Where to find caravans?

[JCalhoun]

Hope this is not the wrong forum —*wondering how/where people find caravans in the U.S. Is there a web page with these caravans listed/organized?

[mumkin]

Are you from Europe? In the US, we don't use the term "caravan." We have RVs... and they can be 5th Wheels, travel trailers, Truck campers, Class A (Motorhomes), Class B (van conversions) or Class C.

You might want to search by what type you are looking for. I would start with RV Trader.

[<<B-Guy>>]

Originally Posted by mumkin

Are you from Europe? In the US, we don't use the term "caravan." We have RVs... and they can be 5th Wheels, travel trailers, Truck campers, Class A (Motorhomes), Class B (van conversions) or Class C.

You might want to search by what type you are looking for. I would start with RV Trader.

I thought what was being referred to was a "Caravan" in the sense of a group of RV's travelling together - no?

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by <<B-Guy>>

I thought what was being referred to was a "Caravan" in the sense of a group of RV's travelling together - no?

I'm not sure what JCalhoun is referring to. Traveling together is what I thought caravan is. Most people don't caravan or travel together but do meet up at rallys, socials, or whatever you may call it usually in campgrounds. Caravaning might be more popular like going to Alaska on the Alaska Highway. There are organizations and clubs that lead them but I don't know if it is done as a business.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by Davydd

I'm not sure what JCalhoun is referring to. Traveling together is what I thought caravan is. Most people don't caravan or travel together but do meet up at rallys, socials, or whatever you may call it usually in campgrounds. Caravaning might be more popular like going to Alaska on the Alaska Highway. There are organizations and clubs that lead them but I don't know if it is done as a business.

There are commercial caravan companies for Mexico and Alaska. You can get a job being a “wagonmaster” for a group.

[JCalhoun]

Originally Posted by <<B-Guy>>

I thought what was being referred to was a "Caravan" in the sense of a group of RV's travelling together - no?

You are correct — I am in the U.S. — wondering how people find groups of RVs traveling together.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by JCalhoun

You are correct — I am in the U.S. — wondering how people find groups of RVs traveling together.

Here is a popular commercial caravan company...

https://www.fantasyrvtours.com

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

Here is a popular commercial caravan company...

https://www.fantasyrvtours.com

The Alaska tours were longer and involved driving miles and multiple campgrounds but many of the Lower 48 tours seem to be what I think are rallies centered around one campground with organized activities and I assume people were being bussed to events because their were no driving miles listed for the ones I checked.

I don't know if I would enjoy guided caravan tours in an RV. I've gone on cruise ships and will probably go on a European river cruise soon. Last year I went to Australia on a guided trip. I went on a self-planned England and Wales 1500 mile two week trip in a rented car. I've gone on custom planned but guided passenger van trips in Peru, Bolivia and the Dominican Republic. Those all haven't been in an RV. If I went on an RV trip outside of North America I would think I would go on a RV rental trip like Avanti did in Iceland.

We went to Alaska for a two month duration much like those guided tour itineraries but we just had a general itinerary and no reservations or had to be someplace on a certain date. Our itinerary changed often especially on our return trip going On Top of the Word highway to Dawson, Yukon and coming down the Cassiar Highway in British Columbia instead of backtracking all the way down to Alaska Highway. All the pre-planning did not reveal those routes but talking to people in the campgrounds changed our plans.

I do go to rallies, socials and fest in our RV. We have three planned in April and May this year in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

[g1g]

google rv caravan companies. You will come up with several to compare trips, itineraries and prices

[tooTallforB?]

You might also want to check Cheap RV Living, they do have videos and ongoing caravans in the US SouthWest:

https://www.cheaprvliving.com/carava...van-locations/

[mumkin]

The commercial caravans are HUGELY expensive from what I have seen. I know that for years people heading into Mexico would hang out at the WalMart in Nogales, AZ and form informal caravans down into Mexico.

FMCA has a company that organizes tours... again really expensive.

