Alaska 101 post clears up some of the most common questions and concerns that we get about a trip there. Alaska is an absolutely AMAZING destination, and I’m always encouraging others to visit. If you’re planning an RV trip there, I wrote a whole e-book about RVing Alaska that I absolutely promise will save you planning time and money.

    Let’s get into the Alaska 101 basics!

    Alaska 101: How to Get There

    First things first: how do you even get to Alaska? Most visitors arrive by plane to Anchorage or on a cruise ship. We learned that only 5% of visitors drive there like we did. And that’s because it’s a long, long drive. It took us 3 days to get from Calgary to the start of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek. Then it’s 1200 (long, slow) miles to the end of the Alcan from there! You basically only have two options for how to drive there: the Alcan or the Cassiar. The Alcan is more popular and has more services, the Cassiar is more remote and more direct from the West Coast. I expected the drive to be long, but I didn’t expect how absolutely magical it would be all in itself. Highly recommended if you have the time.

    If you’ve flown in, you’re probably starting in a convenient central location in Anchorage (although we recommend staying nearby in Palmer!). If you’re cruising, you’re likely visiting only Southeast Alaska, which is gorgeous, but almost like it’s own experience separate from the rest of the state!

    Alaska 101: How Long Does It Take to Get Around

    Part of Alaska 101 is recognizing just how enormous Alaska is. Alaska is a big state. The biggest in the country in fact! It has its own time zone, and it is the size of a time zone, if that gives you any indication of how large it is. Most of the cities and towns are 3-5 hours of driving apart from each other, so you’ll want to plan out where you’re going carefully so you don’t spend your whole trip driving. If you’re only visiting Alaska for a week, for example, you probably won’t have time to do both the Kenai peninsula AND Valdez. But don’t worry — I’ve got you covered with some banging sample itineraries coming up! Keep on reading.

    Alaska 101: Where to Go

    There are so many amazing places in Alaska that even 4 months of living there wasn’t nearly enough to see everything. Have I mentioned that it’s a big place? If you’re short on time, though, you’re in luck! I’ve condensed my favorite experiences of an entire summer into one sample 7 day itinerary for first time visitors. I’ve also written about our favorite hikes in Alaska, and I highly recommend you check out Hatcher Pass at least once.

    If you have longer in Alaska, I’ve written about exactly how I would spend more time in my RV Alaska travel guide. I’ve got a two week itinerary, one month itinerary, and whole summer itinerary that learns from our mistakes and our wins. And even if you’re not planning to RV Alaska, this guide is still packed with what to do in each city and how I’d spend my time in the state.

    I really believe that this travel guide will save you hundreds of hours of research when planning your Alaska trip. I also know from talking to other RV friends that it has insider activities that many tourists miss!

    RV Alaska with Kids Travel Guide

    $25.00

    If you’re looking for Alaska vacation ideas, you’ve come to the right place! This guide features 20+ pages of what we learned throughout a summer RVing Alaska with Kids.

    Alaska 101: When to Go

    Okay, this is a big topic, but for first time visitors I think the obvious answer is: when it’s warm. While there are amazing winter activities in Alaska, I think first timers are best served by a late spring to early fall trip. That means from June to September. For those interested in fishing and bear sightings, July and August will be peak. Keep in mind that the Aurora Borealis is quite visible starting in late August, if that’s on your bucket list. It was on ours!

    Alaska 101: National Parks in Alaska

    If you’re a National Park lover, Alaska is an amazing place to visit. Alaska boasts eight national parks, and they are all so different and amazing. The National Parks in Alaska are:

    • Denali National Park
    • Gates of the Arctic National Park*
    • Glacier Bay National Park
    • Katmai National Park*
    • Kenai Fjords National Park
    • Kobuk Valley National Park*
    • Lake Clark National Park*
    • Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

    I’ve asterisked (*) the Alaska national parks that require a plane ride to access. Visiting all of the parks is an expensive endeavor! Even just visiting the ones you can drive to is amazing, though. Kenai Fjords was my favorite.

    Alaska 101: Bucket List Activities

    A common Alaska 101 question is: what are the best things to do in Alaska? Everyone has different things that they’re interested in, but here are our favorites from our time there:

    Alaska 101: What to Pack

    The most important thing to pack in our opinion is layers! It’s chillier than you expect in Alaska, even in the summer. We wore our fleeces and rain jackets all summer! We also think hiking boots and bear spray belong on any packing list. For more specifics about what to pack for an Alaska vacation, check out my Alaska packing list.

    Alaska 101: Wildlife Safety

    Speaking of bear spray, wildlife safety precautions are necessary in Alaska. If you do any amount of hiking in Alaska, you will encounter a bear at some point. We saw two on the trails that summer! The Alaska DF&G has a detailed post about bear safety that you should read, but the basics are:

    • Don’t feed or approach bears
    • Always make noise so you don’t surprise a bear
    • Never run from a bear, back away slowly as you talk to it
    • Have bear deterrents like bear spray

    Alaska 101: Where to Camp

    Whether you have an RV or a tent, Alaska has amazing camping opportunities. There are a bunch of wonderful RV parks around the state. I’ve shared my favorite one here. It’s also one of the best places we’ve ever been for boondocking. Here are our favorite Alaska boondocking locations. Don’t know what boondocking is or how to do it? I’ve got a guide for that, too!

