driving an rv at night

9 Tips For A Safe and Enjoyable All-Night Road Trip in an RV

An all-night road trip in an RV can be quite a thrilling experience. However, if you want to stay safe during your trip and enjoy it to the fullest, you must prepare yourselves accordingly. In case you don’t do much traveling, or are not aware of how you should prepare, here are a few quick tips that you might want to look into.

#1 Avoid unplanned trips

While the thought of unplanned trips may sound intriguing, there’s a high chance that you won’t enjoy them that much. This is mostly because of the mismanagement that ensues from the unpreparedness. Planning a trip allows you to make the most of your time and keeps you prepared for any odd situations. 

Before you leave for an all-night road trip on your RV, you must decide on a schedule, choose a safe route for your RV, keep track of the gas stations along your route, have a backup route or plan in mind, and so on. The more detailed your plan is, the better your trip will be.

#2 Get some sleep before you leave

Given that you’re going on an all-night road trip, it’s easy to assume that you and most of your friends are going to be awake for the entirety of your trip. Hence, to stay healthy and keep your minds fresh, you should get a good sleep before you leave. You can either get the entire 8 hours of rest or opt for a 4-5 hour-long nap. Anything that keeps you awake and fresh at night during the trip will work.

#3 Stock up on supplies

Carry everything you might need for the trip. Take a few snack packs, lots of drinking water, a first aid kit, insect repellent, a change of clothes, etc. You should also have a car repair kit in your RV at all times along with spare tires. Everyone should also carry their personal hygiene kits. The RV should also be equipped with a fire extinguisher, just in case. 

Instead of snack packs, you could even carry home-cooked meals. This is a much healthier option in comparison to regular snack packs. Of course, given that you guys are on a road trip, it can be easily assumed that most of you won’t care much about eating healthy. Yet, it’s a good practice, and you should at least give it a try.

Try to avoid sodas and energy drinks. And instead, see if you can find canned or bottled coffee. If you need caffeine to stay awake, it’s better to get it from a can of coffee than a can of Red Bull. 

#4 Make sure the visibility is okay

Since you’re traveling at night, you need to make sure the visibility outside is okay for you to drive. Cancel the trip if it’s too foggy or rainy. On the day before you leave, run a quick inspection of your RV. Clean foggy headlights and the windshield. Also, make sure all the lights, both inside and outside of the RV, are working properly. 

#5 Take turns driving the RV

At least two of you must know how to drive an RV. You need to take turns driving the vehicle. That way, when one of you starts to feel drowsy or a bit tired, the other can take over.

Whatever you do, don’t put an inexperienced driver at the wheel. No matter how much your friends plead and beg of you, you shouldn’t let them drive unless they have the right amount of experience.

While driving the RV, be sure to maintain all sorts of traffic rules and regulations. Be extra careful while driving through narrow roads. And unless you have a mechanical problem with the vehicle, don’t stop on the road. If you need to buy something or use the restroom at a gas station, you should park the RV at a designated parking area first.

#6 Avoid eating too much

When you’re out on your trip, try to avoid heavy meals. Instead, go for light snacks every now and then. Eating too much will make you feel tired and sleepy. This is something you wouldn’t want on an all-night road trip, especially if you’re the one driving. Hence, eat light; take small snack breaks every couple of hours, and drink some coffee if it helps you stay awake.

#7 Take short breaks and enjoy the views

Apart from the typical restroom breaks at gas stations, you should also take breaks to enjoy some of the beautiful scenery in your route. While planning the trip, mark all the places where you can enjoy a good view at night and stop at those places during your breaks. You should enjoy the serenity that the outdoors has to offer during the night, and these small breaks will help you do just that.

Whenever you leave the RV, make sure you’ve turned off its engine, and lock the doors and windows. Also, before you leave the vehicle, turn off all the electrical appliances inside.

#8 Have a designated sleeping area

There’s always one or two people on the trip who cannot but fall asleep. For them, try to have a designated sleeping area where they can get a good rest. It should ideally be at the back of the RV, where they’ll be able to isolate themselves from all the others. Try not to disturb this particular bunch (unless there’s some sort of emergency), as sleeping during a trip is probably their way of enjoying it.

#9 Keep the conversations going

Try to keep things as lively as you can inside the RV, and the best way to do that is by always having a conversation going. This will help you stay energized and prevent you from falling asleep. However, avoid creating any sort of disturbance for the driver that can distract them from the road.

Last Updated on April 23, 2021

One Response

  1. Laine Harbaugh June 10, 2021

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