Posted by Ashley Gannon on Feb 03, 2012
The tailgating has already started in Indianapolis as people gear up for the Sunday night kickoff of Super Bowl 46. The Super Bowl is the most watched television event of the year — and the only one where people stay tuned for the commercials. Last year 111 million Americans tuned in to watch the ultimate gridiron classic; and 7 out of 10 Americans are expected to be glued to their flatscreens this year. Many of those flatscreens will be in motorhomes as legions of RVers join the 300,000 fans gathering in Indy to celebrate America’s national pastime and participate in biggest tailgate party of the season.
Demand for RV parking spaces at the Super Bowl has increased so rapidly in recent years that this year the NFL has designated an additional two massive parking lot complexes exclusively for RV use. Of course, it will cost you. Premium RV parking in NFL lots within easy walking distance of the stadium and dozens of scheduled tailgate parties will set you back $900. And that’s on top your $2,000 (and up) Super Bowl tickets. If you don’t mind stretching your legs, you can cut your parking fees in half. RV parking at the municipal center costs just $500.
But the cost of parking is of little consequence to RVing football fans. Being part of the biggest football tailgate party of the year is worth the price of admission!
Posted by Ashley Gannon on Dec 19, 2011
On January 1, the average American employee will wave goodbye to nearly a week (6.2 days) of unused vacation time, according to a recent Hotwire.com survey. Companies used to let their employees roll over unused vacation days from one year to the next; but today the policy at most companies is “use it or lose it.” According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, only 57% of American workers take all of their allotted vacation days, and U.S. workers receive less vacation time (2 to 3 weeks) than workers in other Western countries where 4 to 7 weeks of annual time off is the norm. In France, for example, 89% of workers use all of their 6 weeks vacation time.
If keeping your nose to the grindstone paid off, you might be able to rationalize skipping a few vacation days; but it doesn’t. Psychologists say taking even short vacations increases motivation, creativity and productivity; reduces job stress; and makes you healthier and happier.
So what does this have to do with buying an RV online? RV owners are more likely to take vacations than people who don’t own RVs. RVers are also more likely to leave their work at home and spend their vacations relaxing and enjoying themselves. RVing makes it cheap and easy to get away for a weekend or a couple of weeks. Don’t let your vacation days slip through your fingers. Buy an RV online and go on vacation!
Posted by Ashley Gannon on Dec 16, 2011
If you are an RV owner and are looking for a very special gift to give your grandchildren for Christmas, take them on an RV camping trip during their Christmas vacation. Leave their parents at home (that’s your Christmas gift to your own children!) and take your grandkids on an RV trip — just you and them. You don’t have to trek to Disney World or plan anything elaborate. Just take a weekend jaunt to a nice state park where you can spend some time enjoying the outdoors and snuggling up in the evening with a stack of story books and steaming cups of cocoa (heavy on the marshmallows).
These days, many children don’t get the opportunity to bond with their grandparents. You may be separated by distance or school and activity schedules may monopolize your grandchild’s time. But grandparents have much to offer children. Grandparents don’t carry the weighty responsibilities a parent must shoulder to raise a child in today’s complex society. Grandparents can fudge a little on bedtimes. They can overrule the 2-cookie limit. They can stop for ice cream even if it’s close to dinnertime.
Taking an RV trip with your grandchildren removes all the distractions of normal family life and lets you focus your complete and undivided attention on your grandchild. For children, that is the greatest gift of all.
Posted by Ashley Gannon on Dec 09, 2011
After you buy your new or used RV online, the fun starts! Where will you go first? If you crave warm weather and sunshine, head south. While the rest of the country shivers, the Gulf Coast and Southwest offer plenty of warm, sunny days and spring-like evenings. But chilly weather also shoos away the tourists away from vacation destinations in cooler climes, making winter the ideal time to visit some of America’s most interesting and beautiful natural areas.
> Go star gazing in the red rock country around Moab, Utah. Marvel at the Milky Way and see the stars the way America’s first inhabitants saw them. Take an astronomy tour to learn about the stars and constellations and get a telescopic view of the moon and other planets. Arches National Park is just 5 miles from Moab and Canyonlands is 35 miles west. Dead Horse Point State Park is a must see with incredible scenic vistas. Don’t forget your camera!
> Walk the beach, explore the tidal pools and climb monolithic Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach, Oregon. The weather flip-flops faster than a politician, but stormy weather only lasts a day or two. Crowded with tourists in the summer, Cannon Beach is a quaint, pleasant town with interesting shops and cozy pubs in the winter.
> Discover the desert in winter at Death Valley National Park. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, the valley is strikingly beautiful. Ranger-led hikes offer a fascinating look at this unique environment.
Posted by Ashley Gannon on Dec 05, 2011
Imagine your family’s surprise and delight on Christmas morning if they find a toy RV parked under the tree with a big red bow on the roof and a card that says ”Look outside!” Better have your camera ready to capture the smiles and excitement when they look out the window and see the RV parked in your driveway.
