Linda Ly's "The National Parks Cookbook" takes its readers on a wonderful tour of the best cuisine from America's National Park Lodges.

The National Parks Cookbook: Recipes from Acadia to Zion

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On this week's Q+A episode of The RV Atlas podcast we are tackling three more questions from the RV Atlas Group on Facebook.

 	What are the best options for a budget-friendly RV water filter that gets the job done?
 	How to spend three days in and around Custer State Park?
 	Can you take Buc-ees out of Texas? Or is it not as good in other states?

Talking Water Filters With Noah and Noah from Camco


In the first segment we invite Noah Haut and Noah Cronin from Camco to discuss the new and improved TastePURE Water Filter and why it is a great value for RV owners who want clean water at the campground without having to use bottled water. Camco's TastePURE water filter is Made in the USA and has six stages of filtration. It also has almost 50,000 four and five star reviews on Amazon--which is pretty amazing if you stop and think about it! When it comes to budget-friendly RV water filters this one is the best in show.
Custer State Park (What To Do and What To See)


Then we welcome Stephanie back on the show and talk about things to do and see in Custer State Park--and how to spend three days there with kids. Are we team Mount Rushmore--or team Crazy Horse? Or team neither? And do we think Jewel Cave is worth the visit? Or should visitors concentrate their time within Custer itself?
Can You Take Buc-ees Out of Texas?


In segment three we discuss Buc-ees and whether you can take Buc-ees out of Texas. Our experiences with Buc-ees inside of the great state of Texas were stellar--but our experiences with some of their new locations outside of the Lone Star State have been a mixed bag. Newer locations have been insanely crowded with less parking and a whole lot of madness. Jeremy loved the madness. Stephanie felt a little claustrophobic.


RV Water Filters, Custer State Park, Can You Take Buc-ees Out Of Texas?

Are you a happy camper? Or do you find yourself getting cranky over some of the challenges that are related to the RV and camping lifestyle? Reservations can be hard to get--and prices for campsites have gone up--and so have the prices of RVs. There are some legitimate issues and concerns out there--but camping is still awesome, right?

We think there are still an abundance of things to love about the RV and camping lifestyle--and there always will be. In fact, we think camping and RVing are good for the mind, good for the body, and good for the soul! We want YOU to be a happy camper in 2024.

It's all about having the right mindset.



On this week's episode of The RV Atlas podcast we welcome our friend and camping buddy Phil Travaglia back on to the show to discuss tips for being a happy camper in 2024. Phil is the perfect person for this topic because he is the happiest camper we know. On this episode Phil shares 8 tips, Jeremy shares 8 tips, and we share 8 tips from the RV Atlas Group on Facebook--for a total of 24 tips for being a happy camper in 2024.

To listen to this episode of The RV Atlas please click on the media player above--or subscribe to the RV Atlas wherever you get your favorite shows.

Or just read on right below for Phil's 8 tips for being a happy camper in 2024!
Phil's Tips for Being a Happy Camper


Tip #1 Do your homework - When you go camping, whether it be in an RV or a tent; spend some time looking into the area where you will be staying.  Getting a sense of the weather, the stores and amenities nearby (in case of an emergency) and having an idea about the wildlife are important.  They will help you avoid unexpected situations that may negatively impact your overall experience.  A little research (and I really mean a little) can mean the difference between a great trip and wanting a “do over”.

For example: When we go camping in Montauk, knowing the weather and especially, the wind conditions will greatly affect the trip.  If you plan for a windy weekend, the things you bring will be useful and not a hindrance i.e. portable canopies or shelters that will end up on the other side of the campground. Another example would be if the surf is too rough, I won’t bring my fishing gear.  Which can be cumbersome to have to cart around; just to not use it.

Tip #2 Take inventory - We all know that a big part of the fun of camping is picking up gear along the way.  However, this gear can really negatively impact your experiences if you are constantly shuffling it and rearranging it in the RV.  As you camp during the season, take inventory.  Keep a mental tally of the things you use regularly and the things you regularly shuffle around.  Don’t be afraid to take the cluttering items out of the RV.  Having more room in the RV and having to manage less stuff makes a huge difference in the happiness meter on a trip.  For example: cooking accessories that are not going to be used take up so much space in the RV and are a constant source of frustration.  It is no fun to have to play a camping version of tetris under the sink every time you need to get a pot or pan! If you are not planning any crock pot or Dutch oven meals during the trip… leave them home.  They’ll still be there for you when you get back. Another example is board games.  How many board games do you actually need in the camper!  Bring one or two that you know will be fun for the group on your trip.  Free up some space and have less to manage.

Tip #3 Be flexible - One of the biggest things to remember about camping is a lot of unplanned things happen.  The weather is bad, traffic on the way causes major delays… I could go on forever.  The thing to help get through these events is to be flexible.  Having the ability to modify your plans is essential in being a happy camper.

