Ready to be a Full Timer? Here are Some Tips!

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If you’re ready to sell the house or drop the lease in lieu of traveling around the country full time in your RV, PleasureLand RV Center is a great place to start. Before you leave it all behind to hit the road, you must plan everything out, as this is a huge change, especially if you have a large home full of furniture and memories.

Tip #1

Take your RV to PleasureLand RV Center to make sure everything is working properly, especially the brakes and the wheel bearings. Make sure the tires are good enough to take a long trip. Make sure all the things inside the RV are working properly — the hot water heater, the air conditioning, the heater, the stove, refrigerator, shower, toilet and the sinks. In the event that you stay at a place without hookups, the water pump should also be working properly, the battery should be charged and the generator should be working properly.

Tip #2

Put everything you are taking with you into the RV. This would include clothing, dishes, pots and pans, kitchen accessories, towels, bathroom accessories, etc. Go through the rest of your stuff and determine what you are keeping and what you are selling. Put everything you are keeping into storage. Be sure the storage place is temperature controlled. Make sure the storage place knows how to contact you. Hold a garage sale to sell the rest of the stuff. Whatever doesn’t sell, give it to charity if you decide not to keep it after all.

Tip #3

Determine whether you want to work on the road or are going to treat this as a forever vacation. Many people start out taking a forever vacation, but then they get bored and find work to do from the RV to supplement their retirement income. If you already have something going, be sure you have the satellite hookups for the Internet or a WiFi connection via your smart phone, or another type of Internet hookup, if your business in online. If it’s not, you will need a small printer to pass out flyers in the areas you stay so people know how to find you to use your services.

Remember, RVing full time is a completely different lifestyle. The best thing is that if you decide you don’t like it, you can simply find a place to stay and rent an apartment or home — or buy another home. Or if you are tired of traveling, you can stay in a long-term RV park.

5 RV Security Tips on the Road

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RVing is about enjoying the RV, your friends and family, and the open road. You don’t want to worry about the negative or dwell on what can go wrong. And you shouldn’t have to. By taking some basic precautionary steps, you can help to safeguard the things that matter to you when you’re out on the road and gain some peace of mind, while still having fun.

1. Keep Your Valuables Stowed Away

While theft of your RV is a concern, oftentimes a break-in will occur simply to steal a valuable item that can be seen through the window. Whenever you leave your RV alone, take a moment to assess the items you have out that may be attractive to a burglar, such as laptop computers, tablets, jewelry, and other valuables. Stow these and similar items out of sight when you leave by placing them in bags, cases, cabinets, drawers, or even under a jacket or towel. By eliminating incentives for a break-in, your eliminate the chances that one will occur. If you have items that can be used to compromise your identity, such as passports or social security cards, consider a safe or lock box.

2. Research Your Destinations

While you’re probably already researching hours of operation, directions, prices, and RV amenities, you may want to add an additional point to your checklist: crime rate. Whether your destination is urban or rural, it’s good to know how safe an area you plan to visit is. Avoiding crime-prone areas is the best defense against burglary and break-ins. By staying to areas with low crime rates, you significantly reduce the chance of being a victim.

3. Lock Up

While it may seem like an obvious suggestion, it can be easy to overlook, especially if you’re having a good time and potential misfortune is far from your mind. Locking up is a simple precaution that you should practice regardless of how long you’ll be leaving your RV out of sight. Even if you’re just taking a short hike or heading to the nearby lake for a swim, make sure you lock up every point of access and double check to make sure it’s securely closed. Take all keys with you and don’t trust a copy of your keys to anyone you don’t know.

4. Ensure That Your RV is Equipped to Handle Fires

Not every threat comes from strangers – fire is a valid concern to any RVer and can quickly destroy your property if you have no plan in place to address it. By simply equipping your RV with fire extinguishers and smoke detectors, you can drastically reduce the risk of a fire getting out of control. Setup an inspection schedule to check that your extinguishers and smoke detectors are operational and effective.

5. Insure Your Property

If the worst comes to pass and your RV or possessions are stolen or destroyed, you’ll want to have as much as possible insured so that you can recover and get back to the life you’ve worked so hard to attain. Don’t leave your valuables out on a limb; rather, make sure they’re backed up by a reliable insurance plan.

Visit PleasureLand RV Center

Come see us at PleasureLand RV Center to see our entire RV inventory or receive RV service.

Keep Your Furry Friends Cool in the Summer Heat

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Summer is now in full swing, and temperatures across the country are rising. Hot summer temperatures can be far more dangerous for your pets than they can for you, so it’s important to keep them cool when you start to feel the heat. Ensure your pets are as comfortable as you are this July with these simple tips for keeping them cool.

