Once you decide to step out and take that trip, you'll need to decide exactly - well, more or less - where you are going to go. Although RVing is all about freedom, it will facilitate your trip if you have a general plan. Where you actually get to may depend on how far you want to drive and where you start. If you fancy traveling to the Oregon Coast Peninsula, try the Winchester Bay RV Resort. Every site will give you a water view of either the Pacific Ocean, Umpqua River or the harbor, where the lights from all the moored boats light up the night sky, creating a beautiful backdrop to night-time ramblings.

Beverley Beach State Park, Newport is another great RV destination. There are full hook-up sites for your RV, or your choice of yurts, tents and cabins. An easy walk to the beach will keep the kids happy, while a visit to Yaguna Head Lighthouse should prove interesting.

If you are into wine tasting, you'll be delighted with a stay at Wine Country RV Resort, Paso Robles, and California. There are one hundred wine- tasting rooms within a ten-mile radius so you'll have plenty of choice. They also have pool, spa, gorgeous sunsets and lots of flowers. If you are lucky you may be able to enjoy some of the special wine-tasting events, but these sell out quickly so need to be booked ahead; certainly worth a phone call before you leave home.

East Shore RV Park at San Dimas, CA can offer you the delight of soaking in a hot cedar tub to get all those driving related kinks out of your body. The tubs are located at Puddingstone Hot Tubs Resort, just outside the entrance of the Park. You could dive in as soon as you arrive and set up.

If you want to get up close and personal with nature Yosemite National Park, Yosemite Valley is the place to go. RV facilities are good and there are giant sequoias to admire along with snow-capped mountains and waterfalls. If you go when the moon is full and the waterfalls are in spate, you may get to see the fabulous and rare moonbow they create.

Of course there are many more RV resorts and parks along the west coast - 1800 or more in fact, so you're sure to find something to suit you. Most offer quite good facilities and activities. Many have wheelchair access. There are lakes, fishing and wildlife viewing, beaches, forests and urban areas. There is the Columbia River Gorge and the San Juan Islands, so what are you waiting for?

Many who go RVing on the east coast find that the facilities are not as good as in the west. For a start, many of the campgrounds have only 30amp power, so you can't use too many appliances at the one time. There are also a lot that won't accept dogs, so if you have the family pet along, you really need a good book like the Good Sam Directory to guide you. It has ratings for RV parks in every state.

Some of the more common complaints about RV parks in the east are that the waste dumps were difficult to use due to inconvenient locations and the size of the site so small as to make slide-outs and awnings almost impossible to use. Of course, you may see these things as challenges that simply make life interesting. Many RVers like to rough it and use a minimum of appliances and no luxuries like hair driers. So if you are more interested in the outside activities and getting close to nature, don't let these complaints put you off RVing on the east coast.

Many RVers believe the Florida State Park System is excellent and happily RV around there every chance they get. At Chassahowitzka River Campground you'll be able to enjoy fantastic canoe rides and see the wildlife at the adjacent National Wildlife Refuge. If you can't do without your Internet fix, Rock Crusher Canyon RV Park has a broadband connection at every site, along with everything else you will need. If 1200 miles of sandy beaches and nine major theme parks aren't enough to keep you happy, you can always hop in your RV and head off up the coast to any destination that takes your fancy.

You might choose Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park in Central MA, or the Adventure Bound Camping Resorts at North Truro, MA. Or if you've a family, the Peaceful Pines Family Campground at Templeton might be more your style.

Or what about Virginia where RV Parks abound? With places like Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge Highlands and Chesapeake Bay, even the names seem to beckon. Whatever you do, don't miss out on seeing America's underground treasure, Endless Caverns. They are to be found on the side of Massanutten Mountain overlooking the Shenandoah Valley.

At Calleb's Cove Campground, you can choose between biking, boating and fishing for great stripe bass, muskee and walleye, or try out all three activities. It's located at Whitaker Hollow Road, Abington. You can phone them on (276) 475-5222. See the new light Gallery while you're there and support the starving artists by eating at their café.

One of the most popular RV trips through the midlands is the Santa Fe Trail, Scenic and Historic Byway. It starts at Trinidad and winds for 188 miles right through to Lamar. There are Welcome Centers at both ends of the trail where you can access information on the history of the place as well as the necessities such as interesting places to stop, gas and food supplies and free maps.

On the journey you can stop at Trinidad State Park and try out your fishing skills on the trout, bass, catfish, wipers, walleye, bluegill and crappie. Over half of the sites have electrical hookups and showers are available within the park. There's even a boat launch in case you've brought your own boat. If you are into roughing it the Comanche National Grassland offers primitive accommodation where you can get as close to nature as the pioneers would have.

