That comes as no surprise for us because camping is easy on the toddlers and the grandparents, too, as long as families are realistic in their planning and expectations. But as gas prices top $4/gallon many camping families are forced to become resourceful in their search for affordable, wholesome family entertainment.

Where do smart families start when it comes to saving money while camping?

1. Consider off- season, off-weekend pricing if your work schedule permits. Many campgrounds are deeply discounted if you camp between Sunday and Wednesdays. Families save upwards of 40% and they have wide open site selection, not to mention easy use of amenities. If you are not using the swimming pool, but like to fish, the weeks prior to Memorial Day and after Labor Day can offer ideal pricing and recreation tailored to filling these less occupied weeks.

2. Park it where you’ll use it. If you visit your favorite campground three or more times a season, consider why you keep returning. It may be the year to seek seasonal/permanent membership. Haul it once, stock it for the summer and return to the woods without factoring in high fuel costs.

3. Set a summer outdoor education goal and measure your progress. Have you been putting off learning about the hardwoods, flora and fauna of your region, identifying the wildflowers and wild mushrooms that grow under the pines? Use a library card to access book resources or stop at a used book store or thrift shop. You can tuck a reference book in the corner of your car’s trunk and have instant “edu-tainment” and an outdoor learning lab for learners of all ages.  Offer incentives for families being “on the move.” Hiking is good for the heart –literally and figuratively.

4. Plan, plan, plan. Teachers will tell you which parents give children decision making responsibility during summer months. What better way to save money than to have your pre-teen make a packing list, a meal plan and associated grocery list. Teach organization where there are real world consequences, then reward kids with the money you saved because you remembered to pack the pancake syrup.

5. Look for fuel saver specials. Some campgrounds offer discounted packages for campers returning two weekends in a row. Many have safe weekday storage and incentives NOT to haul goodies home on Sunday afternoon. Check now, as often these specials are first come, first serve and dependent on storage space available.

6. Think of hidden vacation costs that camping vacations avoid. Have you checked into the cost of kenneling a pet lately? Keep them with you and not only will they be happier, you will, too.

7. Let the campground reservation folks know your wants and needs. If you tell whomever answers the phone that you are seeking inexpensive quality entertainment for your family, then not only can they tell you when the campground’s free fire truck rides are offered, but they might point you toward charming local festivals, celebrations and local attractions within minutes of the campground. Build a full vacation experience by being aware of “out of the tent” opportunities.

8. Summer birthday? In this day of over-the-top birthday celebrations, consider how you can make a lifelong magical memory by taking two or three of the birthday boy or girl’s best friends camping. Rather than 4 hours of noise, sugar and stressful planning, invite partiers to a camping overnight. You’ll get to know them and they’ll get introduced to a wholesome alternative.

Happy camping,

Karen and the Lock 30 Woodlands Crew

About the Author:

Karen Brucoli Anesi, along with her husband, Frank, own Lock 30 Woodlands, Ohio’s only Best Park in America and the highest-rated campground in the tri state area of Ohio, PA and W. VA. She is a member of the Board of Regents and an instructor for The National School of RV Parks and Campground Management. Karen has a home in Durango, Colorado, where she’s a contributor, former columnist and special assignment reporter for the Durango Herald.

Erika and I love to watch movies at home as well on the road in our motor coach, “Blessing”. It has become a tradition that each time we head out for another adventure in the rig, we excitedly plan to watch the hilarious movie, “RV” staring Robin Williams and Kristin Chenoweth.

Seriously, this is such a fun depiction of a rookie RVer who experiences much of what experienced RVers pray won’t happen to them! Did I mention that it is great for the entire family?

Personally, I think every RVer should have this movie in their entertainment repertoire. It can help keep us all humble.

That’s why I think it would make a great Christmas gift for any RVer!

The executive Bob Munro is stressed, feeling threatened of losing his job and his lifestyle, since his abusive boss Todd Mallory hired the Stanford’s geek Laird to work in their soda’s company. Bob has promised his wife Jamie Munro, his teenage daughter Cassie Munro and his young son Carl Munro to spend vacations in Hawaii, but Todd demands him to prepare a presentation and attend a business meeting with the owners of a family company in a merging operation scheduled in the same period. Bob hides the truth to his family, rents a recreational vehicle and tries to convince his dysfunctional family that a road trip to the Colorado Rocky Mountains would be good to bring old values back to their family. After many incidents and while in the trailers parking area, the rookie Bob is helped by the bizarre but friendly Gornicke family. They escape from the Gornickes and initiate a journey of difficulties and leaning, retrieving their forgotten family bonds.

