RV State Stickers

[klinner28]

Just a curiosity question for those with the US map on their RVs...

Do you fill in a state sticker when you DRIVE through it or do you have to camp overnight in that state to consider it completed?

[stateboy]

If we drive into the state, it gets a sticker.

[Nathan S.]

This question has been asked before. There are a lot of different answers, some have rules. My map shows Alaska, couldn’t drive there this year but have flown, camped and fished. Intend on driving there when I have the couple months to do it right. I always answer the question with “What are you proud of?” If you just drove through a state and you didn’t feel it counted, then don’t put it on. If you figured on how to drive through Texas from East to west in one day, didn’t spend a night and didn’t think that an accomplishment. Then IMO your being to tough on yourself.

[Cincinnati Kid]

We're doing states we've camped in. In Missouri, we were just barely across the border, but we camped there.

[RedHorse1]

Originally Posted by Cincinnati Kid

We're doing states we've camped in. In Missouri, we were just barely across the border, but we camped there.

Yup, that’s our “rule” too.

[klinner28]

Has anyone here ever camped in a state for no other reason other than to notch a sticker?

[Chet & Marie]

We decided to take a broad view and put on the sticker of any state we have traveled in as a couple over the lat 50 years. I really do not think there are any fast rules so it becomes whatever you are comfortable with.

[Tom51]

Have to camp!

[Cincinnati Kid]

I think we will have to impanel a federal commission to tax, regulate, and verify these state stickers.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by klinner28

Has anyone here ever camped in a state for no other reason other than to notch a sticker?

If we're going to count the state as "visited" and add it to our map, we're going to find an "activity". That's part of the fun of it all IMO. I even have a book that lists "attractions" in all 50 states. I'll plan a route on Google Maps and search the areas around our route for things to do.

Most recently, we visited the Golden Spike Tower in North Platte, NE. We visited Carhenge in Alliance, NE. We visited Strataca Salt Mine in Hutchinson, KS as well as the Cosmosphere (also in Hutch). We saw the "World's Largest Ball of Sisal Twine" in Cawker City, KS. All of those stops and activities were on our way to or from Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills in SD.

Our current rule has been that we have to spend the night in the state. For the East Coast, it will be slightly amended to "we have to do a 'meaningful' activity in the state". Case in point; on our recent trip to South Dakota, we made a day trip to see Devil's Tower in Wyoming. We did not add Wyoming to our map because we did not stay a night in the state.

Our goal is to visit all 50 states by the time our son turns 18. You can see my map in my signature of what we have so far. As of now, all of those states have been visited in our RV (either our old TT or our new MH). But the reality is that we won't be able to drive to some of those states. So we include states visited by any means in this map. I'm not entirely sure how we'll handle the physical map on our camper. We have one, but we haven't put it up yet...

Each and every state has SOMETHING it can log in the "Claim to Fame" column. Finding the "roadside attractions" and one-off activities is a significant part of the fun of a road trip IMO.

Bottom line: Have FUN with it! Isn't that the whole point of all of this?

[Atlee]

Your map, your rules.

[Picinisco]

Seems like just another obsession that I do not need.

[LarryJ]

Have to camp! Would be meaningless without camping within state.....

[Maddiemae81]

I agree with Atlee - your map, you decide when you place the sticker!

Our family agreed that for us, if we sleep overnight in a state, it is granted a sticker on the map. We've gone out of our way to overnight in a state, just to get the sticker on the map (sorry it took so long, North Dakota!). That being said, we also, as others have mentioned, take in some sort of activity, and try to not just make it a one night stand merely for the sake of slapping up the sticker.

Our state map is on the outside of our camper. Recently, we camped near our college age daughter, and she brought several friends out for dinner. The conversation quickly led to the map and the stickers, and the kids starting talking about their favorite family vacations (our kids and the visitors as well). It was so much fun listening to them tell about their various family adventures, and really made me glad we'd started this tradition when we first started camping.

Enjoy the great outdoors! And whether you are a state map sticker fan or not, cherish the time with friends and family.

[TnHiker]

Originally Posted by klinner28

Just a curiosity question for those with the US map on their RVs...

Do you fill in a state sticker when you DRIVE through it or do you have to camp overnight in that state to consider it completed?

It gets a sticker if we have camped in that state. I have a map I put out when we camp and it has started many conversations with other campers. I love my map and the friends we make because of it. You make up your own rules for the stickers and make it yours.

[hussieskunk]

You have to camp to get the sticker. The RV and my head must stay overnight. Otherwise I would have bought one full up.

Plus it's a great conversation starter to tell neighbors where we've been, not all that impressive to say I drove right through it.

[Say]

We don’t have a map yet but before I put a sticker on a state I would have to camp there for at least 17hours, have at least 10gallons of water in the tank, eat a minimum of 2 meals (1grilled) at the campsite, and called one of my daughters while sitting at the picnic table.

[KCSA75]

The stickers on our map represent states DW and I have camped together.

[Atlee]

Here is an example of "your map, your rules". My friend who had an old 24' Airstream kept a map on the outside of his Airstream. For about 6 years, he and a fellow VT grad were able to go to all the Tech football games each year. He was able to put up quite a few states on his map.

When he got married, the old Airstream didn't really suit their needs since it had divided bunks midship and a wet bath in the rear. They got a "new" Airstream which was 34' long with triple axles. A new map was started.

For me, on the other hand, I originally got a large picture frame and placed the map on the window frame glass. When we got a new trailer, we just took the "picture frame" map to the new trailer. We did mark the states we originally slept in while using the old trailer to distinguish which states were in the old Koala, and which ones are in the new Jay Flight.

[norty1]

I threw mine away when I lost the stickers!