Essential Apps for Every RVer
As full-time nomads living in our 27 foot Airstream, we've learned a thing or two about navigating the highways of this beautiful country. In this blog, we'll be listing out our top app recommendations for finding places to stay, tracking weather patterns, scoring the best gas prices, and more.
Places To Stay
Our absolute favorite and most frequently used app is iOverlander. Designed for all types of travelers, it serves as a comprehensive guide to finding places to stay, campsites, water sources, propane fill-ups, dump stations, Wi-Fi spots, laundromats, and showers. Water, in particular, is a resource that becomes paramount once you transition to RV living. If you're not parked at an RV park, sourcing water can become a concern, and iOverlander excels in helping locate these essential resources. We primarily rely on this app to discover fantastic boon-docking sites. Also plus, it’s absolutely free.
Harvest Hosts + Boondockers Welcome:
Next on our list is Harvest Hosts, a subscription service costing $99 per year. It allows property owners to offer their land as overnight parking spots, sometimes even with hookups and water. Over our year on the road, we've enjoyed over 15 memorable stays through Harvest Hosts, including an Alpaca Farm in Washington, a winery in northern California, a golf course in Arizona, a brewery in New Mexico, and a petting zoo in Colorado. We highly recommend this option, especially for those traversing areas with limited free camping options, such as the Midwest and East Coast.
Campendium:
While iOverlander typically covers all our bases, we occasionally turn to Campendium as a last resort. It has come in handy on occasions when it lists campsites not found on iOverlander.
Harvest Host in Washington State
Weather Tracking
Weather App:
It may seem obvious, but the weather app is a constant companion for us. Living in a compact 200-square-foot space emphasizes the importance of staying informed about weather conditions. Being from the Southeast, we're well-versed in weather alerts, like the infamous tornado warnings. Trust us when we say, you don't want to be in a tiny tin can when a tornado approaches. We also keep an eye out for snowstorms, hurricanes, and fire alerts. The weather app is our lifeline.
RVWeather.com:
Discovered through a Facebook group, RVWeather.com has become an invaluable resource, particularly during the more weather-aggressive months of spring, summer, and fall. Run by a retired US Navy meteorologist with over 50 years of experience, who coincidentally lives in an Airstream, this site provides daily updates and insights, ensuring fellow RVers stay informed and safe.
Finding Gas
GasBuddy:
An absolute must-have for everyone, GasBuddy helps you locate the cheapest gas in your vicinity. Simply input your fuel preferences, switch over to maps, and voilà! You'll find the most affordable gas options around. This app has undoubtedly saved us hundreds of dollars.
iExit for Truckers:
While not a daily necessity, iExit for Truckers comes in handy when we're cruising along the interstate and need to locate a truck stop—whether it's for refueling, overnight parking, or a brief stop to prepare lunch or catch up on work.
Bonus App
If you're like us, juggling multiple destinations on your travel bucketlist can get very overwhelming. Let’s say you've got a bunch of places you're itching to explore, but you're not sure how to map out the perfect route—enter Roadtrippers. Not only does it whip up the optimal itinerary for you, but it also throws in an estimate of your fuel expenses. We have planned multiple trips using Roadtrippers, and it's been a so helpful every time, it just takes the guesswork out. And when you are trying to figure out where to get water, shower, sleep, figuring out the optimal route isn’t where i want to put extra energy. But here's the cherry on top: it also suggests amazing local attractions you won't want to miss along the way.
