The Best RV Navigation Tools- GPS or Compass & Map?

The best RV navigation tools will come in handy for all your adventures. There are endless destinations when it comes to your next RV trip. Some of these are easy to access and so well-known you could probably follow street signs the entire route. Others are so off of the beaten path a physical map and compass could be your only assistance. Regardless of the destinations you choose, you’ll need to know how to get there. In our ever connected society, there are a ton of great options available to assist you and your RV in this pursuit. From high tech gadgets dialed in to the system of satellites orbiting the planet to old fashioned methods like the stars and compass, the style of navigation you choose is a personal decision. Who knows, maybe part of the reason for your next adventure is to get a little lost. Here are a few tech options to help you get lost or found along the way.

The Old Ways – Lost but not Forgotten

If you are fond of how travel used to be and have any sense of adventure, a good map and a compass might be all you need for your next RV trip. Knowing a bit about navigation in general can lead you in the right direction most of the time. Study up on your intended route before you leave the driveway. Get a map or atlas that covers the region in which you are travelling. The trusted Rand McNally Road Atlas is a recommended addition to any RV, regardless of if you keep things old school or prefer satellite navigation. These will have all of the major and minor paved roads to help you get to wherever you may be headed while also showing rest stops, scenic routes and destinations, and other worthwhile attractions across the country. If you are headed into public lands that may not have as developed of a road system, make sure to pick up a USGS Topographic map or two for the area you are entering. These maps are thorough and show many small roads and geographical features in detail and also make great souvenirs to document where you have traveled. If you don’t know how to read a Topo Map, check out this resource.

Also, get a compass! Your RV might be equipped with an onboard one, but there is something special about having a compass and map in your hand while you navigate the wilds. It is how our ancestors have travelled for generations and somehow fuels the spirit of the unknown that drives many a great adventure. There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to picking the best compass for you. So do a little searching or check out this list. You can often find antique ones that make great art pieces around the house when you are off of the road. Also, if you live in the northern hemisphere, find out how to locate the north star, Polaris. The handle of the big dipper points right to it and this can allow you to figure out your cardinal directions if you ever end up lost or broke down on a clear night.

New Tech to Explore the Globe

In today’s technologically advanced world, options are abundant for navigation assistance. It often seems as though nearly every nook and cranny of our planet has been mapped, tracked, and documented and through the use of a good GPS or a host of many other tech resources, getting from point A to point B and beyond has never been easier.

A simple trip planner is an excellent place to start to get directions or the lay of the land for any upcoming trip. The MobileRVing trip planner is the perfect resource to get the initial plan for your trip figured out and lead you through every step of the way. Other trip planners are available but this one will be best catered for an RV journey. You can always look up a route through GoogleMaps or AppleMaps as well.

A good GPS is a suggested and easy addition to your RV and can make taking a wrong turn a thing of the past. While most smart phones are capable of GPS navigation, a good GPS unit affixed to the dashboard of your RV makes directions easy to view and access while taking away the worry of losing service while driving somewhere far from developed towns and cities.

Some recommended GPS units:

Magellan Road Mate
Garmin RV
Rand McNally IntelliRoute

All of these units are great and will keep you en route and on track regardless of where you intend to explore. They are also catered specifically to RV travel and can help you make choices on where to camp, which roads are suitable to towing, come with a large screen that is easily mounted in any RV, and offer traffic tracking to help you avoid jams and detours. These nifty units have almost become as integral to RV travel as the steering wheel and captain’s chair and if you’re looking for something that really makes it easy to get around and get going, buy one of the GPS units above. You’ll be glad you did.

Regardless of how you choose to navigate your RV, the experience of the open road will steer you in the right direction. The tools and tech available to assist offer easy solutions but oftentimes there is beauty in the unknown. Take a slight detour off of your route from time to time to explore on a whim and you’ll be surely rewarded with a chance encounter or spectacular view. If you do end up lost somewhere, it is sure to lead to story you can share with your family or fellow RVers at some point down the line. After all, it is often the journey and not the final destination that really leaves you full of memories, inspiration, and more fuel for future travel.