Trip Planning

[Brick Pilot]

Planning our biggest trip yet.
I have spent some time trying to ascertain which is the best comprehensive trip planning app and software, and I am more confused now than before.

I know RV Life Pro is a sponsor and it sounds like what I am after, but I am seeing conflicting estimates of usefulness and costs... same as most others!

I am worried about choosing one with timely, updated road info - especially clearances ( rig is now 12' 9"!) and best stopping points/fuel info including RV campsites closer to the East Coast.

Any thoughts gratefully accepted!

[TOM GUY]

We use RV Tip Wizard. It seems to do everything we want. It takes some getting used to, but the data is there.

HTH
Tom

[Airboss68]

Trip Wizard

[TonyDi]

Make that three for Trip Wizard.

[LMHS]

I don't think that there is a single "comprehensive" source that would work for me. It might seem like more work, but I prefer it. I use:
Michelin Road Atlas (a book that has been ripped apart and all pages are in sheet protectors)
Trucker's Atlas (book)
The Next Exit (a book that has been ripped apart and all pages are in sheet protectors)
RVParky, Freecampsites.net, Passport America (websites)
Gas Buddy (website to find fuel)
Google Maps (for the Sat view and initial route)
Co-Pilot RV (finalized GPS routing)

Using Google Maps, I input my destination and my start point. This gives me a basic route to start with. Then I drag my route from the interstates to the US highways that I prefer to take.

I check my distances to work out my overnight stops and longer stops. I use The Next Exit book to see what is close to the overpass exits that I will cross over (I have added LOTS of notations to it). I use Google Maps to see what are my choices (because things change). I prefer to park overnight at Sam's Clubs and Cracker Barrels. If it's hot and I need to run the air conditioner for the dog (Galgos are susceptible to over heating), I look for a decently priced campground that isn't 55+, doesn't have a 10yo RV rule and allows pets (RV Parky for reviews, Freecampgrounds for free and public CGs, Passport America for 50% discount parks). I don't want to drive 60 miles to find a campground that meets my criteria, so I try not to travel in hot weather and I often park at Sam's Clubs. They have a nice fully baked pizza for under $10 (the dog gets the pepperoni) or I pick up a cooked rotisserie chicken and a few sides for around $10 or so. And snacks. They have lots of snacks. I find Cracker Barrels next to interstates (hence the Next Exit). If I stop in a campground, then I cook supper. If I park at Sam's or Cracker Barrel, I don't cook. I prefer to not cook when I'm driving all day.

I then break my route up into days (one day = one trip). Plug that into Co-Pilot. Tweak the route. Add in my fuel stops (not all Sam's Clubs have diesel) using Gas Buddy to find diesel and checking Google Maps to make sure I can get in/out okay. I like to top off my tanks because I have run into long stretches only to find the fuel stations were closed for some reason or out of business (google showed them as being open). I would rather top off daily at a station of my choosing than be stuck needing fuel and getting it at a high priced only choice.

I double check to make sure all the roads I'm using are highlighted in the trucker's atlas. Once I finalize the route, I use wet erase markers and plot my route on the road atlas. I use post it notes on the pages for any notations I need. That includes three potential stops. My original planned stop, a closer stop in case my travel time is slow for some reason and a farther stop in case I am making better time than originally planned or there is a problem with my planned stop and I have to move on. Also I use binder clips to mark the map pages I need for the day's travel. I don't travel at night. I use a paper map as a backup because I simply don't trust the GPS mapping. The last GPS planner I used lost it's mind in Arkansas (I think) due to all the road construction and detours. I just like to know where I'm going ahead of time.

My CoPilot RV app (paid subscription) is loaded onto a dedicated 8" tablet that I drag around with me in the RV or Jeep.

At the end of the day, I check my mileage and time, make any adjustments needed for the next day.

Works for me. But I often travel the same routes for part of my trips. For example, I like traveling US441 N/S and divert to it quite often. I've run US441 all my life, been on all but a few miles at the southernmost end and can drive it without a map (something I had to do to prove to my husband that I could). For East/West I like US380 and US280.

So many of my "first night" stops are my "shakedown" portion of my trips (make sure everything is riding well and there are no problems) and often shorter travel days. I also do 95% of my grocery shopping at Sam's Clubs so I tend to hit them fairly often as different clubs carry different items.

[frank1018]

I do it the old way. Mainly because we do a lot of national parks that require reservations. Calculate how many miles a day I want to drive getting there, Find campgrounds in the area and plan the stops. Long trips allow for a bad weather day. I have actually passed up a stop or two and was looking ahead for the next one, but rarely. I put about 350 miles or more a day going to far away destinations.

[Jandcinok]

Primarily I use paper maps; new enlarged text map, and the truckers atlas. Then we use internet maps some usually to blow up city streets. My wife will plug routes into her generic phone app, what a nightmare. Dont rely on those solely. Then we get into using Mudflap or EDS.........it takes some effort.

[SomeDay]

Everyone travels so differently = some strict on mileage/hours per day, others must be booked in every campground and others little if any plans at all = you chose based on your comfort level.

We always have a rough plan but try to keep it as loose as possible so rarely book anything in advance and are pretty flexible in personality on when we stop = tend to tootle and stop and start.as we please when it suits. We also always have odd days free to allow extra night stop overs or if a repair needed time.

Nothing much phases us regarding being somewhere at a certain time and having everything pre-booked. If anything the latter would stress me out being too concrete planned with reservations.

We simply use RVParky and Google Maps for planning our routes when we have a rough idea in mind. We use google search for what to see and do enroute travelling through each state/province/region, and add them into route. We roughly know from this where we might stay overnight and then use Freecampsites.net or Ioverlander or depending on area BLM maps or otherwise. Rarely but sometimes look at Campendium or AllStays.

Everything gets input including notes for overnight stops, must eats, must sees and sanidumps, to RVParky and that is our final travel planner of choice. Works great and bonus it's free.

Because we RV as and when we get opportunity to = sometimes for a few weeks here and there, some years for several months and other times might go months and nowhere we prefer not to subscribe to a paid subscription we end up not using = a bit like the tracfone not used since 2019 but each year to roll over minutes keep paying $100

I know a lot love Trip Wizard but I equally know many others in past years that have told us they find it awkward or cumbersome to get around certain things on it. To each their own.

[wjl7727]

Trip Wizard works well for me. Once we have the RV parks and fuel stops selected I use google maps to look at exits and entrances and fuel locations for ease of access. I also check google maps for exits when changing interstates after my GPS told to be in left lane when the exit was actually 4 lanes over on the right. Very thankful for the drivers that let me in.

[twogypsies]

Like others... we have our own methods using trusty paper maps and Google Maps. (While full-timing for 16 yr. we used Delorme mapping program.) When we looked at the big picture on a paper map and then decided where we wanted to go, we'd plug in a beginning and ending route in Delorme/Google Maps. Then we'd move the route around to suit us, traveling on secondary highways. We only used interstates for short distances to get from one secondary hwy to another. We rarely went from A to B. Since we didn't use RV parks we'd investigate the national, state, national forest sites for campground ideas. Never had any surprises as we traveled 'our' way. We also never came to a overpass that we couldn't use with our 40' MH.