First Timer RV renter needs advice (trailer, conversion, motorhome, park)
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My husband and I & our 2 children are considering trying the RV vacation. I thought we would start off with baby steps and stay in our home state of NJ. Has anyone here rented an RV/Motor home and camped in NJ, say along the south tip in Cape May or even getting braver and venturing out to Ocean City Maryland? Where should we rent one from? Who has the best prices & vehicles? Any tips for the campground?
I would appreciate any advice you have for a first time RV renter.
Can not help on location related questions. However when comparing prices of the various rental places, be sure to see what all is included in the rental price. Some places rates include everything while others have a base rate for the RV and items like housekeeping kits are extra. Mileage fees can vary a bunch between companies.
Here is some RV rental information I put together a while back that may help you...
RV Rental Types
The type of RV rental you choose is based on your personal preferences, number of people, and length of stay. Large RVs can be difficult to maneuver for an inexperienced operator so be honest about your driving abilities. Here's the basic information about various RV's available for rental.
Now that you what is available, and think you know what you may want to rent, read about what we think you should consider with an RV rental. RV Rental Company - What you need to know
Understand the RV rental company rules and requirements before you sign a contract.
Don't take chances, rent only from reputable RV rental dealers.
Obtain a copy of the RV rental requirements and policies about cancellations, security deposits, and additional fees that may be included.
Find out about fuel economy. RVs are great for getting away, and you won't pay for a motel/hotel room, but fuel costs can be substantial...don't be surprised. Don't forget RV parks are not free!
Verify the RV rental contract includes RV rental fees, mileage rates and miscellaneous fees including pre trip preparations, cleaning, reservations , housekeeping kits and generators.
Determine the RV rental dealers policy about reimbursement for mechanical breakdowns and personal expenses during a breakdown.
Where can I travel with my RV rental?
Depending on your destination, you reserve an RV rental in your area and drive to your vacation spot, or fly to your destination and rent from an RV dealer there. This is very convenient for those wishing to visit distant areas with limited time. Many RV rental dealers in popular locations offer fly and drive packages. RV rental companies require proof of age, and minimum age requirements can vary by state. Make sure you don't get to where you are renting only to find that you're not old enough to rent an RV. Of course a valid driver's license and a major credit card are required.
I've Never Done This Before!
Not to worry. Every RV camper has to start somewhere! Most RV rental companies give test drives and information that help inexperienced operators feel comfortable behind the wheel. RVs include automatic transmissions, power steering and power brakes. The systems will be explained completely to you, so you should feel like a veteran RVer when you drive off the lot.
What supplies do I need to bring for my RV rental?
Bring your own bedding (check with the rental company for bed sizes) and towels. You can use this RV Checklist Section to help you determine what you may want to bring on your trip. It's a lot less expensive to take what you want than to buy it on the road. We've seen several folks over the years that forgot to bring such basics as soap and toothbrushes. Most RV rental companies offer housekeeping packages which include pots, pans, dishes, and silverware.
What kind of insurance do I need for my RV rental?
If you already have an auto insurance policy, your RV rental may be covered, but check with your insurance agent to see if you need to add an RV rental policy to your auto insurance policy. You may need to purchase additional RV insurance coverage from the RV rental company.
RV Rental Companies
RV rentals are available from thousands of sources throughout the world. How you find a reputable RV rental dealer can be quite easy once you know what type RV rental unit you want, and where you want to rent it.
We'll not go into RV rentals outside North America...there are just too many possibilities for us to address here. However, the USA and Canada have wonderful RV rental units available for just about anywhere you might wish to travel. Consider a fly and drive vacation to Alaska or Canada for a trip of a lifetime. How about taking the family to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, where you will have opportunities to see some of the USA's most visited areas?
Three Possibilities for Rentals
CruiseAmerica.com is the worlds largest RV rental dealer. With different size RV rental units available at numerous rental outlets, you'll have little trouble finding exactly the RV to fill your recreation needs.
(http://webres.cruiseamerica.com/partner/res.html?iata=1748 - broken link)GetRV.com offers privately owned motor homes throughout the USA. Get immediate reservation confirmation, along with detailed descriptions of units available and their pictures. Some of the nicest RV rental units available.
ElMonteRV.com is another nationwide RV rental company. Class A and C motor homes are available, as well as 5th wheel trailers suitable for temporary housing.
