Is the future of travel in RVs?

[easyrider]

We don't have a motorhome or even a camper because my wife doesn't really like sleeping in a tent or in the back of our suv. That being said I don't mind and take a Jeep , motorcycle or the suv out for some camping. My brother in law and I were planning a ride to Prudoe Bay but because of Covid 19 didn't go.

I would love to have a motor-home but I doubt that we would use it enough to justify owning it. It would likely sit next to my old cabin cruiser and rot in the sun. I have considered renting a motor home a couple of times.

Currently, we have enough timeshare weeks to gone much of the winter in opulent resorts and not so opulent resorts on the water. That is what we like.

Bill

 

[Brett]

My husband and I have been talking about whether the future of travel is heading to people buying/renting RVs and traveling in that manner vs getting on planes, etc. I told him I'd ask my TUGGER friends what they think. Thoughts from everyone?

many years ago I did some 'camping' in an RV
not bad if you're young(er) but I wouldn't do it again
Try renting before buying

 

[Old Hickory]

No. A standard driver's license is all it takes. My personal take is that it should require a 'skills test' or endorsement- like a motorcycle operator requires, but it doesn't.

Well, that's crazy. Some of those RVs are as big as 18 wheel trucks.

 

[VacationForever]

Whatever the decision, both need to be on board. It won't work if one is not "bought" into it.

My ex-husband's first love is sailing and has done open ocean, crossed continents, loves living on his yacht and enjoys working on it. Right from the time we met, it was never a way of life for me and one of the reasons of why we are no longer together. After 10 years of working at being supportive of him and dreading it the whole time, I have developed an aversion to sailing altogether. He has since bought a 2nd boat which is docked in Seattle where he spends his summers. He found someone who shares his love for sailing and I am happy for him. He also wanted to buy a RV when we were together and that we should travel in a RV to explore the land when we were not sailing the world. RV is similar to sailing in my books and not something that I want to do.

 

[Beachclubmum]

I already “car camp” in the back of my Landcruiser. There are times I can’t get a hotel room (hurricane evacuation) or really don’t need one for a few hours of sleep (driving up to Philly for the U2 concert). So I open up my Costco folding foam mattress in the back, stick screens up over all the windows, and it’s my own little hideaway. I feel safest at name brand truck stops and there’s always an area off to the side with other cars doing the same thing. Plus, it’s handy to have a bathroom and coffee nearby. One day I’m going to take the plunge and reserve a shower at Pilot.

 

[Passepartout]

I feel safest at name brand truck stops and there’s always an area off to the side with other cars doing the same thing. Plus, it’s handy to have a bathroom and coffee nearby. One day I’m going to take the plunge and reserve a shower at Pilot.

Lots of people do just this. You don't have to reserve showers. Just get their 'loyalty' card. It gives you a small discount on gas- and usually free coffee when you buy some fuel. They might charge a few bucks for a shower, but they're quite nice and cleaned between each use.

 

[WVBaker]

I guess I should have also included that we are not considering RVing as a means of future travel (well I'm not). We've thought about it from time to time but I'm of the opinion that it will likely be much more of a PITA than it's worth. It might be a nice way to see some national parks, etc. but in general, I don't want the hassle of lumbering even a Class C motorhome through traffic, worrying about dumping tanks, showering in a postage stamp shower, loading one up to head out and unloading when we get home, all the planning for where you're going to stay, etc.

I think I'm a bit spoiled with nice hotel rooms and timeshare resorts and just can't see the allure of a lot of RVing. As I said, maybe to do some certain trips but as a general way of traveling it's really not for me. My husband on the other hand (who owned an RV with his 1st wife and they had 6 children) likes the idea of having another one and touring the country. Just between us TUGGERS I think he romanticizes the experience somewhat. Now, that being said, he is very knowledgeable about mechanics, electrical, etc., so I wouldn't worry so much about those kinds of issues. BUT, he is coming up on 71 and while he is still a good driver it scares me to death thinking about him maneuvering in traffic, etc., especially since every once in awhile his driving of our Toyota Tacoma makes me clench my teeth. So, I'm really at the point of "No" with an RV. I'd much rather drive, stay in nice hotels, and not have to worry about all the things associated with RVing.

I really was just curious if TUGGERs see an upward trend of people buying motorhomes based on what's happen now with COVID-19. I did see the other thread and am following that one as well to see what people say.

On the way to the timeshare in the plane you can always keep playing On the Road Again by Willie Nelson.