Adjust Your Outdoor Time

If you’re used to walking your pup in the afternoon, you may need to change your schedule. Consider walking early in the morning and late at night to avoid the hottest part of the day.

Follow the Signs

Unfortunately, dogs can’t talk, but they can give you a good idea of if they’re overheating or not. If you’re out for a hike, and your dog keeps searching for water or trying to lay in the shade, it’s time to go home. These are both signs that your dog is starting to overheat.

Feel the Air for Yourself

The bottom line is that if it’s too hot outside for you, it’s too hot for your pet. If you’re going to let your pet hang out in the yard, see if you’re able to sit outside for an extended amount of time first. If you’re overheating, your dog will be too.

Use Room-Temperature Water

If you see your pet overheating, you may run for an ice pack. Instead, cool him or her down with room-temperature water and a fan. Cold water and ice packs can cause the blood vessels to constrict, making it more difficult to lose the heat.

Travel in Comfort

Keep yourself and your pets cool this summer in the comfort of a new RV from the PleasureLand RV Center. Stop in and see us in St. Cloud, Ramsey, Brainerd or Long Prairie to shop our selection of the industry’s latest and greatest RVs today.

The Benefits of RV Ownership

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Buying an RV is a purchase you’ll never regret. Owning an RV means more time spent out exploring, more time with the ones you love and more time to relax. When you commit to the RV lifestyle, whether you travel full or part-time, your life becomes less stressful and more fulfilling.

The RV Lifestyle Is Affordable

One of the greatest benefits of RV ownership is that traveling in an RV is more affordable than traveling other ways. Travelers who use their RVs for vacations save big money by not purchasing flights, costly hotel rooms or expensive meals at restaurants. Those who travel full-time have the opportunity to live in a compact space that is far more affordable than the average home. Even utility costs are drastically reduced when you’re living life on the road.

The RV Lifestyle Is Simple

Life at home is stressful, but life on the road is relaxing. The RV lifestyle forces you to live in a compact space with the ones you love. Inside an RV, belongings are limited and time spent together is maximized. Stepping away from your busy daily lives helps everyone relax and make memories together.

The RV Lifestyle Presents New Opportunities

Every time you hit the road in your RV, you encounter new people, places and adventures. The RV lifestyle keeps life interesting by presenting kids and adults with new experiences on a daily basis. You may think traveling in an RV will broaden your kids horizons, but there’s no doubt it will broaden yours too.

The RV Lifestyle Keeps You Active

Traveling in your RV means you’re cruising to scenic places, campgrounds and other recreational spaces. When you’re not cruising down the road, you’re outside exploring your natural surroundings, playing games with fellow campers and embracing the great outdoors. Additionally, the compact space inside your RV practically forces your family to get out and explore together.

Find Your Ideal RV at PleasureLand RV Center

Finding the perfect RV for your traveling family can seem intimidating at first, but our qualified PleasureLand RV staff is here to help. Log online or stop in and see us at PleasureLand RV Center to find the RV of your dreams and start enjoying the benefits of RV ownership today!

3 RV Dinners You Can Make in Roughly 30 Minutes

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The RV lifestyle means time spent with your friends and family in the great outdoors. It doesn’t mean spending hours in the kitchen creating elaborate meals. However, you don’t have to sacrifice delicious dinners to live life on the road. These three mouthwatering RV dinners can be made in under 30 minutes, and they’re guaranteed to wow your friends and family.

1. Aunt Jane’s Sloppy Joes

What you’ll need:

  • 4 pounds ground beef
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1 medium onion
  • 4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon glutamate food enhancer
  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 4 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup water

Cooking instructions:

  1. Brown the ground beef, then drain.
  2. Chop the green pepper and onion, then add them to the ground beef pan.
  3. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the ketchup, water, vinegar, brown sugar, seasonings and Worcestershire sauce. Add this mixture to the ground beef and vegetables.
  4. Simmer the entire mixture for 20 minutes and enjoy.

2. Easy Breezy Chicken Casserole

What you’ll need:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 small can mushrooms (drained)
  • 1 family-size box rice and pasta mix
  • 1 large can green chiles (diced)
  • 1 small can chopped olives (drained)
  • 2 cups (1 full package) Monterey Jack cheese, grated
  • 1 small container sour cream

Cooking instructions:

  1. Cook the chicken for about 15 minutes on each side, then cut the breasts into bite-size pieces.
  2. Cook the rice and pasta mix according to the instructions on the package.
  3. Layer your green chiles in the bottom of a casserole dish, then layer the other ingredients on top in this order: chicken, rice and pasta mix, mushrooms, olives, cheese and sour cream.
  4. Bake the casserole for about 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
  5. Serve with your favorite bread and salad.

