RV holidays
 

We've got this vague notion about renting an RV and driving around the southern states for our holiday next year. Has anyone done this and is it a good idea? Are they easy to drive? What kind of places can you stop/sleepover? Are we mad for even thinking about it? Any and all advice gratefully received. I should add that we're from the UK - that may make a difference.

Quite a few folks do rent RV's, but you may want to be aware that they take a TON of gas!

If you have ever driven a small lorry with automatic shift, you'll do fine. Lots of people with no experience drive them. It makes it a little scary on the road when you see how little experience some of them have. :^o

My in-laws own one and love it. You are not mad for thinking about it, but it is not for everyone. Besides the price of fuel, here are points to ponder:

My father-in-law is used to driving buses, so the vehicle size wasn't a stretch. How do you feel about driving a large vehicle, and have you ever? Could you borrow or rent a large vehicle at home first?

Some roads can be treacherous for RVs that don't seem as big a deal for a passenger car. My in-laws tend to read up on the road conditions more than an average tourist would need to. Do not plan to make as many miles in a day.

RVs take their own kind of mentality -- maintenance, dumping stations etc. Also many people do it to cook and make their own food, save money. That does take time, but for some it is more relaxing and comfortable than dining out.

Campers can mix more than hotel dwellers. You will probably meet more Americans that way.

Large cities can be hard to find parking for a true RV. Another choice among RVers is to pull a trailer with a pickup truck or large SUV. Then unhook the trailer at the campground and drive the truck into town for sightseeing or errands. Drawback 1: In an RV, the passengers have access to the whole vehicle while driving. It is illegal to be in the trailer while driving. Drawback 2: You had better be good at backing a vehicle. It gets trickier with a trailer.

In the United States, there are clubs of RVers. Sometimes you can rent a spot in their parks as a non-member. KOA (Kampgrounds of America) is one of the larger: http://www.koa.com/ They probably have their own chat boards if you hunt. Most states have their own state campgrounds, which you can find on the web. Check over their reservation policies.

Summers in the American South are quite hot and will require a lot of air conditioning costs on your part, both while driving and while camping. Consider avoiding the hottest months.

Hope this wasn't too much information....

We did this last winter, if you click on my name, and search back far enough (feb 07), you can find a trip report. We used CruiseAmerica, and while I didn't have any issues with them, I've heard that El Monte RV has rental units that are better equipped.

There are lots of campgrounds, though in peak season the more desirable ones can be filled by advance reservation. The big challenge in driving is the sheer size; height, width, and length. On the road it's not so much a problem, as most roads are scaled for large trucks, but parking and maneuvering in restricted spaces (like a campground) can be a hassle.

Depending on where you travel it may be considerably less costly to rent a car and stay in moderately-priced motels.

It's one thing to travel by RV if you own one - but if you have to pay to rent it, and pay for the gas and pay for camps to park it in - as well as costs to get in and out of any major cities (where RVs are impractical) the cost can be really prohibitive.

Never mind the driving issues if you're not used to something that large.

We have a pickup truck and pull behind camper. We prefer to stay in official campgrounds. You need to check to see what each offers for facilities because you can "boondoggle" it for a few days on battery power (stove and frig run on propane, you have lights but can't use electrical appliances) but eventually you need an electric hookup to re-charge the battery and a dump station to get rid of waste water. Some large stores allow camping in their parking lots but we prefer not to do this. Different states have different laws. Rest areas in New England, for example, do not allow overnight camping but picnicing is ok.
We have traveled down the east coast spending as much time in each place as we've wanted. You don't have to worry about unpacking a suitcase. I love to cook and shop in local stores so that aspect appeals to at a restaurant while touring about.
Stops may have to be planned. Large tourist areas generally have a specific area for parking RVs. Many campgrounds have "pull thru" sites so you don't have to back up. You have to be very careful though because when we were new at this we parked in an empty supermarket lot to do shopping. The store was just opening and we parked near the entrance. By the time we left the parking lot was much more full and cars had parked next to us. We could pull out but just barely. If every spot near us had been full we wouldn't have been able to pull out at all. In the future, always parked at the back of the lot and hoped nobody parked next to us.
Your costs depend on how many miles you drive. Fancy campgrounds can be expensive. I would not rent an RV if I planned on driving around every day. Even if you can afford the gas you have to go thru the chore of hooking back up to electric/sewer when you return to the campground. That's another reason why we prefer a pull behind camper. With a pull behind, however, driving can be difficult in wind and being passed by large trucks. We know people who have been in accidents caused by strong winds. You also cannot change lanes quickly and have to keep in mind that you need more space on the road. You can't stop quickly because of the weight of the trailer.
On the road it can be very nice not to worry about finding a restaurant at meal times. Simply find a good place to pull over and enjoy your own picnic.
But, if you want to see a lot of sites and cover a lot of miles, you will probably be better off staying in motels.

