RV Newbie? Let’s Get This Show On The Road!

Ready to vacation, but on your terms? RV travel has spiked in popularity since the pandemic and shows no signs of slowing. If you’re new to this sort of getaway, a good way to learn the ropes is to rent. Beyond the big box agencies, there are now peer-to-peer RV rental sites. like RVshare, where privately-owned RV’s are up for rent, allowing newbies to sample the lifestyle, at an often more affordable rate. 

Map Out Interests

The options of where to go are endless, which can make it seem overwhelming. But there’s an incredibly easy way to start. Simply ask this: What do I like to do? The beauty of an RV trip is that it can be built around you and your fellow travelers’ interests. History buff? Foodie? Wildlife? Baseball stadiums? Haunted houses? There are beautiful and interesting drives in every state. Looking for an epic cross-country trek on a traditional American roadway? Check out Route 66 or the Pacific Coast highway. Map out your route based on what you want to see along the way, because traveling by RV means the journey is part of the vacation.

Research

There are plenty of books that offer trip ideas from Lonely Planet’s Guide to the USA’s Best Trip, to Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America’s Two-Lane Highways by Jamie Jensen, and Reader’s Digest’s Guide to The Most Scenic Drives in America. Think of your bucket list destinations. Chat with your family about theirs. And don’t limit yourself to the big, obvious ones. Sure you may want to see the sunset over the Grand Canyon, but maybe you’ve also always wanted to eat a Georgia peach, in Georgia. Make a list of big and small things to fill that bucket. 

Time the Trip, Set a Budget 

Consider seasonal festivals, shows, or activities to build your trip around. This is important when picking the always-popular National parks where many activities are weather contingent. Make sure you take time to research the campgrounds. With high demand, prices are climbing to as high as 75 dollars a night, sometimes more depending on your destination. 

You can get half off at nearly 19 hundred campgrounds across the US, Mexico and Canada by becoming a member of Passport America. 

Check out the rest of the article from the Lincoln Star Journal here.