24 Tips for Being a Happy Camper in 2024 (With Phil Travaglia)

On this week's Q+A episode of The RV Atlas podcast we tackle three more questions (and letters) from the RV Atlas Group on Facebook. First we respond to a lovely message from Cheyenne Allen about our recent episode "12 Reasons Why You Should Take Your Kids RVing While They Are Young."

Cheyenne wrote in with the following message for Jeremy and Stephanie....

"Today’s episode had me take a walk down memory lane. Our biggest is (almost) 5 and our youngest is 1.5.We’ve done weekend trips with breastfeeding babies, week long trips with a toddler (the entire blue ridge parkway!), lived in our camper for a summer/fall season, and now long weekends with both kids in tow.

I’m so thankful for our campers and the joy it brings our kids. If you’re on the fence of buying an RV with young kids, just do it. Jeremy and Stephanie- listening to you tell us what your kids have gained through camping filled me with joy and excited for the future as my littles grow. Didn’t know I would be emotional today."

Jeremy and Stephanie responded by discussing how each stage of traveling with kids has its own distinct pleasures and its own distinct challenges.



After discussing RVing with young kids Jeremy and Stephanie answers questions about choosing an RV domicile and whether or night it is appropriate for RV owners to spend the night in spaces at rest stops that are designated for truckers.  Things get a little controversial here--so make sure to tune in to the podcast wherever you get your favorite shows--or by clicking on the media player above.

RVing With Little Kids, RV Domiciles, Overnighting at Truck Stops: Yes or No?

Did you know you can camp in the French Quarter of New Orleans? While this vibrant area is far from the typical landscape where you'd expect to find a campground, the French Quarter RV Resort is a short walk away, offering urban camping at its finest. On this week’s episode of The RV Atlas podcast we welcome Kerri Cox to share a campground review of the French Quarter RV Resort and everything you need to know about camping in the Big Easy.

French Quarter RV Resort in New Orleans: Campground Review

We are big believers in taking your kids RVing while they are young--and we mean very young! Our 14 year old boys, Max and Theo, went on their first RV trip when they were right around 1 years old. Our youngest, Wes, who is 11 now, went on his first camping trip when he was 4 weeks old. Those trips were challenging. But they were also magical--and formative for our children.  Ten years ago we did a podcast called "The Family Road Trip, What's in it for the Kids?" that really resonated with our audience at that time. That podcast eventually become a chapter in our book Where Should We Camp Next? Camping 101--which is excerpted in this blog post--just below.  We revisit that podcast in the podcast in the media player just above--and we add four more reasons whey we think you should take your young kids camping without waiting until they are older and more able.

The following excerpt was originally published in Where Should We Camp Next? Camping 101 in a chapter entitled "What's in it for the Kids."



We started camping when our oldest kids were 11 months old because of our dreams for the future. I can honestly say it wasn’t because we had some parenting vision that involved raising our boys in the woods. We loved travel. We loved road trips. And we wanted to keep having fun in spite of the drastic changes that happened as soon as our twin babies entered the picture. 

In hindsight, though, I feel so incredibly lucky that we bought that pop up camper. I didn’t realize it at the time, but it was exactly the right decision to help us raise our kids according to values that have become very important to us as parents. 

Anyone that has kids knows that the early years can be like a fog. You emerge from those baby years a bit confused and disoriented, wondering what just happened. Well, as we left that baby stage behind us, we started to realize that our efforts were truly paying off. Even though it wasn’t entirely by design, we had managed to create a life that was encouraging our boys to grow in many areas that were very important to us, like patience, creativity, and curiosity. 

At the time, we felt that many of these traits were limited to our actually camping experience. I would see them engage in imaginative play at the campsite in ways that wouldn’t necessarily translate to our backyard. But over the years, I have been amazed to watch these traits translate to every area of their life, including academics and organized sports. 

So, yes, I am thankful that I have taken my children to Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, where the sun first strikes the eastern shores of the United States each morning. And I’m also grateful that they have stood next to some of the largest Redwood trees in the world on the California coast. But I am more grateful that we stumbled into this whole camping lifestyle when they were itty bitty babies, because their lives will be forever better because of it. 

I can now see that we have been giving our children the gifts of camping and I look forward to watching as they benefit for years to come. 
1. The Gift of Flexibility


As a new parent, I can admit that I was completely addicted to structure and routine. I don’t think that was a bad thing. I firmly believe it helped us avoid major breakdowns at key points in our journey. In fact, our commitment to the routine even while traveling probably made our trips much more enjoyable, even when the boys were babies. We would keep the same bedtime, nap time, and meal habits. That gave the boys a sense of familiarity and kept them from being overwhelmed by all the unknown factors that come along with travel.

Nevertheless, we were constantly introducing them to new environments. On one of our earliest family camping trips, we stayed at four different campgrounds over the course of 16 days.

The National Parks Cookbook: Recipes from Acadia to Zion

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