Why You Should Follow The RV 3-3-3 Rule

Many of us have been guilty of biting off more than we can chew, especially when planning a trip. Although we want to see everything in the area in the short time we have to explore, it isn’t practical to rush through every experience—nor enjoyable. It’s better to slow things down and immerse yourself into fewer destinations for longer periods of time. In order to do so, RVers should follow the 3-3-3 rule.

What is the 3-3-3 Rule?

The 3-3-3 rule helps RVers avoid an exhausting and overpacked adventure. Basically, the rule says to drive no more than 300 miles per day, arrive to the campground by 3 p.m., and stay at each site for three nights minimum. This makes driving more enjoyable, allows you to set up and break down camp with ease, and gives you more time to experience each place!

Limit Driving to 300 Miles Per Day

If you’re planning a roadtrip, it helps to write up an itinerary that includes stops, driving time, and activities to do. This will help you manage your time and set realistic expectations of how much time you need for traveling and stopping. If you want to explore certain sights or areas on the same day as driving, then driving a maximum of 300 miles is ideal. This allows you to divide up your day of driving with adventures. It’s also safer to drive an RV in shorter intervals because you’ll be less exhausted.

It takes about four hours at 75 miles per hour and four-and-a-half hours at 65 miles per hour to drive 300 miles. This doesn’t take into account the time it takes to stop for food, gas, and if there’s traffic. You should also stop every few hours to stretch your legs and prevent burnout from being on the road all day.

Stay at the Site for At Least 3 Nights

Every RVer knows how much work it can be to get settled at a campsite. You have to familiarize yourself with the hookups, unpack your gear, and put time into setting up your outdoor space with things like string lights, camping chairs, and a canopy. By committing to three days at each campground, you’ll be able to slow down, take in the scenery, and spend more quality time with friends, family, and neighbors. Plus, you’ll have more time to explore each destination (even if that means visiting less places). 

Many campgrounds have a two-night-minimum-stay policy anyways, so it’ll be easier to find campgrounds for your itinerary if you plan to stay for longer than one night.

Arrive No Later Than 3 P.M.

Setting up camp in the dark is never fun. Plus, if you’ve been driving all day, you’ll likely be exhausted, which makes simple tasks even more difficult. Getting your rig leveled and parked, figuring out the hookup system, and making dinner (if you planned on it) takes time, so it’s best to arrive to your site by 3 p.m. You may have to wake up earlier in order to drive with ease but it’s definitely worth it when you’re setting up camp and cooking dinner with the sun still out.

By planning a trip that includes less driving time and more down time at each destination, the entire experience will be much more enjoyable. If you’re curious about what to do in your down time while RVing, we’ve got an entire blog post on that as well.

See you on the road!