What You Need to Know about Your RV Before Hitting the Road

Now that you’ve taken the plunge and rented an RV, it’s time to get to know your new home. You’ll need to know the insides and outs of how your RV drives, the procedures, setup/takedown, hookups, etc. So let’s dive right in and get to know your RV.

What You Need to Know about Your RV: Picking Up Your RV Rental

When you rent an RV, the first thing you’ll want to do is get a tour of the vehicle. Most RV rental companies will make sure to include a full demonstration of the RV – and you want to make sure you don’t miss it. 

What You Need to Know about Your RV: Procedures Demo

Get a full demo of the procedures and where all the hookups and buttons are located on the RV. Here’s a list of important info to take away from the demo with you:

• All driving/gas procedures
• Electric and water hoses and hookups
• Dumping hose and valves
• How to tun on water heater/AC
• Bed set up
• Storage areas
• Sliders
• Any other information your guide presents

TIP: Make sure you leave the demonstration knowing everything you need to know. Ask questions, and don’t leave without important telephone numbers in case you need help on the road. 

Getting to Know the Outside of Your RV

Understanding Your RV’s hookup procedures is probably the most important part of getting to know your RV rental. Before you hit the road, you should have good knowledge of how to power up once you reach your first campsite. It might take a few times to get used to the new setup, but once you do it a couple of times, you’ll have it down pat. 

Electric, Water, and Sewer – Oh My! 

If you’re planning on having power and water in your RV (like most of us are), your hookups will become your best friend! Before hitting the road, locate your electrical cords, water hoses, and sewer connections. Not all RVs are exactly the same, but the procedure for most hookups is pretty standard for most. 

Tip: Before entering your campsite, locate which side your hoses are situated on. You’ll want to back in accordingly, so the hoses are on the side of your RV.

Storage

Most all RVs come with outside storage units, and it’s important to know where they’re located. Give your RV a thorough runaround and pinpoint all the storage units. You’ll want to place any outdoor or non-necessary equipment in the storage units before taking off on your trip. 

Generator

If your RV comes equipped with a generator, this is an area you’ll also want to make sure you know about. Get a breakdown of how to turn it on and off, how much gas it requires, how long you can use it, when to run it, etc. 

Getting to Know the Inside of Your RV

Now that you’ve got a grasp on the outside ins and outs of your RV, it’s time to jump inside. This will be your home away from home for some time. So to feel comfortable, you need to know how to navigate inside. 

Kitchen

Cooking in your RV rental is an essential element of RVing. Before you take off, get familiar with how to light the stove (if it’s gas), sink water levels, cooking and storage space, etc. 

Bathroom

There are a few elements regarding the bathroom that you’ll need to get acquainted with. Hot water? Toilet capacity? Showering? Make sure you know how to operate all of the following for a fantastic experience. 

Living/Bedroom

Most RVs come equipped with tables or booths that double as sleeping arrangements, so knowing how to assemble and reassemble them is on the list. If your RV comes with sleeping quarters above the driving cabin, knowing how to access it is also important. 

Extras

Outlets, phone charger stations, storage units, and any other miscellaneous extras that come with your RV rental are all part of the excitement of the trip. Look around and identify all the little extras your RV includes. 

RV Tour

Here’s a tour of our Cruise America’s Compact Plus 21 ft. RV:

And enjoy this special bonus RV tour by our 4-year old: