While we love that RVing allows us to get away from the everyday busyness of life and reconnect with nature, we also love that it’s the year 2020 and we have technology to help us with our trips. It’s been years since the saying “there’s an app for that” first started making its rounds but it holds true now more than ever before. So, if you’re a fulltime RVer looking to up your game or you’re new to RVing and need all the help you can get, there’s an app for that. Here are some of our favorite apps for RVers.
1. Google Maps
This is an obvious one but still worth mentioning. Remember when getting directions meant having to talk to someone that knew the area and then writing down things like “turn right near the Walmart” or “turn left after the fourth light”? Thankfully, we have apps that can get us where we need to go now.
While it can be fun to break out the map and try to navigate around from time to time, when you’re driving a Class A or towing an RV, you don’t want to put yourself in too many situations of having to turn around and backtrack.
2. Accuweather
When you’re RVing, it’s really helpful to know what kind of weather is coming your way. Not only do you want to know how to dress for the day if you’re heading out on a trail or day trip, but you also want to know when a storm is coming. Severe weather updates are important when you’re living in or staying in an RV. Many RVers have found the Accuweather app to be the most reliable when it comes to accurate forecasts.
3. Waze
This app is a lifesaver for directions and traffic on the road. While Google Maps can get you where you’re going, this is a great alternative. It will direct you where you need to go and keep you updated about what’s happening along your route. If there is a slowdown up ahead the app will alert you and ask if you want to take an alternate route. It also lets you know where police are located along the route. We’ve found it to be helpful in estimating the amount of time of a slow down to know if it’s worth switching routes or not.
4. Spotify
It doesn’t take many times of driving through the mountains with only two radio stations to choose from before you realize that you need an alternative source of music. If you pay for premium you don’t have to be online to listen. The right tunes can make all the difference for a long day on the road.
5. Gas Buddy
Don’t you hate when you pull off to get gas and then when you get back on the expressway the next exit has gas that’s a lot cheaper than what you just paid? If you use the Gas Buddy app you won’t have to worry about it happening anymore. Not only can you compare gas prices but you can also make sure you know the locations of the gas stations so you hit that last one before the long stretch without any. Playing the game of “can I coast into the next gas station” is never fun.
6. RV Parky
This app was designed by a full-time RVer so they know what other RVers are looking for. This app provides you with things like campground information, low clearance warnings, rest areas, RV friendly restaurants and locations.
7. Yelp
Who doesn’t already love Yelp? When you’re on the road you might find yourself in unfamiliar places and you don’t want to take a chance on guessing which places are the good ones to visit. Word of mouth advertising is the best advertising and when you’re looking for a new place to eat or a new business to try, hearing the reviews of others is incredibly helpful.
8. Tollguru
When you’re on the road is helpful to know where the tolls are. Many toll roads now are switching over to reading your license plate and sending you your bill in the mail, but there are still those that you need to have the correct change on. If you get caught off guard with one of these it can be a stressful and unpleasant surprise. And, you may just want to avoid the toll roads altogether which this app can help you do.
9. CoPilot GPS
This is another app that can direct you where you need to go. But, what RVers love about this one is that you can enter things like your dimensions, weight, and height of your RV and then it creates a route taking all those things into consideration. This can be a huge time saver instead of accidentally going down a road you shouldn’t and having to redirect yourself along the way. Or, even worse, getting stuck somewhere you just can’t fit.
10. RVillage
It’s fun to connect with other RVers and the RVillage app allows you to do just that. You can meet new RVing friends as you travel and also stay connected with those you’ve already met. This is a great app for full-time RVers because life can get lonely when you’re on the road nonstop.
Now it’s time to hit the road
With your apps in place, it’s time to load up the RV and hit the road.If you’re still looking for the right RV to make your own, stop into Sky River RV to check out our new and preowned inventory to find the right one for you.
