states like California are often surprised at how many blue laws are still on the books elsewhere in the country.

Travel Smart, and Safe

Obtain a child's safety ID and have a recent photo on your phone of each child traveling with you should one of them wander off at a campground. Printed photos for ID purposes are still essential, too.

Traveling anywhere near the Mexican or Canadian border? Bring along passports for everyone, just in case. (When in Lubec, Maine recently, we thought of visiting FDR's lovely summer home, a well-promoted local attraction--then realized you cross a bridge into Canada to get to the island.--Editor)

Invest in a pair of walkie-talkies for parking larger rigs. We didn't end up using ours for the Class-C motorhome, but did lend them to others having trouble getting into non-pull-through sites in Class A homes.

Our final bit of advice is to be flexible! Whether you're a retired full-timer or summer vacationer, the whole point of hitting the road in an RV is to enjoy your freedom while seeing this great country of ours. Worrying about a schedule takes the recreation out of recreational vehicle!

Sidebar: The Costliest First-Timer Mistakes

It's an all-too-common mishap: You drive off for the day forgetting the antenna is cranked up, and at the first underpass--SNAP! Veteran RVers tie a ribbon to their steering wheel when the antenna is raised.

Don't leave the RV awning up in a storm!

"Know your height." Knowing your RV's clearance is especially important for those getting off the beaten path, which is the whole point of taking your lodgings with you.

Sidebar: Five Tips You'll Wish the RV Salesperson Had Told You

1) Never wear your regular sneakers when hooking up or detaching the sewage pipe. Keep an old pair in a bag in one of the underneath storage compartments.

2) Open the kitchen cupboard carefully after pulling into camp. (We resorted to a short bungee cord to keep the cupboard door shut while driving, after the weight of some of the canned items forced the door open, sending the contents rolling around the rig.)

3) Use the campground showers rather than the one in your rig. You'll have less mess in the bathroom, and much less moisture in the RV. And with a well-stocked, zippered, plastic shower bag and the proper footgear, you are sure to be more comfortable using all but the worst campground showers anyway.

4) Get out the hole puncher and file all your RV and equipment manuals in a three-ring binder. Keep it inside the RV--not buried in the main storage compartment underneath.

5) Plan ahead for prescriptions. Pharmacies offer the convenience of transferring prescriptions any-where in the country, but federal regulations restrict the repeated transfer of certain drugs. Ask your health insurer for details.

Sidebar: Taking Fido on the Road

Travel once with your dog in an RV, and you'll wonder how you ever got along taking road trips by car! No worries about finding a dog-friendly hotel each night or the sometimes exorbitant pet fees, and plenty of room for his favorite big dog bed from home.

The most important thing to remember when RVing with your dog is to bring copies of his vaccination papers, the name and telephone number of your vet, and current rabies and ID tags on his collar. As with your two-legged kids, a photo is a must should your best friend wander off at the campground.

Speaking of wandering off, a lead that's long enough to let him explore your site--but not so long he'll be sampling dinner from the neighbor's grill--is a must.

Bring more food, treats, and poop bags than you think you'll need, plus some old towels for clean-ups after a dusty hike or romp in the rain. And don't wait until there's an accident to stock a cleaning product like Nature's Miracle.

A non-spill water bowl is a good idea, as is a child-safe mini fan. On a warm day, your dog will soon learn the location of every AC vent in the rig.

Sidebar: RV Shows Offer a Taste of the Lifestyle

43^rd Annual Pennsylvania RV and Camping Show (14-18 September 2011, Hershey Giant Center).

More than 900 new RVs of all sizes and 125-plus suppliers and vendors, as well as educational seminars. Next door to Chocolate World and Hersheypark, too!

59^th Annual California RV Show (14-23 October 2011, Fairplex Pomona).

Green models and more fuel-efficient RVs are among the highlights. Scores of manufacturers, hundreds of models--even an RV-cooking recipe contest.

18^th Annual Atlantic City Fall RV Show (4-6 November 2011, Atlantic City Convention Center).

Learn about popular family campgrounds around the Northeast. Register to win one of three Keystone RVs--or trade up the one you have for your dream model.

More 2011 RV shows and 2012 dates are available online.

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