    Boondocking 101 Guide

    $7.00

    This 10-page guide will assist RVers in learning the basics of boondocking, or camping off-grid! We share everything we’ve learned as a family living off-grid and boondocking in our RV.

    Category: ,
    Tags: , ,

    I hope this Alaska 101 post has given you some ideas and the confidence to plan your adventure in Alaska! If you need more help, check out my RV Alaska e-book or book a call with me for personalized planning support.

    For more about our adventure in Alaska, check out these posts:

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  • Best Rides at Legoland California: Insider Tips on What to do First!

    Best Rides at Legoland California: Insider Tips on What to do First!

    I’m excited to share our picks for the best rides at Legoland California today!

    We’ve been traveling full time as a family of five for almost four years now! Amazingly though, this was our kids’ first theme park experience. They were 3/6/8 years old when we visited, and these ages were absolutely perfect for a trip to Legoland California. The big kids could ride everything, and there were only a few rides my toddler was too short for. Legoland does an amazing job of having really fun rides for the toddlers to do, too!

    If you do need to skip a few big kid rides because of a tiny family member, be sure to take advantage of Legoland’s parent rider swap policy! The whole family can wait in line together, then one parent and the too-short kid wait at the end of the line. Once the other parent and big kids are done riding, the parents can switch! That way, there never has to be a parent stuck carrying bags and missing all the fun all day.

    There’s so much to see and do at Legoland that there’s no way you could see it in one day. We opened and closed the park and probably only hit 2/3 of the available attractions. So if you’re interested in maximizing your time, I’ve got the best rides at Legoland California broken down by category. If you want more Legoland tips for your first visit, I’ve got a reel for that!

    Best rides at Legoland California if your kids love coasters

    There are three roller coasters at Legoland California, and they’re all really fun. The Technic Coaster is the most “intense” just because it has a drop. I’d recommend hitting as many of these as you can as close to park opening as possible. They definitely get busier as the day goes on.

    • Technic Coaster
    • The Dragon
    • Coastersaurus

    Best rides at Legoland California for vehicle lovers

    If your kiddo loves vehicles like mine, these rides will be your biggest hits. Driving School was my vehicle-loving kiddo’s favorite of the day. Even though Ferrari Build & Race isn’t technically a “ride,” I’ve included it here because it’s also super fun for vehicle lovers. You can build and scan a race car to race!

    • Driving School
    • Fun Town Police & Fire Academy
    • DUPLO Little Dino Trail
    • LEGO Ferrari Build & Race

    Best rides at Legoland California for toddlers

    Little kids are definitely included at Legoland, which I love. There are so many fun rides for the littles! These are the ones we loved the best, with Cargo Ace and Junior Driving School being the top favorites.

    • Cargo Ace
    • Junior Driving School
    • Pharaoh’s Revenge
    • Queen Whatevra’s Carousel
    • Sky Patrol
    • DUPLO Little Dino Trail

    Best rides at Legoland California to cool off

    These are the rides I’d pick for cooling off, either on a hot summer day or with a family that just needs a break. The water park is an obvious pick, but even outside of the water park are a couple of water play spots in Pirate Shores. You won’t get wet on the Deep Sea Adventure or Emmet’s Flying Adventure, but they are indoors and cool.

    • Splash Battle
    • Swabbies Deck
    • LEGO City Deep Sea Adventure
    • Emmet’s Flying Adventure
    • Legoland Water Park rides

    Best rides at Legoland California for the grown ups

    These are the rides that are relaxing for grownups or super fun. The first two are a chill break, and the second two are our picks for best grown-up fun. Enjoy!

    • LEGO City Deep Sea Adventure
    • Coast Cruise
    • Technic Coaster
    • LEGO NINJAGO The Ride

    I hope this post with our family’s picks for the best rides at Legoland California is helpful to you as you’re planning your adventure!

    Download the FREE list of our favorite museums for kids

    We’ve created a totally FREE PDF list of our favorite museums for kids that you can download right now by signing up for our newsletter.

    O'Phalen Adventures' favorite museums for kids PDF

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  • Quebec City with Kids: Discount European Charm for Families!

    Quebec City with Kids: Discount European Charm for Families!

    Quebec City with kids, toddler running through Old Quebec | O'Phalen Adventures

    We think that Quebec City with kids is an AMAZING choice for North American families looking for European charm on a budget! We visited Quebec City at the tail end of an amazing summer RVing through Maritime Canada. I’m so glad we added it to the itinerary! It’s one of our favorite destinations, even after almost four years of full time travel.

    We only had a handful of work-free days to play in QC, but I feel like we packed in SO much culture and sightseeing. I feel like Americans miss out on this totally underrated (and nearby!) destination. So I’m excited to share what we did and hopefully convince you to visit Quebec City with kids someday 😉

    If you’re looking for recommendations for travel with kids gear, I have an Amazon list with some of our faves. And I can’t recommend our Yoto players enough for screen-free entertainment on travel days.

    Now let’s talk about Quebec City!

    Quebec City with Kids: Old Quebec

    Walk Old Quebec

    The old city charm that everyone comes to Quebec for is in Old Quebec. You obviously can’t miss simply strolling around! There’s delicious food, cute shops, and photo opps with adorable cobblestone streets galore. Some spots you might want to bookmark that are especially cute are Place Royale, Rue des Pains Benits, Rue du Petit Champlain, Rue du Cul-de-Sac, and the Old City Center Swing. You could walk most of it in a (very long) day, but I’d recommend leaving at least two so you can wander and take your time seeing everything. Mix it up with some of the other sights in this post!

    Funiculaire Ride

    This is a must with kids in my opinion. It’s only a few dollars a person to ride this cool elevator type thing from the lower old city up to by the Fairmont. It saves a lot of stairs, and my kids thought it was super fun. It only takes like 60 seconds and we waited just 5 minutes for the next one, so an easy commitment, too.

    Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac

    The Fairmont hotel is the gorgeous castle dominating the city skyline from the water. You can’t miss it. It’s worth admiring up close, especially with the pretty summer gardens outside. There’s an afternoon tea if your kids are the type to be into that, but book it way in advance!

    Fountains at Quebec City Hall

    There’s a fountain show at the city hall (just past the Fairmont) that was a surprise hit. We sat and ate lunch there, and my kids played in the fountains with some other local kids for a loooong time. It was the perfect midday stop on a sunny day with kids.

    Quebec City with Kids: Museums

    Museum of Civilization

    This museum is conveniently located in Old Quebec, and they have fascinating rotating exhibits. We learned about Pompeii and bugs. My kids’ favorite was a special exhibit about poop. Because of course.

    Aquarium of Quebec

    This is a sweet little aquarium that we really enjoyed. The jellyfish room and the multi-story fish tank were particular favorites. It’s a drive from the center of town, but worth it if you have a car!

    Musee National des Beaux-Arts

    This art museum is definitely geared towards adults, and my kids were the only ones there the day we went. BUT they had a fun little kid program run by a docent where we got to carve foam shapes to do printmaking. They also have fascinating rotating exhibits and a permanent section of Inuit art that we loved upstairs.

    Site Traditionnel Huron

    We always like to prioritize learning about Indigenous peoples as we travel. This immersive site is a very cool look at the traditional lifeways of the people Indigenous to the area before the French and English arrived. Highly recommend!

    And if you love taking your kids to museums and are looking for insider knowledge on which North American museums are amazing and kids-friendly, we’ve got you! Click to download our totally free list of favorite museums here:

    Download the FREE list of our favorite museums for kids

    We’ve created a totally FREE PDF list of our favorite museums for kids that you can download right now by signing up for our newsletter.

    O'Phalen Adventures' favorite museums for kids PDF

    Quebec City with Kids: Miscellaneous

    Cafe Felins Chats-Nous

    Quebec City has its own cat cafe, and knowing how much our kids loved the one in Brooklyn meant we had to try this one. They offer drinks and light food, and you get to visit with an array of adorable kitties while you’re there. I will say that this place was not overtly kid friendly, and I would only bring chill kids here. Still worth it for us, but I’m guessing they won’t tolerate kids being rowdy in here.

    Ferry to Levis

    The ferry across the river to Levis is way cheap and the best bang for your buck in the city! It’s a commuter ferry, so it’s affordable, but the views are outrageous. On a beautiful day at sunset, you can’t beat it.

    Benjo Toy Store

    If you love adorable toy stores, you can’t miss Benjo. The displays are so fun, and they have a wide selection of all the super fun toys. Don’t go in here if you’re not wanting to spend money haha.

    Eat Some Crepes

    You can’t visit Quebec City without eating crepes, and you don’t want to miss the ones at Le Billig. It was one of my kids’ favorite parts of the trip! Make a reservation.

    Chocolats Favoris

    If chocolate dipped ice cream cones sound delicious, you should definitely make time for a stop at Chocolats Favoris. There are several in the city, and the chocolate is so.good. We went twice, and I still dream about it!

    Plains of Abraham Park

    This is an enormous and beautiful park near the art museum where local families stroll and play. Definitely check it out if you’re in the area!


    I hope this post was helpful as you plan our trip to Quebec City with kids! Let me know if you visit in the comments 🙂

    Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.

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  • Outschool Homeschool: A Cheap Way to Hack Your Homeschooling!

    Outschool Homeschool: A Cheap Way to Hack Your Homeschooling!

    Today I’m going to share our favorite affordable way to hack our homeschooling: Outschool homeschool! We love Outschool as a roadschooling family because it totally broadens the way we can homeschool for such affordable prices.

    So if you’ve never tried Outschool homeschool before, here’s how they describe themselves: “Outschool is an innovative education platform that offers a variety of engaging, small-group classes online. Unlike traditional classes, Outschool classes give kids the unique opportunity to explore their interests in-depth via interactive, live video by experienced, independent educators.”

    They offer over a hundred thousand online classes at this point, so there truly is an option for just about anything.

    If this is your first time on our page, you might appreciate a little context about us before I tell you why we love Outschool. We’re a full time travel family of five with elementary school aged kids. I grew up homeschooled myself, although I wasn’t planning to homeschool my kids until the pandemic changed everything for us. We definitely lean towards unschoolers, but we do use some curriculum! If you’re interested, we’ve gathered our must-have gear for roadschooling.

    Now on to the Outschool homeschool review good stuff!