Genre: Comedy, Adventure, Family
Starring: Brian Howe, Jeff Daniels, Robin Williams, Kristin Chenoweth, Hunter Parrish, Richard Ian Cox, Cheryl Hines, Will Arnett, Josh Hutcherson, Erika-Shaye Gair, Alex Ferris, Tony Hale, Joanna ‘JoJo’ Levesque, Chloe Sonnenfeld, Veronika Sztopa
Available Quality: Hi Def, iPod
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Country: Germany, USA, UK
Year: 2006
Runtime: 1:39:00
IMDB Rating: 5.5/10 (15876 votes)

Buying fresh food on the road can be challenging. Most of us want to buy the best and most nutritious food for our families, at a price we can afford.

Fresh produce from the local farmers market, fresh seafood from the local fish market and good restaurants are everywhere, but how do we find them when in a strange place?

Local farmers markets are fairly easy to find. And, nothing beats a farmers market for fresh except right of the plant. Most Local Farmers Markets, in the United States, can be found on the geographical search provided by the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service. This site is a great resource and extremely user friendly.

How about buying fish? With the all the worries about pollutants and mercury levels how do you know which fish are safe from one region to the next? The Monterey Bay Aquarium provides a pocket guide for each region of the USA. You can download the guide at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Website. I carry the “Seafood Watch” card in my purse all the time. I find it very helpful even in my home town.

For those that are looking for a good restaurant in a new city, I recommend checking out the parking lots. If the local firefighters, police, ambulance drivers or construction workers are dinning there, the food is most likely very good.  People in those occupations tend to dine out a lot. So, they usually know the best places to go without spending your whole paycheck on one meal.

Buying fresh food on the road when you don’t have the time to hit the Local Farmers Market is only a smile and a question away. If you want to know which local grocery store has the best produce or the best meat counter, don’t be afraid to ask a local on the street. I have found that most people are friendly and helpful when given the opportunity to share their opinion.

Enjoy your trip and I hope you find buying fresh food on the road to be a fun extension of your vacation experience.

We enjoy using our RV as much as possible throughout the year.  But when you can’t use your RV, for whatever reasons and temperatures are approaching freezing, it’s important that you protect it. Last week I talked about preparing your RV’s interior, exterior and chassis for storage during the colder winter months. I mentioned at the beginning of the article that the RV plumbing system is the most vulnerable to damage caused by plummeting temperatures. The good news is it is really quite easy to protect the RV water system from this potential threat.  I am including a checklist from my “Checklists for RVers” eBook to help walk you through the winterizing process.

Before you get started there are a few items you will need to have. These items can be found in most RV parts stores:

• Non-toxic RV/Marine antifreeze. The amount depends on the layout and length of your plumbing lines. Two to three gallons will normally do.
• A water heater by-pass kit, if not already installed.
• A tank wand to clean out the holding tanks, if you don’t have a built-in flushing system.
• A water pump converter kit, or tubing to connect to the inlet side of the water pump.
• Basic hand tools to remove drain plugs.

Note: Be sure to read your owner’s manuals for unit specific winterizing guidelines. Follow the steps below that apply to your RV.

• If you have any inline water filters remove and/or bypass before starting.
• Drain the fresh water holding tank.
• Empty and flush the gray and black water holding tanks if it hasn’t already been done. If the RV doesn’t have a built-in flushing system clean the black tank out with a tank cleaning wand.
• Drain the water heater. Open the pressure relief valve and remove the drain plug.

Caution: Never drain the water heater when hot or under pressure. With no water hooked up to the RV and the water pump off, open a hot water faucet to remove any pressure on the system. Allow sufficient time for the tank to cool before draining.

• Open all hot and cold faucets; don’t forget the toilet valve (pedal or lever) and the outside shower (if equipped).
• Locate and open the low point water drain lines.
• Use the water pump to help force most of the remaining water out of the system, but turn it off as soon as the system is drained to prevent damaging the pump.

Note: It is not necessary to get every drop of water out of the water system, but you want to get most of it out. The non-toxic RV antifreeze will prevent the small amount of remaining water from freezing.

• Recap all drains and close all faucets.
• By-pass the water heater. If you do not have a by-pass kit installed the water heater will fill up with RV antifreeze before it goes through the water lines, wasting six or ten gallons of antifreeze.

