Full-Timer’s Primer
By Janet Groene, F47166
July 2006
Whether you travel with children full-time or have kids on board only occasionally, here are ways to make motorhome adventures safer and more fun for adults and youngsters alike.
- Taking the children out on the water? If you don’t have the right size life vests available on board for youngsters, you may be able to borrow some for free thanks to the Life Jacket Loaner Program, which is sponsored by the Boat U.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water. Three vest sizes “” infant, child, and youth “” are available to fit children up to 90 pounds. Call (703) 823-9550, ext. 3249 or visit www.boatus.com/foundation/ljlp to find a participating outlet near you.
- One of the greatest gifts a full-timer can give to children or grandkids is an RV trip to Alaska. If you do decide to travel to the “Land of the Midnight Sun,” don’t go without the newest edition of The Milepost ($26.95, Morris Communications Company). Veteran Alaska travelers know that this mile-by-mile guide has been an essential info source since 1949, listing not just campgrounds and points of interest, but exact locations of places where a driver can pull off safely to view a scene or read a marker. Each year, new editions contain hundreds of changes, so this 800-page “bible” of the North Country is well worth the price tag. It can be purchased at bookstores, through online booksellers, or at www.themilepost.com.
- Are you a very young full-timer yourself or the parent of a traveler under age 30? The Tripplus Visa Travel Card, available only to persons under age 30, combines five services in one card. This all-in-one card provides travel insurance and travel assistance, and it also serves as an ATM/debit card, a phone card, and a document and information storage card. Rates start at $25 a year and depend on the level of travel insurance desired. For more information or to sign up online, visit www.tripplus.com. You also can contact the company at Tripplus LLC, P.O. Box 1926, Studio City, CA 91614; (866) 690-6864, (323) 656-8651; or e-mail info@tripplus.com.
- If you’re not quite up to giving kids the extreme wilderness adventure you want them to experience, drive to a destination such as Glacier National Park or the Grand Canyon, and hook up with Smithsonian Journeys. Most of these tours are suitable for ages 8 and older, providing guidance and gear for a week in the wilderness. The tours are led by expert naturalists, and the group setting makes roughing it much more fun. Go to www.smithsonianjourneys.org or call toll-free (877) EDU-TOUR (338-8687).
- According to Funroads.com, 88 percent of RVers use computers on the road, with 84 percent bringing their own and 4 percent using computers in libraries or Internet cafes. Even if you’re not into surfing the Web, it’s likely your young passengers will have more fun if they can get on the Internet occasionally.
- Nothing spoils a day on the highway more than hitting a deer. According to the National Safety Council, as noted by the Insurance Information Institute, more than 530,000 animal-related accidents were reported in 2003, resulting in 100 deaths and 10,000 injuries. Most deer collisions occur between sunset and midnight and the hours shortly before and after sunrise. To avoid hitting a deer, the institute recommends driving with caution in deer-crossing areas and, when driving at night, using the high-beam headlights when there is no oncoming traffic. If you do come upon a deer on or near the roadway and have time to slow down, blow the horn with one long blast to frighten the animal away. However, if you don’t have time to slow down, brake firmly but stay in your lane. The institute reports that many serious crashes occur when drivers swerve to avoid hitting a deer and end up hitting another vehicle or losing control of their own vehicle.
- When you check into each new campground, take a business card (there is usually a display of them on the front desk) for each member of the traveling party. That way, everyone will have a contact phone number and address for the campground whenever they’re away from the motorhome.
- When checking into a resort campground that allows charges to be put on a tab, set rules with your children or guests so they don’t go overboard with spending at the snack bar or on miniature golf. You also might want to occasionally check on the charges made to your account to make sure no one has strayed from the rules.
- Before hitting the road with someone else’s children (grandkids, your children’s friends, or even your own children if you are not the custodial parent), know their health insurance information, blood type, and doctors’ phone numbers. Also make sure you have parents’ work and cell phone numbers.
- For a free copy of Small Bites, a booklet from the makers of Hidden Valley Ranch dressings that’s written for kids about how to prepare healthful snacks, go to www.hiddenvalley.com/smallbites where a copy can be downloaded.
- According to a survey of readers of South Florida Parenting magazine, the best Florida vacations are Walt Disney World; the Florida Keys, including Key West; and Orlando other than Walt Disney World. Readers named New York City as the best out-of-state vacation, followed by America’s national parks, then Colorado.
- Pint-sized cooks Isabella Gerasole, 10, and Olivia Gerasole, 8, are hosts of Spatulatta.com, a Web site that features kids teaching kids to cook and eat well. Children see the recipe and then click to view a two-minute streaming video that gives step-by-step instructions for making the dish.
- Even if you think you’re too young for senior discounts, note the price list when you take children to a museum or attraction. In addition to children’s prices, there also may be a price break for grownups who are 55 or older, active military, or members of AAA or AARP. Restaurants rarely post their senior discounts, but many fast-food chains offer a price break, free drink, or other deal that kicks in at ages 55, 60, 62, or 65. How can you find out? Ask. Watch for free coupons and “kids eat free” specials, too.
- Many museums and libraries have special programs for local children, but travelers just arriving in an area might not hear about them. So call ahead. Programs range from storytelling and movies to hands-on arts and crafts projects.
- Ranger-led hikes and campfire programs in state and national parks are not to be missed, and they’re usually free.
Consensus building
If you use e-mail and are willing to be contacted for your opinion when I’m gathering information or opinions on some aspect of full-timing, please send me your e-mail address at janetgroene@yahoo.com. Please put FMCA in the subject line.