    Outschool Homeschool: What We Love

    There’s a lot to love about Outschool, in my opinion. Here’s why we think it’s especially amazing for our lifestyle:

    It allows for kids to learn about truly niche topics

    Because Outschool offers 140,000 different online classes, there truly is a class for just about everyone. We love to follow our kids’ interests as we homeschool, and our kids have come up with some fun ones like world mythology. When we went to find elementary school appropriate mythology classes, there were multiple to choose from. How awesome is that? Niche interests like comic book creation and veterinary science have also been met by Outschool classes.

    It gives kids expert instructors for areas where I’m not as confident

    I’m a pretty well-rounded homeschool teacher (I think!), but I will happily admit that I’m not an expert in everything. Who is? Outschool offers the chance to find subject matter experts to teach things like Spanish and advanced science that I’m not as confident in teaching myself. It’s so nice to have that option as a backup in our homeschool, especially as our kids age into more difficult material in middle grades!

    It offers socializing opportunities

    There are some Outschool classes that are specifically for socializing! If you’re traveling around a lot as a roadschooling family or live in an area where it’s hard to find like-minded homeschool families, this could be a great option.

    It’s incredibly flexible

    Some classes have longer commitments, but many are pay-as-you-go! We like that we can cancel at any time for those weekly classes if our kiddos interests have changed or for any other reason!

    It’s affordable

    Outschool classes start at just $5, although most of the classes we’ve taken are in the $10-15 per session range. This is a really affordable option for our family, especially considering how much value we feel the specialty classes offer.

    Outschool homeschool dance class | O'Phalen Adventures

    Outschool Homeschool: The Downsides

    Outschool is amazing, but nothing is perfect, right? Here are the only things I don’t love about it:

    It costs money

    Okay yeah, it’s inexpensive, but it’s not free. Always a bummer for budget homeschool families. But if you’re in a state that has charter funds available, you probably can use those to get reimbursed.

    Sometimes making a frequent schedule commitment is challenging for us

    I have been known to miss a class or two because weekly commitments can be hard for us. Our travel schedule changes a lot, and we have a lot going on. The nice thing is that it’s affordable enough that I’m not devastated when this happens.

    Instructor quality varies a bit

    We have yet to have a *bad* Outschool instructor, but we did end up with one that I thought was only okay. Definitely read class reviews before committing!

    Outschool homeschool science class | O'Phalen Adventures

    Outschool Homeschool: Class Recommendations

    Here are a few Outschool classes we’ve tried and loved:

    Some others that are still on our list to try:

    Outschool also offers a whole Outschool homeschool page with recommendations tailored specifically to homeschoolers. They have classes there sorted by top rated homeschooler classes, socializing groups, or neurodiverse offerings, which I think is especially cool.

    If you have an upcoming trip planned and want to make sure your homeschooled kiddos get the most out of it, check out my roadschooling journal for kids:

    State Worksheet / Travel Journal for Kids

    $2.00

    If you’ve ever wished for an easy way to capture what your kids learn as you travel, this is it! Forget other state worksheets that require boring, irrelevant details like the state flower. Let’s write about what we learned and experienced! This state worksheet digital product includes leveled worksheets for kids: one two page log…

    I hope this review of how we Outschool homeschool was helpful! Feel free to follow along with our roadschooling adventures here or on Instagram.

    Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.

    For more on how we homeschool our three kids on the road, check out these posts:

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  • RV Parks vs. Dispersed RV Camping: Ultimate Pros & Cons

    RV Parks vs. Dispersed RV Camping: Ultimate Pros & Cons

    We’ve had a lot of conversations lately about the pros and cons of staying in an RV park or campground versus Boondocking or dispersed RV camping. You’d think that RVing would be pretty similar no matter what, but after a year of doing parks and a year of mostly boondocking, we’ve been shocked at what radically different experiences they can be. So let’s talk about it!

    Before we get into it: if the idea of boondocking or dispersed RV camping feels totally overwhelming to you, I’ve got you! I wrote a Boondocking 101 guide that will teach you everything we’ve learned about living off-grid as a family of five:

    Boondocking 101 Guide

    $7.00

    This 10-page guide will assist RVers in learning the basics of boondocking, or camping off-grid! We share everything we’ve learned as a family living off-grid and boondocking in our RV.

    Category: ,
    Tags: , ,

    We think there’s a time and a place for camping in an RV park, and for us personally, there’s even more time and place for dispersed RV camping. So let’s chat about why!

    The Benefits of RV Park Camping:

    Electric hookup

    The perks of being plugged into basically unlimited electricity are real. We can use almost whatever we want in here when we’re plugged in, from our printer to all the lights to space heaters to a blow dryer to a fancy toaster oven. We use it all, and we use it with abandon! Which means we don’t have to think about what we’re using or if the sun is shining haha.

    Unlimited water

    The other thing that makes life really easy is having unlimited water and sewer. When we’re plugged into a city water connection with a sewer drain, our RV feels very similar to apartment living. Hot showers, laundry right in the rig, washing dishes with as much water as we want…it’s a real luxury!

    Kids to play

    Our kids’ favorite part of being in a campground is that it’s more likely that we’ll come across other families to play with. They love when we’re parked near other kids and can make new friends just by stepping out the front door. It’s not a guarantee that every campground has kids, but most do! Especially on weekends or holidays.