Note: A water heater by-pass kit can save you money in two ways. It saves you from using an extra six or ten gallons of non-toxic RV antifreeze when it’s time to winterize your RV, and a bypass kit also prevents costly damage like ruptured water lines or a ruptured water heater tank.  If water is left in the lines or tank they can freeze and expand, splitting the lines or tank. With a bypass kit you simply drain the water heater, put it in the by-pass mode and the antifreeze bypasses the tank and goes directly into the water lines.

• Install a water pump converter kit, or disconnect the inlet side of the water pump (the line coming from the fresh water holding tank to the pump) and connect tubing from the water pump inlet into a one gallon jug of RV antifreeze.
• Turn the water pump on and pressurize the system. Starting with the closest faucet to the pump, slowly open the hot and then cold valves until the colored RV antifreeze appears. Replace the antifreeze container as required.
• Repeat this procedure on all faucets from the closest to the farthest away. Don’t forget the outside shower (if equipped).
• Flush the toilet until antifreeze appears.
• Pour a cupful of antifreeze down every drain (all sinks, shower & tub drains).
• Pour some RV antifreeze in the toilet and flush into the holding tank to prevent any water in the tank from freezing.
• If your water heater has an electric heating element, turn it off. This will protect the element if the unit is plugged in (and the switch is on) while in storage.
• Make sure all faucets are closed.
• The unit is winterized.

Note: Consult your owner manuals for unit specific winterizing instructions for icemakers and washing machines.

Now, next spring when it’s time to head out in the RV you won’t have any unpleasant, not to mention costly, surprises waiting for.

For more great winterizing & storing information check out my Winterizing & Storing your RV E-book & my Winterizing & Storing your RV DVD

Happy Camping,

Mark Polk is founder of RV Education 101 and RV University

Art and Sylvia Rogers are living the good life. Retired and healthy, they have a little money in the bank and plenty of time on their hands.

But don’t look for them at the bingo hall or on the shuffleboard court.

The 69-year-olds from Antioch, IL want nothing to do with that.

“We’ve done that stuff and it’s boring. It’s just not us,” Art said. “We have more to give.” And giving is what they’ve been doing.

The couple recently returned home after spending five months doing service projects at schools, camps and other locations across the country.

As members of Roving Volunteers in Christ’s Service, (RVICS) the pair traversed the states in their 40-foot recreational vehicle performing maintenance and construction projects for needy nonprofit Christian children’s homes and schools.

“It sounds like a cliché, but we really are living out our dream,” Sylvia said. “We’ve always wanted to travel and see the country, but not just as tourists. We are sightseeing, but helping people along the way.”

The Texas-based RVICS is a nondenominational Christian ministry that connects retired couples traveling in RVs to make repairs and improvements ranging from painting and plumbing to welding and wallpapering at sites across the nation. There are nearly 100 couples working this year.

“There is a dual blessing in this work,” said Paul Swetland, vice president of the organization. He said the volunteers not only give but receive.

Swetland said couples working together tend to become great friends, and lifelong relationships have come from the shared experiences. He said the retirees are finding value serving others in their golden years.

Married for 51 years, the Rogers not only volunteer their time, but also pay for the diesel fuel that powers the home on wheels.

“It’s a 100-gallon tank and we drove about 4,000 miles,” Art said. “It adds up. But our kids helped us out this year.”

Couples agree to spend a minium of one month at each work site. The Rogers worked at sites in Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Iowa. They were on the road from January to May.

Their work included roofing, painting, building a deck and repairing a sump pump among other tasks.

RVICS isn’t the only organization tapping the RV community for volunteers.

As the bulge of the baby boom population moves into older age, several organizations are working to connect these folks with volunteer opportunities.

Servants on Wheels Ever Ready, (SOWERS) is a nondenominational group based in Texas. Members work at orphanages, centers for neglected or abused children and recovery homes for adults among other sites.

A ministry of the United Methodist Church, Nomads on a Mission Active in Divine Service, known as “NOMADS,” started in 1988. The Kansas-based group is similar to RVICS, but also sends teams to disaster sites to assist in recovery efforts.

Syliva Rogers said her fellow retirees should consider living for something beyond the superficial.

“We’ve been to the potlucks and concerts. That’s not who we are,” Sylvia said. “We have to have a purpose in life and for us it’s service. We do it for the Lord.”

The RV lifestyle is built for escaping to exotic, far–off lands. Not that we always think in this manner, but why not? True, filling up the rig with supplies and heading off to a foreign land can be daunting, but not when you have such a hospitable spot just over the border in the form of Maritime jewel, Nova Scotia. Touring the province is like stepping back in time, where Acadian fiddle music and artisan crafts abound, all along the backdrop of romantic fishing villages and the charm of rolling emerald landscapes that spill into the Atlantic. So, who’s with me?

