I don’t know about you but I do not enjoy cooking in the camper kitchen to begin with but when you add high temps…I’m out!  Between chasing the kids out of the kitchen area, searching for my ingredients and getting the pans warmed up I was already in full on workout sweat mode!

I finally started using my brain and coming up with a few ideas on how I could keep it a bit cooler in the kitchen.

Are you ready to learn about my top ways to keep your camper kitchen cool in the summer?

Read on sister!

Meal Prep

One of the easiest ways is to prep your food in the morning when the temps are cooler outside.

Meal prep is nothing new but doing it to help keep your camper kitchen cool in the summer may be a new idea to some.

If you focus on doing the cooking in the morning you get two great advantages;

1. You can relax in the afternoon because most of your dinner is done
2. You don’t have to worry about that boob sweat as you prep your sweetie’s dinner

I don’t know about you but both of those reasons alone have my vote for early morning cooking!

Now if only I could get my act together and actually put that plan in to action!

Don’t fear though if you are not a morning kind of person, there is still help!

Meet your new best friends – The Crockpot and Instapot

These two are great at helping keep your camper kitchen cool in the summer because they keep the steam/heat inside a lid and once again all your prep is done and your food is just in there cooking itself!

The crockpot is great because you generally just throw all the ingredients in and let it cook for a set period of time.  If you have one of those fancier ones it will even put it on “keep warm” after the cooking period is over.  One of the issues that occasionally may happen is that you overcook the meat and it turns into a mushy mess, depending on the recipe and meat.  The other issue relates to comparing it with the Instapot, you may dirty more dishes with the crockpot.

The instapot is super helpful in that it can do a variety of cooking tasks!  You can saute it, then pressure cook it…think a roast where you want to sear the meat first.  One less dish right there!

It’s great for boiling eggs, making chili, and more!  Some models have options for baking, soups, and homemade yogurt.  You can find the model I currently have here and other RV needs here!  I even have a few accessories to go along with it.

Use your convection oven(newer models) instead of regular oven

I have found that the convection oven puts off a bit less heat than the regular oven in the camper. Both get a bad rap for cooking in a camper though.  The regular oven is so small, a pain to light and it often seems to take forever or burn your item to a crisp!

The convection oven is still on the small side but bigger than the regular oven.  You don’t have to bend down or get on the floor to light it (or light it period)!  It can still be tricky though as it seems that you can’t always go with the same temperature or cooking time as what is called for in a typical home oven.

If that is still too much heat in your kitchen try these options…

Use your fire pit

Fire pits are great because they take the cooking outside.  Sure, you may have a side item or two that you want to do inside but those can be a simple choice or at least something that requires less heat.

There are a lot of great meals out there that can all be done over the fire.  You can seriously cook just about anything over a camp fire!  If you are like me and need help getting creative over a camp fire check out Pinterest for some suggestions.

This one is great for that nostalgia feeling of camping too!  Bonus points because your kids might think you are cool for starting a fire AND cooking over it too.

Checkout my Pinterest Board for more great ideas!

Use your grill

Another great option for cooking outside is a portable grill.  Depending on what type of grill you carry with you will determine how much you can actually cook on it.  We just tote around a little one that could hold a couple steaks or plenty of burgers/dogs for a small gathering.  We like to keep it simple!

A charcoal grill may give you more grilling space than a portable gas one but they are also a bit messier to clean up.  You need a bit more planning as well so you get it lit and heated up before cooking.

I have to admit that grilling is not my go to cooking method.  I love the taste of grilled food but lack the skill and experience in preparing anything on there.  I usually pawn it off on my husband if he will be home at a decent hour.  Which translates in to, we don’t eat off the grill much!

Make salads

If you are not in to grilling or just want to change things up a great dinner option to help keep your camper kitchen cool in the summer is to make a salad!

Salads are one of those things that I loathe to make because in my mind there are so many different steps before you get to eat it.  Plus, I feel like they never compare to some fancy salads I have ordered at restaurants in the past.

