One of the things that I feel like often gets forgotten in RV renovation is how the exterior looks. You’ve already seen our exterior paint job, but the other thing we did that made a huge impact was an RV awning replacement. Our old awning was not only hideous, but it was actually crumbling. I started to get worried that one day it was just going to crumble off the RV, so I knew that it was a priority to get it replaced.
I haven’t seen a lot of folks blogging about which awning they chose or how they accomplished the task, so I figured I’d share with you all today. If you want to see our complete RV renovation, head here. We also have an Amazon list of all of the RV renovation products we used, if you’re looking for other ideas. Because we live in our RV (and have for over two years as a fulltime RV family!), we took our renovation project seriously. It paid off, turning our 2007 toyhauler into a comfortable home for our family of five.
So let’s talk about the RV awning replacement!
RV Awning Replacement: The Awning
Okay, so the awning that we chose was a ShadePro Vinyl Awning in Burgundy that measured 20 feet.
I felt like it was affordable at around $200, and it really feels high quality when you get it. The hardest part of ordering was measuring for which size we’d need, but even that was pretty simple. ShadePro recommends that you measure from the center of one awning pole to another. My only complaint is that I wish they’d offer more colors! Burgundy is a pretty purple-ish color that I like, but it doesn’t necessarily coordinate with our paint job.
That said, our slide toppers need replacing soon, and I’ll absolutely be ordering ShadePro slide toppers for that project!
RV Awning Replacement: How to DIY
Considering how intimidating an RV awning replacement felt, it wasn’t a super tricky DIY project. The only part that was really challenging was keeping the spring tension in the awning housing stable while we replaced the fabric. The tool we jammed in to keep it from turning fell out, and then we had to guess how many turns it needed when reassembling. Not ideal, but it worked out fine.
We used this YouTube tutorial to guide us, and it was super helpful:
You’ll definitely want at least two, preferably three people for this project. It requires some extra hands. But it only took a couple of hours from start to finish!
If you’re not the DIY type, most any RV tech should be able to do this in a couple of hours.
RV Awning Replacement: How It’s Holding Up
With any RV renovation project, I always worry about how it’ll hold up and whether the materials will be worth the investment. We did this RV awning replacement almost two years ago, and the new awning is holding up absolutely beautifully. It looks as good as the day we installed it, and I think this was SUCH a big improvement for just $200 and a couple of hours of labor. I would definitely recommend ShadePro awning products.
Check out this before vs. after and let me know if you agree that it was worth the investment!
I hope this post has been helpful to you as you think about your RV awning replacement! Feel free to come find me on Instagram if you have other questions, and don’t forget to check out our complete RV renovation posts.
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 about how we renovated our 2007 toyhauler into a beautiful home, check out these posts:
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:
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.
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.
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.
For more about our RV life, check out these posts:
Like all millennials, I rely on apps to organize my life, and boondocking is no exception! I’ve talked a lot about how we added solar panels to our RV’s roof last year so that we can spend more time off-grid. In 2023, we spent over 100 nights boondocking with our toy hauler, and I anticipate that number will be even higher in 2024. So obviously we now have strong feelings about the best boondocking apps.
My favorite reasons for boondocking are:
Absolutely unbelievable views right from my couch
Tons of room for our three kids to roam and act like kids without RV park rules limiting their play
Saving tons of money by paying $0 in rent
If you’re interested in learning how to boondock and want to download everything I know about it just like we were friends sitting around a campfire together, I’ve got you:
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.
Okay, so maybe I’ve convinced you that you should try boondocking. But you may be wondering how we find places to park our RV? Well, there’s an app for that! A few, actually. Here are our picks for the best boondocking apps.
Best Boondocking Apps
iOverlander
iOverlander is the absolute best boondocking app in my opinion. It’s definitely the one we use the most. iOverlander wins for me because of the sheer number of boondocking locations that the app lists. It’s definitely the most comprehensive database of free parking spots that I’ve found. It also tops my list of best boondocking apps because it lists other crucial services that boondockers need. We use iOverlander to find hot showers, laundromats, propane refills, dump stations, potable water fills, and more.
The only thing to note is that a lot of the spots are catered towards van life dwellers or stealth campers. We are not fitting in tiny spots or flying under the rader with our 37′ fifth wheel. The app does have a checkbox to note if a spot is viable for big rig RVs like ours, but there isn’t a way to filter by that feature. It’s worth it, but that’s my only complaint.
