Airstream Outside Set up

Would you like some tips and tricks for setting up your outside RV campsite so that it’s comfortable, safe, and functional for you? In this blog Paul and I share our complete RV outside set up including upgrades we made on the outside of our Airstream, optional add-ons for the outside of our Airstream, campsite setup & accessories, and security.

Airstream Outside Upgrades

We upgraded all of the outside Airstream plastic compartment covers with stainless steel covers and compartment doors. There is a video linked below on exactly what we replaced if you’d like to get a visual idea of what we did. We didn’t care much for the plastic and the stainless steel is much more durable.

Optional Add-Ins

Outside Shower Clip-We added a clip to the awning arm above the outside shower so that we can clip the shower head toit. This allows the kids to rinse off outside without having to hold the shower head, dropping it, etc. It’s also a great way to give the dog a bath without having to hold the wand and it works great!

Propane Compartment Shelf-We implemented an idea from the website “Air Forums” on how to add a storage shelf to the propane compartment. Paul took a lid from a tub and cut it down to fit and dropped it right down onto the tanks. It’s easily lifts out when needed. We use this extra storage space to hold our quick disconnect propane hoses. This storage shelf does not interfere with turning the propane on or off and is a very helpful hack. Again, the video linked below shows what this looks like so check it out.

Adding a SoftStart to our AC units-Paul added a soft start to our AC units so that we can run both AC’s on a 30amp plug. This also prevents the power surges when the AC kicks on. Another great perk of doing this is that we can use a smaller generator. This is necessary since we travel full time and the bigger generators made for 50 amp RV’s are way to big to haul around. This was a perfect solution.

Aluminum Storage box-We added an aluminum storage box to the back of our Airstream. We use this storage box to store our leveling blocks and chocks. This is so helpful since we don’t have a lot of outside storage on our Airstream. We get a lot of comments on this from other Airstreamers and we love it!

Campsite Setup & Accessories

Levelmate Pro-We use this to device and bluetooth app so that when we are pulling into a new campsite we can see how level/unlevel we are from the inside of our truck and then adjust accordingly. Our Airstream does not have auto-leveling so this app has been very helpful to us.

Leveling-We have several different kinds of levelers and stabilizers. We have easy levelers to help get us level from side to side in connection with our level mate app. We use stabilizer blocks to in various areas as needed including under the tongue of the Airstream. We have flat stabilizer blocks to put under the Airstream stabilizers. We also carry an easy jack so that if we get a flat when we can put one under the good tire which lifts the bad tire off the ground so we can replace it. This is much easier than using a traditional jack. We also use chocks to put under the tires to keep the Airstream from rocking end to end.

Utility hookup equipment-We have purchased several different pieces of equipment to improve our utility hookup system. The first is adding a big water filter and a hose filter when hooking up the water. We also put a Y on the faucet so we can hook up an additional hose to use as needed. This also allows us to let the pressure of the Airstream water hose so we don’t get sprayed when disconnecting it. We use the Rhino Flex sewer hose and slinky for our sewer connections. We use a clear elbow for the sewer connection so that we can see whether the water is running clear when cleaning and draining the black tank. We also use a surge protector to connect to the power box to prevent power surges from damaging our Airstream electrical system and devices.

Outside Accessories-We have a big outside rug that we set up outside our Airstream door to prevent dirt from getting tracked into the Airstream. We setup chairs for Paul and I with a little table and keep extra chairs with us in the back of the truck for company. We have a tablecloth along with a plastic cover to protect it from the weather along with tablecloth clips to keep it securely in place. We bought “table covers” for the extra propane tank outside which turns it in to a functional outside table for guests to set their drinks and hide the ugly tank.

Awning accessories-A game changer for us was purchasing 20 pound kettle weights with tie down straps to keep each end of the awning secure in mild winds. We do not have an electric awning so putting this big awning in and out is a chore. Our awning stays secure with these kettle weights during light gusts of winds and has been one of the most helpful hacks we have.

Electric cooler-We have to have a cooler for drinks and such because our refrigerator is so small but we were always running to the store for ice, even with our Yeti cooler. We purchased a 62 quart E-Cooler from Costcos and this has been so helpful. It uses a 110 plug, has a solar charger and battery that will last 7 hours if unplugged. It can be used as a freezer or refrigerator and has a digital read out with the temperature. It has wheels and a handle, a USB port, and an app for your phone. It has a bottle opener on the back and a light on the inside and a place for a lock. Because we have a solar panel with battery on Paul’s truck we can plug the cooler in the truck when traveling.

Outside Cooking-We have been through several grills including Weber and Traeger but our favorite grill so far is the 22 inch Blackstone griddle. We use this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s small and compact and fits easily into the back of our truck. We have a roll up table that we use when needed to set our grill accessories. All grill accessories are kept in a labeled tub with everything stored in one place.

Fans-We are from Texas and it gets hot so we carry two outside fans. One of them is a misting fan and it has saved us many times from the hot Texas heat. The kids love it as well. It can be plugged into an outlet or run off batteries. For the mister, it has a tube that you can set down into a bucket of water or you can attach the hose directly to the fan. Our other fan is a blower we got from Costco’s and it’s compact but puts out a lot of air.

Bluetooth Speaker-We use an AmpDaddy Bluetooth speaker that has a clip we can attach directly to our awning. You can also attach it to your golf cart or anywhere else you would like to take it and it works great.

Gas Fire pit-We purchased this small fire pit from Amazon and it fits perfectly into our truck. We can use a small propane bottle or attach it to the quick disconnect on our Airstream. We’ve had this little fire pit for about five years and it works great for those cold nights. Some campgrounds do not allow wood or coal burning so this works perfectly and can be used everywhere.

Security

Rio link Cameras-We purchased two of these cameras but plan on getting more. They are wifi compatible and come with an app for your phone. The camera has a record option and an SD card slot. It has motion sensors with spotlight and notification options that work with the app. We purchased clamps to add to each camera so we could attach them to our awnings.

Furbo camera-We use this camera with the phone app to keep an eye on our dog, Jaxie when we are gone. It will alert us if he’s barking, etc.

Lighting-We installed boogey lights underneath the airstream to add more ground light. You can pick a lot of different color options depending on your preference. It has a remote control and a phone app. We love the phone app for turning it on and off and setting our different color preferences. We also have different kinds of ground and hanging solar lights for putting around the airstream to add light and we love that they don’t require electricity. A well lit campsite not only gives you more security but also prevents you from tripping when in different areas and landscaping at night.

We hope our blog was helpful to you. If so please leave us a comment below, we would love to hear from you. We’ve also posted a link below to our YouTube video on our outside setup.
https://youtu.be/Kks9ZKXeTG8

Take care friends. Live Simply, Dream Big, and Do Life.

Paul and Amber