 

[moonstone]

No. A standard driver's license is all it takes. My personal take is that it should require a 'skills test' or endorsement- like a motorcycle operator requires, but it doesn't.

Not if it's a conventional RV. That's part of the issue - a lot of people who are not good drivers will climb behind the wheel of an RV and hit the road with only minimal experience. It can be a very bad thing.
Dave

Actually in many states and Canadian Provinces a special endorsement on a drivers license is needed to drive larger RVs (motorhomes & 5th wheels). The length and weight of the units are taken into consideration.
Here are the states requiring special licenses. https://www.campanda.com/magazine/rv-special-drivers-license-requirements/
A lot of RV sales centers offer driving lessons to buyers who have never driven anything that large before. If they don't have anybody on staff do give a lesson they will know where to find somebody.

I would feel far safer camping in our trailer than staying in a hotel/motel or timeshare right now. At least I know who has been sleeping in the bed, using the bathroom and how well it has been cleaned. We can take all our food with us and don't need to go to restaurants for any meals. It is also a lot easier to practice social distancing while camping than staying at a large resort or hotel. We have 3 camping trips planned with friends for later this summer and early this fall if things open up around here. We can socialize with them while staying on our own site next to theirs.


~Diane

 

[Brett]

Whatever the decision, both need to be on board. It won't work if one is not "bought" into it.

My ex-husband's first love is sailing and has done open ocean, crossed continents, loves living on his yacht and enjoys working on it. Right from the time we met, it was never a way of life for me and one of the reasons of why we are no longer together. After 10 years of working at being supportive of him and dreading it the whole time, I have developed an aversion to sailing altogether. He has since bought a 2nd boat which is docked in Seattle where he spends his summers. He found someone who shares his love for sailing and I am happy for him. He also wanted to buy a RV when we were together and that we should travel in a RV to explore the land when we were not sailing the world. RV is similar to sailing in my books and not something that I want to do.

interesting. I was also into sailing (Chesapeake Bay) and my wife hated it so I sold it all except for a small Laser sailboat.
now there are no boats but we have more shared interests - birds, national parks, traveling, etc
yes, definitely, it won't work if one is not "bought" into it

 

[Beachclubmum]

interesting. I was also into sailing (Chesapeake Bay) and my wife hated it so I sold it all except for a small Laser sailboat.
now there are no boats but we have more shared interests - birds, national parks, traveling, etc
yes, definitely, it won't work if one is not "bought" into it

As a college student in San Diego I took the opportunity to learn to sail for very little cost (subsidized by the university). That led to a stage in my life where I entered regattas on a Laser every weekend. Thanks for bringing back such memories!

 

[WinniWoman]

If it ever comes down to that travel will be over for me.

 

[rboesl]

Years ago we rented an RV for a week long trip to an area within a day's drive. The kids loved it. That prompted us to buy a pop-up tent camper. It was perfect for us at the time. Gave us the opportunity to camp over the weekends and used it to visit locations within a day's drive on the cheap. Day rates for a camper was $16 a day tops. Brought our own food. And there are a lot of campgrounds near major attractions like Hershey, 1000 Islands, Cedar Point, Toronto, and Williamsburg. Once the kids got bigger we sold that camper for what we paid for it.

 

[RX8]

If it ever comes down to that travel will be over for me.

I thought for sure you were going to tell us you loved your Winnibago*

* I know it is Winnebago but that doesn’t quite fit.

 

[PamMo]

We had a Suburban and 29' pull trailer when our kids were in Jr/Sr high school and we loved it! We took them, our exchange students, and their friends all over the US and Canada. It was great having everything loaded up and ready to go whenever we wanted to get away for the weekend (or longer). We didn't go to cities, except for a couple of nights in the Las Vegas Circus Circus parking lot - which we all remember fondly, with a lot of laughter!

I've wondered the same thing as the OP about a possible resurgence in RV sales since the Coronavirus. I think it's a wonderful way to explore the parks and back roads of this beautiful continent!

 

[Ralph Sir Edward]

I think it boils down to personal taste.

Some people like nature in the raw.

Other think "roughing it" is having to settle for merely a 3 star hotel.

Different stroke. . .

Personally, I miss nature in the raw. But then again, I was raised with access to an 1100 acre ranch in South Texas, during all my formative years, in a county that was 60 miles by 100 miles, with a population of less than 1,000. (Had to pack in everything, including drinking water.)

