Do you travel to athletic events in your recreational vehicle? If that’s the case, congrats: you’ve got the best tailgating mobile. But you were already aware of that, weren’t you? RV tailgating is fantastic since it allows you to party in all your favorite areas before the game while also providing the convenience of having your home on wheels. But since it’s this year, there’s still time to make it even more impressive. These suggestions for RV tailgating could serve as the impetus you need to take your party preparations to the next level.
Whether you’re driving a big rig loaded with brisket and burgers or a canned ham trailer packed with pigs-in-a-blanket, you can rest assured that everyone is about to have a great time, regardless of whether you’re celebrating a victory. Whether or not you’re towing a canned ham trailer is the case.
Suggestion Number One for a Tailgate Party
One of the most important things you need to do to have a successful RV tailgate party at your destination is to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations that pertain to RV tailgating there. These factors can determine how many guests you are allowed to invite, whether there are rules about music, alcohol, or fires, and whether your vehicle will fit in the parking spot. Learn the laws and regulations of tailgating at the stadium. Each venue tends to have slightly different guidelines for tailgaters or RVers.
Likely, the minute particulars you need to be aware of to avoid getting into trouble and keep yourself as secure as possible will surprise you. Before entering any stadium where you intend to tailgate, make it a point to familiarize yourself with the grounds’ policies and procedures.
Additionally, check out some maps of the RV parking and tailgating area. Your neighbors will not be happy with you if you park your RV in their parking area or allow your canopy to extend past the white line. Because there is typically not much room at tailgates, it is essential to show proper courtesy to the personal space of others, both literally and figuratively. Following this policy will help ensure that everyone has an enjoyable time. Knowing how your RV will fit in the available space can also help you plan other aspects of the event, such as the number of foldable lawn chairs you will bring, the location of the grill, the number of people you will invite, and so on.
Suggestion Number Two for a Tailgate Party
Everyone who has ever gone to a tailgate party knows that eating and preparing the food is a significant part of the overall experience. Recent surveys indicate that 93 percent of tailgaters do not prepare their food until arriving at the event and that hamburgers are the most popular grilled item that tailgaters typically offer. The fresh charcoal crackles under your feet make you realize that the big game is almost here.
You may begin preparing the menu once you understand the policies and procedures in place at the location of the tailgating event. Find out in advance whether or not you will be able to bring a generator, have access to electrical hookups, cook over open flames, use charcoal or propane grills, and whether or not you will be able to have open fires. The answers to these questions can significantly affect the food served.
Camping food and tailgating food menus are similar. If you are at a loss as to what to offer, you may begin by thinking about simple camping meals for large parties or outdoor classics that have their roots in tailgating traditions, such as Frito Chili Pie. You may also appease the thirty percent of tailgaters who aren’t cooking hamburgers on the grill by selecting one or two of the best sausages for the barbecue and distributing skewers for roasting marshmallows over the bonfire.
It will be easier to pull off whatever you decide to prepare with your RV kitchen than with just a cooler and grill by themselves. When you have a complete set of cookware, utensils, and ingredients in your RV kitchen, you won’t need to stress over whether you brought the appropriate spices or mixing bowl (or included in your rental, as many RV-share companies do). In addition to the grill, it is convenient to have a cooktop to prepare food such as potato or pasta salad, a batch of chili, queso or cheese dip, toppings for nachos, or some very great sausage mac and cheese.
The Third Suggestion for Your Tailgating Get-Together
The advantages of coming to a tailgate event in an RV are all its conveniences. If you are the type of person who enjoys planning, you should not only have everything that is on your checklist readily available, but you should also keep it in a well-organized location. You can save yourself the trouble of hanging a garbage bag from the trunk of your car or a nearby fence post by keeping a trash can and a new bag ready to place beneath the sink. You no longer must waste time guessing where you stashed the extra roll of tin foil for the recipes that call for it because you know it is always in the second drawer on the right.
And, of course, you won’t have to make do with the single ply of toilet paper provided in the common Porta-Potty because you’ll be able to stock the restroom with the specific brand and size of tissue that best suits your needs.
Every RV tailgating checklist may benefit from one or two additional items. If you’re putting together the contents of your rig for the first time and aren’t sure what accessories or staples you should bring, or if you’re just interested in what you might want to add, here are a few suggestions for your tailgating game.
Seating
Because there is a wide variety of chair options available for sporting events today, choosing the one best suited to your preferred tailgating aesthetic might be challenging. Despite this, a swivel stool that doesn’t use too much room is hard to beat if you tailgate frequently or your home stadium has limited RV places in the tailgating section. But if having a little more space to stretch out and relax appeals to you, consider bringing a camping rocking chair or an outdoor chair with a canopy. These will give you the feeling of sitting on your front porch and will shield you from the sun if the top of your RV only extends so far.