I wish you the best of luck. Our first experience renting an RV was also our last. The good news is that we learned what we didn't want when we were looking to buy.
We rented from Cruise America in the Ft Myers FL area and got one of the smaller cab-over units. What a beast to drive and it was dirty too, ants making a steady stream up the wall. Now true that ants are a problem in Florida but this unit was not in good condition. We even had mechanical problems and there was no local help when we called the help number, it goes to a national call center.
Later that year we purchased a Roadtrek Adventurous after spending weeks researching and then 5 hours at the local dealer, walking through every RV we were considering, including laying down in the extended bed to see if it was big enough for comfort.
As a renter you need to go to the rental place in advance and LOOK to see what condition they are in. You will not be able to reserve a particluar vehicle but if you are there the earliest you could refuse one and get another, something not possible for us due to low inventory. We would have had to get a BIGGER RV and that was not what we wanted to drive as the first timers we were.
We love RV'ing (now) in our Roadtrek (diesel-23mpg) visiting Florida State parks and have visited NCarolina, Tennessee, Texas, MS, Alabama, SCarolina. This summer we're headed to NY State. It's a great way to see more of the US than chain motels.
Hope your rental experience is better than ours but don't let it stop you if it's bad.
I clicked onto one of the rental sites posted above to check and compare on a vacation beach rental at Edisto Beach State Park (sleepy secluded beach town an hour from CharlestonSC). Renting out of Charleston, I would use it as a destination basically, not a rolling room. A modest cab-over type that requires no special license, NO PETS, and camping fees not included was $1700 a week.
Day-um, I reckon I'll just rent a beachfront with my little pooch and drive the sedan...
I clicked onto one of the rental sites posted above to check and compare on a vacation beach rental at Edisto Beach State Park (sleepy secluded beach town an hour from CharlestonSC). Renting out of Charleston, I would use it as a destination basically, not a rolling room. A modest cab-over type that requires no special license, NO PETS, and camping fees not included was $1700 a week.
Day-um, I reckon I'll just rent a beachfront with my little pooch and drive the sedan...
I clicked onto one of the rental sites posted above to check and compare on a vacation beach rental at Edisto Beach State Park (sleepy secluded beach town an hour from CharlestonSC). Renting out of Charleston, I would use it as a destination basically, not a rolling room. A modest cab-over type that requires no special license, NO PETS, and camping fees not included was $1700 a week.
Day-um, I reckon I'll just rent a beachfront with my little pooch and drive the sedan...
Wow! I sold my last cab-over for less than that! (Of course, it didn't include the truck.)
Renting is usually pretty expensive. I rented from a local dealer about 18 years ago. The price was reasonable, but I got stuck a couple times when the battery went dead. I finally bought a new battery and took the cost off the rent. It was fun, and we learned a little about what we didn't want to buy.
Then another time some friends and I rented a motorhome on a trip to Alaska. We flew up, so we'd have needed to rent a car and pay room rents. In that case it was cheaper to rent the motorhome. It was great! We were able to boondock right next to rivers' edge, so fishing was only steps away each morning. And when we moved to another area, we had lots of room to roam, play cards, etc., while the driver took care of mundane stuff, such as driving. It was cheaper than renting a car and paying for rooms, and it was a much nicer way to travel.
Yeah, I'm interested in this RV life, just thought I could rent one close to a destination, drive it an hour or two, park it, set it up, and check out how it is to RV camp. Get my feet wet, so to speak, with the state park lifestyle as well as learning the ropes on an RV. It is cheaper, more convenient, and more privacy just continue to rent a beachfront though, it seems.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Originally Posted by imagardener
Our Roadtrek 20' diesel van gets 23 mpg . Great for camping as well as around town. parks in a regular parking space too.
As a 'diesel-head' I wanted a 'Sprinter', but couldn't get into a new camper conversion for under $58k, so settled for a 20 mpg 'gas' Rialta in the $20k range.Rialta Heaven (there are some for rent on Craigslist; San Diego and Portland on West coast, haven't checked east coast.)
It is really roomy for 1 or 2 people, and the large rear window backed up to the beach makes a nice mobile 'cabin' for the 200+ days of rainy PNW weather.
I actually prefer to travel in my 52 mpg Passat and stay in private guest homes for $15 / night. But SO likes to camp... so...
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