By Gail Marsh
With St. Patrick’s Day upon us, luck is in the air—or, at least we hope it is. Life on the road can be unpredictable. One day, you’re basking in a scenic, quiet campsite with a perfect sunset view; the next, you’re parked next to a generator that sounds like a jet engine. But sometimes, RVers just get lucky. And no, we’re not talking about that kind of luck (though, hey, good for you if it happens).
Here are some of the best ways RVers can get lucky on the road—no four-leaf clovers required.
1. Scoring the last spot at a popular campground
You didn’t book six months in advance. You didn’t even book six days in advance. But somehow, you roll up, and the campground host says, “We just had a cancellation. You’re in luck!” Few things feel better than snagging a prime camping spot when you were prepared to spend the night in a Walmart parking lot.
2. Avoiding bad weather by sheer coincidence
You leave a campground a day early, and the next morning, you see reports of a massive storm or hail the size of golf balls right where you were parked. Meanwhile, you’re sipping coffee in sunshine, feeling like a meteorological mastermind.
3. Finding cheap gas right before you need it
The gas light comes on, and you brace yourself for highway robbery at the next station—only to stumble upon a place selling gas for 50 cents less per gallon than anywhere else. You roll in feeling like you’ve won the RV jackpot.
4. Landing the perfect boondocking spot
You venture down a questionable dirt road, fully expecting to find either nothing or a “No Camping” sign. Instead, you discover a pristine, secluded spot with breathtaking views, zero crowds, and just enough cell service to stream your favorite show.
5. Backing into a campsite on the first try
Nothing tests a relationship—or your ego—like backing into a tight campsite while an audience of fellow campers watches. When you nail it on the first go, you suddenly feel like a professional truck driver and expect a round of applause.
6. Hitting every green light in a strange town
Towing an RV through an unfamiliar city can be a nightmare, but every once in a while, the travel gods smile upon you. You hit every green light, dodge traffic, and cruise through town like you own the place.
7. Discovering free dump stations when you desperately need one
Your tanks are full, your options are limited, and every dump station you’ve seen so far charges a fee. Then, like a beacon of hope, you find a free one—saving you a few bucks and possibly a lot of regret.
8. Finding an empty laundry room right when you need it
You head to the campground laundry room expecting a battle for the last available washer, only to find an entire row of empty machines. Fresh, clean clothes without a waiting game? That’s pure RVing luck.
9. Getting an upgrade without asking
You book a basic RV site, but when you check in, the host winks and says, “We had a premium site open up, no extra charge.” You don’t question it. You just accept your good fortune and enjoy those full hookups.
10. Making new friends over a campfire
You arrive at a new campground, not knowing a soul, and by the end of the night, you’re swapping stories with new friends over a crackling fire. Sometimes, the best kind of luck is finding great people along the journey.
What about your lucky experiences?
Can you think of a time you had a lucky experience while on the road? Leave a comment and tell me about it.
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RVDT2862
My 26 foot class C got stuck in the sand at a reservoir. A couple from Germany stopped but couldn’t help. They did pass the word along to some guys just driving around. They spent 4 hours digging me out! So lucky they were there!!! I gave them $50 each (not enough, but that’s all I had in cash). The next day, one guy came back to see if I was ok. 🙂
Luck is coming upon a beautiful nature’s scene or a great museum (or such) during your drive that you weren’t aware would be there.
Meeting another couple on the nature trail and starting a conversation that evolves into a years-long friendship.
Stopping at a local diner in a middle of nowhere town and having the best biscuits and gravy you’ve had in your life.
Fountain of Youth RV Park, Thermopolis WY. Arrived late afternoon no reservation. Was assigned overflow on the lawn. Then someone came back from their assigned site, unhappy they’d not been assigned a site next to their friends (we thought if we reserved together we’d be put together), and they’d been put along the fence next to RR tracks. Owner refunded them & gave us their site. Then, there was a big motorcycle group, with a band brought in to play classic rock all evening by the hot springs pools.