Entering Nova Scotia from the west, take some time in the town of Truro, a hub city where seemingly all the major routes in Maritime Canada come together. This is where you’ll get your first taste of the local natural phenomenon — the tides in the Bay of Fundy, which rise and fall twice daily to astounding limits. Keep moving eastward and you’ll find yourself in the town of Parrsboro, home to Maritime Canada’s most recognizable features, “The Brothers Parrsboro,” massive outcroppings that rise out of the Bay of Fundy. Explore the Fundy Geological Museum and showcase of the natural wonders of Nova Scotia and the Bay while in the area.

Cape Breton Highlands National Park, nestled along the northern–most point of Cape Breton in Northeastern Nova Scotia, simply can’t be beat. Heading north along the western shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, catch up with the Cabot Trail, a nearly 200–mile trail which follows much of the coastline, passing through romantic sleepy Acadian fishing villages, then tip–toeing by breathtaking cliffs that drop into the rocky gulf shores.

The park itself is home to six campgrounds, not all of which are RV friendly. Doing your research here before heading up will certainly pay off. Few roads allow access to the park and many miles can separate stops and access to resources. However, the trip is well worth it and surely one of the finest stops in Eastern Canada.

Cape Breton also is home to many of the creatures Canada is famous for; it will be pretty difficult to pass a couple hours without seeing at least one moose. While in the Highlands, be sure to take advantage of one of the many whale–watching excursions available. The rich Gulf of St. Lawrence offers a bounty of food for these large marine mammals and, in turn attract, legions of giant creatures all of which feed right off shore.

Besides its namesake park, Cape Breton is a vacation unto itself. Be sure to soak in much of the region’s culture at any one of a seemingly endless list of Nova Scotia villages along the way. Traveling along the western shore of the Cape, the town of Cheticamp welcomes visitors with open arms, especially during the summer months. Try the village of Ingonish along the Cape’s eastern shore, where one will find scenic and colorful Maritime architecture, as well as fantastic hiking trails along the rocky coast right outside of town. On your way out, be sure to hit Baddeck, a charming and upscale resort town nestled along the shores of Bras d’Or Lakes. A visit to Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, a sprawling 25–acre estate summer home of the famed inventor, pays homage to his remarkable life and career.

As you explore Cape Breton, be sure to pick up some of its many souvenirs hand–crafted by Acadian artisans. Jewelry, rugs, pottery, artwork — the list of Cape Breton artisans sharing their unique wares is endless.

Once you leave the Cape and head south back to mainland Nova Scotia, take a side trip to the eastern shore to visit the Fortress and Louisbourg National Historic Site in Louisbourg. Billed as the “largest reconstructed 18th–century French fortified town” in North America, the Fort is truly a marvel. After the French surrendered Acadia to the aggressive British during the early 1700s, a group of French retreated to this isolated encampment along Nova Scotia’s Northeast coast. This massive fort refuted siege after siege before finally surrendering to the British in 1760, who, naturally, immediately burned it down to the ground. Thankfully, the reconstructed fort is one of the continent’s finest and a certain can’t miss for history buffs.

Before heading down to Halifax, take some time to enjoy the province’s Eastern Shore, truly a step back to simpler days where Nova Scotia heritage is proud and true. Visit Sherbrooke Village, the province’s largest living history museum, where the areas late 19th–Century boomtown heritage stands on display. Nearly 30 buildings have been restored to make this a worthwhile destination. Nestled along the shore also is the spectacular yet quiet Taylor Head Provincial Park, which boasts several outstanding hiking trails along the peninsula that juts into the chilly Atlantic. The town of Tangier is a paddler’s destination along the Atlantic, with scores of kayaking outfitters ready to create an adventure you’ll never forget.

Of course, no visit to the region would be complete without spending at least a few days in the provincial capital of Halifax. An incredibly charming city, Halifax is part San Francisco, with it wide array of culture and bay atmosphere, and part Cape May, New Jersey, where sleepy charms and splendid architecture create an alluring visit. Like all great cities, Halifax is meant to be explored on foot. Park the RV near the city center and put on your walking shoes. It won’t be long before you and yours are immersed in cafes, restaurants, and shops, all lining historic streets along the waterfront. At night, musicians abound and the city’s folk roots can be found in any of the numerous alehouses. A stroll among the Halifax Public Gardens and the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site that towers over the city center are musts.

For help planning your getaway, contact the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism at 800/565–0000; www.novascotia.com.