There is much more to see on this scenic tour, from Fort Carson's tank training grounds to the Indian Museum at La Junta; Rocky Ford with its famous roadside booths of fresh produce, to costume clad docents at Beth's Ford where large RVs can easily be accommodated. The Kit Carson Museum is located at Las Animas, while boaters and anglers will delight in the 2,000 acres of water in the John Martin Reservoir State Park. If you missed out on a campsite further back there are another 213 available here.

Once you get to Colorado, the giant steam engine and windmill blade outside the Welcome Center there will delight you and tempt the photographers of the family. The journey takes about four hours, but if you stop to look at everything and fish as well, it could take weeks, all of which are sure to be wonderful.

You could also visit that most famous hole in the ground, The Grand Canyon. Since part of it's south rim lies parallel to Arizona Highway 64, any trip that takes you along there will give easy access. There are numerous restaurants and shops to wander through if the weather turns foul. It's always well crowded due to the easy access; so if you want to get away from the crowds, consider visiting the North Rim. It's not always open due to weather conditions, but mid-May to mid-October are good times. Once you get there, you may decide to hike, but never go alone as the conditions can turn nasty in a few minutes and accidents can happen. 

Many people who go RVing do so because it is easier on their budget, but are disappointed to find that RV Resorts charge quite a bit for the wonderful amenities they offer. But you don't have to go to an expensive RV Resort. There are many low-cost places to stay that still have basic facilities, or you can reduce your costs even further by finding free places to stay on your RV trip.     

One of the lesser-known free places to stay with your RV is Wal-Mart. That's right, they quite like RVers to park overnight in their car park and use the bathrooms in the morning. Of course, they like it even better if you buy your provisions there too. It goes without saying that you would not leave your trash lying around the park either while you are there or after you leave.

It's company policy to allow RVers overnight parking, but some stay longer than that. Just don't roll out your awning and lawn furniture, or you might wear out your welcome. If you go out for each day it won't seem like you are living there. Low key is the word for Wal-Mart. Some Wal-Mart stores have Signs displayed that state "No overnight RV Parking", so you need to look at all entrances to the car park to make sure you can. There are also many of the Big Kmart stores that allow overnight RVs - except for in Florida.

It's possible to camp for free on any Bureau of Land Management land, unless specifically forbidden. The limit is two weeks, but that is not always enforced. In any case, the next BLM area may be quite close.  You can camp for zilch on State Forest lands too, with an approximate limit of two weeks and no permit needed. Rules vary by the state, so check your area.

Woodall's Directory, available from any large RV dealer, will give you a list of free camping grounds. Some even have hot showers; how good is that? William's Landing, Florida is one free camping place on Lake Talquin where you can stay for two weeks. There are many more.

Another free place to stay is at a "Flying J" truckstop. No need to feel guilty as they really like your company and your business. Just don't get in the road of all those big rigs. Other free places to think about are rest stops, gas stations and schoolyards. You may even be a member of an RV club and find you know another member who will let you camp in his yard.

Many people don't even think of weight distribution when they load up their RV. They simply pile in all their stuff and take off. This can be a dangerous practice as the Recreation Vehicle Safety Education Foundation (RVSEF) has found that the loads contained in many of the RVs they weighed exceeded the capacity of the tires.  An overloaded RV is a dangerous one, so be sure to check yours before you take it on the road. You can find scales to weigh your RV in the yellow pages or online, and it is vital to check individual wheel positions as well as overall weight.

In many cases of overload, it was the back of the vehicle that was the problem. People tend to store their heaviest equipment in the back of the RV, thinking it will create stability, however if the back is overloaded it causes your RV to be out of balance. Weight needs to be distributed evenly throughout the vehicle.

The manufacturer of the RV is the one to establish various weight ratings. Not adhering to these is one of the major causes of accidents and breakdowns of RV vehicles, due to the extra wear on parts, or uneven distribution. RV.net sponsors safe RV driving lessons where you can learn about safety including weight distribution. Anyone who is a beginner at RVing would be well advised to attend one if they can, and they will find even veterans go to them and learn something new.

Weight distribution doesn't only mean the way in which you pack all your stuff, though that is important too. Weight distribution refers also to the way in which - say, a pop-up is hitched to the towing vehicle. Unless you have the right equipment for hitching, the weight resting on the ball mount could exceed the allowable 15% of the towed vehicle.

To know what class of hitch or receiver is needed on your towing vehicle, you need to estimate the weight of your additions to the RV; things like batteries and air-conditioner, plus all your equipment. The combined weights of the people and gear that will be in the towing vehicle must also be taken into consideration. If you have a towing hitch that is inadequate, not only will you wear out parts more quickly, but RV sway will be a problem. Mounting a friction sway control can be a good way to help minimize RV sway. You need to do everything necessary to make your RV trip a safe and enjoyable experience.

