Rental car or RV for road trip from San Francisco via Las Vegas to Denver
 

Dear all

I got really confused now. I already posted some questions about our road trip to visit the National Parks (SF-Yosemite-Sequoia-LV-Zion-Bryce-Antelope Canyon-Monument Valley-Canyonlands-Arches-Denver) but got some replies about travelling by RV.

It'll be only me and my son who will make the road trip in June. We want to be very flexible during the trip and don't want to be stuck to a schedule when we feel like staying longer in one of the parks or even leave earlier than planned.
Therefore we thought a motor home or RV (22ft) would be a great way to travel freely.
For 3 weeks RV rental it'll cost us around 3000 dollars.

Now I get a lot of replies that renting a car and staying in motels would be much cheaper? But my question is: do we need to book the motels in advance or can we call for booking the same day or the day before? I don't want to loose to much time looking for a place to spend the night during travelling and I don't want to be stuck to a schedule. Any idea what a night in a motel or cabin would cost?

Camping with a tent won't be that easy as we need to fly to SF and leave by plane from Denver (Delta and American). Unless you have more experience with this.

Another question is: is visiting the scenic routes in the NP doable by RV?

Can you please give me your thoughts about this? Thank you very much in advance.

First time traveller in the US, Jeanique

Regarding flexibility with an RV in the parks, just as hotels in the national parks, camping/RV sites must also be reserved. You cannot count on having site available unless you book in advance. You'll be able to leave early but possibly not have a site for early arrival. My experience in September in a park was that it's possible but by no means sure.

My other concern is that the hottest month in the Southwest is usually June. While I'm sure air conditioning is available in RVs, you may be more comfortable in a cool motel or hotel.

But either way, to stay in a park you'll need to reserve. Outside the parks having a reservation will still be a very good idea. So do consider having a schedule, if only for the nights at or near the parks so, as you mention, you don't spend time searching for a place to stay.

>>We want to be very flexible during the trip and don't want to be stuck to a schedule<<

That seems a nice idea -- but when traveling to national parks in the busy sumer season you really don't have that option. Whether you stay in hotels/motels, rent an RV (or even tent camp in a lot of places) you have to book weeks to months in advance. There are a few day-of sites but they are few and people sometimes line up hours early hoping to get one.

So no, you will not have flexibility. In some of the National parks like Yosemite that is year round - in others mostly in the summer.

Even the towns just outside the parks book up ahead.

Your hope for real flexibility is unfortunately a dream.

(In most cases there are a lot more hotel rooms than RV spaces)

Will you share driving with your son ? Have either of you ever driven an RV? Are you used to driving on right? Your figure of $3000... does that include gas?

I'd think long and hard about an RV.

From another thread about traveling in the West:

You do not have to camp in the national parks themselves. We stayed outside Arches in a National Forest campground to visit Arches NP and Island in the Sky of Canyonlands NP. We subsequently camped in the Needles section of Canyonlands. You might want to check my trip report covering some of tha area (we skipped the Grand Cayon, Bryce and Zion this time around); click on my name to find the report.

<b>IF</b> you have done tent camping, it might be the way to go. You can get basic equipment (tent, air mattress, sleeping bags, cooking materials, etc.) for about $300 at Target, Big5Sports and other large stores of that ilk. These costs will be paid off in a week, even taking into account the campsite fees--as long as you stick to public campgrounds.

Some campgrounds can be quite "primitive" with the camp sites having just a table and a fire ring; usually there is potable water available, but not always, especially in desert areas. And there will be a pit toilet somewhere on the campground. Look at a map and check for the names of the national forests. Each one has its own policy regarding camping, which will be posted on its web site. The same goes for national parks. Here's a sample: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recmain/sierra/recreation

<i>For 3 weeks RV rental it'll cost us around 3000 dollars.</i>

Does that include a possible one-way fee? Same question if it's a car rental.

Yes the 3000 dollars is included the one-way fee, assurance, personal kits, ... , but not included the gas

RV's get about 5 (?) miles per gallon, maybe. And I am guessing an avg cost of gas is $3 a gallon [that maybe low depends on type of gas and where you have to get it]

Do a rough guesstimate as to how many miles your route will include and do the math to see how much additional cost you are looking at.

My other questions still are open:

Will you share driving with your son ? Have either of you ever driven an RV? Are you used to driving on right?

Agree with the above comments: the concept of having last-minute flexibility with an RV sounds great, but the new reality is that does not exist any more in peak season.

I think you actually have more flexibility going the hotel route because you can sometimes find short notice lodging in a gateway town, or even in park. And then you are not dealing with the hassle of driving an unfamiliar RV on unfamiliar, narrow, winding roads.

Hotel cost will probably be a wash if you figure an average $150-200 / night for 3 weeks, so that's not necessarily your main consideration.

Either way you should have reservations. Then the tough choice of deciding how long, and where. But that's the reality of visiting the national parks. Good luck.