(Spoiler: You definitely left something open.)

You’re ready to hit the road.
You’ve got your route, your coffee, your Spotify playlist queued.
But as soon as you pull out of the site…

“Wait. Did I close the roof vent?”

“Did we lock the fridge?”

“Is the dog still inside?”

Welcome to departure panic—a sacred RV tradition.

Even with 12 checklists and a laminated flowchart, there's always one thing that makes you stop mid-drive and mutter, "I swear I did that… didn’t I?"

So here it is: your no-BS, sanity-saving RV Departure Checklist, built for real life, real rigs, and the mental gymnastics of mobile living.

🚐 Exterior Walk-Around (A.K.A. “The Victory Lap”)

  • ✅ Antennas down

  • ✅ Steps up (manual AND electric)

  • ✅ Leveling blocks packed

  • ✅ Stabilizers raised

  • ✅ Tire pressure checked

  • ✅ Chocks removed

  • ✅ Bay doors latched (all the way, not “it clicked once”)

🎯 Pro tip: Do this walk around twice. Once before coffee. Once after.

🔌 Hookups & Utilities

  • ✅ Power cord unplugged and stowed

  • ✅ Water hose disconnected and drained

  • ✅ Sewer hose flushed, capped, and stored (bonus if it’s not dripping)

  • ✅ Black/grey tanks dumped (if needed)

  • ✅ Surge protector packed up (yes, even the expensive one)

  • ✅ Propane turned off at the tank (unless you're running the fridge)

🧠 The goal: nothing dragging, nothing leaking, nothing sparking.

🪟 Interior Check (The “Shake Test” Pass)

  • ✅ Roof vents closed and locked

  • ✅ Windows closed and latched

  • ✅ Cabinet doors latched

  • ✅ Shower door secured

  • ✅ TV and electronics stowed or strapped

  • ✅ Toilet seat down (trust us on this one)

🎯 Bonus: Fridge locked shut, unless you enjoy cleaning up mustard and cold cuts at your next fuel stop.

🪑 Loose Items Locked Down

  • ✅ Chairs folded and stowed

  • ✅ Coffee maker and appliances unplugged

  • ✅ Rugs rolled up

  • ✅ Pets secured (not roaming, not co-piloting)

  • ✅ Trash emptied (nothing like discovering hot bin soup 80 miles later)

🧠 If it can roll, rattle, slam, or fly—it needs to be strapped, stored, or sacrificed.

🧠 The “Don’t Forget This” Section

  • ✅ Keys (all of them)

  • ✅ Wallet / phone / charger

  • ✅ Paper maps or backup nav

  • ✅ Park pass / gate code

  • ✅ Last-minute site sweep (check under the picnic table and in the fire ring—you’d be surprised)

🎯 And of course, one final fridge check. Because the one time you don’t…

💬 Final Thoughts

You won’t always remember everything.
But with a solid departure routine, you’ll forget less—and stress way less.

So next time you pull out of the campground and wonder, “Did I shut the bathroom skylight?”...
You can smile, take a sip of coffee, and say:
“Yes. Yes, I did.”

(Probably.)

🐟 Want to avoid sites with tricky angles, sloped exits, or tree branches just waiting to ruin your day?
Use Campground Views to preview your departure route before you even arrive—so setup and teardown are smooth from start to finish.

🔗 Follow us for more real-life RV checklists, setup hacks, and travel sanity savers—because the only thing you should leave behind… is stress.