Advice, Tips, and Inspiration for New RVers and LTV Owners

Author

Robin North

Helpful For

Planning your first RV trip.

Excerpt

"At its most basic, a shakedown cruise helps you get acquainted with your RV. At its most detailed, a shakedown cruise is time dedicated to thoroughly exploring the systems and features of your RV and to making sure everything is working as it should be. Because every brand and model of RV is unique, a new RV means a shakedown cruise, no matter how experienced you are as a RVer."

Author

Alexandra and David

Helpful For

Budgeting and planning.

Excerpt

"Everyone drives and lives differently as they Adventure On On. With increasing kilometres and after every trip, week, month, and season, we’ve learned how we travel, what we like, what works and doesn’t work for us. And as many conversations as you have with others, as much research as you do, it’s ultimately your own road to drive. Our lifestyle may or may not compare to yours. Our experiences may or may not help you travel or budget your future trips. We hope, however, that the information below may provide some food for thought – maybe even some Dollars and Sense?"

Author

Brandon & Janet Hensley

Helpful For

Gear and technology.

Excerpt

"These are our go-to apps, and we use them every time we RV. In fact, we use them all the time when we are not RVing, too, as I'm always looking for our next adventure and use these tools for research. I believe the phone and app ecosystem makes RVing even better, and I wouldn't leave home without these amazing tools."

Author

Brandon & Janet Hensley

Helpful For

Choosing the right RV.

Excerpt

"When Janet and I decided to jump into the RV lifestyle, we had come to the conclusion that we would be seeing America in a 45-foot Class A behemoth... But then it happened. I turned on YouTube and a jovial guy in a golf shirt named Dean appeared with a beautiful, modern, and luxurious small motorhome that was able to go just about anywhere. Hmmm, I thought, that’s kind of interesting. So I kept watching, and by the time he got to the flexibility of the FX, with it's all-in-one sofa, dining table, and bed area, my mindset was changing."

Author

Robin North

Helpful For

Budgeting and planning.

Excerpt

"Today, after almost five years and thousands of miles under our tires, we have had our share of mishaps with the RV – some the result of ignorance and some the kinds of things that go wrong with anything mechanical. But, I answered my brother’s question as to whether I would do it again with a definite, “Yes“. We love the RV and the freedom it provides, but there are a few things I would like to have known before I bought my RV. Knowing the answers to those questions wouldn’t have prevented my purchase, but I would have felt more confident in starting out."

Author

Jimmy Collins

Helpful For

Planning your first RV trip.

Excerpt

"I’ll never forget pulling up to Johnson RV just outside Portland, Oregon, in early 2019. Sitting out front was a sparkling-new Leisure Travel Van. And not just any van! It was my new Unity Twin Bed, and I was nervous. I’d been anticipating this moment for months. What if I had made the wrong decision? What if this lifestyle wasn’t for me? And, aside from the deeper questions, what if I’d picked the wrong floor plan? Looking back at some of my original concerns, I can’t help but laugh! That’s not to say I haven’t had a few tough nights and didn’t make some dumb mistakes along the way. But, what adventure is without challenges? And what challenge doesn’t ultimately turn into a good story? As a guide to new and prospective RVers, I figured I would do a Q+A between the me of January 2019 and my present-day road-warrior self. Here goes:"

Author

Mike & Jennifer Wendland

Helpful For

Choosing the right RV.

Excerpt

"As RV journalists, we like to swap out RVs every year or two so our reporting can be based on first-hand experience with different brands, models and chassis. Over the past nine years, we’ve had five different RVs – including a Leisure Travel Vans Unity FX model – all built on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 Cab Chassis. Sprinters are rugged, reliable, and make an excellent van or chassis when outfitted and used as an RV."

Author

Larissa & Jamie Miralles

Helpful For

Planning your first RV trip.

Excerpt

"Having traveled full-time in a motorhome for nearly 4 years, we’ve created memories that will last forever and adapted to a new way of living. While I’m grateful for our ability to live a nomadic lifestyle, it does come with some nuances that every RVer should know or will eventually experience. Whether you plan on traveling part-time or decide to travel full-time in an RV, here are 10 tips that we thought you may find valuable before starting your new and exciting journey on the road."

