Staying Connected with RV Communities Online

Are you new to living and traveling in your recreational vehicle (RV)? Maybe you’re getting ready to go full-time or work remotely. Or perhaps you’re preparing to take that long-delayed trip across the country. Maybe you just bought your first RV or you’re changing from a trailer to a motorhome. These are all opportunities for adventure – or disaster – and learning from your friends on the road is critical. There’s so much information available that the challenge is to sort out the good information. That’s why staying connected with RV communities online is so important. 

There are many useful communities with information for you:

Information About Places to Stay

Sometimes, deciding on the best website to find an RV park that meets your needs seems impossible. To help you, we’ve made a list of some resources.

• Here is one for budget-conscious travelers, sponsored by Escapees RV Club: https://escapees.com/the-complete-guide-to-finding-budget-friendly-rv-camping-options/ 
• On the other hand, here’s information on luxury RV parks: https://upscalervresorts.net/ And another: https://hhimotorcoachresort.com/
• In Tyler, Texas, you’ll want to check out our 5-star Woodland Creek RV Park.

Information About Your RV

Every (well, almost every) RV manufacturer has a website with information about maintaining and operating your specific unit. You can also find information from owners and maintainers in the many forums (see below), where you can ask questions and get answers. Remember that the information is only sometimes accurate because anyone can post, so you should research and compare.

Going Full-Time by Staying Connected with RV Communities Online

People who have gone “full-time” live in their RVs. Many have no fixed address and may be retired or have moved from one job to another. Some are “work campers” – travelers who may serve as campground hosts, as travel nurses, or who may do seasonal work for companies like Amazon. Some establish a residence in one of three states that welcome full-time RV travelers, where staying connected with RV communities online is needed for work and play. Here are a couple of those connections:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Florida https://rvlife.com/florida-domicile-rv/

Texas https://www.storychasing.com/how-to-domicile-in-texas-as-a-full-time-rver-get-your-mail/

South Dakota (https://www.outsidenomad.com/how-to-claim-south-dakota-residency/)

Information About Buying an RV

That might be an easy subject, as the RV buyer and seller community is huge. The internet has dealer information, reviews of models and manufacturers, private sellers (check Craigslist and Facebook), and online dealers like www.rvtrader.com.

Information About Family Life

Homeschooling and do-it-yourself projects are other fun ways to learn and join a community – just search your subject area and add “RV.” Some ideas:

Homeschooling: https://rvlife.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-homeschooling-in-an-rv/

Family life: https://www.jdpower.com/rvs/shopping-guides/full-time-rv-with-kids

Do-it-yourself projects: https://harvesthosts.com/rv-camping/unique-diy-motorhome-projects-to-turn-your-rv-into-your-home/

Internet Forums that Keep You Connected with RV Communities Online

Forums are online places where you can search for information and ask questions. Any questions. You can search for answers to a question that’s often asked and post an off-the-wall question to get some off-the-wall answers. Keep in mind when joining a forum that there’s a large (mostly male) population of older folks who have nothing better to do with their time than give you the benefit of their knowledge.

Probably the best overall forum for asking questions is called IRV2 (www.irv2.com). You could wander around on this website for days. Its top-level page has links to forums on RV parks, RVing as a military veteran, hobbies, routes, budgets, work camping, and RV travel by region in North America. Another tab links you to forums organized by RV type and RV brand. 

Here are two forums with good information:

• Top RV forums in 2024: https://forums.feedspot.com/rv_forums/
• Six best RV forums: https://rvblogger.com/blog/best-rv-forums-to-learn-all-about-rving/

Facebook has dozens of pages and groups oriented at telling stories or sharing information. Remember that just because you see it online doesn’t make it correct!

Possibly the most important and easy-to-reach community is the one you meet as you travel. At each RV park you visit, you’ll meet helpful and interesting people who are ready and happy to bring you into their community of RV travelers.

RV travelers, for the most part, are helpful. Most remember when they started out and relied on other travelers for their knowledge, connections, and help. So feel free to ask questions or ask for assistance because they’ve been there.

What If the Power Goes Out?

Of course, staying connected with RV communities online has much to do with a working internet. Without it, you rely on the people around you without access to extra information. Good luck searching online without the World Wide Web!

Things happen in RV parks just like in your home; you’ll be working and getting ready to turn in that assignment or checking for web addresses and looking for links when bam! An electrical outage darkens a third of your state. The utility company says it’s a “transmission issue” and might take a while to repair – whatever “a while” means.

So it takes what it takes, and you busy yourself with something else. When the power returns, you discover that the RV Park is dead. Dead! It’s not their fault, but now you’ve got more hours and more waiting. Finally, you get reconnected to the online world. 

In the meantime, what’s the solution? Here are a few suggestions:

• Do whatever work you can without the internet. Get it ready to submit online when the power is restored.
• If timing is an issue, go to the library and use their computers. Most libraries offer complimentary memberships for travelers to use the internet.
• Don’t panic. Realize you’re dealing with something you can’t control. You’ll eventually connect again.

Remember, sometimes it’s not the fault of the RV Park when the internet goes out. Fussing at the staff only raises blood pressure. Chances are they are on top of it and doing what they can to reconnect you. Staying at an RV park with excellent internet service is half the battle. 

Plan Your Work, and Work Your Plan

Sometimes what you need is a plan. What if the power goes out? It’s beyond frustrating when you know you’ve got to get your work done but there’s no internet. Where can you go to get that connection?

In Tyler, Texas, the place to stay is Woodland Creek RV Park, where the internet is speedy, and you’re just a few short minutes from town. There, you’ll find the local library and a coffee shop that has high-speed internet and your choice of cold brew, latte, cappuccino, and sweet treats to bring back to your wilderness experience.

Planning your next RV trip? Give us a call at Woodland Creek today and book your reservation. Our friendly staff will fix you right up and connect you in no time.