    Easier road access

    There’s absolutely no argument against the fact that it’s way easier to drive into a paved campground that’s designed for big rigs than it is to access most dispersed RV camping. This is a plus, especially at the end of a long travel day.

    Amenities

    We don’t typically stay in fancy “resort style” campgrounds, but when we do, those amenities sure are nice. Things like heated pools, rec center activities for the kids, mini golf, etc. are all super fun. Even in the less fancy RV parks, there are amenities we appreciate like playgrounds and the ability to send packages to a package room.

    RV park vs. dispersed RV camping, pool at palm springs RV park | O'Phalen Adventures
    We love a good pool

    Closer to town

    Most RV parks aren’t *super* centrally located, buuuut they are usually much closer to town than the good dispersed camping. This can make a big difference if you’re looking to do a lot of city errands or sightseeing.

    Less rig wear

    Because you can typically reach RV parks pretty quickly from a main highway, it’s ideal driving conditions for keeping rig wear down to a minimum. Rough, washboard roads to get to boondocking spots will definitely put more wear on your suspension, tires, frame, and everything else than a smooth interstate will.

    Less gear needed

    RV park camping feels like the easiest access point to me when learning how to RV. You need a whole lot less gear (check out what we recommend for boondocking gear!), and there are lots of experienced RV folks just twenty feet away from you. If you’re new to RVing or nervous about it, campgrounds are a great place to start for this reason.

    The Benefits of Dispersed RV Camping (Boondocking):

    Free or cheap

    One of the biggest benefits of dispersed RV camping or boondocking is that it’s either free or extremely cheap. Most of the places we’ve stayed have been BLM land (totally free in most places!) or state land (some states have small annual fees to camp there). Considering we were spending an average of $800-1,000 a month on RV parks last year, this is a massive savings in our life.

    Better views

    This is the other major benefit to boondocking. Simply put…it’s gorgeous. I have had the most amazing views from my couch and been privilege to the most amazing sunsets from my front yard. Truly, words can’t express how amazing the places we’ve parked our house have been since we got comfortable with dispersed RV camping. It’s the views we all see on Instagram with rigs parked in AMAZING places. I’m so grateful for the beauty we’ve witnessed this way.

    More space

    There’s also just so much more space when boondocking. RV park sites can range from sort of spacious to REALLY tight, but none of them compare to dispersed RV camping. There can be miles between you and the next camp, although I’d say we typically have more like a few hundred feet. Our kids can go outside and play freely without us worrying that they’re bothering the neighbors, which is another true gift from our boondocking time.

    Flexible plans

    Okay, I’m a planner for sure, but I’ve been surprised at how nice it is to have some flexibility in our travels! If we get sick, we just leave later (sick travel days are the worst!). If we like a place more than we expected, we stay longer. If we’re all tired that morning, we take our time not worrying about making an RV park checkout time. I have a general plan for the year, but our plans never really have to firm up.

    Quiet

    It’s quiet. So beautifully quiet. Some parks can have a lot of music or parties a little late for my taste, especially on holidays. Boondocking (if you read the reviews first!) is generally so peaceful. Avoid places where there’s a lot of off-roading if this is also a perk for you 😉

    Closer to trails

    While RV park locations may win for city conveniences, dispersed RV camping usually wins for trail proximity! If you do a lot of hiking, biking, trail running, or riding, this may be a benefit that you also enjoy. I love that we get to camp nearer to amazing trails!

    No weird park rules

    Every campground is different, and that’s kind of the point. There are ever-changing, sometimes very weird rules to follow in each RV park. It can be a lot to keep track of, and sometimes parks aren’t exactly nice about it. There are very few rules while dispersed RV camping, and that can be kind of refreshing. Especially when our kids are outside being rowdy or digging dirt holes. We love that we’re not breaking any rules doing it.


    I hope this post has been helpful as you learn more about the different ways you can stay with your RV (including dispersed RV camping!). If you’re interested in learning more about Boondocking, don’t forget to check out my Boondocking 101 post and my Boondocking Gear List!

    Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.

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  • Things to do in Palmer Alaska: Explore This Remarkable Place!

    Things to do in Palmer Alaska: Explore This Remarkable Place!

    Things to do in Palmer Alaska | O'Phalen Adventures

    There are so many exciting and unique-to-Alaska things to do in Palmer Alaska that it was one of our favorite stops of the entire trip! We spent four months RVing Alaska, and Palmer absolutely captured our hearts. We even circled back to the area and installed solar panels so we could spend more time in Alaska camping off-grid!

    Palmer has a few major things going for it:

    • Idyllic setting surrounded by gorgeous mountains
    • Proximity to outdoor adventures like Hatcher Pass and several glaciers
    • Several fun animal excursion options
    • Good base for enjoying the cultural offerings of Anchorage without being based in Anchorage (which was not our favorite)

    Keep in mind that we visited from early June (which is still really spring!) until early September (which is definitely the beginning of fall!), so I can’t speak to things to do in Palmer Alaska during the winter. Before we get to my ideas, consider checking out our RVing Alaska e-book that has things like our favorite Palmer, Alaska RV park!

