Thinking of renting an RV? Before you do, we want to share a few tips to help make sure you have a great experience.
First Thing’s First - Know Your RVs
The first thing you should know is that there are a few different types of RVs out there.
Class A Motorhomes are the biggest. They give you a lot of room, but they also cost the most and aren’t as easy to drive as smaller RVs.
Class B RVs are often called camper vans. They’re the size of a van, making them very easy to drive. The downside is you don’t have much space!
Class C RVs are a bit smaller, making them easier to drive than a Class A. But it still has a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen so that it can accommodate up to five people.
Fifth-wheel campers are RVs that you mount to the bed of your truck. They’re a pretty good size and usually have two full-size beds, a small dining area, a kitchen, and a bathroom.
Towable travel trailers are kind of like fifth wheels, but they attach to the towing hitch instead of mounting to the back of a pickup.
Now that you know the types, let’s move on to the next tip for renting an RV.
Consider What You Plan on Doing
How do you envision this trip going? Is it just you and another person, or are you taking kids, too? Will you spend a lot of time hanging around the RV, or will you be driving around to see a bunch of local sights?
This is important because it determines what kind of RV you should get. For example, if you plan on driving around a lot, you may want a Class B or an RV that you can leave at the site while you drive around in your truck.
Find Your Local RV Rental Places
You need to find a place to rent the RV! KOA has a good resource for this, or you can try good ol’ Google to search for a place near you.
Shop for Deals
When you have work done around your home by contractors, do you always go with the first contractor that comes out and gives you a quote? Or do you get multiple quotes to make sure you get the best deal?
We generally recommend shopping around a little bit as you get ready to rent your RV. If you just go with the first place you reach out to, you may miss out on a great deal that another local RV rental dealership is offering right now.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Because RVs are so big and heavy, driving them is very different than driving a small car or SUV.
First off, the wind has a much more significant impact. So if you get in a windy area or a big truck goes by you, you’ll need to compensate to stay on the road.
Likewise, stopping is more of an ordeal. Plan on hitting the brakes early and often - you can’t exactly slam on the brakes because it takes a lot to stop a moving RV.
Take it slow, and you’ll be there before you know it.
RV Waste Tanks Need to be Dumped
Our last tip isn’t fun but needs to be talked about. Even if you rent the most luxurious RV your dealership has, there’s one thing that every RVer has to do that is far from fancy - having to empty the waste tanks.
If you’re traveling with 4-5 people, you should consider emptying the tanks every other day. If it’s only two people, can you probably wait every three days or so. But eventually, you’ll need to empty the tank.
Be prepared! Have gloves, watch a video or two, and plan on holding your breath.
Conclusion
As you plan your RV camping trip, the best thing you can do is spend a bit of time planning everything out. We hope this article helps you plan your RV rental. Have a great trip!
