11 RV Books for Beginners That Will Help You Make the Most of the Experience

Are you looking for books to help you break into the world of RV travel? Luckily there are many great RV books out there to choose from!

Why Buy A Book About RVing?

With today's modern technology, information about RVs is abundant on the internet. Why invest in a book? When traveling, wifi connections can become spotty or disappear altogether. It's nice to have a physical copy of important pages you can come back to anytime, no matter where you are! But which RV books are worth owning?

This is a tough question to answer, as more and more RV books are coming onto the market. Below, we put together a sampling of our top 11 RV books for beginners.

Books on RV Living

You may be a weekend warrior, out there camping with your trailer or motorhome in local campgrounds, or a full-time RV'ers. Or anything in between.

Either way, reading books about RV living is going to help you improve your RV skills for an overall better experience. There's a lot to know when taking a home on the road. Starting with the type of RV that you have, going through RV maintenance issues, and all the way through to planning that perfect road trip. Whatever you do, taking the time to read up can help you make the most of the experience.

RVing (Idiot's Guides), 4th edition

This is a comprehensive guide for anyone new to RVing.  Whether you want to purchase a new RV, or just try renting one out for the weekend, this book is the place to start.  Inside you'll find comparisons of the different types of RVs and discover which one is best for you.

You'll also learn about the different operating systems inside your RV and how they work.  Readers who have owned their RV for years say that this book has taught them new things about their RV.

Included are pointers for how to choose a campsite, and set up your RV for the first time. If you run into any problems, this guide book has suggestions for how to deal with them while on the road or away from home.

This book is a great overall resource for the beginner who is eager to learn about it all!

Check out this book on Amazon.

A Beginner's Guide to Living in an RV

This book was written by a woman who's been living in her RV with her husband for 3 years. She candidly shares her hard-earned wisdom with the RV novice. You'll find tips on topics like how to work while on the road, find great deals on campgrounds, and get RV repairs done. Her book is filled with humorous anecdotes of the ways she and her husband figured things out. She is full of practical advice.

Although it is geared more towards readers considering living full-time in their RV, she has many suggestions that the occasional RVer can also benefit from.  If you are intrigued by spending more time in your RV, this book will give it to you straight, and keep you entertained.

Learn more about this book here.

Best RV Tips

The editors of this book have over 40 years of experience and offer over 400 tips for RVing in this compilation of articles. From the brand-new beginner to the seasoned RVer there are nuggets of wisdom for everyone.

Topics such as maintaining your RV batteries, customizing your rig, RV refrigerators, and tips for driving an RV are all covered in this guide. By learning from these experienced RVers, you will gain more confidence to deal with any situation that arises in your RV.

This is a must-have to keep tucked in your glove compartment.

Find this great resource on Amazon.

Rand McNally 2019 Road Atlas

Every RV driver needs at least one decent book of maps handy at all times. Sure, we all use our navigation systems and GPS apps, but many places do not have reliable internet signals.  If you find yourself in a remote area, you will be glad you have good, old-fashioned paper maps to help you out.

This road atlas is revised and updated each year to provide the most accurate information. It comes in small and large scale editions. Inside you'll find maps of all 50 states and over 350 major cities in the U.S. It has mileage chart calculations to help you plan your routes.

Discover more about this book here.

Your Guide to National Parks

In its second edition, this award-winning guidebook will inspire you to venture out into any US National Park.  It has photographs, maps, and suggested itineraries to follow. Though not written exclusively for the RVer, we have included it here because national parks are such popular destinations for the RV traveler.

Whether you have young children or are retired, this book will help you plan the experience you want to have. There are also 11 suggested road trips to incorporate multiple national parks in a trip.

If you want to visit any of the national parks on an RV vacation, this is the book to read.

This guidebook is available on Amazon.

The RV Book

The RV Book is a great resource to check out before you purchase your first RV. It explains in great details all of the different points you'll want to consider in making this big purchase.

The authors also guide you through RV safety and how to keep your RV well-maintained. There are a few chapters dedicated to driving and backing up your RV, which are invaluable to the beginner.

This book was updated in 2018 from its original version which sold over 49,000 copies. It is an easy-to-understand guide and will help you enjoy owning and using your RV.

Find this book on Amazon here.

The Complete Book of Boondock RVing

If you are interested in saving money and camping for free, then you need to check this book out. Boondocking (also called 'dry camping') is something these authors have done for over 30 years, and they share their knowledge in this book. Learn the tricks to camping off the grid in beautiful locations without paying a penny!

They walk you through the process of what you need to do to spend a night or a couple of weeks without hookups. The authors teach you tricks for conserving energy and water use while dry camping. Plus, you'll learn how to plan inexpensive camping trips and where to stay to save money. Many RV beginners are nervous about camping without hookups, but this book will tell you what you need to know to be a successful boondocking camper.

Look for this great resource here.

The Next Exit 2019

This guidebook will give you all the information you need to know to make stops along your RV journey.  It details which services are available at stops all along US Interstates. It helps RV travelers, in particular, know ahead of time which exits they should take.

Use this handy reference for planning your long driving days and avoid making unnecessary stops.

Learn more about this book here.

 

Road Trip USA

This book is a celebration of the great American road trip. It is a great source of inspiration to plan a cross-country road trip in any vehicle.

The author lists attractions with local flavor along all of America's highways and byways. There are 11 different road trips across the country outlined with many options for customizing and creating your own itinerary. Suggestions for roadside stops are accompanied by colorful photography.

Those who enjoy attractions off the beaten path will appreciate this guidebook to help plan their RV adventures.

Check out this colorful book here.

RV Repair and Maintenance

If you enjoy working on your own RV and fixing things yourself, you need to own a copy of this book. It will help you diagnose and troubleshoot problems both before and after they occur.

This book is packed with checklists, photographs, and diagrams to help you maintain all the systems in your RV. It is written in easy-to-understand layman's language for the average do-it-yourself mechanic. From your RV refrigerator to solar power systems, you'll be ready to tackle your own RV repair with this valuable guidebook.

Find this reference book on Amazon.

Living the RV Life: Your Ultimate Guide to Life on the Road

This is a beautiful coffee table book that is also packed full of advice for the aspiring RVer. The authors live and work out of their RV and have many practical suggestions for others considering this lifestyle.

They describe the ups and downs of living and working fulltime in an RV. Even if you don't want to live fulltime in your RV, this book offers encouragement for anyone wanting to live life on their own terms. It clearly describes what challenges RV travelers face and shares inspiring moments as well. This book will inspire you to travel and help you use your RV to make positive changes in your life.

Check out this beautiful book here.

That wraps up our list! Which RV books for beginners have you read? Leave us a comment and let us know if there are any you think we should add to our list.