How do you plan a route?

[LittleBill]

Originally Posted by babock

Maps? What is that? I think I stopped using paper maps about the same time I stopped using phone books.

Ditto. DW gives me those looks every time I might grab one at a rest stop. Says we can get all we need off our phones or her iPad.

[dalford]

Originally Posted by LittleBill

Does your TomTom allow you to plan for your trip picking campgrounds etc. taking in consideration the height and length of your RV and low clearances. Or do you have to plug it in based on another planning tool (app)?

My 5er is 40 1/2 ft long and a minimum of 13 ft height, have to watch for low clearances . I have used Google a lot, but as good as Google is, it routes based on time and traffic and at times will give routes that you don't want to take a 5er down . How does TomTom handle this?

I'm basically looking for an online one stop shop where I can plan what campgrounds etc. that I would like to stay at or places to visit and the route I would like to drive and then get that on my smart phone with turn by turn voice and mapping directions. Are there any online trip planners that will download the navigation route to a smart phone?

Look at the RV Life app. It partners with RV Tripwizard to download an RV safe gps route. Cost money $19/year plus RV TripWizard at $39/yr. I think RV Life Premium is 60% off I think if you have RV Trip Wizard.

[frogsandhogs]

We travel a little more by the seat of our pants. I don't make campground reservations unless I know exactly when we will be there and/or it is a busy time. We travel in the shoulder seasons, so rarely have problems. I use an atlas for general direction, and love a paper state map. We travel mostly state highways, not freeways. Never know how many miles in a day, depends on what we see and do. Try to plan an activity or sight at least every other day, talk to locals and other travelers. Mostly use paper map to pick roads, but use Google maps for turn by turn directions. Watch signs for bridge heights, but at 10.5 feet not many issues. Try to use COE campgrounds, then county or city using Allstays as main info site. Don't over think it. We have 30 ft. motorhome pulling SUV or a cargo trailer with Harley. Being spontaneous we have found some wonderful smaller parks almost to ourselves.

[Beachbourbon]

Originally Posted by LittleBill

Ditto. DW gives me those looks every time I might grab one at a rest stop. Says we can get all we need off our phones or her iPad.

Phones/pads are useless without coverage/charged battery. New travelers may be surprised how common it is to have no/poor cell service or have your battery go dead and need a charge at the exact time you want to access maps. I always carry an atlas for multi-state trips to unfamiliar places

This also might be surprising to some, but the road signs work as well and in some cases better than turn by turn GPS. We had better luck with good old fashioned road signs on many occasions during our trip.

Another tip - ask the locals at the campground! This was helpful to us in both New York and Washington DC. For example, I wasn’t aware I couldn’t go through Baltimore on the 95 due to tunnel/propane restrictions and had to get off the 95 to circle around on the 695. The campground staff wrote down excellent directions.

And getting out of New York/ New Jersey RVing with GPS? Fugggittaboout it!

[dalford]

Originally Posted by dalford

Look at the RV Life app. It partners with RV Tripwizard to download an RV safe gps route. Cost money $19/year plus RV TripWizard at $39/yr. I think RV Life Premium is 60% off I think if you have RV Trip Wizard.

I just tried the RV Life Premium...7 day free trial.. not impressed. Already cancelling...

[babock]

Originally Posted by Beachbourbon

Phones/pads are useless without coverage

That's why we download areas using Google maps so we have the maps when we are going to be in an area where we don't know what coverage would be. I traveled around many countries in Europe that way. Downloaded Google maps while on the hotel WiFi and had them on my phone even though I didn't enable any cell service.


https://support.google.com/maps/answ...rm%3DiOS&hl=en


If you are driving, how does your phone go dead...no charging in your vehicle?

[AudiDudi]

Originally Posted by LittleBill

Does your TomTom allow you to plan for your trip picking campgrounds etc. taking in consideration the height and length of your RV and low clearances.<snip>

No, it is just a simple GPS with traffic and various "attractions" pre-programmed. It will find some campgrounds. I can ask it (voice commands) to do things like "find the nearest WalMart" or Find the nearest gas station. There is no provision for inputting size info about the vehicle.

