5 Absolute Must Haves when RV Camping

Camping in an RV is so much different than camping in my 69 Econoline or even tent camping. It’s kind of like bringing your home to the campground. Ok, for me, it is bringing my home to the campground. Whether I am boondocking or in a campground, there are things I absolutely make sure I have for my RV Camping adventure.

You already know the basics of making sure all your tanks, propane, fuel, and water are full. Depending on where you go, there may not be any close.

Even though I live and camp in an RV, I really am a basic camper. I have no canopies or large comfort things for the outdoors. A lawn chair, a good cup of coffee and a warm campfire on a star-filled night is really all I need. I can just go home if it is raining. Lol! Here are my top five RV camping accessories that make it a little more comfortable and fun.

Thermacell Mosquito Repeller

Oh, when I found this, I was in seventh heaven! The worst thing about nature is bugs! Mosquitos are the very worst. Trying to enjoy the outdoors in mosquito season can be a challenge. I saw an advertisement for Thermacell bug repellent and thought I would give it a try. I have never been much of a bug-repellent person, mostly because I do not like spraying it on me. It makes me sticky and yucky. Lol! Well, it does!! I will admit I was skeptical at first but thought why not give it a try?

I was never really bothered by mosquitoes until I went into menopause oh my stars, I became breakfast, lunch and dinner! Got a little sweeter maybe? Lol! I was going up north and knew I was heading into a bug party. I stopped and bought the small thermocell you can attach to your belt as you walk. The package said it would protect you as you walked. The campground I was in had a beautiful hiking trail, somewhat confident I slid the Thermacell pack into the holder and with three pushes on the igniter, lit the heater.

The Thermacell emits a vapour that is not overpowering, and to my amazement and delight, it worked!!! They then came out with a lantern that would spread the vapour farther, and I bought that one, too. It keeps the bugs away and emits a nice soft glow. I never go anywhere without it. Whether I am sitting by the fire or out for a walk, I am mosquito-bite-free.

My Habatchi BBQ

Having a Class B RV, I have a two-burner propane stove. When I am plugged into shore power, I have my toaster oven, but there is nothing like a good burger or steak cooked on a BBQ in the woods. Just a note, I am a burger freak. A good burger with cheese (everything tastes better with cheese) and all the fixin to get my tummy growling and my mouth watering!

My Habatchi BBQ is small, so fitting it into my RV is not a problem. It runs on propane no charcoal is needed. Using the small 1-pound propane tanks also makes for easy storage. Thank goodness because as much as I like the charcoal flavour, I do not like the mess. This small barbeque can be set up on the end of a picnic table and is big enough to cook for 1 or 2 people, which is perfect since most of the time I am camping alone. Whether I am camping in my 69 or my roadtrek, this is one item that makes the switch.

Newspaper

I know it sounds silly. Have you ever tried to start a fire with wet wood? I do not know about you, but when I am in a campground and there is a fire ring, there needs to be a fire in it. I usually buy the wood at the campgrounds. There is no room for wood, and it is not good to shuttle wood to different areas due to invasive species inside the wood spreading to other areas, including inside my van. No bugs in the van!!

Buying wood from the campground, you never know what kind of wood you’re going to get. It could be wet or if you are lucky dry. Sometimes, they have kindling to start the big logs burning sometimes, they do not. I also carry a small hatchet so that I can make kindling if they do not sell it.

Growing up in the country, we often had fires at home, and my Dad taught me how to build a great fire even with wood that does not want to catch. Taking newspaper, twisting it into a small thin line and inserting the paper into your wood teepee will guarantee a great start to an awesome fire. I cannot tell you how many times I have torn my paper towels apart to use the cardboard roll or burned my camp map to get a campfire going. Now I make sure I stop and buy a local paper, give it a read with a good cup of coffee, then set it on fire.

Roasting Sticks and Sandwich Makers

How many times have you been in a campground and watched the Dad next door try to make a point out of a stick with a knife so the kids can roast marshmallows? I am not much of a roasted marshmallow type of girl, but I love Schneiders smoked sausages over an open fire. They are a sausage with cheese inside them when cooked over an open fire, sprinkled with a little mustard, is a must-have for me at the campfire. I found these extendable sticks that are perfect as they fold up and can fit in my cutlery drawer out of the way when not in use and are the perfect length when extended for roasting without you getting roasted.

Sandwich makers are a whole new tool for campfire meals. Able to hold two slices of bread, you can put anything in between them. My daughter, who is a big camper, introduced me to them. You can make sandwiches or even apple pie over the campfire. Yes, you read it right, apple pie. Laying the bread on the skillet, you put apple pie filling, or cherry or blueberry, whatever is your fancy on top, then lay another piece of bread on top, close the sandwich maker and put it into the fire, and you have apple pie by the campfire. It is a fun RV camping snack.

Bear Bells

Let’s go deep! Deep into the forests is my favourite camping. With that comes animals. Check out some of the animals I have met along the way in this blog. Some are darn big, and the best thing you can do is respect their home you are visiting. I think people forget that when you enter the forest, you are the visitor. The biggest issue I have ever encountered are bears. I have never met one on a walk, but I have had one stroll by my campsite.

When I was working, I had the pleasure of working in bear country many times. They had people come and do bear attack prevention, and I learned a lot about these beautiful creatures. Did you know a bear really does not want to be bothered with you? If they can ignore you or move away, they will. Most bear attacks happen because you have startled them or accidentally stumbled on a Momma and her cubs. Nothing is more dangerous than a Momma protecting her cubs in many species.

People laugh when I show them my bear bells, but I take them for every walk in the deep woods. They will move away if they hear you coming. I also will play music if I am somewhere I can get a signal. I prefer the bells, so I can hear the sounds of the forest, which I find very healing. People tell me that I should carry bear spray. Well, there is a use for that, but if that spray does not hit the bear just right or blows back at you, then you have a very mad bear, and you are the one that’s hurting from the spray.

A Few Bear Tips for a safe RV Camping Experience

A few bear tips I have learned. Never run! Then you become a game. Bears are very playful. Chasing you down and batting you around is a not-so-fun game for you but big fun for them. Just because they are big does not mean they are not fast! They can move pretty quickly. You want to stand as tall as you can and make yourself as big as you can. Make a lot of noise, yelling, ringing those bells hard, they can be scared off.

One person who came in to train our people on bear safety even said it is a good idea to take a large green garbage bag with you, and if you encounter a bear, pull it out and spread it in front of you to give you a bigger look.

In all the places I have been, I have never had a problem with a bear. Give them space, let them know you are there and respect their home, knowing you are the visitor and both you and the bears can enjoy the intense beauty the deep forest has to offer.

Do you have a favorite RV camping accessory? Leave it in the comments. I want to hear about it!

Thanks for coming along on my Chipmunk Adventure.

See you next week!

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Love this blog! I can always use a coffee. Thanks for your support!