J Chickery

May 2, 2022 by J Chickery Leave a Comment

Your Guide To Planning The Best Family Vacation This Summer

Summer is an awesome time to take a vacation with the family. Whether you decide to hit the beach or explore new parts of the country, there are lots of ways to travel as a family.

There's no better way to travel as a family than in an RV.

Choose Your Style

The first key to a successful trip is to determine what style of travel works best for your family and your budget. For example, do you prefer to fly or drive? Are you a camper or a resort glamper? By answering these questions first, you’ll set your trip up for success.

Here are some options to consider:

Take A Road Trip

One option is to take a road trip. This can be a great way to bond as a family and see different parts of the country. You can plan your route so that you hit some major tourist attractions or go off the beaten path and explore some smaller towns and villages. Either way, a road trip can be a great adventure for the whole family.

Go On A Camping Trip

You could take your road trip a step farther and make it a camping trip. This is a great way to get back to nature and spend time together as a family. There are many beautiful campsites around the country, so you’re sure to find one that’s perfect for your family. Camping can be an especially fun option for families with young children, as it allows them to explore nature and get some fresh air. Follow these steps to choose the best campground.

Take A Cruise

If you’re not interested in either of these options, there are also plenty of other things you can do with your family this summer. For example, you could take a cruise or a ferry ride, try out some water sports such as Aqua Surf School, kayaking or snorkeling, or go on a cultural tour of one of the world’s great cities. The possibilities are endless, so think about what your family would enjoy most and start planning!

Here Are Some Tips For Planning Your Next Trip:

Choose where you want to go

Are there any theme parks that you’ve always wanted to visit? Or maybe you’d prefer to stick close to home and spend some time exploring local attractions. Whatever your preference, make sure everyone in your family can agree on a destination.

Book your accommodations ahead of time

Waiting until the last minute could lead to unpleasant surprises like overbooked hotels or high prices at popular destinations during peak season. These same problems apply to campgrounds as well. Be sure to do your research and book your accommodations well in advance.

Make a budget

Once you know where you’re going and where you’ll be staying, it’s time to start thinking about how much money you’re willing to spend. Keep in mind that vacation costs can add up quickly, so it’s important to set a budget and stick to it.

RV Travel is a great way to save money. We’ve created this list to help you find ways to save money on all the major expense categories like gas and campgrounds.

Pack wisely

Don’t wait until the night before your trip to start packing – this will only lead to stress. Instead, start packing a few days in advance and make sure you have everything you need for your trip. From clothes to toiletries and travel documents, make a list of what you need to pack and check it off as you go.

Get everyone involved in the trip planning process

Remember, a vacation is a family affair, so make sure everyone gets to have their say when it comes to choosing destinations and activities. This will help ensure that everyone has fun during your trip and that no one feels left out or excluded from the decision-making process.

February 1, 2022 by J Chickery Leave a Comment

Do These Five Things Before Going on Your Next Adventure

The pandemic might not be over, but thankfully travel is back! If you’re planning on some adventures this year and a little out of practice, here are five ways to get prepared.

Do these five things to ensure you're ready to travel worry-free.

Get your house in order

I know, I know. You’re ready for some fun, and house cleaning just isn’t it. But it is bound to be the last thing you want to do when you return. If you’re going to be out of the house for a number of weeks, then it makes sense to have things in order before you leave to avoid any nasty surprises when you get home. Clear out the fridge and any perishable foods, empty and disinfect all waste bins. Take the time now to give the house a good clean so you can just relax when you get home. Put on clean sheets ready for that ‘first night back in your own bed’ feeling when you return.

Sort out your finances

Most of us don’t have the luxury of living without a budget, so sorting out your money before you leave to travel is important. Determine before you leave how much you have and what you can spend each day. This will help keep you on track so your trip doesn’t derail your financial plans. And if you’re going to away for more than a few days, be sure you have auto payment set up on all your bills so you won’t have to think about it while you’re on your travels.

Get work organized

If you’re leaving work for any length of time you’ll want to make sure any loose ends have been tied up. Don’t forget the things like taking time to tidy your desk and setting up an auto-reply to your email directing people to who to contact while you’re away. Make sure you catch up on all of your emails before signing out for your trip means you’ll have less to return to when you’re back. The ultimate goal is to help you to ease back into things more smoothly so the stress level doesn’t skyrocket after a relaxing vacation.