Once you begin the adventure of RVing you'll find a whole new community of RVers to interact with. The people you meet in your RV Parks or Resorts are mostly friendly and happy to offer you any advice you may need, or just give you the benefit of their experience. Chatting with perfect strangers seems to be the accepted thing amongst RVers because you are all on the same great adventure of getting to know the country.

It is not only in the Parks that you can meet people. There are many clubs and websites that are solely for RVers. There are forums you can join to ask a question you may have and there will usually be someone who has had experience in that field who will be delighted to help you. The Open Roads Forum at RV.net is an online community of RVers, who happily post messages about all aspects of the RVing lifestyle. You can even purchase RV T-shirts, caps and mugs to make you feel part of it all.

Anythingrvs.com is another online community where sharing experiences via the forums is popular. Here you can even find a classifieds section to buy, sell or rent different types of RVs. You can find out the weather at your destination site simply by entering the zip code, and discover which are the best or worst Parks simply by reading the posts other members have written. Take advantage of their RV gallery to see pictures of RVs belonging to other people or to show your own.

Rvloco.com is another online community of RVers. Membership is free and you can find the usual offering of photo gallery, forum and classifieds for used RV equipment. These online communities may be just the place to find advice to solve a problem, or that bit of equipment you couldn't find in the shops. They even have product reviews so you can find out if you really need that extra piece of equipment or not.

Many online RV websites will point you to financial institutions that specialize in RV loans and insurance. You'll be able to find out about RV shows and rallies where you can go to view all different types of RVs, if you are not happy with the one you've got. Or maybe you are still trying to decide on what to buy. You can also get lessons in driving them. You can read articles or submit your own if you are so inclined. There's no doubt, online RV communities are a great help to both the newbie and the experienced RVer.

The Good Sam Club (www.goodsamclub.com) is an ideal RV club to join. Members get many benefits including discounts to some Parks, emergency road service and much more.

If you've never been RVing before, you might wonder if it's the right choice for you. To find out, maybe you should just go on a short RV holiday, but you don't want to waste those days feeling miserable. Okay, just take a piece of paper and write down the things you expect on an enjoyable holiday.  Then write down a list of all the things that would spoil a holiday for you.

 For instance, do you like driving a lot? With an RV, you do all the driving. You may have a partner who will share, but between the two of you, you'll be doing it all. This means heavy city traffic; high, wide, steep, narrow, smooth and bumpy roads. The vehicle will be heavier than the family sedan or that coupe you whiz to work in. It is longer, so will be that much harder to park. If you consider driving hard work, you may prefer a different kind of holiday.

When you go on a holiday, do you prefer not to have to wash, cook or clean? You'll be doing all three to some extent on an RV trip. There will be the occasional meal out of course, but once you are away in the wilds, there will be no restaurant. Clothes get dirty just the same as at home - or more so. You may be able to still get out of washing if you wear them for ages or take enough to do for the whole holiday. But generally speaking, you'll be doing at least some work. The way around this is for everyone to pitch in and do their share.

Do you like everything to be ordered to a schedule? You might like to know what activities are planned for each day and what time of day they are on, so that you can be prepared for them. This doesn't sound like an RV holiday. The whole idea of RVing is to get away from a schedule and be laid back about times, activities and everything else.

If you are an ordered person who likes to know what is happening and when, you may be happier taking a different kind of holiday. You can still order your life to a certain extent on an RV trip, but the unexpected is more likely to occur. There could be flat tires and breakdowns, or it could just be that you really like one place and decide to stay there a bit longer. If you are still not sure, the best thing to do is hire an RV and go for a weekend to see how you like it.

Having an RV brings with it a whole new set of rules to learn. When you are at home, features like power, lighting, hot water and septic toilets are taken for granted. They usually work with a minimum of fuss and we are so used to caring for them that it is second nature to us. We still have most of those features in an RV, but they must be cared for in a different way to give years of trouble free usage.

Most RV's have three water tanks; fresh water, gray water, and black or toilet flushed water. Of these three, the black water tank needs the most attention. For starters, you must only use the type of toilet paper that is considered suitable, otherwise a blockage could occur. It needs to be treated with the proper chemicals to prevent waste build-up and odor. There are many brands and types, but a liquid one that contains no formaldehyde is best. Put some of it in the gray water tank also, as there are chemicals in it that help to lubricate the dump valves.

Water tank chemicals should contain cleaners, waste digesters, toilet tissue digesters, deodorizers, drain valve lubricants and gauge sensor cleaners. A 40-gallon tank needs about 4 oz, but in extra hot weather you may need double this amount. An enzyme-based chemical is good as it uses live bacteria to do the job. It has low toxicity and less impact on the environment than harsher chemicals. Unfortunately it does tend to lose its effectiveness in extremes of temperature and PH. It should be introduced into a clean tank for best results.