    RV Alaska with Kids Travel Guide

    $25.00

    If you’re looking for Alaska vacation ideas, you’ve come to the right place! This guide features 20+ pages of what we learned throughout a summer RVing Alaska with Kids.

    Okay, on to the many reasons why we loved Palmer Alaska!

    Things to do in Palmer Alaska

    Hatcher Pass

    Possibly the best thing to do in and around Palmer is to explore the breathtaking Hatcher Pass. Do not, and I can not emphasize this enough, miss Hatcher Pass! We loved the hiking up there so much that I wrote a whole blog post just about hiking in Hatcher Pass. But even if you’re not a big hiker, it’s way worth the drive up. The views are amazing right from the road, plus you can visit the historic Independence Mine. You can even rent gold panning tools there and try your luck! Keep in mind that the road up to Hatcher Pass is only open in summer, so check before you go. Skiing and snowmobiling are popular winter activities up there, but I can’t speak to that!

    Animal Encounters

    Palmer is lucky to offer a couple of really fun animal encounters for tourists. We visited the Williams Reindeer Farm and loved feeding the reindeer there. It’s not a super cheap excursion and it’s definitely touristy, but where else can you pet a reindeer in the U.S.? Palmer also offers a Musk Ox farm where you can visit these unique animals, although we didn’t make it out there.

    Things to do in Palmer Alaska, reindeer farm | O'Phalen Adventures

    Dog Sledding

    There are a variety of options for dog sledding excursions in and around Palmer and the rest of interior Alaska. They can be quite pricey, though, so are a bucket list sort of experience for visitors. But if you’re looking for a more budget option, The Iditarod Headquarters in nearby Wasilla is the perfect choice! In summertime, the tiny one-room museum offers short dog sledding rides for just $10 a person. It’s the cheapest way to have this special (and super fun!) experience in Alaska.

    Downtown & Farmer’s Market

    Palmer has a cute little downtown with a couple of breweries and cute restaurants. There’s a visitor center that gives some background into the unique history of the town (a depression-era project!). If you need any outdoor gear, there’s a great thrift store called Bishop’s Attic where I bought a few things, including hiking boots for $12. In the summer, there’s a farmer’s market and live music on Fridays.

    Anchorage Museums

    While not technically in Palmer, Anchorage cultural offerings are only about an hour away. The Anchorage Museum (free for ASTC members!) and the Alaska Native Heritage Center are two of my recommendations for places to day trip to from Palmer. Palmer makes a great home base for Anchorage attractions, but we didn’t love Anchorage too much, so I’m glad we didn’t spend a ton of time there.

    Alaska packing list summer image of three kids at the Anchorage museum

    Glacier Adventures

    Everyone who comes to Alaska wants to see glaciers, right? Palmer offers two day trip options for glacier adventures, Knik Glacier and Matanuska Glacier. You can rent off-road vehicles to drive to Knik Glacier or pay to hike to or ice climb on Matanuska Glacier. More on my sample 7 day itinerary.

    Eklutna Tailrace Fishing

    During salmon season, Eklutna Tailrace offers the closest and most accessible salmon fishing option to Palmer. Salmon can be caught about 20 feet from the parking lot in abundance, just make sure you have a permit! Salmon fishing is a way of life here, so this definitely belongs on any list of things to do in Palmer Alaska.

    Eklutna Lake

    Eklutna Lake is a gorgeous nearby destination for hiking and paddle sports. There is a scenic trail around the edge of the lake, or you can get on the water with a kayak. Always wear a life jacket and watch the weather forecast here, though. It is beautiful, but someone dies on the water almost every year here because of the combination of strong winds and deadly cold waters.

    Archangel Road Blueberry Picking

    If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Alaska during berry season (August!), then you can join the hundreds of folks picking fresh-off-the-vine blueberries. Archangel Road up in Hatcher Pass is an extremely popular and easy to access spot. Just pack the bear spray because they like them, too! And be sure you’ve correctly identified any berry you forage before eating.

    Eagle River Nature Center

    The Eagle River Nature Center is another worthwhile trip between Palmer and Anchorage. There are many hiking trails (more about that on our best hikes in Alaska list!), and a high probability of wildlife spottings. Plus, it’s gorgeous!

    Alaska State Fair

    If you end up in Palmer when the state fair is on, this is a must on the list of things to do in Palmer Alaska. Popular entertainers perform, and there are so many events to choose from. Local vendors are here for souvenir shopping, and it’s one of the biggest events in the state if you’re looking for local culture!

    Souvenir Shopping at Alaska Chicks

    Alaska Chicks sells primarily sweatshirts, and has locations in Palmer, Wasilla, and Eagle River. These sweatshirts are SO high quality and in fun Alaska prints (like fireweed!). Once you’re familiar with what they look like, you’ll start to notice their sweatshirts on all of the locals! We got one for each of us, and we all love them.


    I hope this list with ideas of things to do in Palmer Alaska was helpful in planning your time there! If you need more help planning your trip, check out my Alaska packing list and RV Alaska guide.

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  • 2007 Keystone Raptor: Useful Upgrades for Fulltime Living!