Alas, long gone, under 60 feet of water. . .

 

[JanT]

As a follow up to my original post, found an interesting article about the uptick of RV rentals/sales right now.

People Are Looking To Social Distance This Summer And RV Sales Are Reaping The Benefits

With the Covid-19 crisis looking to roll over into the summer months, people are looking for a way to get away, without heading to usual tourist-filled spots. So lots of people are renting RVs. So ...

www.powernationtv.com

 

[TravelTime]

RV Vacations: The Safest Way to Travel This Summer
Planes are grounded. Hotels shut. After a spring spent cooped-up, many Americans are renting recreational vehicles to get away. Here’s a guide.

RV Vacations: The Safest Way to Travel This Summer

Planes are grounded. Hotels shut. After a spring spent cooped-up, many Americans are renting recreational vehicles to get away. Here’s a guide.

www.wsj.com

 

[normab]

Not for us!!! Even though I read an article about this subject.....

Not worried about driving it, DH drove 18 wheelers when he was out of work at one point when he was young. He is good at maneuvering large vehicles.

More worried about staying married, LOL. We need our own space, especially when we are spending lots of tIme together like on a vacation. That is one of the reasons timeshares work for us, we always have 2 rooms and 2 TVs and hopefully a verandah too. There is no way we would spend weeks in an RV and say it was the best vacation ever.

 

[Brett]

RV Vacations: The Safest Way to Travel This Summer
Planes are grounded. Hotels shut. After a spring spent cooped-up, many Americans are renting recreational vehicles to get away. Here’s a guide.

RV Vacations: The Safest Way to Travel This Summer

Planes are grounded. Hotels shut. After a spring spent cooped-up, many Americans are renting recreational vehicles to get away. Here’s a guide.

www.wsj.com

I read that - but I'm not going to rent an RV

 

[JudyH]

We were RV camping in 1997 front rower at the beach when we let the boys play golf while we listened to the timeshare pitch. And we bought it. My Myrtle Beach tiger trader.
we kept the RVs and used the TS for the Caribbean and Europe.
We have had two travel Travelers and two motor homes. The motor homes were maintenance nightmares. Our current travel trailer was designed with as few breakable parts as possible. We tow with a Suburban.
I see us doing a lot of trips with it over the next years. I am the only driver. I have never had a problem driving these big rigs. Campgrounds were shut down this winter, a problem for people who live in their rig full time. A lot of lower level building, construction, security, oil rig people live full time in their rigs. Not just vacationers. People had issues with their health insurance traveling around.
RV is a whole different way of life. But you always have your own stuff, pets, and things the way you want them.

 

[MrockStar]

We were RV camping in 1997 front rower at the beach when we let the boys play golf while we listened to the timeshare pitch. And we bought it. My Myrtle Beach tiger trader.
we kept the RVs and used the TS for the Caribbean and Europe.
We have had two travel Travelers and two motor homes. The motor homes were maintenance nightmares. Our current travel trailer was designed with as few breakable parts as possible. We tow with a Suburban.
I see us doing a lot of trips with it over the next years. I am the only driver. I have never had a problem driving these big rigs. Campgrounds were shut down this winter, a problem for people who live in their rig full time. A lot of lower level building, construction, security, oil rig people live full time in their rigs. Not just vacationers. People had issues with their health insurance traveling around.
RV is a whole different way of life. But you always have your own stuff, pets, and things the way you want them.

And no CV-19 worries inside your RV.

 

[pedro47]

Personally, I hate to drive and driving a RV from Virginia to South Carolina or Florida. I would need a three weeks vacations to recover just from sitting behind that big steering wheel. LOL.

 

[TravelTime]

Here’s a post I wrote that might interest folks on this thread. I call it Glamping on the Beach.

Travel Plans Summer 2020?

I banked our owned week at Cold Spring, but the other 3 trips for the summer are still on the books. We are hoping to spend a week in Lincoln, NH mid-June, mid-July at Smuggs, and late July heading to Missouri to see my parents. All will be driving trips. I know that the resorts will look very...

tugbbs.com

 

[pedro47]

Looks and sounds good. Plus, the cost is excellent. Location, Location and that Location on the beach is a solid Ten (10). IMHO.

 

[geekette]

I thought for sure you were going to tell us you loved your Winnibago*

* I know it is Winnebago but that doesn’t quite fit.

Way back, we had what some called Mini Winni. I think they eventually did make such a model.