In reality though, it’s simple and versatile!  You can keep it simple with just your standard vegetables or add in some different proteins to change it up.  I love adding some bean varieties or some quinoa!

What’s great about salads too, is that you can prep most of the ingredients days before making the salad OR make several different salads ready to eat in just a few hours.

I love the majority of recipes found here!

Well, there you have it…my top ways to keep your camper kitchen cool in the summer!

Do you use these methods now?  Do you have other suggestions not listed?  Comment below and let me know what works best for you!

As always, thanks for reading

-Katie

It was my first experience staying in our fifth wheel but in a mobile home park.  For a time, we had lived in a mobile home park so I knew of them and a little about what to expect as far as layout.

My husband’s foreman had hooked us up with the spot and we were thankful since we weren’t finding much more at the time.  I remember the park being pretty decent size, at least 100 spots for mobile homes/trailers.

I actually didn’t mind staying in the park.  The people were pretty decent and I felt comfortable walking around the park by myself. They tended to the grass for us since we did not have a lawn mower with us.

Highlights

Enchanted VillageMobile Home park– Alton, Illinois

• 100+ spots
• Full hookups
• Close to town
• Bar/restaurant nearby
• Paved/grassy sites
• Across river from St. Louis, MO

Layout

We stayed at this park from about September 2009 to November 2009 and then again in June 2010 to October 2010.  The park was a mobile home park right at the edge of town.

All sites were back in and we had one that was backed up to a small hill.   All the sites were paved/concrete with a grassy patch on each side and had full hook-ups.  There were a few large trees for shade.

Favorite things

For me, the best part about being in Alton was the drive up and down IL 100.  It was pretty scenic along the Mississippi River there and a great place to spot bald eagles!

The next best part was Fast Eddie’s!  This place was jammin’ every weekend.  It was a bar that had an enclosed, heated outdoor area.

They served up cheap but delicious food ($.99 shrimp baskets!) to keep you hanging with the drinks and the featured band playing in the background.

We were definitely deep in to our partying phase still so this was a great find.

The town

Alton, Illinois is located alongside the Mississippi River.  It is a smaller town by most standards and had basic amenities when we were there.

The town itself was pretty easy to navigate but a little sleepy most days so we found ourselves venturing when we could.

For the outdoors, there are lots of nice trails along the river for outdoor enthusiasts.  IL’s largest state park, Pere Marquette State Park is close by with hiking trails, campgrounds and horseback riding options.

If you like your history, there are Indian burial mounds to the south.  Alton was also a big hub for The Underground Railroad with several homes still having the tunnels under them.

Nearby

Edwardsville, IL is within a 15-minute drive from Alton.  It’s a bit bigger and has a University there with more amenities than Alton had to offer.  We usually drove down that way if we wanted to hit up a chain restaurant for dinner.

Across the big river is the north end of St. Louis, Missouri.  They have a few great parks downtown as well as museums.  If you enjoy sports you can catch football, baseball or hockey here.

Downtown is pretty easy to get around whether you are walking or driving through. Don’t forget about the Arch when you are over there, it’s hard to miss!

Laclede’s landing is a great area for just walking around and exploring the riverfront.  There is an aquarium, wax museum and plenty of hotels, bars/restaurants to keep you occupied.

We spent a weekend down there, where we enjoyed a few too many libations.  Not necessarily a bad thing (in moderation) but when you wake up to the sounds of tailgating for Sunday’s football game, you quickly regret that decision!

Overall it was a good stay and experience.  As with any place, it is what you make it.  The park fit our needs and we were able to find fun things to do nearby.

I hope you have found this review and information helpful!

Please remember that anything written above was my opinion and experience of the area/s.  I have also linked to the mobile home park page and Alton’s website for more information.

Let me know if you have visited this place or surrounding area!  What did you think?

If you want to see other reviews click here!

As always, thanks for reading!