    2007 Keystone Raptor: Useful Upgrades for Fulltime Living!

    2007 Keystone Raptor upgrades for full time RV living, keyless lock, apartment washer, updated awning, warm lighting | O'Phalen Adventures

    As you may have seen from our main RV renovation post, we gut renovated a 2007 Keystone Raptor 3612 and turned it into a beautiful home for our family of five. Here’s the original floorplan for our 2007 Keystone Raptor for anyone curious:

    The aesthetics were obviously important, but we made some crucial upgrades for comfort and safety, as well. These are some things we may not have found as important if we were just weekending, but they were so key to making this rig feel like a home to us. As a full time RV family, these are the upgrades we found essential for full timing it in our 2007 Keystone Raptor!

    2007 Keystone Raptor Full Time RV Upgrades:

    Keyless Lock

    This was one of the first (and easiest!) upgrades we made. I hate keys, especially house keys. My clothes never have pockets and I don’t carry a purse, so I’m always losing keys. Plus, did you know that many RV front door keys are universal?? That sketched me out for sure. A keyless lock was a no-brainer.

    Residential Mattresses

    RV stock mattresses are SO uncomfortable on brand new rigs, and when you’re buying used? You definitely want to replace. We brought our residential mattress from our apartment, and the kids got foam mattresses in their bunks.

    Washer & Dryer

    We lived in NYC without an in-home washer and dryer for many years, and I knew that I wanted to prioritize having one in our tiny home! This washer hooks up directly to a sink, or I removed our bathroom sink to make room for ours. We have this dryer in a closet (unvented), and as long as we have the dehumidifier running and ventilation, it’s been fine.

    Blackout Shades & Curtains

    We made sure it’s possible to completely block out light and nosy neighbors on every window. I’ve written more about what we used on each individual window in the room-by-room posts, but it was suuuuch a good call to invest in quality window treatments. Not only did it serve us well during 24 hour sunlight on our Alaska trip, but we have had situations where our slides are almost touching the neighbors’ slides. In those instances, I’m SO glad we can completely block out the neighbors.

    Warm Lighting

    We replaced every light in the whole RV, and that had a massive impact on how cozy it is in here. We love our star light with these lightbulbs (just be aware that you’ll have to add a switch!). We replaced our dome lights with these and these for LED energy efficiency. This is really useful when boondocking because they use almost no power! I didn’t like how cool white they were, so I added an orange gel (theatre kid trick for warm lighting!).

    New Awning

    The original awning that came with our 2007 Keystone Raptor was in sad shape. It literally crumbled in our hands. We replaced it with a new one for just a few hours of work (three people working together was pretty necessary, though!) and $200. Considering how much we use our awning, this was money well spent. It helps the front yard feel like an extension of our home!

    Floor Vent Covers

    If you live in an RV for any length of time (especially with kids!), you will learn how quickly your RV floor vents will get absolutely NASTY! So many toys and so much debris falls right down in there. These magnetic screen vent covers are SO useful for preventing most of that.

    A Good Couch

    The furniture that most RVs come with is pretty uncomfortable. I can’t recommend a good replacement couch myself because we brought our sectional from home. But I can highly recommend replacing your couch with a residential one. Just keep in mind that you need something lightweight! Consider weighing what you take out so you know how much weight you can add back in.

    Organization & Storage Everywhere

    Living tiny requires being extra organized to avoid a massive mess! We invested a few hundred dollars into various storage items so that our cabinets and closets stay organized, and I’m so glad we did. I even wrote a whole post just about RV storage ideas!

    Shoe Storage in Stairs

    Speaking of storage, I ripped apart our stairs to add some inside! I love that our stairs hide extra shoe storage, and you can see them in action in this reel.

    Torklift Exterior Stairs

    Our exterior stairs were hideous, rusty, and awfully wobbly. We got by with them our first year of RVing by simply spray painting them for improved aesthetics. But it didn’t solve how hard it was to collapse them or how much it rocked the entire RV for someone to step on them. Torklift stairs to the rescue! These were a major upgrade in function and looks. You can see the transformation in this reel!

    X-chocks & Kingpin Stand

    You might start to notice a theme, which is that I’m not a big fan of the camper rocking. Two pieces of gear that I’d highly recommend to help with that are x-chocks between the tires and a kingpin stand if you have a fifth wheel. These two things combined make a noticeable difference when used together, and I miss them when we skip setting them up!

    Outdoor String Lights

    These aren’t so much a “renovation” upgrade as an easy gear purchase, but they are an essential for cozy RV living, in my opinion! We love these solar outdoor lights for how beautiful they are and how they run on their own tiny solar panel when we’re boondocking!

    2007 Keystone Raptor with solar outdoor lights | O'Phalen Adventures

    Updated Smoke & Propane Detectors

    One of the most essential safety upgrades we made to the interior was immediately updating the smoke and propane detectors. We also made sure that there’s a smoke detector in every room! Especially when you buy a used RV, this is an important update because these detectors do expire.

    Wifi Doorbell Camera

    This is an update that allows for recording what happens at your front door, just like many folks have in their sticks and bricks homes these days. The Google Nest doorbell will work in your RV, as long as you have reliable wifi! Many people feel more secure leaving their RV while boondocking with a way to see what’s happening at their front door.

    New Tires

    Truthfully, anyone buying a 2007 Keystone Raptor should immediately replace the tires (unless the previous owner has just done so!). Regardless of whether you’re a weekend RVer or full timing it, this is a crucial safety upgrade. But it’s even more important if you’re full time RVing and driving more frequently. It’s expensive (it costs us in the neighborhood of $1,000 each time!), but so essential.

