On this podcast episode of RV Family Travel Atlas, It’s our third annual RV Winterization Blues aimed at getting our northern listeners through the cold and dreary months. Many of you have given your beloved RVs the pink drink and put them into hibernation. You’re sitting around looking to fill the hours between now and your first spring camping trip.
Don’t despair. We’ve got more than enough ideas for you.
Here at RV Family Travel Atlas, we’re not ones to sit around being bored. So even though our camping options are limited, we never have trouble coping with the RV Winterization Blues.
Segment One: The Best of Our RV Winterization Blues Tips
This is our 3rd annual RV Winterization Blues episode, so it was fun to look back at our previous tips and pick some of our very favorites. In the first segment of the podcast, we revisit our top ten recommendations.
Two years ago we talked about our goal to keep camping even in the winter months. Well, we have followed through on that in spades. Last year we camped in our winterized trailer as the temps dipped into the teens. Our enclosed underbelly kept us toasty warm and we kept that campfire burning during much of the day. We can’t wait to do it again this year!
And RV shows, of course. Visiting RV shows even if you aren’t currently in the market for a new RV is a fantastic way to kick those RV winterization blues to the curb. Take a look at what is new, dream about a future rig, or take in a seminar or two. That’s a pretty great way to spend a cold and dreary weekend in the winter.
Other ‘best of’ tips include…
- Trip Planning
- Taking hometown day trips
- Making photo books from previous RV trips
- Learning about Hygge (if you are out of the loop on this, check out last year’s episode!)
- Picking up a new instrument (Stephanie brushed up on the ukulele)
- Binge watching great travel content like Rock the Park
- Building a capsule wardrobe (Stephanie started with StitchFix)
- Taking an adult education class
Okay, okay…there were also a couple of really bad ideas. We’ll fess up to those in this segment also.
Segment Two: Our New Tips for Kicking the RV Winterization Blues
We haven’t yet run out of ideas for kicking the RV Winterization blues. Jeremy goes first, sharing his six strategies for staying sane even when we can’t go camping up here in the snowy northeast.
He starts with a great binge-watching option, because let’s face it, most of us just want to cozy up on the couch until spring rolls around. Charles Kuralt was the host of the beloved and long-running television series On the Road. Time magazine calls the series, “Authentic, uplifting Americana.” Jeremy completely agrees. He is hooked and plans on the whole box set this winter.
If you finish that series and still have more couch time to clock in, check out Under An Arctic Sky, a surf documentary by Chris Burkard. We’ve linked to the homepage, but you can find it on Netflix if you subscribe.
Jeremy’s other tips include:
- picking something to read off his 24 Great Books for RV and Camping Lovers blog post
- Developing a classic Coleman lantern obsession (evidence of obsession can be found in this embedded YouTube post…)
- Swapping date nights with neighbors
- Leaving Campground Recommendations on our Campground Reviews Page
Stephanie gets her turn to share as well.
Here’s her working list for staying sane through the snow:
- Testing meal delivery options
- Cooking together with the kids (and dad)
- Knock out home projects (the basement has been served notice)
- Create wardrobe content from all the capsuling stuff that happened last year
- Visit a warm weather destination (we flew to Florida and rented a rig last year and it was amazing)
Segment Three: Listener Recommendations
Thanks so much to our fun Facebook Group crew for telling us what is getting you through the winter months! You can find our private, no-cranks-allowed Facebook Group here.
“My trailer isn’t stored at my house, I often find reasons to go visit it, and maybe hang out for a little bit while I’m there.” -Erika
“After every trip, we make a vacation video set to music that highlights all that we saw and did on that trip. Tonight we watched the video from our Florida trip back in January. It’s a great way to reminisce about the great adventures we have had and build the anticipation of the adventures ahead.” -Nicki
“Drive my kids crazy taking ornament pictures. Look for deals on fuzzy blankets. And of course, winter camp.” -Shayzam
Our trailer is stored at a lake in the mountains . We’ll drive up there and hike in to spend the afternoon every so often in the winter. Sometimes the snow is so deep we have to shovel it away from the door. Its usually too deep to put the slides out, but we’ll make some hot chocolate and play cards for a few hours before we hike back out.” -Betsy
“Make camping plans, shop Cabelas, and go to RV shows!” -Debbie
“Creating my RV camping wish list on AMAZON–its a long list.” -Kelli
“Go out to my driveway and sit in my camper from time to time so it doesn’t forget how much I love it.” -Penni
Other Links Mentioned in this Podcast…
Here’s the hilarious YouTube video we randomly joked about in this episode:
Here are the links for Stephanie’s new favorite coat and boots.
And here’s where you can find out more about the Acuva Water Purification system.
Find all the details for the Florida RV SuperShow here.
You might think there can’t possibly be light and love in your life until your camping kick off in the spring. But we know that we can get through these months together.
We’ll see you at the RV Show or warm weather camping destination of choice!!!
Stephanie + Jeremy