3. Italian Sausage Kabobs

What you’ll need:

  • 2 medium zucchini (cut into 2-inch pieces)
  • 1 medium green pepper (cut into 2-inch pieces)
  • 1 medium onion (cut into 2-inch pieces)
  • 1 medium red pepper (cut into 2-inch pieces)
  • 1 1/2 pounds Italian-style sausage (cut into 2-inch pieces)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
  • 1 can pizza sauce

Cooking instructions:

  1. Stir the pizza sauce, oil and basil together, then set aside.
  2. Cook the sausage pieces in a skillet over medium heat until they’re partially cooked.
  3. Drain the sausage grease.
  4. Place the zucchini pieces, peppers, onions and sausage pieces on metal skewers in an alternating order.
  5. Grill the kabobs covered over medium heat. Turn them two to four times and brush them with the reserved pizza sauce every time.
  6. Remove from heat when the sausage is fully cooked and the veggies are tender.

If you’re searching for the perfect RV for the summer, there’s no better place to shop than right here at PleasureLand RV Center in Minnesota. Give us a call, login online or stop in and see us to start your new RV lifestyle today.

Practice Sun Safety on Your Travels

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It’s easy to want to stay outside all day in the blazing sun when you’ve just endured a long winter without much sun at all. And you can do just that if you take the right sun safety precautions. The following tips will help you decide what to wear, where to hang out and the correct sunscreen to use on those beautiful spring and summer days.

Use the Right Sunscreen

Always wear a sunscreen with a sun protective factor (SPF) of at least 15. Your sunscreen should protect you from UVA and UVB rays. Additionally, it’s important to reapply sunscreen thoroughly every two hours and after each swim or sweat. Never use a sunscreen that has already reached its expiration date.

Dress Appropriately

Wearing the correct clothing can ensure that you enjoy a long day outside without ruining the next due to sunburn. Loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts and long pants can protect you from the sun’s harmful rays. Keep in mind that a wet T-shirt provides much less protection than a dry one. Include a hat with a wide brim to protect your ears, neck, head and face, and you’ll be properly protected from the sun and able to enjoy much more time outdoors.

Seek Shade When Needed

Long hours in the sun can easily drain your energy, so it’s important to seek shade whenever possible. Find a comfortable spot under an umbrella or your RV awning for those grueling midday hours. It’s important to wear your protective clothing or sunscreen whenever you go outside in the year’s warmest months, whether you’ll be spending most of your time in the shade or not.

Find Your New RV for Summer at PleasureLand

Searching for a new RV this summer? You can find an RV that will help you spend more time outside than ever right here at the PleasureLand RV Centers throughout Minnesota.

Important Information for Our Canadian Buyers

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The PleasureLand RV Centers throughout Minnesota welcome Canadian buyers, and we make the RV purchasing process as easy as one, two, three. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will explain everything you need to do when purchasing your RV and returning it to your home in Canada. We make the RV purchasing process stress free for our friends above the boarder, and we offer our RVs at a fraction of the price of many Canadian dealerships.

What We Will Do For You

When you purchase your RV at the PleasureLand RV Center, we’ll provide a completed copy of the bill of sale and a title for all pre-owned units. Travelers purchasing new units will be given the Manufacturer’s State of Origin (MSO).

You’ll also receive a recall clearance letter and a temporary transit tag, which will be placed on your RV to allow you time to take your RV across the border. The permit expires 30 days after you purchase your RV.

What You’ll Have to Do

You’ll have a few simple responsibilities to fulfill after purchasing your RV from PleasureLand. Our staff wil explain these steps thoroughly and make them simple and stress-free, so all you have to do is show up at the border and present your documents.

Upon arrival at the border, you’ll need to provide proof of insurance for your RV and payment for the border taxes and fees. You’ll need to provide copies of your title or MSO, purchase order and recall clearance letter. The Canadian Border Service Agency will give you a vehicle import form, which you’ll complete at the border.

The border patrol agent will verify that your new RV’s VIN matches the manufacturer’s statement of compliance label, and you’ll drive (or tow) your new RV into your home country.

Start Shopping Today

You don’t have to be here in Minnesota to shop for your dream RV. Simply log onto our PleasureLand RV Center or give us a call to find out more about our massive selection of RVs and the simple purchasing process.

The Best Ways to Keep the Water in Your RV From Freezing

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Similar to brick-and-mortar homes, winters can take a toll on your RV’s plumbing system. Freezing temperatures mean freezing water hoses and compartments. If your RV isn’t already outfitted with holding tank heating devices and insulated water hoses, these easy and inexpensive methods will help you endure cold spells on the road.