The fresh water system should be kept sanitized for safety. It gets hooked up to all kinds of water and you never know for sure if it is totally pure. Always use a filter and if the water smells stale at any time, drain it all out and use a solution of bleach or vinegar and water for cleansing. When you are ready to store your RV, you'll need to add anti-freeze to all the water systems. Your RV manual should tell you what to do and how to do it in more detail.

The furnace on your RV is another vital piece of equipment. It needs to be kept in good repair since a faulty one could kill you or at least give an unpleasant few days of cold temperatures and no hot water. Never allow the inside vents to be obstructed and check the outside ones for soot. If there is soot on them or fluff on the inside ones, that is a sign of repair needed.

Always be sure to get all your RV systems checked out thoroughly both before and after going on a trip.

One of the most important things to remember when RVing is that all the stuff you take must be stored properly. Since space is usually at a premium in an RV, first see what you can do without. For instance take just one bottle of shampoo instead of one each. But why not consider a shampoo/conditioner in one to save you that extra bottle?  Every bit of space counts and wise use of it will enhance your trip.

Use bubble wrap or thin foam to tuck between breakables in cupboards. Shelves and cupboards can be lined with something like foam that will stop things sliding. You can get special shelf lining material from most RV or camping stores. Fridges should be fitted with restraining racks. Things that could fall over and leak should be kept in airtight containers. In fact, many small items can easily be stored together in something like an empty plastic ice-cream container. Shelves in the RV could be fitted with straps to hold various size containers.

Some RVers who like to dress casually found they didn't need all that hanging space meant for good clothes. They utilized it by having drawers or shelves fitted there instead. Others measured all their storage spaces and drew up a plan using a graph. Then they knew just what size plastic containers to purchase for each space.

 Most things that once came in glass bottles can now be purchased in plastic, a good idea for when you are on the road. If they fall over, less damage will occur. If your plates are breakable, they should be stored flat with a piece of foam or bubble wrap between them. It's a good idea to use plastic, but make sure it's the sort that can be used with a microwave. Corelle is supposed to be unbreakable, but it will shatter on impact and the shards of glass are very fine, so it's not a good substitute.

Heavy items like pots and pans should be stored near to the floor to reduce impact if they fall. Delicate things like computers need to be thoroughly wrapped and then strapped down to reduce jarring. When storing, the most frequently used items should be the most accessible, while those things you will use outside, like the barbeque should be stored in outside storage areas if you have any.

The rear end of the RV is the bumpiest, so fragile goods should not be stored there. The steadiest spot is halfway between back and front wheels. Without good storage, things can fall and break or cause injury to people or to whatever they hit or fall against.

It's important to keep your RV in top condition. Not only will this help to prevent inconvenient breakdowns of vehicle and equipment, it will give you a better resale value should you decide to sell sometime down the track. It's a good idea to keep a chart with all the chores that you need to do and when they should be done, on it. That way you won't forget to do them, and you'll have proof to give to the buyer.

Tire pressure and wear and motor and transmission oils are an important part of maintenance, but in general, all the same maintenance that you would do with the family car needs to be done to your RV. All belts need to be checked and replaced at regular intervals. It's a good idea to carry spare ones in case they break when you are out in the wilds. Power steering and brake fluids should be checked and engine coolant topped up.

The water-holding tanks of your RV need to be cleansed properly every few months. To do this drain them and add fresh water with some bleach or vinegar in it. Take the RV for a run to shake the water all around the tanks then turn on every tap including the shower. Make sure you can smell the vinegar or bleach in the water that comes through at each outlet. Drain that water right out, rinse and fill with more fresh water.

The refrigerator and the furnace should be thoroughly checked inside and out. All vents should be thoroughly cleaned and kept free of foreign matter. Roof vents must be checked and kept clean of nests or anything else that could block them. The furnace needs adequate ventilation and bug screens need to be installed.

On the outside of your RV, check for any separation cracks and keep an eye on the hitch/towing unit for loose bolts. Make sure all the lights of both the vehicle and the home unit work properly. Propane gas levels should also be checked.

When it's time to tuck your RV away for the winter, there are even more maintenance jobs to do. You'll need two or three gallons of non-toxic anti-freeze. Your owner's manual will have instructions for your specific unit. The main thing to remember is to drain all water out of your RV home and replace it with anti-freeze. You need to turn all the taps on until a little antifreeze trickles out. Your owner's manual should tell you the correct procedure for doing this. It's important to winterize your unit properly or you may have costly maintenance in the spring.