Family Motor Coach Association’s RV rallies ensure that no one has to drive far to enjoy the camaraderie of fellow RVers or to make friends with others who share the love of motorhome travel.

The association’s 2012 motorhome rally schedule also paves the way for new travel adventures ….

FMCA’s 87th Family Reunion & Motorhome Showcase, scheduled August 27-30 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, is Family Motor Coach Association’s premier event of 2012. The central location for this confab – dubbed “Formula For Fun” — promises to make it a major highlight of the motorhome season. Exhibits, seminars, entertainment, area tours, special events and good times will be the rule.

FMCA’s regional subgroups, known as areas, present additional rallies throughout the year. These area rallies typically include many of the same elements of the association’s nationally run Family Reunion & Motorhome Showcase events, in various locales around the United States.

“You are welcome to join in as many of these as you would like during your travels,” said FMCA president Charlie Schrenkel.

Motorhome owners do not need to be FMCA members to attend the international Family Reunion or FMCA area rallies. In fact, owners of self-contained towable RVs will be welcomed as well at the Indianapolis Family Reunion in August, and at a number of the area rallies, depending on space issues, etc. (please check when registering).

FMCA’s first two area rallies of the year — Western Area and Southeast Area — took place in January and February, respectively; so, following is a description of the remaining area rallies for 2012.

This Memorial Day weekend the Great Lakes Area Rally will be held in Berrien Springs, Michigan, at the Berrien County Youth Fair grounds. The rally takes place May 24-28. Berrien Springs is not far from northern Indiana, which boasts great Amish food and crafts and the RV/Manufactured Housing Hall of Fame and Museum, with its collection of antique RVs.

Next up is the Northwest Area Rally, June 21-24, at The Mill Casino on Coos Bay, in North Bend, Oregon. The twin towns of Coos Bay and North Bend both offer beautiful views of the Pacific, and the area boasts beaches, boardwalks, and museums.

Shortly thereafter, festivities for the Midwest Area Rally will begin at the Winnebago County Fairgrounds in Pecatonica, Illinois, June 27-30. Located west of Rockford, Pecatonica is a pretty town that reflects the past with historic homes, a preserved business district, and a local history museum.

The Northeast Area Rally will be held July 19-22 at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction, Vermont. This area rally has a large youth program, which assures that the children and grandchildren of RVers who attend will have a great time. The venue is close to Lake Champlain and is ripe to explore and enjoy. Quilting shops and antiques shops can be discovered during your stay.

The Rocky Mountain Area Rally, also called the Rocky Mountain Ramble, will gather RVers September 11-16 at the CAM-PLEX in Gillette, Wyoming. This RV-friendly facility is set in the midst of America’s renowned wide-open plains and mountains, not far from the famous Black Hills of South Dakota.

The Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center in Shawnee, Oklahoma, is the host venue for this year’s South Central Area Rally, or Six-State Rally, which runs September 26-30. While you’re in town, check out some great museums showcasing art and history, as well as the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center.

October 10-14, visit the Eastern Area Rally (known as G.E.A.R.) at the York Expo Center in York, Pennsylvania. You’ll want to explore the nearby Pennsylvania Dutch country with all of its good food, and stop to admire the colorful autumn scenery for which this part of the East is known.

“If you want to enjoy your motorhome more, plan now to attend an FMCA Area Rally or Family Reunion, for you’ll find them in all parts of the FMCA neighborhood,” Mr. Schrenkel said.

For more information about FMCA’s 2012 Family Reunion and area rallies, visit FMCA.com or call the Events Services Department at FMCA: (800) 543-3622, (513) 474-3622.