–Katie

That is quickly followed up by…

Asking my husband 100 questions he doesn’t have answers to

Anyone else do this? No?  Just me then.  LOL

I know I annoy him to no end but he still insists on telling me before he has all the details.  So, who is to blame really?

Part of it is the excitement of a new place but the other part is fear that we won’t find somewhere decent to stay.

My next steps all involve one word…internet!  I don’t know how we survived sometimes without it!  The internet has been such a big help though when it comes to finding out about new locations and places to stay.  So, my next steps are as follows:

Look up the location

If he doesn’t already know this answer he will generally go back and ask to satisfy my need.  LOL

I consider myself a planner. Not one of those super organized and well thought out planners though.  More like I need to have all the info to make a plan but I will only make half the plan and procrastinate the rest.

If I know the general area then I can scout out about a 50-mile radius of all the amenities we may need. Puts my mind at ease until I get more details.

See how long the drive will be and best route

I am always the navigator as my husband generally does the driving.  If I know how long the drive will be then I can find stops along the way to break up the drive so that our kids are not going nuts locked up in their car seats.

If it is a long drive, we like to look for a half way point to stay for the night.  None of us like to be in the vehicle for an all-day excursion so we make it about 6-7 hours max.

Locate closest campgrounds, hotels & short-term rentals

I check out ALL the housing options because I never know what we are going to find.  We try to stay in our camper as much as possible but there have been times because of lack of campgrounds nearby or them being full that we have had to find other options.  This is always dependent on when we are coming in to a job or how many other jobs are around the same area.

Check out city/town webpage

Another great resource is the closest town websites.  They often list any events happening and I have come across others that also help with rentals.  At the minimum, they list the local businesses which can help you decide if you want to stay near that area or a different one.  This is great for finding hair/nail salons, restaurants, healthcare or any services you may need.

My next focus is usually on what the city has to offer while we are there.  Any events, gyms, parks, kids’ activities, etc.

See if there is a local FB page

If there is you can connect with local businesses and any events that may be happening while you are in the area.  I tend to search for indoor play options for rainy/cold days, any unique shops or farms for trips and children’s museums or at least some museums the kids might be interested in checking out.

Don’t forget to look at a map to see what other towns may be close by and what they have to offer too!

Check out FB events

FB events is helpful for finding any festivals, art classes, food/drink tastings or other special activities that may be taking place near you.  It will default to the last place you used or biggest city nearby if you have location services on.  With smaller towns, you may have to type it in or look at towns close by.

To access FB events, go to your Facebook.  If on your computer, click on events on the left side.  Then Discover and type in your city.  You can also search a date range to help narrow things down.

If you are on your phone, click on the 3 lines at bottom left.  Find events then select your location either as nearby (preset) or change to town needed.  You can also select a radius to help find things close by.  Once you select your town you can choose from today, tomorrow or this weekend.

Groupon

Groupon is helpful for finding coupons to local activities, events or service in a location you choose. It will not be a complete list of things around but it can save you some money on a few of them!

Local hotel or chamber of commerce for pamphlets and info

We often go to a hotel to let the kids swim in the pool if we don’t have one at the campground.  Hotels usually have a shelving unit full of pamphlets for local attractions.

Chamber of commerce also has a ton of information and usually a knowledgeable person to speak with about the local area.  Both are great resources when you get to a new town.

See what activity options are near

My kids are just getting to school age so I usually try to find activities to keep us busy a couple days/week.  We have found sports camps, indoor play areas, farms, zoos and plenty of hiking trails to keep us busy.

For more information on finding things to do check out my post here

By this time the location has changed or time has been pushed back…LOL. Sound familiar?

Once we know for sure that we are going I either start from scratch for the new location (see above list) or start focusing on a place to stay.

Take a drive

If we are within 2 hours of the new location, myself and the kids or all of us will take a trip to the new area.  Look around. Find out where we are warehousing and map out what places we are considering staying (if there are options).

Most reputable places are honest with their pictures of their property and what sites may look like but there are other businesses that are not.  It’s just nice to be able to see them in person and also scout out other places to help anyone else that might be looking for a place to stay.

