When my husband and I discussed vacations, we often would talk about how fun family vacations were when we were kids. Ignoring the idea of being cramped in a family station wagon, the idea of hitting the road and seeing things that you’d miss traveling by plane or train was something we wanted to share with our children. This year we decided to take that trip, but we wanted to do it in style. We rented an RV for the first time. Pretty much everyone we know had questions and to be honest, we had quite a few going through the process ourselves. Luckily, we went through RVshare. They helped us with everything we needed to know and now we’re passing on some of those details to you! Here are the biggest and most important lessons we learned when renting an RV for the first time.
Question Everything!
One thing I wish we would have done differently is that I wish we asked more questions before we ended up on the road. We had never been in an RV before, so it was a completely new experience. We chose the one best suited to our family and it was an easy process. We met with the owner and once we got on the road, we realized there were things we should have asked before heading out. We didn’t want to be a bother, but we realize now that had we asked those questions, the owner would have been happy to answer, and it would have made our trip, especially in the beginning, a smoother process. Next time, we will definitely ask any questions that come to mind, and you should, too!
Consider the Learning Curve
All new things need a bit of an adjustment period. For us, we never used an RV so things like hooking up at a campsite or just getting used to the new physical living space took a bit of time. I would say within a day or two we were in full vacation mode. While things took some time to learn and get used to, the more we did them, the easier they became. Don’t get discouraged because you’re doing something new. Give yourself time to get used to the RV and you’ll end up having a great time sooner than you think!
Double Check Park Requirements
Most campsites allow for RVs and will be able to accommodate them with no problem. However, not all roads are the same way. You’d be surprised how many roads are too narrow or there are height requirements that will cause you to experience a detour in order to get where you’re going. Taking a little time to map out the big stops you want to make will allow you to be sure that you can be comfortably accommodated safely all throughout your trip.
Think About On-Site Transportation
This is completely optional, but like thinking of height requirements, a little extra transportation when you’re hooked into the campsite isn’t a bad idea. Most areas will offer easy access to Uber, Lyft, and Taxi services. There are also bike rentals (or you can bring your own!). If you’re hiking or doing other activities in or near the campsite you might find that many activities are in walking distance. Still, if you want an easier trip or want to visit things not in walking distance, renting a car or having access to other transportation will keep your trip moving as smoothly as possible.
Prepare to Have a Good Time
Camping in an RV is more like luxury camping. You won’t be sleeping on the ground, but you’ll have all of the pleasures of nature and the camping experience right at your fingertips. Some of my favorite moments were at dusk, cooking dinner over the fire with my family nearby. The scenery was beautiful, the people we met were wonderful, and honestly, we can’t wait to do it again. This ended up being one of the most relaxing vacations that I can remember!
I can’t believe that we waited as long as we did to rent an RV and take this vacation. Of course, next time we won’t wait that long. In fact, we’re planning our next vacation already! We definitely recommend packing up the kids and some family friends and exploring, whether it’s for a weekend or a full vacation!
Are you ready to give it a shot? Book your adventure with RVshare today!
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