Planning a family vacation? An RV might fit the budget

By TOM ZOCCOLO
For The Associated Press
Published on: 07/27/08

Holmdel, N.J. — If you've never vacationed in a recreational vehicle, your first reaction might be "I can't afford to rent an RV" or "They're too large to maneuver" or "I don't know how to work the septic tank."

But RV dealers and rental companies are not going to hand you the keys without some preparation. I rented an RV for the first time last summer, and I didn't head out on vacation not knowing what I was doing. A tutorial before you drive the RV off the lot is the norm.

And while gas prices have made it more expensive to take trips in any kind of vehicle, RVs do come in many different models and sizes — from truck campers and tow trailers to motor homes and even sport utility RVs. There's one for every budget and family type. Winnebago Industries Inc., the largest maker of motor homes, unveiled a 2009 ERA (a class-B motor home model) that gets 22 miles per gallon, while the largest motor homes get about eight mpg, according to industry data.

Courtney Robey, public relations manager for the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association, says RVs can also be a good deal for families. Despite gas costs, "a family of four can travel much more cheaply in an RV than by flying, where you'd have to buy four tickets. And you're not going to be eating out at restaurants three times a day. You're going to be cooking in the RV. You also don't have to pay for a hotel room. So a family can save money in the long run."

Cruise America (www.cruiseamerica.com, 1-800-671-8042) is the largest RV rental chain in the United States. Expect to pay $1,000 a week for a class-C motor home that sleeps seven. Class-C motor homes may also have a queen-size bunk over the cab that sleeps two more.

Luxury rigs run $90-$200 per day; more modest travel trailers run $28-$85. Multi-day deals are usually available. You pay for gas, plus a fee for the number of miles you drive (some companies sell miles as a package). Most rental companies also offer inexpensive packages with sheets, towels, dishes and pots and pans so you don't have to pack all that.

As with summer house rentals, RV rentals often go early. Many dealers have their fleet rented by early spring for summer travel, but you may find deals for late summer and fall. The RVIA (www.gorving.com, 1-888-467-8464) can help you find dealers, manufacturers, campgrounds and general information.

The tutorial you get before driving away will likely include how to use the generator, water pump, water heater, furnace and liquid-propane tank; how to fill the freshwater tanks, dump the black water (toilet) and gray water (sinks and shower tanks); when to start electricity and which modes (battery or AC) to use; and when to run the refrigerator on gas or electricity.

Bob Caldarone, a spokesman for Cruise America, says rentals do not usually include a test drive, but he stressed that if you've rented a U-Haul or something similar in the past, "driving a class-C motor home is no different since the truck chassis are the same, except all rental RVs have auto transmission."

I booked a Midwest trip through KOA (Kampgrounds of America, www.koa.com, 1-888-562-0000). Some RV camps charge a family overnight rate; others charge per person or per child. I found a campground in South Haven, Mich. (www.covert-southhavenkoa.com) near Lake Michigan. We paid $42 a night to stay there, and stored our RV at the campground for $5 a night, while taking a sightseeing trip by rental car in South Bend, Ind., and Chicago. We called the KOA campground with a return date and time, and the owners not only removed the RV from storage but set it up at a drive-up campsite complete with hookups, folding chairs and campfire ready to go.

There are more than 450 KOA franchises in the United States and Canada. Most sites cost $25-$40 per night. You can order a KOA Directory (P.O. Box 30558, Billings, Mont., 59114, $4 shipping, or online) or pick one up free at any KOA.

The KOA Value Kard Rewards program ($24 for a year) saves you 10 percent on KOA stays, provides a Web site where you can track your travels and rewards points and mails you a KOA directory each spring.

Other resources for finding RV campsites include Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts (www.campjellystone.com, 1-800-558-2594, $30-$50 a night, about 70 locations); www.reserveamerica.com, which lists private and government park campsites; and www.recreation.gov, which lists campsites in federal recreation areas. Camping in a national park typically costs less than $20 a night, not including park admission fees.

Woodall's North American Campground Directory (woodalls.com) lists more than 14,000 private, independent campgrounds, service centers and attractions, including maps and rules of the road for each state and Canadian province. Go Camping America (www.gocampingamerica.com) also lists private parks and campgrounds nationwide. A business called Tracks & Trails (www.tracks-trails.com) prepares customized self-drive itineraries for the Western United States and Canada that include RV rentals and reservations.

I also used the Automobile Club of America (www.aaa.com) for mapping my trip, and planned the least expensive gas stops through www.gasbuddy.com.