Are you thinking of renting a trailer or a motorhome? The only big problem I see you having is driving on the right side of the street 

We had never even pulled a trailer before we started our full timing journey (we are from New York City), and while it was scary the first few times, we quickly managed. There are a few places (cities mainly) where the roads are too narrow for an RV, but depending on your route/itinerary you will be fine.

In terms of campgrounds, there are state parks all over the country with great campgrounds that are half the price of private campgrounds. They have fewer amenities than the private campgrounds (i.e. pools, etc.), but they are generally more natural settings, campsites are larger, etc.

We are touring the south now, and there is a lot to see. You can check out our route/travels at www.gypsymoments.com. I would be happy to answer any more questions you may have.

Good luck!

There are many types of RV's available to rent. Some are very large and some are small. If there is just the two, and you don't mind close quarters, a Class B RV may do just fine. The link I have listed below is just an example of the several types of these that are available. They are not the most economical to drive but you could expect to get 9-12 MPH from them. They are also easier to drive in traffic in and around a large city. But still parking will be a problem in the more built up areas.

Traveling in the South during summer you can expect extremely hot and humid weather. Anywhere you stop to "camp" you will need electricity to run the A/C or you will not be able to sleep at night. Most, if not all, National Park Campgrounds do not have this available. Private CG's do as do some of the state parks. If your RV is equipped with a generator you will find its use limited in most CG's because of noise.

http://www.roadtrek.com/default.aspx

You could also join this message board and ask a few questions.

http://www.rv.net/forum/

Thanks very much for all the info: I think, perhaps, it sounds like rather more trouble than we'd want to go to. The biggest drawback would seem to be the problems involved in visiting larger towns/cities and, frankly, I'm not overly keen on cooking for myself when there are so many restaurants to be explored.

Still, the wife seems keen on the South, so we'll explore a more traditional fly/drive option. There's a direct flight from Edinburgh to Atlanta. I've heard Atlanta is pretty huge and grim, but it can't be as bad as Heathrow. Seriously, it can't!

If cities are a priority I think you are right in forgoing the RV. If at all possible time your southern vacation for October or November, as the summer heat and humidity is oppresive.

If your priority in the future was a vacation to explore our national parks then I would reccomend you consider doing it via RV. A great time to go is after the crowds of summer leave and before the snow - September and October. We have met numerous foreign visitors exploring our parks via RV. As for cost, with the current exchange rate whatever vacation you chose in the US will be very cheap.

I was going to do this and rent the biggest diesel powered bus type RV because diesel is much more efficient than gasoline. I finally decided against it when I realized that after paying handsome daily or weekly rates for it, they wanted to charge me $3 per hour to run the onboard generator which I already payed to fuel, and other amenities were available only for additional fees.
Also many of the smaller ones have no TV's and are Gasoline only.

I wouldn't do it. You will most likely end up spending more money and it isn't all that its cracked up to be. You will be next to people when you park your RV. Noisy generators running, etc. They are not allowed on some roads in national parks. And since you aren't use to driving on the side of the road that we do, that will be more than enough to worry about. When I have rented a car in countries that drive on the other side, I end up on the wrong side several times. Luckily, I have avoided a wreck. I drive a bus and own several commercial trucks. I would not put someone in a RV without some experience driving something big. A vacation is no time to learn how to operate something, especially in a foreign country. With all of this said, it still has appeal to some locations.

The reason to do an RV vacation is if you want to camp in the national and state parks and forests without roughing it. It is really not an ecconomical vacation after you figure the fuel and camping expenses, just an experience closer to nature. As for the generators running right next to you, I have never camped anywhere that allows them that does not regulate times for their use. As for the cost of fuel, most foreigners would find it even now very cheap here.

Our RV is small --gets 8-9 MPG and presently gas is $ 3.45
Even our size RV is difficult to drive in almost any city and parking is almost impossible..Then if you park in outskirts of city..you have use public transit or cabs to get into town..In my opinion--
to see the South in summer ,you need air condition car, aiGood luck

Well, that seems a pretty comprehensive thumbs down from you guys. As it happens, we would be visiting in the summer, the wife's a teacher so we don't have a lot of choice - AC would be a must.

I have actually driven in the US quite a lot in the past and find it pretty easy. Americans seem to be much more tolerant of other road users than we are here in the UK and your roads are wider and in better condition than ours. Exceptions were:

1. The road from Manhattan to JFK - nightmare!
2. LA on our first visit there. How do you get across six lanes to reach an off-ramp on the other side of the freeway within 500 yards? Next time we hired an SUV, the extra height helped with vision.
3. Montreal (okay, so that's Canada). Because they think of themselves as French, the locals believe they ought to drive as they think the French drive, ie: like suicidal drunks.

