Five Reasons to Rent an RV This Summer

Derrek Sigler
by Derrek Sigler
(Photo by By Dmitry Pichugin/Shutterstock.com)
If you are interested in trying out an RV, but aren’t ready to buy, you can easily and affordably rent an RV first to see how it works for you and your family.


Another summer is almost upon us. The kids will be out of school soon. The weather is going to warm up and the grass is going to grow, be mowed and grow some more. Before you know it, it’ll be time to load up the car again, drive countless hours to a hotel, unpack for the night, get back in the cramped car and do it all again for the next few days. Maybe this year, you’ll fly instead. Get everyone into the car again, rush through the airport, only to find your flight is delayed. And when you finally do get on a plane, that guy in front of you is going to recline his seat all the way back for the entire flight. Your knees are going to be bruised for the whole trip, but at least it cost half your retirement fund to book the flights and hotel. Aren’t vacations supposed to be fun for everyone? Maybe it’s time to consider renting an RV and going a different route? Here are five solid reasons to rent an RV this summer.

1 – You Can Take It with You

Unlike when you drive your car, or fly to your vacation destination, when you rent an RV, you can take everything with you that you’d want on your vacation. This includes extra clothing, kayaks, fishing gear, the dog and much more. While most RV rental agencies can supply the basics you’d need to enjoy your camping adventure, you can take those things that make your home away from home feel more like home.

Find The Perfect Rental RV For You

What you don’t take with you is the stress of everyday life. Renting an RV means that once you’re loaded up, your vacation starts the moment you pull out of the driveway and hit the road. Renting an RV is different than driving in the cramped car. The kids have much more room to relax. They’re not sitting right on top of each other, so there are no screams of “Stop touching me! DAD!” Everyone can spread out and find their own space. They can enjoy the scenery as it floats by the windows. Renting an RV takes the stress out of traveling.

2 – No Vacancy – Not Your Problem!

(Photo by By welcomia/Shutterstock.com)

Have you ever had one of those vacations where the trip seems horribly stressful and things just don’t go right? Sure, we all have. You drive and drive and when you’re getting close to your breaking point of being behind the wheel, you spot a hotel only to see those two letter “N” and “O” in front of the word “vacancy.” If you rent an RV, you never have to deal with that. In fact, you have the ability to stop and rest whenever you get tired. But wait, it gets even better. Renting an RV gives you a certain amount of flexibility to your travel plans that you really don’t have in other forms of vacation travel. For the most part, you can switch up where you choose to stay with little trouble when you rent an RV. Unless you’re planning to stay in some of the highly popular spots, such as Yellowstone National Park, you can get away without making campground reservations and still have an adventure worthy of your vacation time. Many states allow you to camp on public land for either a small fee, or no fee at all. If you do plan to hit one of the many National Parks across the U.S., go online and check into reservation availability.

3 – How Much Does It Cost to Rent an RV?

RV ownership is great, but let’s face it – they’re not giving them away. While it is fun to have the RV ready to go and you can take off at a moment’s notice to go on a camping adventure, how often do you really get to go? When you rent an RV, you have only the costs of the rental fees, and some gas and other expenses. You don’t have that possibly large monthly payment hanging over your budget every month for years on end. You also don’t have to worry about storing it, the upkeep or the insurance costs beyond whatever you pay for at the time of rental.

RV Rentals For Less Than $200

Yes, renting an RV does present a cost that can be higher than renting a car, or even a couple of monthly payments on your own RV. However, when you look at all of the additional costs of ownership, you need to decide if the amount of time you actually will use the RV outweighs those costs. For the occasional use, renting an RV will often prove to be far more economical while still providing you with the joys and experiences you can only get from camping in an RV. The costs vary by the size and type of RV you are renting, and the duration and time of year you are planning out your trip. RVShare.com has some great deals, too.

4 – The Kids Will Rarely Remember Staying in a Hotel

(Photo by By sirtravelalot/Shutterstock.com)

Unless you’re staying somewhere owned by a big, giant mouse or something similar, most kids will not remember staying in a hotel for very long. However, it is a well known fact that kids remember camping trips. Why is that? It is because camping brings families closer. Even when things go wrong on a camping trip, it is memorable, perhaps even more so.

I remember as a kid when a massive rainstorm washed out our campsite. I had planned to sleep in a tent outside the RV, but the rain and wind flattened my tent before I ever even got in it. I remember when we first bought our RV and the trip to Florida that followed, including breaking down along the highway in Atlanta on the way back. I also vividly remember the first time I slept in our pop-up tent camper. It was in Northern Michigan and I recall dreaming that someone was tickling my feet at night. When I woke up the next morning, I found my feet had pushed out from the side tent and outside, we found fresh bear tracks. I can remember these and other memories made during camping trips as a kid, but I can’t remember anything from a hotel.

5 – Where Can I Find an RV Rental Near Me?

One of the very best reasons to rent an RV is to see if it is for you. Some people think they will enjoy the RV life, only to find out that they really don’t mesh well with it. It is far better to spend a little money and try it out than to spend thousands and realize the RV you bought just will not work for you. How many pastimes can you do that? Not many, for sure. Renting an RV also lets you experience different sizes of RVs in an actual camping situation. That is something you can’t really get from sitting inside one at an RV show. It may seem like a good fit, but how will it be out on the road? There is much to be said for actually using something.

Find A Rental RV Near You

Some friends of ours recently bought a travel trailer. They hadn’t been camping with their whole family before, but thought it’d be a great way to spend time together. They aren’t wrong, of course, but they went and picked out an RV without taking all of their kids with them. The dealership offered to let them rent one first, but they insisted they would be fine and signed the papers. Long story short, I know where I can get a great deal on a hardly used travel trailer this summer. Renting an RV is a great way to try before you buy and lets you truly get a feel for what you want and need in an RV. Check online with RVShare.com for locations near you, or check with your local RV dealerships, too.

Have questions? Take a look at our list of everything you need to know about renting an RV. It’s a great place to start planning out your RV Rental adventure.

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