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RV Departure and Arrival Checklist
What to check before you roll out, and what to do once you pull into a site.
A real, editable checklist below — tick, tap a line to rewrite, drag to reorder.
Tick the circles, tap any line to change it, drag the dots to reorder.
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A neighbour stops to chat while you're packing up, you lose your place, and something stays unstowed. Tony Barthel of StressLess Camping skipped the list while feeling like an expert, then pulled a connector straight out of the back of the pickup truck. The slip cost money and delayed the trip. Pre-departure steps come first below, then arrival. On arrival, RV Depot has you switch pedestal breakers off, plug in the surge protector, and only then turn the breakers on. It assumes a motorhome or trailer with hookups. Routine maintenance and towing setup are left out.
Why these items are on the list
- Check all fluids. Walk through coolant, electrolyte, hydraulic, oil, power steering, transmission and windshield washer fluid.
- Check generator oil level. It sits on the same exterior pass as the other fluid checks.
- Switch off city water. Disconnect it, then reset the freshwater controls to onboard water if your rig has them.
- Fill fresh water tank. One Boondockers Welcome host's checklist adds a capful of bleach with the water. Stow the hose afterward.
- Dump waste tanks. Do this before moving, if your rig needs it, and follow a dump checklist.
- Lock basement doors. Close, latch and lock every one before you move.
- Stow shore power cable. Unplug it and stow it before the rig moves.
- Switch fridge back to propane. In auto mode it should have shifted from shore power; confirm it did.
- Retract leveling jacks. Stow the support blocks and look at each jack to confirm it is in travel position.
- Pull in slideouts. Retract each one and secure it for travel.
- Latch windows and drawers. Windows closed and locked; drawers, doors and loose objects secured for the road.
- Turn off appliances. Air conditioner, furnace, oven pilot, water heater, freshwater pump and bathroom vent fan all off.
- Check tank level indicators. Boondockers Welcome's checklist says check all tank level indications before departure.
- Close and lock main door. Closing it retracts the powered steps, if your coach has them. Then lock deadbolt and latch.
- Pick a flat, level site. Boondockers Welcome's arrival checklist says choose as flat and level a site as other considerations allow.
- Park, brake, chock wheels. A host's checklist says its automatic hydraulic leveling won't run unless parked and braked, if fitted. Chock both tire sides.
- Level side to side first. RV Depot's setup checklist: for a towable, drive onto blocks on the low side before unhooking.
- Use stabilizers for stability only. RV Depot's checklist says never use stabilizers to level; they are for stability only.
- Check pedestal and breakers. RV Depot's checklist: breakers off, inspect for damage or burns, breakers on after surge protection.
- Check site receptacle polarity. Boondockers Welcome's host checklist: check the site's 30 amp receptacle before hookup, if it has one.
- Plug in surge protector. One bad pedestal can destroy the electrical system, RV Depot warns.
- Flush spigot, fit regulator. Run water briefly for debris; the regulator goes between site water and coach.
- Hook up sewer hose. Use secure fittings and a slope for drainage.
- Check slide clearance. Look for low branches and obstacles around the slide path before extending slides.
- Fill water heater first. RV Depot's setup checklist says fill it before you turn it on.
- Check smoke and CO detectors. Test GFCI outlets, check detectors, then confirm slides are locked, steps stable and lights working.
Tick it off as you go, so a last chat with the neighbours doesn't make you lose your place. Departure and arrival checks sit together in one list.
When to use it
Run it before you leave a campsite and again when you pull into the next one.