How to Caravan - Why You Should Talk Your Friends into an RV Trip

Learning how to caravan, or what a caravan even is can improve your RVing experience greatly. A great RV trip commands a crowd. Long highway miles in a big rig while exploring and camping from state to state can be a lonely endeavor if embarked upon alone. While the large majority of RV partnerships come in the form of retired couples taking to the open road, a growing interest in the lifestyle is moving this dynamic into many different arenas. Some people are taking their families along for the ride both short term and long term, adopting the growing tiny home movement and how it correlates with RV living. Others are shying away from the shackles of a standard 9-5 and mortgage dependent life and opting to work remotely while bouncing around the many awesome places to visit and camp with an RV as their mothership.

One style of RVing that almost certainly leads to increased fun, a vast supply of stories, and a comradery only the road can bring out is the caravan. A caravan, according to your standard dictionary has a couple of common definitions. First is “a vehicle equipped for living in, typically a trailer towed by a car and used when traveling for recreation.” And the other, “a group of people, especially traders or pilgrims, traveling across a desert in Asia or North Africa.” For the purposes of this article those two definitions coincide into something more along the lines of “a group of people, especially adventure enthusiasts, traveling across a state, country, or continent for the purposes of travel, good times, and general fun.”

Thoughts of a caravan might bring up a long line of covered wagons heading west in search of riches and a better life. Or perhaps a procession of camels strung along the desert sands like a twisted rope carrying commodities of all varieties to trade for profit in an exotic region far from home. These two romantic images sum up the spirt of a caravan and how it relates to our current day and age. To wander and explore, to roam and discover, to find out more about yourself and the land you live in are all driving ambitions of any traveler. RVers are no exception and often maintain the same ethos as the pioneering explorers of old.

Related Read: RV Caravans and Tours

So how does one caravan in an RV?

Well, the first step would be to find some like-minded folk to tag along on your next trip. Maybe that means inviting some family or close friends to join you in your RV and loading up the motorhome full of food and supplies to keep everyone happy and healthy. Most RVs can easily sleep 4 or more individuals - many more if you are comfortable with each other, creative, and able to camp. Another option would be to invite another RV enthusiast, maybe you know them well but perhaps not, to load up their own rig and follow yours down the highway to whatever destination sits ahead on the highway. A group of RVs rolling down the road together is a welcome sight to any RVer and is sure to gain the attention and admiration of other road wanderers as you roll from location to location.

And why would one want to caravan in an RV?

Simply put, it’s a lot of fun. Many memories are best when shared. The adventures you find while out RVing, whether that be an amazing natural setting or weird roadside attraction, are all unique and when these experiences are shared with friends or family they become stories that can last a lifetime. Another advantage to the caravan is related to the old adage that two heads are better than one. If one of the rigs breakdown while out on the road, there are more people to help diagnose and repair a mechanical issue, or to at least attempt a roadside fix. In a worst-case scenario, if one RV breaks down, another can take the stranded passengers on board and into the next town or city for necessary equipment or parts needed for the fix. This could save money on tow-bills and other costs in the long run.

You’ll also be able to come up with more ideas on destinations to head towards and things to do while out on the road. With more people involved in the process of planning, more possibilities will pop up. You will inherently be forced into being more active and adventurous with others involved as one person’s ambition is sure to lead to another’s fear of missing out. It is a good thing to be challenge and pushed outside of your comfort zone a bit while traveling. The more you are willing to explore the endless possibilities out there, the more chances you have at uncovering truly unique and memorable experiences.

Related Read: Renting an RV: The Ins and Outs

Another wonderful aspect of an RV caravan adventure is the many memories that are certain to unfold during the course of a trip. With more people involved in creating these memories, it will be easier and ever rewarding to revisit the mischief and mishaps from the trip at some point in the future. The incidents and events that are nearly guaranteed to happen on an RV trip are the substance that truly makes for the abundant rewards this type of travel affords. Being able to reminisce with those who have shared similar experiences can be an amazing way to sit and share a life well lived.

Entertain the idea of an RV caravan and you won’t be disappointed. Find a spot on public lands under the stars somewhere out there in the wilds and circle the wagons. Literally. Pull your RV’s into a circular formation and make a campfire and group dinner right smack dab in the middle of camp. You will harness the spirit of generations of travelers, adventures, and wanderers and are certain to make many new memories that will fuel the wanderlust of generations yet to come.