You don’t need to go camping in the fall (although fall camping is a great idea and here’s why) to extend the useful season of your RV. Taking the RV along to set up either as a base camp for the weekend or as a side hangout at the competition can be ideal if you have kids participating in fall sports. There are several benefits to bringing an RV.
Cut down on travel costs.
Sports, especially travel sports, require significant investment of time and funds. All the gear is one thing. But if you plan to travel to tournaments every weekend, you’ll need to budget for gas, accommodations, and food during your time away from home. That can add up very quickly, especially if the whole family comes along. Choosing to camp – at least until campsites close for the season, which is typically the end of October – can help you save a lot of money when it comes to accommodations. There are campgrounds – private and state-run – within easy driving distance from pretty much anywhere in Michigan. (Plus, you can’t beat the extra space for transferring equipment!) Likewise, the food budget is affected as you have more capacity to store food and cook without having to eat out at a restaurant.
Encourage sightseeing.
Whether you choose to use the RV as a courtside hangout or as your primary accommodation, when you travel with an RV, you feel like it’s more of a vacation, so you might take the time to stop at some sights and attractions along the way. If the destination is farther away, you can leave earlier to get there and make those stops, too. This way, traveling for a sporting event becomes an adventure, as the possibilities open up.
Provide a place to hang out.
Pop-up campers and small towables are ideal to have for the team to hang out in between games or matches. They can easily be set up alongside the competition space or somewhere in a nearby parking lot. This can provide comfort as well as a spot for athletes to relax, play games, or get out of the elements.
Encourage social interaction.
Hotels confine you, your family, and your team to independent rooms, and it can be difficult to get a reservation for a big group at a restaurant if you all want to eat together. An RV encourages social interaction with others. When you grill out, people naturally congregate, and conversations emerge. Families, too, can hang out together with other families, encouraging a communal atmosphere and strengthening the bonds team members – and their families – share. An RV allows you to be more welcoming as well as more present.