We really enjoyed our stay at the Preferred RV Resort! Here’s a look at why:
Camp Name
Preferred RV Resort
Location
Pahrump, NV
Club (GS, PA, KOA)
Passport America (2 weeks), Good Sam
Price
$475/month normal rate; PA $20/night
Site Type
Large gravel back-in, full hookups, space for car, mature tree
Bathrooms
Separate mens/womens, shower+ toilet stalls
Amenities
Heated indoor/outdoor pool with activities, indoor hot tub, common kitchen, entertainment room, pool, wood shop, sewing room, stained glass workshop, small fitness room Grounds: playground, horseshoes, cactus garden, koi ponds
Wi-Fi Quality
Medium speeds download/upload, enough to stream
Verizon Coverage
2-3 bars LTE, medium speeds
TV
Antenna, Las Vegas channels
Local Attractions
Pahrump Winery, Johnny’s (diner), Casinos Red Rock Canyon (45min), Las Vegas (1hr)
In the summer of 2012, Yi and I planned our first road trip together from New York City to Mt. Rushmore. Neither of us had ever planned or taken a road trip of this magnitude (3400+ miles roundtrip), so like any member of modern society, I turned to the all-powerful Google. Using a basic Google Sheet, I plotted out our route with the basic details laid out for each day: date, day, origin, destination, travel time, lodging, and a goal. Looking back at the spreadsheet now, I’m pleasantly surprised at how functional – though sloppy – it was for an initial effort.
We made it!
Of course, we couldn’t iron out all the details from the outset. There were a lot of blank spaces under “lodging,” and on day one we decided to drive considerably farther than planned (to Cedar Point in Ohio – no regrets). But that’s part of the magic of road trips; you have the flexibility to shift things around spontaneously depending on where the road takes you on any given day. That’s also why it’s good to have a plan laid out to provide a framework and make sure you’re able to reach your “must see” destinations during the time allotted for your journey.
Cedar Point: The Roller Coaster Capital of the World, a worthy addition to any itinerary
Over the years, we’ve used this same basic template, with some modifications, to plan road trips ranging from a few days (Turbo Northeast Loop!) to several weeks, all over the United States, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. I’m not going to say this is the absolute “how to” template, but it has certainly worked for us. Right now, there are at least some people who, like us in 2012, are thinking of going on their first over the road adventure and wondering where to start. In the hopes that this can be of value, I’ve put together a simple template with a sample itinerary excerpted from our most recent travels. Click Here to View/Copy
Our Jucy “Campa” at the Wanaka, New Zealand campground (August 2016)
Start with the basic framework of your trip and ask some initial questions:
1. How much time do you have for your trip? 2. What is the farthest place you can reach in that time frame? 3. Where can you visit along the way? 4. If taking a round trip, is there a different route you can take back to see new sights?
Use another familiar tool, Google Maps, to plot out potential routes. You can then fill in the other details from there. You can even fill in details as you go. Planning and taking a successful road trip requires effort, especially for longer itineraries, but I promise that it is much simpler than it might seem and totally worth it!