Visiting also gives us a chance to time and find the best routes to the yard from potential campgrounds, hotels, etc.  As well as routes from the current location to the new location.

Our most recent move we actually did about 3 trips.  Two to scout the area, to see what was around and potential yard locations.  The third was more of a drive by once we found a place we wanted to stay.  The kids and I were heading home to MI anyways so, we just drove an alternate route to see if that would work for taking the trailer and also to check out the campsite.

The two scouting trips were to check out some places I had already called on and to review a potential yard site.  Glad we made the trips because all the locations were not so great.  Definitely doable in a pinch but not ideal for us.

Peace of mind

All of the above tasks are essential to me getting comfortable with a new area.  I like to research and learn about the new place and see what options we have.  It helps me feel like I am participating a bit more with his work and gives me a sense of connection.  Some tasks are necessary for getting us set up but others are more for my satisfaction and mental health.

I hope these tips were helpful.

Let me know if you have a similar process for your moves, send me a message or comment below!

As always, thanks for reading!

–Katie

This campground review was our second campground experience with the pipeline.  This job would take us to Seven Mountains Campground in Spring Mills, PA.  The area is known as Happy Valley, home of the Allegheny mountains and close to Penn State University.

Highlights

Seven Mountains Campground– Spring Mills, PA

• RV rentals, cabins and RV parking spots
• Full hookups
• Cable/wifi
• On top of a mountain
• Friendly owners
• Small store/snacks
• Wooded and rainy

Layout

We stayed at this campground the first time from about May 2009 to August 2009.  The campground was on top of a mountain about 15 minutes outside of State College. Right off on US-322, it was easy to get in, out and on your way. It was heavily wooded with dirt roads around the campground.  A majority of it was filled with seasonal campers who were set up permanently.

This was my first experience with seasonal camping.  I love the idea of it!  Being able to get away to your camper on the weekends and holidays.  Knowing your neighbors.  Building a deck or patio alongside the camper for additional space. Maybe someday when we stop traveling full time!

Most sites were back in only.  There was sufficient space between neighbors.  The sites were gravel with grassy patches for picnic tables.  Plenty of shade with all the trees.  Plenty of parking for at least two vehicles at most sites as well.

Towards the back of the campground were several cabins for rent.  They had several varieties of cabins; park models, parked rvs, and traditional cabin style.  Same setup back there, wooded, dirt roads and decent parking.  If I remember correctly they had a few other cabins mixed in with the other RV spots.

Story time

As you will find with most of my posts, I have a story to include with this campground review as well.

I didn’t spend a ton of time at this campground initially.  We had just gotten married a few months prior and were in the middle of our first home purchase.  I ended up making several trips back to Michigan to sign papers for the house as well as move in to it on my own (with the help of family & friends).

One of those trips also involved the adoption of the cutest pug EVER!  We found him on Petfinder.com.  He was part of a Michigan rescue and his profile pic melted my heart! I should have saved that one!!

We thought our current pup, Piglet, could use a friend.  He bonded so well with the raccoon we took in when we were in Missouri that we thought it was time.

I had to do some sweet talking in order to convince the rescue that we should adopt him.  Their policy was that you needed to live in the state.  I explained our situation and that we were Michigan residents, just traveling for work.

They agreed to let me meet Mater, the pug along with our dog, Piglet.  Piglet had a multitude of issues that included him needing to be held like a baby after eating to allow his food down.  If you didn’t, you usually had a mess to clean up.

The visit

On the day of the visit, Piglet had eaten before we left our home to drive the 40 minutes to the rescue. We were running late so, I didn’t have a chance to hold him properly.  He was also a high anxiety kind of dog so he would get nervous at new places.

We got to the rescue, made our people introductions.  It was now time for Mater to come out and meet Piglet.  Piglet was so excited to see another dog, he started racing around the room.