Author

LTV owners

Helpful For

Gear and technology.

Excerpt

"Christmas is nearly here, and if you have an RVing enthusiast on your list – or you want to drop some serious hints – our 2020 RV Gear Gift Guide is just the thing to get you across the finish line. Submitted by our LTV family and with links for online purchasing, this list covers all the bases, from big splurges to inexpensive time savers, technology to outdoor recreation, and much more."

Author

Mark & Hilary Steves

Helpful For

Budgeting and planning.

Excerpt

"Some of you out there are really living the RV dream. Freedom. You pack up your RV, head out on the road, and drive where that road takes you. You drive with little planning and lots of independence. I envy you. I am jealous of you. I am not you. This article is for the rest of us. The Planners. So, I’m going to walk you through my method for planning our Oregon RV trip. Maybe you’ll pick up on some helpful tips. Maybe in your comments you can pass on your own tips to others. And for the Non-Planners out there… I hope you enjoy this article anyway!"

Author

Larissa & Jamie Miralles

Helpful For

Choosing the right RV.

Excerpt

"As an LTV Explorer, I've received numerous private messages from fellow Leisure Travel Vans enthusiasts and travel lovers who were interested in my thoughts on our 2019 Unity FX. The popular demand for an honest review of this LTV layout became the inspiration to share my thoughts on the effects of our Unity FX!"

Author

Robin North

Helpful For

RV systems and technical information.

Excerpt

"When we were shopping for RVs, one of the big questions we encountered right away was about towing a car. The big rigs all towed a car and many of the smaller RVs seemed to add a "toad" (a car towed behind the RV). But, for us, towing a car behind an RV meant we had to buy two vehicles – the RV and a car – since neither our SUV nor our sedan were designated as "tow-able" vehicles. We had already decided that we wanted an RV that was better than the average. We expected better quality construction, upgraded decor and finishes, and a company with a reputation for good customer service. That meant buying a 'lesser' RV in order to afford a tow vehicle just wasn't in our plans."

Author

Alexandra & David

Helpful For

Planning your first RV trip.

Excerpt

"You KNOW you can handle driving the RV. You’ve read the manuals and you KNOW what all those buttons do. You’ve pored over maps, downloaded apps, and you KNOW you’re ready to go! You’ve talked to people, joined Facebook groups, and added enough comments to the various chat room groups to make you an expert. But ahh, the emotions: are you ready for them?!"

Author

Mike & Jennifer Wendland

Helpful For

Budgeting and planning; gear and technology.

Excerpt

"As travel is slowly being opened up again after the nationwide lockdown, we’re now planning our 2020 RV travels. We thought we’d share the tools and resources we use to plan our trips, along with 12 apps and web services we use to make our travel more fun and efficient."

Author

Franklin Beecham

Helpful For

Choosing the right RV.

Excerpt

"I used to have a wild dream back in the Seventies of motoring around with friends in an old painted school bus like a free-wheeling spirit from the flower child era. That balloon burst when reality slapped me across the head and I emigrated to Canada and enrolled in art college – not to mention I didn’t have my driver’s license or a job. But the dream didn’t disappear forever, and every now and then it cropped up in conversations."

Author

Robin North

Helpful For

RV systems and technical information.

Excerpt

"You know the saying, "It's not the heat, it's the humidity?" I can tell you firsthand that is a true statement. A 90-degree day with 75% humidity in Georgia is a lot more uncomfortable than a 90-degree day with 5% humidity in Montana. But either one is uncomfortable if you're boondocking without air conditioning. We didn't plan a lot of boondocking stops, but we knew we would be doing some non-utility camping at Harvest Hosts so we decided to do a "cooling makeover" on our RV. Of course, we made sure the A/C was in good working order, but we also looked at why the RV would heat up in the first place and tried to resolve issues that would make the cabin feel hot."

Author

Tommie Lauer

Helpful For

Choosing the right RV.

