Bucket List: Living the #vanlife
East Islip residents Eric and Eunice Lipsky with their dogs, Chopper and Harley, at River Ranch RV Resort in Florida. Credit: Eric Lipsky
This winter, East Islip residents Eric and Eunice Lipsky — along with their two dogs — are roaming Florida in their 24-foot motor home, camping yards from the ocean, parking at a “dude ranch” to watch a rodeo and relaxing at Camp Margaritaville next to their very own tiki bar.
“We barbecue, make some cocktails, brew coffee in the morning,” said Eunice Lipsky, 60, co-owner of a Holbrook building supplies company. “We’re living in, like, a tiny house, and it’s pretty awesome.”
Touring in recreational vehicles is an adventure envisioned by many. RVs range from trailers to luxury buses. Rentals can cost hundreds of dollars a day, while sale prices range into seven figures.
RV life can be economical, with free parking on some federal lands and some shopping center parking lots. Some resorts and campgrounds feature amenities like gyms. And several apps and websites help RV enthusiasts plan their trips by mapping routes without low bridges, listing unique roadside attractions and finding parking.
Harvest Hosts, for example, charges a yearly membership fee ranging from $99 to $179 for access to a network of vineyards, farms and other attractions that have free parking and potentially novel experiences. The businesses don’t earn money from people who stay on their properties, but Harvest Hosts encourages its members to patronize them.
“Meeting people from all over the country has been a great experience for us,” said Nick Cimorelli, owner of the South Shore Craft Brewery in Oceanside, part of the network. He estimates about 20 RVs a year park at the brewery, usually in the summer.
Veteran RV tripper Eric Lipsky, 67, has a lifetime of memories: Wild donkeys that come down from Arizona mountains to be fed by visitors. Pirate parades at a camp on the Connecticut side of the Orient Point ferry. An art installation in Texas of 10 old Cadillacs, partly buried nose first.
Lipsky, who co-owns a Bayport construction company, said he’s seen the beauty of this nation and in his RV compadres, who are always ready to help.
“Everybody you meet is happy,” he said, “because they’re either retired or on vacation.”
RESOURCES
- Atlas Obscura, a guide to hidden and unique attractions, atlasobscura.com
- U.S. Bureau of Land Management camping information, bit.ly/3SIAArg
- Campanda, an RV rental service, campanda.com
- Good Sam, an RV membership club with roadside help, goodsam.com
- Harvest Hosts, harvesthosts.com
- New York State Parks campground reservations, bit.ly/3urjG8n
TRAVEL COSTS
While you won't need a hotel while you're on the road, you'll still need to find a place that will let you hunker down for the night. Parking in Walmart and Cracker Barrel lots is generally free, while daily rates at a campground can cost $50 or more, with RV luxury resorts charging $200 and up.
LICENSING
Some states require special drivers licenses for vehicles over a certain weight or size. New York State requires an “R” endorsement for recreational vehicles exceeding 26,000 pounds. Applicants must pass a 15-minute road test.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
The RV life might sound fun, but experts advise travelers that they should be ready to forgo some creature comforts.
Some clients have found they can’t sleep summers at the beach or parks because it’s too hot, said Javier Villa, owner of Shoreham-based Luxury Camper Rentals. Air conditioning is not always guaranteed, as many campgrounds ban generators at night due to their noisy operation, he said. RV users must also get used to short showers, he said, because water storage is limited.
Man crushed at Pep Boys ... Two dead in Meadowbrook crash ... Suffolk CPS changes ... What's up on LI
Man crushed at Pep Boys ... Two dead in Meadowbrook crash ... Suffolk CPS changes ... What's up on LI
