One of the best parts of fall is the arrival of football season, and with it, tailgating season. Here in Montana, football is a big part of life. So what could be better than getting pumped up for the big game with all your fellow fans?
If you’re an RV owner who hasn’t thought about it before, your RV will make the perfect home base for tailgating. It gives you all the necessary amenities and features you need to prepare a huge feast and keep drinks cold, and it even gives you a clean, private restroom to use. We’ve outlined our favorite tailgating tips down below, but if you’re still in the market for an RV or if you need parts in services for the one that’s currently in your driveway, stop by Bretz Airstream of Montana.
We offer the latest models from one of the top RV manufacturers, Airstream, from our Missoula, Montana dealership and service center. Stop by if you live in Bozeman, Kalispell, Billings, or Whitefish!
Prepare Food Ahead of Time
Who wants to spend time slaving away in the kitchen when there’s fun to have with friends and family? You can make the work of cooking easier on yourself by taking care of it before you ever get to the game. Try making chili in a slow cooker the night before so that you can simply set it on warm when you get to the game. You can also use one of your drink coolers to keep food warm. Instead of using cold packs, try replacing them with heater packs. Then put in all your hot food to keep it warm until you’re ready to eat. That way you get more time to enjoy the party.
Get the Games Started Early
There’s no better way to get excited for the big game than—more football! Bring your TV outside or tune your outdoor TV into one of the other games that’s going on. Even if it’s not your team, there’s something exciting about seeing the hard hits, breakout runs, and long punt returns. You’ll bring plenty of people in from the surrounding party who want to watch the games, which makes for a better, more energetic gathering.
Use a Propane Grill for Easy Clean Up
Even if you normally tend to prefer charcoal grills for your cooking, and there’s good reason to do so, using a gas grill has some serious advantages for tailgating. Namely, it allows you to have fresh, hot, grilled food without having to deal with the mess of hot ash and coals. When it comes close to time for the game, you can pack up your grill in no time without any messy cleanup.
Make a Mobile Handwashing Station
If you have a bunch of friends swinging by to share your feast, they’ll need somewhere to wash up before getting started. A mobile handwashing station will allow them to do this quickly and easily, and you won’t have to deal with your RV getting crowded with people coming in and out. Simply place a bucket of water with a spigot on the edge of a table and put a collection bucket under it. A roll of paper towels and some hand soap will round out your new mobile handwashing station.
Keep Safety Equipment on Hand
Tailgating parties tend to be relatively high energy, and if there’s alcohol going around, they can get somewhat chaotic. It’s easy for an accident to happen before you know it. You’ll want to keep all the relevant safety equipment around to deal with anything that happens. Make sure you have at least one fire extinguisher around to put out fires. Keep a well-stocked first aid kit in your RV, too.
Try a Potluck
If you’d rather not deal with all of the work of cooking on your own, try throwing a potluck instead. This will allow you to share some of the work with your guests, but it will also help make sure the menu has something for everyone on it. Just make sure you call people ahead of time, to coordinate what they’re bringing so you don’t end up with eleven packs of hotdogs and no potato chips.
Keep Your RV Warm
When the weather starts to turn in the fall, it’s nice to have somewhere to shelter from the cold. Having an RV around is great because if the weather gets too cold to be outside, you can take the party indoors. Just make sure your RV is warm so that you don’t have to huddle around the furnace vent when you head inside.
If you’re considering buying a new RV, stop by Bretz Airstream of Montana to see the latest from one of America’s top luxury RV manufacturers, Airstream. Missoula is our locale, and we proudly serve the areas of Bozeman, Kalispell, Billings, and Whitefish.
