By: Luke & Alysha

These apps help us plan our routes, find accessible parking and camping options, save money, and make RV life stress free and enjoyable – the way it should be! We will be sharing three of our essential RVing apps below, along with how we get the most out of them.

Google Maps

The first app we have on the list, we use every single day while RVing – Google Maps. We’re sure most of you have used Google Maps at some point to get directions from point A to point B, but this app has so many other great features. The first feature we love is the ability to search for a stop along the route to your destination. For example, if we are getting directions from Google Maps to get to our next campground, but need to stop along the way to pick up groceries, we can search “groceries” and it will provide all of the grocery store options that are along your current route. Not only that, but it also provides the estimated amount of time it would take to detour to each grocery store from our current route based on live traffic updates in the area! We also love taking advantage of the ‘satellite view’ mode in the Google Maps App. This allows you to see a top-down satellite image of anywhere in the world! We use this mode frequently while RVing to look at the size or layout of a parking lot before we arrive to determine if would like to try parking there or to find a larger nearby parking lot. We also use satellite view to scope out any potential boondocking spots and to see what the landscape is like in an area. Usually, after we use satellite view, we switch over to “Street View” as it allows us to see a 360-degree view at road level. This helps us get a really good feel for a specific area or upcoming intersection before arriving in our RV. You can even read signs along the road to ensure there are no “No RV Parking” signs!

GasBuddy

Our second essential RVing app has to be GasBuddy. The main purpose of this app is to show recent prices of fuel in your current area or any area that you search. The app receives its frequently updated fuel prices from other app users, who then in return receive points which can be redeemed for a chance to win a daily prize! One thing that we have learned while RVing longer distances are that gas prices can change quite drastically from one town to another. This is why we use GasBuddy almost every time we fill up our motorhome. At times, we have saved $0.15/litre on gas by simply waiting until the next town to fuel up. In our motorhome, that’s a savings of about $15! With gas being by far our biggest expense RVing throughout Canada, saving every little bit possible sure adds up. The GasBuddy app also lists any other amenities that gas stations have, such as propane, as well as a fuel mileage calculator which is very handy.

iOverlander

The final app that we would like to mention is iOverlander. This app is designed to help users find free or inexpensive camping or boondocking options in the area. We looked at the locations on this map almost every day when we RVed across Canada and found some unique free spots to camp. All of the locations listed in the app are posted by the community, and they allow you to post pictures and reviews of each location as well. You can find some awesome Forest Service Roads and other boondocking locations with amazing views, though we will warn you to be cautious. Since all of the locations are added by other members of the community, there are no regulations on what locations can or cannot be listed. Some of the listing we have come across over our travels are not great quality and/or are not actually legal places to sleep overnight with your RV. Please remember to do your research, read the reviews, and use your common sense before deciding to boondock at any of these locations, but there are some real gems out there!

We use all three apps almost daily when we RV to save us money, time, and our sanity! Hopefully, our list of essential RVing apps has been of use to you, whether you have found a new app to try out or a new way to use an app that you already have!

Happy travels friends!

Luke & Alysha

About the authors: Luke & Alysha bought their first RV from Fraserway RV and travelled around Canada exploring.