Excerpt

"Well actually, my Unity now has 11,000 miles, but it remains the best recreational vehicle I have owned. This is my report on my total experience with my Unity, and a few of the add-ons I have made in the 10 months of ownership."

Author

LTV owners

Helpful For

Gear and technology.

Excerpt

"Whether at our Annual Fall Rally or at one of the various rallies put on by our local LTV Travelers Clubs, owners often mention that sharing and seeing customizations and modifications as one of the highlights of getting together. With this in mind, we asked our community of LTV owners to share the customizations, accessories, and other modifications they have done to make their Leisure Travel Van uniquely their own. Now, we’re excited to open the doors of LTVs across the US and Canada, and let you take a peek at the tips, tricks, and why-didn’t-I-think-of-that tweaks that can you help you make your own RV even better."

Author

Bill & Denise Semion

Helpful For

Choosing the right RV.

Excerpt

"Once you’ve made the decision to buy a motorhome, you are one step closer to owning one. For some, the decision process might be no more than one trip to a dealer, looking at models, and signing on the dotted line (or several dotted lines). But for most of us, the decision to own a RV can be complicated and overwhelming. Choices abound: brands, floor plans, size, cost, you name it. We bought a different RV/camper every two years before we hit our sweet spot with Lucky Us, our 2015.5 Leisure Unity Murphy Bed. Now that we have the unit of our dreams, we have no need to look further."

Author

Robin North

Helpful For

Budgeting and planning.

Excerpt

"That idea of “express” – of getting to a special destination quickly – stayed with us. Now almost four years into our RV traveling, we’ve learned how to get to our main destination in a reasonable amount of time without losing the sense of adventure and more enjoyable pace of RV travel. Now, we take a relaxed approach to Express Touring. We slow down the driving pace, stop more frequently, and find attractions to see along our route."

Author

Tommie Lauer

Helpful For

RV systems and technical information.

Excerpt

"The tour started with a look at some raw materials. Of interest here is that the cutting of wooden parts is done by computer, resulting in a final product of unbelievable precision and a near-perfect fit of the components. My RV experience suggests this is uncommon among RV manufacturers, but it is routine at LTV."

Author

Alexandra & David

Helpful For

Budgeting and planning.

Excerpt

"The question that we most often get asked, is how – really and seriously, HOW – do we live with each other 24/7 in such small spaces? How do we handle being together All. The. Time? Dave and I have been living together in relatively small spaces for quite some time now, sharing our Snowbird time in a 40-foot sailboat and a 25-foot Leisure Travel Van (Unity IB) for over 6 years. It hasn’t been all newly paved, flat roads ahead of us, and there have been days when we’ve faced some interesting warning signs on the twisty, windy roads of our many adventures – signs that we’ve learned to pay special attention to before making any Relationship 911 calls."

Author

Bill & Denise Semion

Helpful For

Gear and technology.

Excerpt

"It’s necessary to put a limit on the non-essential “stuff” you want/need to bring along the next time you pull your LTV out of your driveway, but some things you just can’t live without, and the same is true for us in our LTV Unity Murphy Bed. So with that in mind, here’s another edition of “Gotta Have It,” my periodic postings of must-have – or “maybe we should have” – do-dads and gizmos you might want to carry along on your next adventure."

Author

La Vida Adventures

Helpful For

Gear and technology.

Excerpt

"Before we moved into an RV, I had a few concerns about where everything was going to go. I’m a pretty organized person and like to keep things neat and put away. I wondered how other people organized their RVs (where did they put their dog food containers?!), and more specifically, how did other people organize their Leisure Travel Vans? Now that we’ve been living in our LTV for some time, here’s a list of simple modifications we’ve made in order to stay organized in our Leisure Travel Van."

Author

Claude Angers

Helpful For

Choosing the right RV.

Excerpt

"Why do we have this attachment to the brand? Curiously, there seems to be the same type of fandom for LTV’s products that is usually reserved for the Apples and Googles of this world. LTV’s Class B+ motorhomes, with their beautiful designs and undeniable quality, have increasingly captured the imaginations of travelers and explorers in the last few years. LTV inspires a lot of excitement and pride within their user base, and the brand has become an unavoidable part of our and many other buyers’ short lists. Here’s a little more about why that is, starting with why we decided to sell our three year old Island Bed model."