Decoration
One of the significant benefits of tailgating from your RV is its increased opportunity to make a statement with the pro-team decorations you bring along. Flying a flagpole with your team’s name on it lets everyone know who you are rooting for at the game. It can be a landmark to help friends or family find your rig as they hop from tailgate party to tailgate party. However, you can do several more things to show your team spirit besides just flying flags. Window paint, streamers, bunting, balloons, and vehicle brand magnets are all things that can help set the stage for significant togetherness.
Bug spray
If you can’t rely on the smoke from your campfire to clear the air of bugs as you could while you were at an RV park, it’s probably time to break out the insect spray. When it comes to RV tailgating, some seasoned veterans swear by the practice of washing off your camp chairs, canopies, and screens ahead of time. In addition, guests should spritz themselves as necessary.
Sun protection
Remember to protect your skin, particularly if you intend to remain on the lot from sunrise until dusk. Your skin will be less prone to become irritated if you use mineral-based sunscreen, which also has excellent lasting power. In addition, you may show your support for the team by donning a ball hat with the organization’s logo and protecting your back, arms, and chest with a rash guard.
Horizontal surfaces
Whether you’re towing a big rig with a sizable kitchen or a little travel trailer that doubles as a moving pantry and bar, having a cook station that folds up can be a constructive accessory. Because most campgrounds do not have picnic tables, you will need to bring in all the accessible surfaces to not only prepare food but also serve it, set up a beverage station, and keep condiments on hand. You will need to transport all these items.
Yard games
On tailgate day, fans won’t just be watching the big game; they’ll also be playing other games. There is a good reason why lawn games are an integral element of the tailgating experience. You have various alternatives, like giant Jenga, the ever-popular cornhole, ladder ball, and beer pong, among many more. There are also more sedate options for group activities, such as tournaments of cribbage or poker, charades or Pictionary, or icebreakers like team-themed games of Who Am I?
A method for tuning in
It is a good idea to keep radio and walkie-talkies tucked away in your RV, whether tailgating or speeding off to the Grand Canyon. They are accommodating on game day because they provide you with the latest weather information from the NOAA and peace of mind in an emergency. If you have a package like the EX210VP E+READY®, which includes a hand-crank radio and walkie-talkies, you can stay connected even if someone leaves your tailgating site to get more ice. Additionally, the radio will allow you to keep up-to-date on pregame coverage or even updates after kickoff.
Suggestion Number Four for a Tailgate Party
It all depends on the kind of get-together you plan to throw, how much money you have, how much space you have in your vehicle, and how far you intend to travel to get to the event. Still, the possibilities for items you can bring to a tailgate are endless. Because of this, it might be easier to narrow down the options by identifying what not to bring down than it is to put every must-have item into your schedule. This strategy is because it is easier to eliminate unnecessary items. The following are some items that, according to both the regulations and the hard-won experience that we have, are probably better off being left off the list:
Projectiles
It would be fun to play some pickup two-hand touch or Frisbee until you accidentally knock over the solo glasses of another party, hit someone in the head, or get in the line of pedestrian traffic while chasing an impressive thirty-yard toss. Leave the ball and Frisbee tossing to the professionals and focus instead on games you can play within your tailgating location.
Open flames
Even though many venues don’t allow fires of any kind, it’s always best to be cautious rather than sorry. Skipping the campfire and possibly even the charcoal is a good idea if there aren’t any disposal options designed explicitly for ashes and embers at the venue. You wouldn’t believe the amount of difficulty that individuals have gotten themselves into by trying to store coals in the trunks of their automobiles or under the hoods of their recreational vehicles! Instead, you should bring a fire extinguisher and propane if the former is permitted.
Glass containers
A sliver of Glass in your flip-flops is the last thing anyone wants. Glass is not allowed at most stadiums. If the policy is in place at the stadium you are tailgating, follow the rule. There is a significant increase in the number of craft and domestic beers available in cans, and camping growlers constructed of stainless steel are not hard to locate. There is no reason for glass bottles to be used at the tailgate, especially considering that aluminum bottles will provide a similar experience when held in hand. Even wine sold in cans has overcome the negative connotation it formerly had in recent years thanks to the introduction of lightweight pop-top packaging and boxed varieties of the product. And suppose beer and wine aren’t your things. In that case, there are other alcoholic beverages available for adults, such as White Claw hard seltzer and KYLA hard kombucha, that come in cans that are just as convenient for transporting and drinking as they are for drinking.
Pets
It’s probably best if you don’t bring Fido along to the party unless you have a trained service animal with you. Even if she can escape to the interior of your RV, your #Dirt Dogs may not have the ideal time due to many people, the loud noises, the scorching pavement, and all of the activity. If pets are allowed at the stadium, take care not to leave the animal in a hot vehicle and bring enough food, water, toys, treats, and safety equipment for your dog to have as much fun as you do at the event.
Seating Bring several camping chairs with built-in drink holders to your next pregame tailgate so your guests may sit in comfort.