Resources for RV Families on the Go

This is a list of helpful resources for families interested in fulltiming or RVing for extended periods. These pages are updated frequently.

  • Gift Ideas for RV Families. What to get those on the road for the holidays and birthdays.
  • The Article Index leads to a wealth of information and personal accounts about fulltime RVing as a family.
  • The section on General Information on RVing provides links to useful sites.
  • The FOTR Bookstore is loaded with titles of interest to fulltime RVers with children.
  • Buying an RV links to sites about new and used RVs, bus conversions, customizing RV's, trucks and RV rentals. And see Choosing an RV for some insight into choosing an RV for family travel.
  • Travel Information (US, Canada, Mexico)
  • Watch a movie on your computer and never leave the RV. No need to run to Blockbusters or play tag with your mail as it tries to find you on the road.

Also be sure to visit our "Life on the Road" section for even more resources.

Good Sam RV Emergency Road Service (ERS) is the most comprehensive RV road service available. Good Sam ERS provides towing and road service for RVs and all household cars, minivans, SUVs, pickups and boat trailers. Sign up for Good Sam RV Emergency Road Service Today! Good Sam

FOTR Discussion Groups

One of the primary goals of FOTR is to enable traveling families, or those preparing to hit the road, to connect with others. Sharing experiences, ideas and information with others of like interests can be a very helpful (not to mention enjoyable!) experience. In addition to the new forum there are several groups for RVing Families to choose from.

Also Untravelers is a group created to bring unschoolers and eclectic homeschoolers from around the world together!

FOTR Kids

Traveling Kids and Teens have their own section of the FOTR Forum to hang out and meet each other. Membership is by invitation only.

A Yahoo group for Kids on the Road is also available. Information will be shared with parents who contact us through the main FOTR group.

Downsizing and Getting Ready to Go

Here is one RVing family's take on what they did and didn't need. Your mileage may vary.

Didn't Need:

  • almost all of the "toy box" toys we took
  • tents (we have an rv)
  • glass dishes and glass storage bowls (they broke, bring plastic!) or get a better storage system then I had all but one of the fancy dresses
  • DRY CLEAN CLOTHES!
  • only 1 pocketbook
  • desktop computer (we also brought laptop)
  • "work" clothes
  • cookbooks (maybe one favorite is ok)

Needed, wished we had, or had to buy

  • clothes to last about 1 to 1 1/2 weeks
  • sneakers, dress boots, dress shoes
  • gloves, winter coat, snow boots (it's not suppose to snow in New Mexico, but it did!)
  • heating blanket
  • decorations things to make my daughter's bedroom area look like her own space
  • toys my daughter did use: foam blocks, legos, barbies, books,
  • coloring books, etc
  • DVD's
  • small Christmas tree and lights
  • extra socks
  • extra bright flashlight
  • 100lb propane bottle (if in cold weather)
  • bathing suit
  • system to deal with mail/ flyers you pick up games educational materials and place to store them

~Gayle Bennett, FOTR & owner Tall Pines Campground

More Downsizing Tips and Advice

Tips from Carol White of Live Your Road Trip Dream

  • Take some of the "one-way valve" plastic bags - you know, the ones where you "roll" the air out of them? They are great for storing off-season clothing compactly - or things you don't use very often (extra pillows, dress-up clothes).
  • Keep nothing in boxes - they take up too much room. Zip locs are great for small things - clothing and non-clothing items.
  • If you are in regular campgrounds (KOA, Good Sam, etc.), most all of them have laundry facilities. If you are in state, forest service, BLM, etc. places, they will not have facilities (mostly)
  • Don't take anything that has to be ironed or dry cleaned (except maybe your dress-up outfit if you take that).
  • We had this really cool "organizer" that had pockets of various sizes 1" X 1" up to about 3" X 4" near the bottom. They pockets were clear plastic and the whole thing went over the bathroom door. We used it like our junk drawer from home - rubber bands, paper clips, nail polish, envelopes, stapler, tubes of medicine -- it was great! I bought it from the Lillian Vernon catalog.

Listen! Podcasts for Your Ears

Listen on your iPod or on your computer or even on your cell phone.

Act!vated Stories

From the Goza family/professional actors touring the country since 1988. Each week they bring you a folktale and travel information about wherever they happen to be at the moment. They have been podcasting Act!vated Stories since June 2006.

Taking it to the Street

Monica Moshenko and her son will take their radio shows "Disability News" and "Al's Wrestling Talk" on the road across the U.S. and the internet beginning in February '07.

Interview of an RV Family

Celia and Jeff, are a family on the road and they were interviewed on the Quirky Nomads podcast. They talk about their bio-diesel bus, working on the road and the good samaritans they have met along the way to their quest for the Redwoods Forest.

RVer Radio

A couple of middle aged DJs are hitting the road with their young daughter. RVerRadio hit the air -- err... make that the internet December 06.

If you know of a good resource that belongs here, please let Kimberly the "Nomadic Webmaster" know.