    Solar Panels & Upgraded Batteries

    If you’re planning on boondocking for any length of time, solar panels and upgraded batteries are CLUTCH. Here’s a look at similar to what we’ve installed, and if you’re curious what that runs on our 2007 Keystone Raptor, check out my boondocking guide for more information:

    Boondocking 101 Guide

    $7.00

    This 10-page guide will assist RVers in learning the basics of boondocking, or camping off-grid! We share everything we’ve learned as a family living off-grid and boondocking in our RV.

    Category: ,
    Tags: , ,

    I hope this list of the upgrades we made to our 2007 Keystone Raptor for full time RV living was useful! If you’re interested in everything we used in our gut renovation, you can check out the full list here.


    Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.

    For the rest of our RV renovation ideas, head to our main renovation post. For more about RV life, check out these posts:

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  • What is Boondocking: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide!

    What is Boondocking: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide!

    We’ve been full time travelers for almost four years now, and we’ve traveled in several different ways. We’ve lived in Airbnbs, we’ve parked our toy hauler RV exclusively in campgrounds, and now we’ve mastered camping off grid. So I feel really qualified to answer the question: what is boondocking? And even more qualified to tell you why we love it and help you learn how to do it, too.

    If you’re considering RV life, or if you’re a seasoned RVer who’s intimidated to learn how to boondock indefinitely, this is the post for you! I was really overwhelmed by learning how to boondock successfully (with three small children!). But we’ve lived off-grid for most of the past year now. If you want someone to make it SUPER simple and SUPER easy to learn how to boondock, I’m your gal!

    What is Boondocking and Why Is It Different?

    So seriously, what is boondocking? It’s a funny word that just means camping anywhere that’s not a campground and that doesn’t have power, water, or sewer hookups. It’s both logistically more complicated than RVing in a campground and also SUPER cool to do! All of those amazing out-your-front-door views you see van life or RV people posting on social media? They’re probably boondocking.

    I’ve created a guide that’s just SEVEN dollars that will walk you through everything you need to know to get started boondocking, from how to find boondocking sites to how much solar we have to tips for water conservation to rules for being a good boondocking neighbor.

    Get the INSTANT download right now, with all of my best boondocking tips and tricks so you can start enjoying these fantastic views, too:

    Boondocking 101 Guide

    $7.00

    This 10-page guide will assist RVers in learning the basics of boondocking, or camping off-grid! We share everything we’ve learned as a family living off-grid and boondocking in our RV.

    Category: ,
    Tags: , ,

    This guide is packed full of ten pages of everything I share with RV friends around the campfire about how we’ve enjoyed the MOST amazing boondocking sites and saved THOUSANDS of dollars on campgrounds this past year. I wrote the guide I wish I’d had when we were first learning!

    What is Boondocking: Pros & Cons of Camping Off-Grid

    Okay, so you want to know more about WHY boondocking is worth it. And also why sometimes it sucks. I’m here to tell you! We’ve done both — lived full time in RV parks and also lived full time off-grid.

    Here are the boondocking pros:

    • Seriously, have I mentioned the views? SO MUCH PRETTIER than staring at your neighbor’s slide.
    • You can often camp closer to hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor adventures
    • It’s free or extremely cheap, while RV parks can cost anywhere from $500-$2000ish a month (we averaged about $1,000 a month)
    • There’s so much room for our kids to play without silly campground rules or cranky park neighbors
    • Dark night skies for things like stargazing (and northern lights!)
    • You don’t have to have months of an itinerary planned at a time
    • It’s easy to change plans and stay longer if you love a place or there’s an emergency
    • Sunsets, sunsets, sunsets

    Okay, so what are the boondocking cons:

    • You have to pay close attention to your power and water consumption (but I’ll teach you some tricks in the guide!)
    • Sometimes campgrounds are more centrally located to towns
    • It can be nice for adults and kids to have campground neighbor friends
    • You don’t have campground amenities like pools, laundromats, or activities
    • Roads to access boondocking sites are often bumpy
    • It’s more difficult to keep your rig and your possessions clean

    What is Boondocking: Tell Me More About How You Do It

    We’ve spent almost a year living primarily off-grid now, and our routine looks about the same except for when we’re traveling to get somewhere quickly. We generally boondock in a spot for two weeks, then dump and fill our tanks on the way to another spot where we’ll spend two weeks. Every month or two, we’ll mix in a short stay at an RV park to deep clean everything (including ourselves!).

    For more about how we find and choose spots, how we stay clean with a limited supply of water, and what supplies you’ll want to consider, check out the Boondocking 101 PDF guide!

    What is Boondocking: Share Your Favorite Spots!

    I share our top four favorite boondocking sites of the past year in the Boondocking 101 guide! But I also plan to share many more sites that we discover right here on the blog.

    Here are all of the boondocking spots I’ve blogged about so far:

    I hope this post has been helpful as you consider whether you too might like to jump into boondocking. If you want to take a look at our boondocking gear list on Amazon, check it out! At the very least, I think we’ve definitively answered the question: what is boondocking? 🙂

    Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.

    For more posts about our full time travel life, check out these posts:

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