Because it’s a small home on wheels, RV travel will allow you to distance yourself from crowds of people and reduce your risk of COVID exposure that comes with other forms of travel, i.e. air/train travel, hotel/Airbnb lodging and eating in restaurants. But there are still risks — especially in public places like gas stations, shared restrooms and picnic areas — so exercise caution.
Renting an RV
To help you determine the RV size and model you need for your trip, consider your budget, destination and the number of travelers. If it’s just you and your husband and you’re visiting several locations and driving lots of miles you may want a smaller motor home with better fuel economy. If you’re taking other family members or friends, you may want a larger RV with slide outs and more sleeping areas. See GoRVing.com for a breakdown of all the types of RVs available.
To locate an RV rental dealer near you, visit CruiseAmerica.com, one of the largest RV rental companies in the world, or search the Recreation Vehicle Rental Association at RVRA.org. Considers peer-to-peer RV rental sites like RVshare.com or Outdoorsy.com, which are usually a little cheaper.
Rental costs vary greatly depending on what you choose and how far you drive, ranging anywhere from $50 up to $500 per day.
When renting a rig, be sure you get detailed instructions from the owner or rental company on how to use the RV’s systems, including the generator, air conditioning, leveling, slide outs, electric and entertainment, as well as how to empty waste tanks and refill fresh water.
Trip-planning tips
It’s always wise to map out your trip route and reserve campgrounds in advance, especially now during the pandemic because some campgrounds and RV parks, as well as local, state and national public parks, may be closed or operating with restrictions.
A free tool that can help plan your trip is Roadtrippers.com, which lets you plot out routes, calculate mileage and travel time and will identify RV campgrounds, points of interest and restaurants along the way.
You should also consider becoming a Good Sam Club member (GoodSam.com/club, $29/year), which provides access to its web-based trip planner, camping and fuel discounts and a copy of the Good Sam Guide Series that features detailed information on more than 12,000 private RV parks and public campgrounds.
Most RV parks rent spaces on a nightly or weekly basis with rates typically ranging from $30 to $50 per night. Some in city and country parks may be $10 or even free.
RV parks can also range from rustic facilities with limited or no utility hookups — as are more often found in state and national parks — to luxury resorts with amenities that rival fine hotels.
For first-time RV renters, staying at a fully loaded RV park or campground with full hookups, a dump station and staff on site is highly recommended.