Author

La Vida Adventures

Helpful For

Planning your first RV trip.

Excerpt

"We knew switching RVs would be the right move for us, but we had to hit the road and start traveling to realize this. After hitting the road we also realized that many things we thought we needed or would use, we actually didn’t need or use at all. We also learned that making plans was hard. There were so many cool places that we wanted to stay longer at, but we had made reservations that kept pushing us to the next place."

Author

Robin North

Helpful For

RV systems and technical information.

Excerpt

"Overloading an RV is trouble even for an experienced RV traveler. It may be tempting to bring all your gadgets and toys along, but there is a limit for every RV and overloading can cause serious problems."

Author

Mark & Hilary Steves

Helpful For

Choosing the right RV.

Excerpt

"We had only started considering getting our first RV about 2 months prior. It started with Hilary’s comment one day that “we should think about getting an RV,” and that comment stuck in my mind and wouldn’t let go. We like to travel, but we also like our comforts, and we adore our two dogs, Zeus and Odin. This is why the idea of an RV began to take root. With an RV, we can take our stuff with us! We can travel in comfort! We can bring the doggies!! And we can do all that with more freedom and (hopefully) less planning than a long drive in our minivan."

Author

Robin North

Helpful For

RV systems and technical information.

Excerpt

"I regard electricity almost as magic. You flip a switch and there is light, or coffee, or music! But I never gave much thought to how it works until I bought an RV. My very first RV troubleshooting adventure began with electricity. One day I flipped a switch and nothing happened – no lights, no coffee, no music. Now what?"

Author

LTV owners

Helpful For

Gear and technology.

Excerpt

"When you’re traveling and living out of your RV for long periods of time, having the right gear is essential. From comfort to safety, convenience to cooking, a few smart gadgets and simple solutions can really improve your experience."

Author

Robin North

Helpful For

RV systems and technical information.

Excerpt

"A hot shower. After a day of hiking or kayaking, there is nothing better. And when you’re traveling in an RV, you always have a hot shower with you. But carrying your bathroom and kitchen plumbing along with you means there are a few things you’ll need to know in order to keep things running smoothly."

Author

La Vida Adventures

Helpful For

Choosing the right RV.

Excerpt

"My husband and I have been RVing for over a year now, and a question we often hear is, “which RV should we buy?” So, I’m going to explain why we went from a fifth wheel to a Class B+ Leisure Travel Van."

Author

Bill & Denise Semion

Helpful For

Budgeting and planning.

Excerpt

"To plan or not to plan? For us, it’s not a question. We plan nearly every trip we take in “Lucky Us,” our 2015.5 Leisure Unity MB, from our annual winter drive to Florida, to a 9,000-mile roundtrip from Michigan to Vancouver Island, Canada. So, why do we plan? Because we have learned that we better have a plan – and reservations –when taking trips during peak season to popular destinations."

Author

Alexandra & David

Helpful For

Planning your first RV trip.

Excerpt

"Do you have what you need to go boondocking? Most probably. Should you rush out and buy everything in sight in order to go? No. Most, if not all RVs are perfectly equipped to boondock. The Leisure Travel Van is no exception."

Author

LTV Owners

Helpful For

Gear and technology.

About

"Submitted by our very own Leisure Travel Vans owners, below is a Leisure List of 50 apps that can help you plan your next RV adventure! From trip planning to finding nearby hikes and outdoor adventures, these apps can help save you time and make your next trip even more memorable. Did we miss your go-to travel app? Use the form found at the link below to have it considered for this list."

Author

LTV Owners

Helpful For

Everything!

About

The Leisure List is a regular feature on our blog and a great ongoing resource for new RVers, seasoned pros, and everyone in between. Each list is created through submissions from our community around a topic like scenic drives, the best campgrounds and RV parks, tech or gear recommendations, and so much more. Check out our existing Leisure Lists, and be sure to follow along for new lists all the time.

Photo Credit

Claude Angers