How to Prepare your RV for Winter

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January 4, 2022 05:38 PM

Just because winter is here, it does not mean that you need to put your California RV rental road trip dreams on hold. In fact, in many ways, taking your Calabasas RV rental during wintertime can be much more fun than a similar trip in the summertime. Why? Well, because during the winter months there are more California motorhome rentals to choose from, fewer vehicles on the road, and quieter RV campgrounds and destinations. That being said, if you are planning a winter RV rental road trip, there are some added precautions to take to ensure that you are prepared for potentially cooler nights or slippery roads – especially if you head into the mountains of California or the colder regions of neighbouring states.

Below are 10 items you should consider bringing along with you on your California RV rental adventure during the winter months!

Winter RV Camping Essentials:

1. A Sturdy Shovel

If you are travelling somewhere with a lot of snow, you may need to dig your motorhome out after a storm or free up your pipes to prevent them from freezing.

2. Gloves

These may have already been on your packing list, but a good pair of insulated and/or waterproof gloves can go a long way in keeping you comfortable when playing in the snow, setting up your campsite, or tinkering with any outdoor mechanical needs.

3. Headlamps

During the winter months, daylight hours are already shorter. As such, be sure to pack headlamps for you and your travel companions to avoid getting caught in the dark while playing outside or working around camp.

4. Extra Blankets

While our Calabasas motorhome rentals are built for comfort, staying cozy while winter camping is critical. Don’t be afraid to bring your favorite comfy blankets on your adventure so you can cuddle up in the evenings after a long day exploring a winter wonderland.

5. A Winter Sleeping Bag

Again, comfort is paramount when camping in the wintertime. Packing a winter sleeping bag is a good way to stay warm and provide a little extra peace of mind in the unlikely event that you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation away from services.

6. Tire Chains

Speaking of uncomfortable situations, tire chains are a great way to insure against them. Depending on where our travels take you, tire chains are a great way to provide much-needed traction on windy and snowy mountain roads and passes. If you plan to visit places like Yosemite or Lake Tahoe in your California motorhome rentals tire chains are a must!

7. Space Heaters

If you are really concerned about heat in your California RV rental, consider traveling with a space heater to use in addition to the standard onboard propane heater. Space heaters are also a good way to save on fuel if that is at all a concern.

8. Water and Food

Whether you are driving a car or California RV rental, it is always a good idea to carry extra drinking water and food with you when traveling in the winter. You never know when weather may kick up or your vehicle may have a maintenance issue. Having a few days worth of hearty food and unfrozen water is a great way to ensure some extra comfort on the road.

9. Blow Dryer

Depending on your level of adventure, you may be trying to camp in places where nighttime temperatures drop well below freezing. If that is the case, bring along a blowdryer! It doesn’t happen often but when RV pipes or hoses freeze a blow dryer will be your best friend in defrosting!

10. Plenty of Games and Movies

While summertime road trips are all about maximizing your time outside, winter road trips are a great way to spend some quality time indoors after exploring a beautiful place with your family all day. Bring along plenty of games, puzzles, and movies to maximize those cold evening hours after the sun goes down.

There are countless reasons why a winter RV rental road trip is the perfect vacation, and with just a little extra preparation you can guarantee to make it just as comfortable as a summer getaway.

As the leading provider of California motorhome rentals, the experts at Expedition Motorhomes are here for you! Give us a call at (818) 225-8239 with any more winter camping questions, destination recommendations, or to reserve your RV today!

What Customers Say

Melissa

California

It was awesome. It was so great. It was so fantastic. We loved the RV. It was so accommodating. It was only three of us: [me] my husband and my son and we had a wonderful time. Thank you for renting to us and we will definitely be renting again.

Chris

California

From Toronto, Canada. We came down to Expedition to pick up an RV for a special surfing vacation for my son here who turned 15 this week. I gotta tell ya, it’s been an awesome experience. We went up the coast to Santa Barabara and down. We had perfect sites of the beach; looking at the ocean. He got a chance to experience surfing the California way – an overall great experience. RV was just the way to go. Made it a beautiful experience for us. The people at Expedition were perfect; helped us out throughout… were very kind and generous and we just had a great vacation because of it. So I recommend anyone whose thinking about it… Definitely call Expedition. You’ll enjoy it and you won’t regret it.

Jean

California

We flew from Europe and rented a motor home from ExpeditionMotorHomes.com. And, it was a fantastic experience from start to end. When we arrived, we had… the staff was very friendly; taught us how to use the motor home. They had videos online you can practice with and look at. And the actual trip, the quality of the motor home was perfect. This was the first time for my family and I and it will not be the last. We will be doing this again and obviously from the same supplier because everything from start to finish was perfect.

Barb D

California

I have rented from this company seven times in the last eight years. They do an amazing job. Most recently, I had errored on my departure date (I should have looked at the contract when they sent it to me!) and when I arrived a day early, they accommodated me. Thank you, Matt, for making a year without Martin easy! I recommend this company to anyone wanting to rent an RV. It’s so much easier than you think.

California

The Expedition Motorhome family took great care of our family. This is our third straight year renting trailers and RV’s from Expedition and we wouldn’t go anywhere else. They are a small shop with big customer service. The RV’s are in great condition on the inside and under the hood. We drive to the Tahoe area from LA every year and they make the long haul with no problems. We camped with other families who rented from other vendors and had nothing but problems. See you next year!

Belen

California

Was the first time we rented and RV and we had a great experience with Expedition Motor Homes. WE travel with the jamboree 23 ft for about 20 days around California and nevada without any problem.Everything worked the way it should. At the office Martin and Ilda where super nice and helpful with us. Definitely we are coming back!

Derek D.

California

We had a great experience with Expedition Motor Homes. My family and I rented an RV for a weekend camping trip, something we had never done before. The staff was extremely helpful and informative, and everything went smoothly. The RV was in great working order, very clean and great looking. We will definitely rent from the again in the future!

California

This was our first rental from Expedition. Everything went smoothly. They had excellent customer service from the beginning to the return. The RV we rented was in great condition, with the exception of a few minor issues. These issues didn’t cause any trouble, and I know they will have them fixed for the next renter. We are already looking forward to our next RV vacation, and we will be sure to use Expedition!

Need Help? Call (818) 225-8239