Are you ready for an escape? Renting an RV may be the most rewarding and cheapest option for a family getaway. Camping in an RV has many advantages over roughing it in a tent or relaxing in a boring hotel room. As a matter of fact, RVs have grown in popularity over the past few years with many families going on an annual RV trip. Below are J’s Adventures top 10 reasons to rent an RV:
1. New Experience for Urban Dwellers
Friends and family don’t rough it much? Start them out easy by not having them sleep on the ground and with more comfortable bedding. Depending on the RV they may even have air conditioning and heating. At $75 to $250 per night, a recreational vehicle is about the same cost as a cabin or hotel and often a lot closer to the hiking trails, lakes, and adventure of the outdoors.
2. Nature is Just a Step Out the Door
If you stay at a hotel and want to go hiking or hang out at the lake, you’ll probably have to load up your gear and drive there. An RV allows you the convenience of having your bicycles and other gear with you at the campground and trailhead. You and the family can enjoy a campfire only 40 feet away and then retire to a nice hot shower and comfortable bed in the RV.
3. Not Scared of the Dark
Arriving at the campground after sunset can be utter chaos if you’re car camping. Setting up a tent in the dark is like trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle while blindfolded. When arriving at an RV campground you won’t have to fumble around with tent poles and kicking rocks out of the way for your tent; RV setup can be as simple as attaching a water hose and a power cord.
4. You don’t have to hold it
Telling your kids, “Better go before we leave” doesn’t apply when you’re taking the bathroom with you. You can finally take a long road trip without having to search for a bathroom for the kids every hour. Although all passengers should be wearing a seatbelt while the RV is moving, it is a very short stop anywhere to use RV bathroom. Even better, you won’t have to deal with the dreaded “nature calls” in the middle of the night. Having to leave a warm sleeping bag and tent to the cold night air find a place to go really sucks. With an RV the trip will be short from the RV bed to the bathroom.
5. Bring more Stuff
We all tend to pack too much when we travel, somehow a suitcase, or two…. or three, just doesn’t seem to have enough space for all our stuff that we “need”. Rent an RV and you can fit as many suitcases and things as you want; heck, you can even bring bicycles, rafts, BBQ grills, and lighter fluid. Try doing that on an airplane; TSA will have a conniption and you might wind up in Guantanamo.
6. Be Nomadic
When you rent an RV you may have the ability to explore better locations. Many smaller RVs and travel travelers can be drive where you get that perfect view of the sunrise or sunset. Sometimes you can get close to that great fishing spot or bluff on the beach. Better yet, if you don’t like the location you are at, it’s easy to relocate to another spot.
7. Bring your adventure gear with you!
Let’s face it, you want to have an adventurous or exciting vacation. Rent an RV and you can bring the bicycles, canoes, kayaks, surfboards, and just about anything else with you. After you’ve set up your base of operations you can hang 10 on a wave off the coast or go offroad biking in the hills.
8. Hedge your bets for weather
Tent camping is lightweight and if you really want to rough it, that’s cool. But sometimes mother nature plays a little too rough. A good thunderstorm can ruin a car camping or backpacking trip but if you rent an RV you can not only weather the storm but do so while watching a DVD and sipping hot cocoa. You can still enjoy listening to the falling rain; the only difference is that you and your bedding won’t be floating in a lake. If your trip takes you to a colder climate most RVs have a furnace that runs off of propane tanks. It will keep you and your family nice and toasty when the temperature plummets. Alternatively, air conditioning will keep you 20 degrees cooler than a hot summer day!
9. Save Money
Do you have a family of 3 or 4 people and don’t want to go bankrupt going on vacation? The cost of airfare, hotel, and rental car for a family can add up quick. You can also go grocery shopping and pick up your own food. The RV refrigerator, freezer and full kitchen enables you to cook your own meals, cheaper and healthier than eating out.
10. Sleep in. Seriously.
Out of all the reasons to rent an RV; one of the best is just to catch up on some rest. Sleeping in is the great part of vacationing. Kids can often be let out to play and explore the campground and make new friends, meanwhile you can sleep in and snooze a little longer.