Campendium
{Update May 2024: Campendium is being rolled into the paid Roadtrippers app, which I haven’t tested yet. I’ll keep you updated on whether it’s worth trying, but this is disappointing regardless}
Campendium is another one of the best boondocking apps that we use frequently. I like it because it’s RV-centric, so I feel confident that we’ll fit in most of the spots I find there. I also use it to cross-reference spots I find on iOverlander for that reason. It also shines because it names each spot with a unique name, making it easy for RV folks to share locations like “Lone Mesa Dispersed,” unlike iOverlander, which allows users to set the location name (sometimes randomly). Finally, I really appreciate that Campendium prompts users to review the cell service at each location by carrier. That information is really useful for those of us who are full time RVers working remotely. This is a free app, although it has a paid version we’ve yet to use.
Harvest Hosts
Harvest Hosts is the best boondocking app for stays that are also an experience. I’ve written a whole Harvest Hosts review, but the short version is that this is a subscription service that offers one night stays at gorgeous locations like farms, vineyards, and breweries. Harvest Hosts shines as an overnight stay as you’re traveling somewhere else (not sitting down in one location for an extended time period). It also allows us to experience fun excursions like farm or vineyard tours right where we’re camped.
Boondockers Welcome
Boondockers Welcome is another paid subscription that rounds out this list of the best boondocking apps. Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome are partner programs, but they differ slightly in what they offer. Boondockers Welcome hosts are regular folks who offer up places to park in places like driveways and big parking lots. Unlike Harvest Hosts, there’s no “experience” offered and many hosts offer stays of one to five nights. And 75% of hosts offer some form of hookups, unlike Harvest Hosts where hookups are rare.
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 off-grid tips and tricks, check out these posts:
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.
Portage is a great base for nearby hiking and paddling (and even day tripping through the tunnel into Whittier!). I even recommend it as a stop on my 7 day Alaska itinerary. There are two nice spots here. The first can be found on Portage Glacier Road at N 60°47’33.30″, W 148°54’1.38″. This spot is right on a pond and has room for a few rigs. It does fill up though, and we weren’t able to fit. There’s also zero cell service here. Our backup spot was Portage Valley Parking at N 60°51’12.36″, W 149°0’23.46″. This spot is a big parking lot right off of the Seward Highway. It’s noisy during the day, but plenty quiet at night. Super level and good cell service. We stayed for several days and loved the views and easy parking!
Eagle River Boondocking
Eagle River is a great boondocking location if you’re looking to be convenient to Anchorage. This location is the North Fork Eagle River boat launch and a big highway pullout on the way to the Eagle River Nature Center at N 61°16’6.54″, W 149°20’54.06″. Cell service on this road is not good.
Palmer Boondocking
Palmer is a place we returned to several times for its pastoral prettiness and convenient location. We stayed at several spots here, including an RV park (if you want info on the best RV park, it’s in my Alaska ebook!). Here are two Palmer boondocking sites I’d recommend. The first is just outside Palmer called Slipper Lake at N 61°43’57.00″, W 148°55’19.98″. The location is convenient and the lake is pretty with swans swimming on it. The cell service is two bars, the road in is rough for .25 miles, and there is shooting range noise during the day. The second spot is on the Matanuska River at N 61°30’12.30″, W 149°1’40.32″. It’s a very pretty spot with decent cell service, but scout ahead. If the river is running too high, there isn’t enough sandbar to camp on.
Glacier View Boondocking
This was one of my favorite parking spots in all of Alaska. We stayed here twice for the gorgeous glacier view and ease of parking. It’s a highway pulloff on the Glenn highway at N 61°56’51.00″, W 147°8’49.98″. It would make a good base for a Matanuska Glacier tour, but it’s not near much else. Luckily the view is an experience in itself.
Boondocking in Glacier View
Talkeetna / Denali State Park Boondocking
This spot is between Talkeetna and Denali State Park, and it made a great jumping off point for visiting both. It’s the old East West Express Trail at N 62°24’43.20″, W 150°15’21.12″. It’s an overgrown scenic viewpoint with plenty of room for big rigs. We also were basically alone back there in the woods for a few days with usable cell service.