After a few minutes of this he stopped abruptly.  Took a wide stance and began moving his head back and forth.  I knew what this meant.  If I didn’t act quickly, we were going to be scrubbing the carpet!

I dove hands first towards Piglet with my hands cupped!!  I made it just in time for the vomit to cascade from his mouth in to my hands.  YUCK!!!

NOT a drop hit the floor!!

The rescue owners were so impressed they brought out the papers for Mater immediately after I washed my hands!

We were now a family of four!!

Our new addition was a hit at the campground.  During our many walks around, it would often takes us about an hour to complete from all the people stopping to see the pups.

Any who, back to the park info…

The park owners were pleasant and we had no issues while we stayed there.  One of our friends had an issue with their camper and the owners were very helpful in getting the assistance our friend needed.

There were no additional amenities besides cable/WIFI and a small store with a few parts and snacks. My favorite part were the views(once on the road out of the park) and the local trails nearby for hiking.

The town

Spring Mills is just a tiny blip on the map.  There was a little bar down the mountain about a mile that had a bit of food and you could get your 6 pack from.  Other than that, not much there besides the campground.

Nearby

State College was closer to about a 15 minute drive down the mountain.  Home to Penn State University, it has just about everything a college town should…bars, food, laundry and a mall.  It’s only a two lane road up and down most of the mountain so traffic could be a pain sometimes.

This is the closest big town without having to drive an hour or more.  Harrisburg, the capital of PA, is a little over an hour away.  We didn’t end up going over there on this trip.

On the other side of the mountain is a small town, Milroy.  There you will find a camper service & dealership, Lerch RV.  We ended up buying our second camper from them, the second time we were in the area.  I was on the hunt for those front living rooms when they first came out and they happened to have one that we loved!

Overall, we enjoyed our experience in Happy Valley and would recommend Seven Mountains Campground to anyone passing through!

I hope you have found this review and information helpful!

If you are looking for other campground reviews please check them out here.

Please remember that anything written above was my opinion and experience of the area/s.  I have also linked to the RV park page and State College, Pa website for more information.

Let me know if you have visited this place or surrounding area!  What did you think?

As always, thanks for reading!

–Katie

https://www.visitpennstate.org/about-us/state-college/

http://www.sevenmountainscampground.com

How about an RV?! Sounds simple enough, right?  It can be but first check out these 10 questions to consider before buying an RV.

Continue reading to find out what those questions are and how it will affect your decision.

10 questions to consider before buying an RV

1.What type of RV should I get?

There are a variety of different types of RVs to choose from; The motorhome which allows you to drive and live in the same space.  These can also be broken down into Class A, Class B, and Class C.

There are travel trailers that are pulled behind a vehicle attached to a hitch at the bumper.

Fifth wheels are pulled behind a pickup truck and attached at a hitch in the bed of the truck.

Finally, a few other types, like the van and bus conversions, not as popular but still great options depending on your situation.

Learn more about the different types of RVs here, https://www.thorindustries.com/rv-types

2.Will you be staying in it full time?

If you plan on staying in your trailer for the majority of the year there are a few features you may want to consider.

The top 2, in my opinion, being a bigger fridge and storage.  These two are my necessities in a trailer that we will spend a lot of time in.

I am not a big fan of going to the grocery store every couple of days so I like to have more fridge space.  Plus, my two littles eat like they are teenagers already!!

Lots of storage is great for being able to rotate your clothing in seasons as well as toys if you have kids.

Having lots of storage inside and out means you can bring a few more of your favorite things and also have space to store the tools and necessary RV items.

Our current camper has the most storage I have seen in a fifth wheel to date.  We found this one in 2017.  It is a Grand Design Solitude 375RES.  It has a middle kitchen and elevated bedroom in the front and elevated living in the back.

In the kitchen, there is a pantry as well as wall and bottom cabinets.  The elevated living room in the back allows for more basement storage with a slide-out tray in the middle.  Seriously, SO much storage!!!

3.Will you be traveling to cold climates?