Make arrangements for pets

If you can’t take your fur babies with you, you’ll need to find someone to take good care of them during your trip. Don’t leave this until the last minute as kennels and catteries will likely fill up during peak vacation seasons, especially now that travel is resuming after the COVID restrictions of the past two years. Another great option is using local pet sitters who can either come to your home or use their own. Just make sure they’re insured and experienced so you have peace of mind. We know people who use an app called Rover to help them find local pet sitters and they’ve sent them photos of their pets to ease their minds.

If you are traveling in the RV and taking your pets with you, be sure to check out our tips for RV travel with pets. Hands down the most valuable piece of safety gear we’ve purchased for our pup is the temperature monitor to provide peace of mind when we’re out sightseeing.

Plan for security and other essentials

You don’t want people driving by to know that your home is vacant. Put newspaper subscriptions and other deliveries on hold so that nothing is sitting on your doorstep for a while. If you’re going to be away for weeks or months, you’ll want to plan for mail. One option is called physical address, a virtual mailbox where you can read scans of your personal postal mail. This is better than simply putting it on hold because you won’t miss anything important. If you use a Ring doorbell or any other CCTV cameras that run on batteries, be sure to charge or change them before you leave so you can check in on your home while you’re away.

Watch our video on planning for extended and long-term RV travel.

October 10, 2021 by J Chickery Leave a Comment

Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA (Coinjock, North Carolina)

We had a wonderful week at this fabulous campground! The Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA Holiday is located on the Currituck Sound. This stay was sponsored, but our love of this KOA (and desire to return soon) is genuine! Located about 45 minutes from the busy beach towns of the Outer Banks, it’s peaceful & quiet with a ton of activities. We kayaked, walked on the nature trails and boardwalks, sampled local beer and wine by the water, and enjoyed sunsets by the campfire. Our son, daughter-in-law, and grandson joined us for the weekend. They loved it too!

Watch the video review below to see all this campground has to offer. Then continue reading for more details.

Sites

We love KOA’s because they offer so many different types of sites to suit any budget or preference, and this one was no exception. In fact, the Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA Holiday had some of the most beautiful sites we’ve seen.

Deluxe Patio Sites – These wide full hook-up sites had sturdy dining tables, rocker seats, charcoal grills, and stone fire rings. The tall dining table and chairs are on a raised platform.
Standard Sites – There were also standard full hook-up sites that come with a picnic table and fire ring.
Both the patio and standard sites are available waterfront or inland.

The Outer Banks West KOA has several different site types including this Deluxe Patio site.

No RV? No problem! They have tent sites and KOA cabins to enjoy.

The Outer Banks West KOA has several different site types including this camping cabin.

Amenities

This campground is uniquely located on the Currituck Sound and has five piers for fishing and swimming, kayak & SUP rentals, nature trails with two fishing ponds, a huge dog park, a very nice playground with a large open field for the kids to run around in, and an acade.

Another great amenity was the camp store. It was one of the biggest we’ve seen and also had a snack bar with ice cream. The camp store sold souvenirs, basic food items, and camping gear. Best of all, they had a license to sell alcohol and featured local beer and wine.

Local Area

There was so much to do at the campground that we spent the bulk of our time there. However, we did enjoy visits to local farmer’s markets, the Weeping Radish Farm Brewery, and Sanctuary Vineyard. Morris Farm Market was a special treat. Not only does it have a large store with produce, baked goods, and crafts, but on the weekends it has live music and prepared food.

We also drove out to Kitty Hawk in the Outer Banks. It was about 45-minutes of driving time, but as Air Force veterans we felt it was important to visit the Wright Brothers National Historic Site.

See the path of the first powered flight at the Wright Brothers National Historic Site. — These large boulders marked the first powered flights at the Wright Brothers National Historic Site.

Book Your Stay Now

Whether you are looking for a quick getaway or family vacation, you can’t go wrong with this amazing KOA campground! Click here to make reservations and don’t forget to sign up for the rewards program to get 10% off every KOA stay. We love the rewards program because you also earn points to use towards discounts on future stays. We were able to get $50 off our weekend here using accumulated rewards points.

Interested in learning more about what KOAs have to offer? Click here to listen to Sean & Kenny’s interview with the President and CEO of the company.