Outside Denali National Park Boondocking
This spot is an excellent spot for boondocking just outside of Denali National Park. It’s a pullout on the Parks highway at N 63°32’25.50″, W 148°48’21.72″. With how far in advance the park camping books up, this can be a great spot for last-minute planners.
Valdez Boondocking
Valdez is a stunning destination that shouldn’t be missed (I’ve written about what to do there!). The city has cracked down on boondocking recently, but I have two spots to recommend. The first is right outside of town on the riverbed at N 61°4’37.86″, W 146°10’45.30″. Scout ahead because the road in is rough and water levels make a big difference in accessibility, but cell service is good. It’s gorgeous, too. The second location is half an hour outside of town in Thompson Pass at N 61°9’6.60″, W 145°43’37.26″. It’s got gorgeous glacier and mountain views, plus plenty of room. No cell service, though.
Boondocking in Alaska: Kenai Peninsula
Moose Pass Boondocking
Moose Pass was such a favorite boondocking spot that it topped our list of favorite camping spots in Alaska! This Trail Lake dirt parking lot is at N 60°30’10.74″, W 149°22’6.78″. Cell service is decent here and lots of room. Its biggest perk is being able to kayak right from the yard and watch float planes landing. It also makes a decent base for Seward if you don’t mind driving in.
Kayaking on Trail Lake
Exit Glacier Road Boondocking
The closest boondocking to Seward is on Exit Glacier Road. There are various spots on the riverbed for smaller rigs, but big rigs are best served by the roadside pullout at N 60°10’12.60″, W 149°30’47.28″. Exit Glacier Road is the perfect jumping off point for hiking to the Harding Icefields, but there’s no cell service on the road.
Skilak Lake Boondocking
Lower Skilak Lake has a state park style dry campground that’s free at N 60°28’15.84″, W 150°28’5.94″. It’s absolutely stunning, and you can launch a kayak right from your site. Full disclosure: most sites are not sized for big rigs, but it was empty enough that we could shove our 37′ fifth wheel halfway into a spot and not be in anyone’s way. No cell service and a bumpy road to get here, but a great place to break up the trip between Homer and Seward.
Outside Homer Boondocking
Homer has also made boondocking in town impossible, but you can camp directly on the beach at Whiskey Gulch at N 59°49’52.02″, W 151°49’19.80″. Scout ahead to see if you’re comfortable with the steep hill coming out. If you are, it’s a beautiful spot and accessible to Homer sightseeing.
Boondocking in Alaska: Southcentral Alaska
Haines Boondocking
We fell in love with this sweet little boondocking spot right outside of Haines. It’s just a roadside pulloff, but with views from the couch of the ocean! It’s at N 59°15’30.72″, W 135°26’26.22″. We had slow cell service here, but could drive quickly into town or walk right down to the beach. It was also right near the ferry so we had easy access when we ferried to Skagway! Catching the northern lights here multiple nights didn’t hurt either.
Northern lights in Haines
Skagway Boondocking
There’s no big rig accessible boondocking in Skagway, BUT you can stay at Garden City RV with no hookups for just $10 a night. Its easy location made this a no-brainer for us. Bonus for super cheap, hot showers.
Carcross Boondocking
Okay, Carcross is not technically Alaska. But if you drive into or out of Skagway, you’ll come through Carcross. Don’t be like me and leave little time to stop. Carcross is unbelievably beautiful. Stop at Big Thing Creek at N 60°3’30.18″, W 134°34’1.38″ and take your time exploring this amazing area.
Road to Haines Boondocking
This also is in Canada, but you’ll drive through on the way to or from Haines. This area of British Columbia is also absolutely stunning, and I recommend a stop. The gravel area at N 59°43’10.50″, W 136°36’8.52″ is big rig friendly and surrounded by gorgeous views. No cell service, though!
I hope this list of boondocking in Alaska spots for big rigs was helpful! Please let me know in the comments if you try any of them.
If you’re overwhelmed by learning to boondock, but you want to take advantage of these amazing Alaska boondocking spots, I can relate! We learned to boondock in Alaska because of these places, and I write a boondocking 101 guide that’s packed full of everything I wish I’d known when we started:
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.
And if you need help itinerary planning, don’t forget to check out my RV Alaska ebook!
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 about our adventures in Alaska, check out these posts:
