Anyone ever rent an RV for a road trip? The wife and I will be driving from southern Arizona to northern Indiana for a family event in July. About 2,000 miles or so, we figure to be on the road a couple of weeks or so and "look around" on the way. We are thinking it would be fun to rent a small camper-van type RV for the trip. We could stay at lakes, national and state parks, campgrounds, wherever.

A quick look at rental rates don't really look horrible, around $200 a night or so. Not sure about mileage rates yet, more homework to do. Just looking for thoughts and advice on this kind of rental for a road trip.

Just make sure everyplace you want and need to go to will accommodate the size of vehicle you plan to use.

just rented one for a week ,went from sw michigan to georgia had it for a week,would do it again,we used loves truck stops they have hook ups and rv parking,biggest expense was gas

Buy a cheap one, average size around here goes for $8-12,000, when done, sell it. Could break even except for gas prices. Make sure it’s mechanically sound and good tires, most will have low miles (under 100,000). As long as sold before Dec 31st no property tax.

The 'gotcha" with RV rental is the mileage rates. They give you a small amount of miles a day, then you pay. While you can make it work if you drive someplace, then stay put. But if you're on the go constantly moving from place to place, that mileage fee will get you. Be sure you know what it means to travel in an RV. Short showers due to limited hot water (on some models), dumping sewage, refilling fresh water, RV campsite rental fees and reservations (especially for full hook ups), AC sometimes not cooling the RV on those hot days, etc.
I like to drive and find it far more economical to "hotel camp". Drive a normal sized comfortable vehicle. They can go places and park where a lot of RV's can't. Equip it with a cooler of some sort, and move from place to place staying in a hotel each night. You can usually find a decent hotel on the road without needing a reservation.
There's pluses and minues to everything... just know what you and the wife can handle.

I just did that trip in an RV. You're better off buying one, using it, then selling when done. I started in Quartzsite then spent nights in Phoenix, Camp Verde, Winslow, Route 66 RV park / casino, Route 66 car museum, couple places in Amarillo, Sayre OK, couple casinos that allowed free overnight parking, couple rest stops, state park in Illinois. I took 22 days.

Unless you just want the "RV experience", the rental, mileage and fuel costs will buy you a very nice hotel every night and probably feed you too.

Kevin

Buy an ancient Winnebago and do the entire Rt. 66 experience all the fun of overheating, blowing a tire, no A/C, no shower as they always break down, and cold water!

The only RV's I saw doing legit route 66 were from Europe. One was an Iveco (Italy??) and another was beside me one night at a Cracker Barrel with license plates from France. I did a bit of it but mostly I40 and I44 due to better pavement

We had to go through Winslow AZ so wife could get a picture of her standing next to sign. Mostly a hole in the wall.

I didnt even bother, but thats where the Homolovi state park was, only $15/night. It was good. Gotta take deals like that when you can find them as mist RV resorts / parks are $40-$65

didnt even bother, but thats where the Homolovi state park was, only $15/night. It was good. Gotta take deals like that when you can find them as mist RV resorts / parks are $40-$65

We spent 10 days traveling the southwest, used the wife’s sisters car and stayed in motels each night. All prepaid some like the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley were booked over a year in advance. IMO trips out west or in the east are very different, an RV would be better out west because it’s so open country, back east there’s places to stay on every corner so only a car is needed.

I have been looking into Harvest Host camping, looks like it could be different... https://www.harvesthosts.com/

Those are great if the place knows whats going on. Many times RVers show up and the people dont even know what harvest host is, or where to park them. I have it with the added golf course feature but have yet to use it.

we have had great experences with harvest host.

ask "cousin Eddy"[cristmas vacation movie] for RV advice. i'm sure he would give you the scoop..........
or maybe the esteemed dOc ?

Renting an RV for a road trip is an amazing way to explore! Last year, I rented an RV for a trip to the westgate in Branson, and it was a fantastic experience. My advice? Plan your route but leave room for spontaneity, some of the best discoveries are off the beaten path. Pack essentials but travel light for flexibility. Familiarize yourself with RV basics beforehand, like dumping waste and hooking up utilities. Embrace the journey, enjoy the scenic stops and local eateries along the way. Most importantly, create memories with loved ones that will last a lifetime Happy trails and safe travels!

Sounds like great advice 340. Kind of how I was approaching it in my mind.

RV means more work, frustration of planning around stops and aggravation of dealing with parking and traffic. I know people who used to trailer but they've what you did that they weren't saving anything.

I987 I rented a U-haul RV for a Florida family road trip over Easter with my wife and 3-year-old daughter. She liked to ride up front in Pass seat as I drove. on 5th day of week-long outing, driving east on a 2 lane desolate highway 70 east of Aradia, it was mid day with clear weather but rather windy. RV bounced around a bit. Wife was on the couch reading a book.. Traffic was somewhat light. RV started to drift to the shoulder, so I corrected. RV kept heading to the right, but the steering was not responding. There was oncoming traffic.

Now my right front wheel is on the shoulder, and I am afraid if I hit the brakes, it will veer me into oncoming traffic. We are heading down shoulder at 60mph, wife thinks I'm having a heart attack because I wasn't saying anything, now headed to a lone off road telephone poll, so I timed hitting the brakes to get the RV to veer away from the pole. It worked, but as we flew up back out of the ditch the steering wheel came off in my hands. We are now knocking down barb wire fence posts as we enter a pasture full of cows. My daughter is laughing. The cows never flinched btw, must be common for them. We finally come to a stop a 100' into the pasture. The RV has numerous stickers posted inside and out not to drive the RV off road because of protentional exhaust fires and plumbing damage. So, I decide to get my family outside as fast as possible.

I open the door, oddly still holding the steering wheel, with the RV wrapped in barb wire, and my first foot on the ground steps on a snake, so new plan. Nobody is hurt except my wife got bounced around in back. People stopped to offer assistance. Highway patrol showed up Contacted UHAUL, they said I was not allowed to drive it off road. They would only tow it if I got it back on the road. Farmer showed up and was starting to fix the fence and trap the RV, I don't blame him.

UHaul finally agreed to retrieve it. Vacation was cut short, all the food spoiled.

Weeks later Uhaul adjuster showed up at home and said basically regarding the steering wheel coming off, "don't sweat it, it happens all the time" and only offered to pay for spoiled food.

U Jaul six months later stopped renting RV's.

That was our last and ONLY RV outing.