Actually, this could be a decent thread: best/worst driving experiences abroad.

Anyway, thanks again, everyone.

We went to New Orleans and southern Lousiana last June - school schedule requires us to travel in the summertime too :) It was hot, but not terrible. As I understand it, if you can come earlier in the summer verses later, you will likely have better weather.

We basically adjusted our expectations of ourselves due to the heat - took things slower, planned more activities in the mornings and the evennings, and not so much in the afternoons.

Having a pool at one hotel was really a plus - we had a pool at another hotel, but there was a thunderstorm, so we didn't go swimming there - LOL.

A/C was a must - we don't use A/C at home even though it gets pretty warm here, but the humidity in the south is definitely something to contend with.

I have always had a fantasy about touring the US with a RV. A few years ago my DH decided to make my fantasy come true. Hated it.
RVing is part of a sub-culture that we knew nothing about.
They caravan together, they talk about their rigs, and the size of their rigs. They travel with all the stuff needed to make their rig a home.
We flew from the east coast to the west coast. A shuttle took us to the RV rental place where I had reserved this "bus". We did not have any "stuff", i.e. pillows, blankets, food. DH pulled the rig out the the highway, where they had consturction going on. Orange cones were flying on both sides.
Tires are located a foot or so toward middle of rig. Therefore, while going up the mountain road to Mt. St. Helen, I thought we were off the cliff. Motel 8 had a better view than trailer parks.
Fatansy gone. He should have tried to fullfill my fantasy years ago.
Hmmmm, do I have any other fantasy he could fullfill?

Regarding airports - Heathrow versus Atlanta. Atlanta airport is a vacation compared to Heathrow - do not worry.

I first started in the RV Rental business in 1981 and quickly became an RVer myself. I can't imagine taking a trip anywhere without my bathroom & kitchen with me all the time. But, I won't say it's for everyone...some people's idea of roughing it, is room service. In an RV, if you want to make the bed, then you have to do it...and it looks like you've had some responses from a couple of those types.

I think that most of the people that say forget it, have never done it, and I don't mean to sound rude, but in a lot of cases, they don't know what they're talking about.

The 1st thing anyone ever says about a motorhome is: it uses too much gas...and it's amazing how many times that person is driving a big SUV that gets 8-10 mpg! If you add your fuel and food budget together, and eat just 2 meals a day in the RV VS. eating in a restaurant, then you will spend the exact same amount of money on your trip! I have never told anyone that renting an RV is cheaper than getting hotel rooms, renting a car and eating all your meals in restaurants, and buying your snacks at the gas station. You'll spend the same amount of money, no matter how you go.

But, just think...you stop when & where you want (thousands of campgrounds to pick from); never have to worry about finding a clean bathroom...as you always have it with you; never worry about finding something to eat besides fastfood at the next exit...as you have a fully equipped kitchen with you; never worry about what you might have left at the last hotel you checked out of...you pack one time when you leave, and unpack one time when you come back. You're driving down the road and get tired, well, just pull over at the next rest area and take a nap! Convenience, it's not always just about the money.

Are they easy to drive...well, there is a difference, and an adjustment to make, but...last year I had a 75 year old grandmother from the UK come over to visit her son's family here in the U.S., and she took her 3 grandsons on a 3 week trip in a 33' Class A motorhome. Now, she came back without a scratch on it...and she was in a vehicle that was 10 times the size of the vehicle she drove at home...and she was driving it on the 'other' side of the road, and on the other side of the vehicle! If she can do it, anyone can...and I've had thousands of European customers over the years with just about the exact same experience.

I'm in Atlanta and with our airport are perfectly located for a great tour of the southeastern states. You can inspect our program at www.lightninrv.com where you can see our units...we have a size for every pocketbook and group size, pricing, FAQ's...and there is a link to my email if you have any questions, great travel information on our 'Travel Links', information on every campground in the U.S. & Canada, and a great list of things to see/do on our 'Special Events Calendar'. Right now we are in the middle of updating the Calendar for 2008's events and they should all be posted by Chritmas, so keep an eye on it.

We replace our motorhome fleet every year with new, fully equipped vehicles...no old stuff! We provide a complete instruction period on the vehicle; an owner's manual & troubleshooting guide; the 1st tank of L.P. & you don't have to refill it or pay to have it refilled when you return; a free prep-kit; trip planning if desired...you tell us what you like or want to see, and we'll make the recommendations; campground guides; and nationwide roadside assistance.

We are not just in the RV business, we are RVer's...we've been there, done it...and will do it again!