The ultimate holiday gift, buying an RV promises exciting adventures and plenty of family fun. Many people consider buying RVs online because they’re looking for an inexpensive way to travel and vacation with their families. Or they may love nature and wish to immerse themselves in the great outdoors. Or they may be avid campers who are looking for an easier, more convenient, more relaxing camping experience. And RV owners reap all of those rewards. But the greatest — and often unexpected — benefit of owning an RV is the strengthening of the family bond.
RV families take more vacations and weekend trips. While RVing, parents have more time to focus on their children without the normal interruptions of daily life and weekend to-do lists. RVing gives families the opportunity to learn and explore together while building the kind of memories that will last a lifetime.
Buying an RV online is not just an investment in cheap transportation; it’s an investment in your family — and isn’t that the greatest Christmas gift of all?
Posted by Ashley Gannon on Nov 23, 2011
If you’re planning to visit relatives for Thanksgiving, better finish packing your RV so you can hit the highway early. AAA estimates that 42.5 million people will be sharing the America’s highways over the 4-day holiday weekend. Despite still high gas prices, Thanksgiving travel this weekend is expected to be 4% higher than last year. That’s good news for RV campgrounds, especially those located near national parks that are hosting special Thanksgiving events this weekend. (Click the link to access RVT.com’s campground finder.)
If you’re looking for a memorable way to celebrate the holiday, drop by one of these national parks and join the festivities:
> Fort Pulaski National Monument in Georgia will bring to life the fort’s first Thanksgiving in 1862 with its 149th celebration of the Grand Thanksgiving Fete and Festival. Expect old-fashioned fun like wheelbarrow and sack races.
> Homestead National Monument in Nebraska kicks off its annual Winter Festival of Prairie Cultures on November 26 (through December 31). Learn about and share the winter traditions of the people who made the Great Plains their home during the homesteading era in the mid to late-1800s.
> Petroglyph National Monument in New Mexico will demonstrate traditional Pueblo bread baking in a homo oven host at its November 26 Holiday Open House.
> Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Washington is offering guided lantern tours on Friday evenings through mid-December. Find out about fort nightlife in the 1800s while touring the fur store, counting house and bake house.
Posted by Ashley Gannon on Nov 09, 2011
Gather the family and head your RV for the nearest U.S. national park this weekend. Veteran’s Day weekend, November 11-13, is the final fee-free day of the year at America’s 396 national parks. Every year the National Park System sponsors five fee-free days to encourage Americans to get outdoors and enjoy America’s scenic beauty while exploring our many national parks.
While many national parks do not charge an entrance fee, more than 100 of our most popular parks do collect a daily entrance fee to help defray the costs of maintaining park lands. This weekend, however, RV travelers can visit national parks, monuments, battlefields, seashores, historic sites, recreation areas and memorials from California to Maine fee-free. (Click here for a list of participating parks.)
RV campers should note that the national park fee waiver applies only to entrance fees. Reservation, camping, tour and concession fees that are collected by third parties are not included; although many are offering special discounts and fee reductions this weekend.
The park system’s fee-free days are an excellent opportunity to slip away in your RV for a long-weekend getaway. RV campsites at most national parks tend to fill quickly, but RV campers will find plenty of excellent RV campgrounds near every popular national park site. Use RVT.com’s handy RV campground locator to find a campground near your destination.
RVT.com salutes America’s veterans and our active servicemen and women. We thank you and your families for your service to our country.
Posted by Ashley Gannon on Oct 07, 2011
The popularity of TLC’s hit television show Extreme Couponing is a sign of the times. Driven by the recession, extended job loss, tight credit and the ongoing financial crisis, America appears to be entering an age of austerity; or so the doomsayers would tell us. But while consumer spending has decreased for the first time since the early 1940s when World War II forced strict rationing of everything from butter and sugar to metal and paper, Americans haven’t snapped their wallets completely shut. We’re still spending; we’re just being more careful about how we spend our hard-earned money.
According to an interesting article on changing American spending habits that was published in the October 10, 2011 issue of Time magazine, we’re spending less on foreign travel and more on seeing America. We’re eating out less, but spending more on fresh ingredients for home-cooked meals. We’re spending less on tickets to amusements parks, sporting events and museums and more on camping, outdoor equipment and bicycles. The bottom line is that we’re looking for better value from every dollar we spend, and we’re placing a higher value on homegrown fun like RV travel and RV camping.
This is an excellent time to buy an RV or sell your current RV and upgrade to a more fuel-efficient, eco-friendly RV. Recreational vehicles offer inexpensive travel, nearly no-cost entertainment and affordable living. If you’re shopping for high value at a low cost, buying an RV online is an excellent investment.
« More Posts (Older)