Use a Heating Pad

Heating pads come in handy in more ways than one when living the RV lifestyle. Place a heating pad over your RV water pump to keep it warm. Plug the heating pad into the electric supply at your campsite. If a heating pad or electricity is not available, lay a number of towels on top of the water pump to insulate it from the frigid temperatures.

Cover Your Holding Tanks

Frozen holding tanks means you’re left without water, and that just doesn’t cut it when you’re living life on the road. If your holding tank compartments are not already heated, you’ll want to layer your holding tanks with towels or blankets to insulate them from the cold.

Insulate Your Water Hose

Heat tape is a handy item from the hardware store to keep in your RV whenever you’re expecting cooler temperatures. Heat tape is equipped with a heating element that will warm the hose to keep the water flowing freely. Simply plug the heat tape into a standard outlet to activate the heating element. Heat tape also comes equipped with a thermostat, so you can keep an eye on the temperature and ensure your hoses are always warm.

Bring Your RV to PleasureLand

Applying heat tape to your hoses and finding the proper methods to keep your holding tanks warm can be a difficult task. Here at the PleasureLand RV Centers throughout Minnesota, our certified RV technicians are ready to do all of the work for you. Even better, you can rest assured that the professionals have prepared your vehicle for the frigid temperatures you may encounter this winter.

How to Keep Your Internet Connected in Your RV

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Traveling in an RV means it’s time to minimize and cut back on some of the luxuries of living in a brick-and-mortar home. However, there are plenty of luxuries you don’t have to give up, such as being able to log online whenever you please.

Many travelers assume they won’t have reliable internet access when they hit the road, but it’s easy to establish a hotspot inside your RV, so you never have to lose touch with work or the ones you love.

What Is a Hotspot?

A hotspot is the only way to stay connected to the internet without relying on an RV park, restaurant or other establishment’s unreliable WiFi access. A hotspot can be created from your cellular phone or a specific hotspot device.

How Do I Get One?

Cellular providers Verizon and ATT offer some of the widest coverage across the United States, which means you can enjoy reliable internet access just about anywhere. Travelers can use the PDA.net application to tether a phone to other devices in the room, like laptops or tablets.

Travelers should invest in a data plan of 20 to 30 gigabytes per month for high-speed WiFi access that doesn’t rack up a hefty phone bill. Discuss your hotspot needs with an ATT or Verizon representative before choosing your data plan.

Using Free Public WiFi

Free public WiFi can be extremely useful, because it doesn’t use your allotted monthly data. However, free public WiFi isn’t always as reliable as you need. Boost free public WiFi from campgrounds, RV parks or businesses with a WiFiRanger booster. This device improves the signal of free WiFi spots, so you can enjoy more reliable internet access without using data.

Start Living Life on the Road

Full-time life on the road is one of the most rewarding ways to travel, and having reliable internet access can help you stay in touch with loved ones and make money on the go. Stop in and see us at the PleasureLand RV Center to find your dream RV today.

The Benefits of Renting an RV

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You don’t have to be an RV owner to fall in love with the RV lifestyle. Renting an RV can give you a taste of the RV lifestyle before you decide to buy. It’s also one of the best ways to enjoy a stress-free family vacation without the hassle of hotel reservations, flights and costly restaurants meals. Transitioning from a traditional vacation to an RV vacation may seem odd at first, but you’ll quickly realize why RV travel is always preferred.

It’s More Affordable

Gas prices are plummeting, yet the cost of flights keeps rising. Forget about buying expensive plane tickets for your entire family and opt for an RV vacation instead. In addition to saving on flights, you’ll save even bigger on not having to book hotel rooms and cooking your favorite meals inside your RV.

It’s Less Stressful

Let’s face it — flying is no longer fun. Flights are delayed, security checks are annoying and you never make it to your destination exactly when you planned. When you travel in an RV, you can arrive at your destination whenever you want and see everything along the way. Stop for meals, sightseeing or simply to get out and go for a bike ride.

It’s Comfortable

You always feel right at home when traveling in an RV. Here at the PleasureLand RV Center, we offer a wide array of RV rental options to suit a variety of travelers. This means you can have as much sleeping space, living space and cooking space as you desire. Forget about cramming your whole family into one hotel room to save money, because you can have your own vacation home on wheels instead.

Rent From Us

PleasureLand RV Center offers some of the lowest rental rates on Class A motorhomes, Class C motorhomes, travel trailers, pop-up campers and ice houses in the industry. Give us a call, log online or stop by one of our locations in St. Cloud, Ramsey or Brainerd to find out more.