Our first family rv trip

[Carterfam8]

Hello all seasoned RVers! We are a family of 8 who will be taking our first Rv trip in this summer. We are all very excited and are looking for some tips to make this an awesome experience for the whole family. Following are some questions and ideas. Your advice and comments are welcomed.

We are headed to Arkansas for a short family vacation, one week. We plan to go to the diamond mine star park but other than that we are open to any suggestions regarding must stay or must see places for a family of 8 with kid ranging from infant through 9th grade.


We also would like advice on the type of Rv to rent. While we have a large family, we also would like a vehicle that has some maneuverability.


Finally, do you have any money saving advice or general advice for us?


Thank you for your time,
Jennifer

[Steve N Sal]

Howdy and welcome aboard "Carterfam8". Hope you enjoy the site and the fine people you'll meet here. You may look into a Class C for rental purposes but if you have a nearby dealer I would visit them and see what they may have available for a family your size. I'm sure some people will be along to address some of your other questions. Hope you have a great time on the tirp, be safe and Happy Motoring!!

[bsirby]

Hi Jennifer, welcome to IRV2. I also would recommend a Class C. You can buckle the little ones in at the dinette table so they can color etc. while you are driving. You will have more sleeping options with the class C. I would say the biggest money saver for you would be fixing your own meals vs eating out. Staying at State Parks is usually cheaper than campgrounds. Have fun and keep us posted on how your trip goes. Safe travels.

[MSHappyCampers]

Hi Jennifer! Welcome to IRV2! It's good to have you join the group! Can't help on the renting question, but I'm sure you will get some help here! Good luck & God bless!

[Dogpatch]

Welcome to the Forum.

Easiest way to rent is google - rv rental and list your area. Anything available should come up.

[fansill]

Ok...here is my two cents worth from camping with the kids and then grandkids....

I believe that the advice to get a Class C is spot on. With a larger Class C you have rear bedroom for the adults, an overhead bunk for two kids, and the dinette and couch as additional sleeping areas.

You may want to explore bringing a small pup-tent with you also. Some campgrounds will allow you to pitch this tent beside your rig and this gives a few of the older kids their own "pad" for the night. Many times our older kids wanted this space to be by themselves and to be able to chat into the wee hours without disturbing us or the younger ones.

Before you leave home, tell each child they have a specific amount of space to pack their own belongings. I recommend soft-sided duffle bags. These are squashable and can be stuffed into small spaces. But you need to set a limit of packables. Don't forget that you can always stop and do laundry on the road. Pack minimally and plan on doing laundry every few days.

Make sure that you bring along enough stuff for the inevitable rainy days. Brings movies and DVDs to watch when the weather is yucky. Also encourage each of them to create a journal of their travels. Give each of them a notebook and tell them to be creative. Don't forget good old-fashioned books and puzzles to occupy them on the drive and when camped.

When you stop for the night...stow all belongings away and keep the interior of the RV as neat as possible. This will prevent the overwhelming feeling of chaos. Be stern with the kids and tell them that stuff needs to be picked up and stowed at all times. Believe me....it will help alleviate the stress that is inevitably put on MOM or Grandma to constantly clean...

When we travel with the grandkids, we utilize the space at the front of the RV at the foot of the driver and passenger seats to stow lots of bags, etc... Keeps them out of the walk and living areas.

I spend a good amount of time pre-planning meals. I cook ahead of time nd pre-package easily re-heatable meals. Your microwave can be your best friend when camping with kids.

Purchase the smallest containers of soda and/or juice. The kids will leave bottles and cans half drunk everywhere and that can add up. I also try to refrain from cans and stick to bottles with resealable tops to avoid spills. You can also purchase plastic water bottles for each kid and personalize them. These can be re-filled by an adult and used throughout the trip.

Each person gets their own towel for bathing. Use different color towlels for each person. That way they know that they need to pick the towel up off the floor and hang it to dry between wash-ups. I also bring a portable telescopic rack that I anchor to the ground behind the RV to dry the towels and wet bathing suits.

I set up a shoe box by the doorway. Everyone removes their shoes upon entering to avoid tracking dirt and mud throughout the RV.

I could go on forever, and I know that I probably sound anal about everything...but I hope that this gives you some ideas....

Faith

[ghoststories]

Hello and welcome to iRV2.