Both Google Maps and the TomTom routed me from Mexican Hat to Hanksville via the Moki Dugway. Gravel road, 1200ft elevation change in 3 miles with 5mph switchbacks. It was an interesting drive with the motor home and toad

[DrLewie]

RVParky is a good app for route and campground planning. At 11'6" you've got little to worry about regarding clearance except in some very rare situations. in 11 years towing a high fifth wheel all around the country, I've only had one low bridge situation that required me to back up, and that was in a very rural area in the south.

[BroMo]

We need to design an app ourselves

Call it “RV There Yet”

[Clcupp]

All stays app works great. Find it in the App Store. Has other applications too

[Hatchdog]

Slightly off topic as I don’t have a route app to recommend but anyone traveling through Spokane Washington be advised most overpasses in the downtown area are very low. Use the Division St. / hwy 395/2 exit only.

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/20...pokanes-much-/

[Hi Rider]

My favorite route planning tool is Google Maps. If snow is not a factor, I prefer to drive two-lane highways If snow is a factor, I'll drive Interstate highways. I also think about how many miles do I want to drive today? And, what time does is sunset and sunrise. I like to be on the road between 10 and 11 AM. And I like to be my overnight destination by 3:00 PM. And, If I'm going to drive, say, 250 miles, I will google the town where I might stay and look for a nearby RV park. In the winter I make a very detailed travel plan in MS Word that lists, nightly destinations, RV parks at each spot along with the address and phone number. Much of my planning depends on the length of the trip. Coming back to MT from AZ last Spring, my plan was to take two weeks to include sightseeing and rest layovers. Made all my reservations in advance so I didn't have to be concerned about where I would stay each night. But . . . each to his/her own.

[Steelsun]

Would love to use Allstays, but they no longer offer an Android app. Pretty stupid cutting out at least half of your potential users.

[BroMo]

[emoji23]I still remember grandpa pulling out dem ole huge paper maps on trips

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by BroMo

[emoji23]I still remember grandpa pulling out dem ole huge paper maps on trips

I still use big AAA paper maps.

[doc73]

We use our Garmin RV GPS for navigation. Also refur to Google maps to monitor traffic issues. I use a web based app called Furkot to plan trips and stopping points.

[campers302]

Originally Posted by BroMo

I’m new to RVing and don’t have a clue how to map a route and avoid low passes...
Do they have a app for RV routes?

We have Glamped for over 40 years in permanent camp ground sites. Now we are retired and are going to travel. We found Road Trippers and it is the best. There is a learning curve but it is chock full of all kinds of information. So much that I cannot know where to begin.


Check it out and I know you will be more than pleased with it. Be patient and easy on yourself, give it time but in the long run you will love it.


https://roadtrippers.com/


You're gonna love it.

[BroMo]

Originally Posted by campers302

We have Glamped for over 40 years in permanent camp ground sites. Now we are retired and are going to travel. We found Road Trippers and it is the best. There is a learning curve but it is chock full of all kinds of information. So much that I cannot know where to begin.


Check it out and I know you will be more than pleased with it. Be patient and easy on yourself, give it time but in the long run you will love it.


https://roadtrippers.com/


You're gonna love it.

Thanks

[upflying]

Paper maps from AAA for me too.
I use that high tech method of reading road signs and looking at terrain to determine where I am at.

[RoyalFrog2]

[
My 5er is 40 1/2 ft long and a minimum of 13 ft height, have to watch for low clearances . I have used Google a lot, but as good as Google is, it routes based on time and traffic and at times will give routes that you don't want to take a 5er down . How does TomTom handle this?

Hey Little Bill, you better measure your height. If you have a second A/C unit over the bedroom you are probably MINIMUM 13'6", maybe 13'9" depending on your hitch set up. We have that exact same rig and have measured twice.