[GeorgeRa]

We are considering taking a ferry to Alaska and driving back. Any experience to share. Alaska State Ferry Maps, Routes and Running Times, Marine Highway, Alaska Ferry

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

We are considering taking a ferry to Alaska and driving back. Any experience to share. Alaska State Ferry Maps, Routes and Running Times, Marine Highway, Alaska Ferry

An option is to catch the ferry in Prince Rupert and stop over to visit several towns on the way up. Costs less than going from Washington and gets you to places you normally wouldn’t see.

[mloganusda]

If you own or have a friend that owns a Winnebago, they have trips every year.
https://wgoadventures.com/

MLogan
2017 Trend
Smyrna, TN

[hepcat]

Originally Posted by JCalhoun

You are correct — I am in the U.S. — wondering how people find groups of RVs traveling together.

Most of the manufacturers either have factory-sponsored groups or enthusiast groups who will caravan to rallies or other places... the Airstream group... WBCCI is probably one of the oldest and most recognized.

Born Free has an enthusiast group that does caravans, Winnebago has a factory-sponsored caravan and owners' group, Bigfoot has BOCI (Bigfoot Owner's Club International)... and I'm sure there are others as well. Some are loosely organized, and some have a strict structure with dues, bylaws, officers, and rules.

You can always start your own caravan group if you have a destination in mind.

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

We are considering taking a ferry to Alaska and driving back. Any experience to share. Alaska State Ferry Maps, Routes and Running Times, Marine Highway, Alaska Ferry

We took a ship cruise from Seward to Vancouver and visited most of the Alaska towns including the highlight, Glacier Bay NP. Since, Glacier Bay NP bay has gone on a lottery system and subsequently we had a kayak cruise canceled because of it. Other than a ship cruise, the ferry is just about the only way to get to Ketchikan, Juneau, and Sitka. I don't know if it goes into Glacier Bay NP. They were all good visits worthwhile. Skagway and Haines are accessible by van from land. We took a detour off going up the Alaska Highway to Skagway. It was our lucky fortune to stay there overnight and catch a ferry to Haines to connect back to the Alaska Highway without backtracking. Lucky because at that time a ferry only went from Skagway to Haines once per week and we caught it at the right time unknowingly.

To answer the question. This short ferry trip on the Alaska ferry is our only experience. We couldn't access our van when underway and being a short trip we just sat in the general seating area. Other than Juneau, Skagway and Haines, I don't think taking your van off the ferry would be worthwhile as there is not much to drive to in Sitka and Ketchikan and both cities are walkable. For that matter all the cities are walkable.

The other town, Stewart, BC/Hyder, AK is accessible by van but not by ferry and the Fish Creek Wildlife Observation area is there to watch the Brown Bears come down the creek and catching Salmon. That was a highlight of the trip.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by Davydd

We took a ship cruise from Seward to Vancouver and visited most of the Alaska towns including the highlight, Glacier Bay NP. Since, Glacier Bay NP bay has gone on a lottery system and subsequently we had a kayak cruise canceled because of it. Other than a ship cruise, the ferry is just about the only way to get to Ketchikan, Juneau, and Sitka. I don't know if it goes into Glacier Bay NP. They were all good visits worthwhile. Skagway and Haines are accessible by van from land. We took a detour off going up the Alaska Highway to Skagway. It was our lucky fortune to stay there overnight and catch a ferry to Haines to connect back to the Alaska Highway without backtracking. Lucky because at that time a ferry only went from Skagway to Haines once per week and we caught it at the right time unknowingly.

To answer the question. This short ferry trip on the Alaska ferry is our only experience. We couldn't access our van when underway and being a short trip we just sat in the general seating area. Other than Juneau, Skagway and Haines, I don't think taking your van off the ferry would be worthwhile as there is not much to drive to in Sitka and Ketchikan and both cities are walkable. For that matter all the cities are walkable.

The other town, Stewart, BC/Hyder, AK is accessible by van but not by ferry and the Fish Creek Wildlife Observation area is there to watch the Brown Bears come down the creek and catching Salmon. That was a highlight of the trip.

Thank you Dave, great info and great shot. I hope you used a telephoto, this bear seems close.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

Thank you Dave, great info and great shot. I hope you used a telephoto, this bear seems close.

Bear viewing at the Hyder USFS station is on a boardwalk next to the stream, up close but not dangerous. When bears are after salmon they mostly ignore people.