If you think you might be spending lots of time in colder climates you may want to check out the insulation packages for the trailers.

Many claim to be 4 seasons but I can tell you from experience that our 2007 Forest River Flagstaff with the rear kitchen was NOT!

It was our first job in the camper in northern Missouri.  We had bought the 4-season camper because we were unsure of where we would be.

I believe it was November. It had gotten pretty cold, quickly. After the first real cold night we had (maybe high 20s) we woke up the next morning with our pillows frozen to the walls!

In the camping industries defense, most are meant just for a weekend or a week or two trips and not long term.  So, when they say 4 seasons you could handle it in mild winters or for a weekend.

4.If considering a travel trailer or fifth wheel, how much can I tow?

This question really depends on the vehicle you have to tow.  Usually, a diesel dually will give you the most towing power but there are many full-size pick-ups that can handle the load as well.  Some travel trailers and fifth wheels can be pulled by a light truck (F150 or Chevy 1500).  This is what we initially started out with, an F150 pulling a Forest River Flagstaff lite(not in the picture below)

5.What is my budget?

RVs range anywhere from really small pull behinds around $20,000 brand new and go up to as much as $500,000+ if you look at motorhomes.

We have always bought brand new but I have to say that I would recommend buying used and an older model!  You lose SO much money buying brand new.  There are plenty of trailers out there that have been well taken care of or just didn’t sell the first year on the market.

Consider the time of year you buy as well if you are buying from a dealership.  It is better to buy towards the end of the camping season (Oct-Dec).  Most places aren’t wanting to have to store older inventory through the winter so they may discount them to get em’ sold!

After you answer the above, check out these questions to consider before buying an RV;

6.How often do we cook?

The kitchens in most trailers are not big. The industry is changing a bit in order to get a bigger kitchen but in doing that you sacrifice space elsewhere.

So, you have to be honest with yourself.  How often do you really cook?  Do you need that oven or can you make do with a stovetop and convection microwave?

Speaking of ovens, how awkward are those?!  Who wants to get down on the floor to light the pilot??  Am I right?

For those of you that do cook a majority of your meals, check out a few of these trailers…

https://www.rvingplanet.com/blog/top-5-best-fifth-wheels-with-front-kitchen/

I would also suggest

Grand Design Solitude 375RES (our current model)

Keystone Montana 3820FK

7.How much time do we plan to spend inside?

Think about how much time you will be spending inside your trailer.  Will you be spending most of it in the living room?  Kitchen?  Will everyone be there at the same time?

In most trailers, your biggest areas are your living room and bedroom.  If you will be inside a lot you will want more space that allows you to convert areas to function for multiple activities.  Think pull out couches or tables that convert to other sleeping areas.

8.How much storage do we need?

If you are like a good majority of the country, you have a lot of stuff!  Moving into about 200 sq. ft is NOT going to accommodate ALL of that stuff.  But it can hold quite a bit.  So, make sure you take into consideration how much storage, both inside and outside, you will need to hold your items.

Need help deciding what you might want to have in your RV?  Check out my post here for some ideas.

9.How old are your kids, if you have them?  Don’t forget about those pets too!

Accommodating babies and toddlers is way different than accommodating teenagers.  They need privacy and take up more space physically.

Most people with children, no matter the age, opt for trailers that offer a bunkhouse and a half bath, a toy hauler (has a “garage”), or something with a mid-bunk room. This gives a bit more privacy to your kids and a place to close the door on clutter and some noise.

10.Will your family grow in the near future?

Same as above, think about how your family might look in the future and what kind of setup you may need. Not that you can’t sell your current and upgrade to a different layout but wouldn’t it be nice to have something that would last!

There you have it!  My initial 10 questions to consider before buying an RV.

I know there are a ton more factors to consider when buying an RV.  This was just a list to get your mind going and really think about what is important to your family for this purchase.

If you have already purchased, what was your biggest deciding factor in choosing your trailer?

As always, thanks for reading!

–Katie