RV Rentals - Try before you Buy

RV Rentals are a great way to travel by RV without actually owning one. You can vacation, see new places and learn more about your RV lifestyle firsthand. It's a good idea to rent an RV before you buy.

RV Owners:
If you've wondered about renting out your RV, read these helpful FAQ. Use promo code YRVL95 for a $25 off your first rental listing

Plan where you want to go.
Consider places you want to see, and how much time you have. Check campground locations and amenities. Depending on season, and popularity of your destination, you may need campground reservations.

With a two week RV rental, you might vacation in two areas - and spend one week in each. Or, you may move every few days. Or some combination - it's up to you. We suggest you allow some "down" time with no particular agenda.

Moving everyday or constantly driving long distances, leaves little time to relax or fully explore your destinations.

There are plenty of wonderful places to explore in an RV rental - throughout mainland USA, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Europe, and more!

Remember the interests of everyone going on the trip.
Envision how each of you will spend time. Keep that mental picture handy as you do your planning.

Types of RV Rentals:
A variety of models are available at RV rental companies.

Most rent motorhomes. Class C "cab over" motorhomes are typical, but smaller class B (camper vans) and larger Class A motorhome rentals are often part of the line-up.

Pop-ups (tent campers) can be rented from many places. Towable fifth wheels and trailers may not be as prevalent, but can be found at a growing number of companies.

And many companies rent RV units designed to tow large gear (some brand names include Fun Mover, Toy Hauler and Raptor), which have space in the back of the unit for motorcycles, ATVs, golf carts, maybe equipment or inventory you use in a job on the road. More lifestyle choices!

Research RV Rental Locations:
Are you going to rent near your home? Or will you travel to a pick up location?

When we rented a motorhome for our Nova Scotia trip (to try our RV lifestyle before buying), we rented from a nearby RV rental company...drove it home, packed it up... and headed out on the road the next day. But we could have flown to Canada and picked up the RV there. Personal preferences and budget will drive your decision.

What are you going to bring? This might make a difference in where you go, as well as where to rent. Note that many RV rental companies rent RV livability packages - which include kitchen utensils, pots and pans, linens, towels, and the like. Some also rent bicycles, folding chairs and grills. And some RV rental companies accommodate fly/drive renters by providing helpful transportation from a nearby airport.

• With GetRV.com, you can get online quotes.
  
  
• RV Rentals USA has handy online quotes for RV Rentals at locations throughout the USA. Offering 24/7 online booking, and a wide variety of motorhomes to suit individual needs and budgets.
  
  
  
• Check out Landcruise.com for RV rentals in Canada and other parts of the world.

• Campervan Hire Australia provides fully equipped rentals of Campervans, Motorhomes and 4wd vehicles in Australia.

• Click-NZ.com offers New Zealand travel services, including professional holiday planning and campervan, motor home & rental car hire.

• We recently learned of a company called IdeaMerge. They handle RV Rentals Worldwide, and Tax-free Auto Leases in Europe. See their selection of RVs in the USA, Canada, United Kingdo, New Zealand, Australia and numerous European countries.

  

• RV Rentals from El Monte RV: El Monte is a popular choice for RV trips across the USA. They offer a variety of model types to suit individual preferences.

• Jurnii specializes in helping you organize your next RV vacation. Compare suppliers, and let their friendly reservations team help you.

Will you need a separate car?
if you are going for more of a wilderness camping experience, then this may be a moot point. But you may want a vehicle to get you around town. Remember that motorhomes don't fit in all the same places cars do. You don't want to get all psyched to visit a bunch of places and then find yourself saying, "Now, how are we going to get to that cute little town....hmmmm, I never thought of that".

If you need a car, ask your RV rental company if they allow you to tow one behind the motorhome - some companies do not permit towing, or have limited liability. If you are renting a fifth wheel or trailer to tow behind your personal car, SUV or truck, then you will have your separate wheels for day trips. Other ways to handle this - have someone else drive a car separately, or rent a car at your destination.

When we rented our class C motorhome, we did not have a car in tow. But we planned in advance how we would get around. Sometimes, we could bring the motorhome (it was a 29 foot class C). In other areas, we walked, bicycled or took public transportation. It definitely would have been more convenient to have a car. But for a two week vacation, it was workable.

If you do tow a car with a rented motorhome (or it's your car/truck towing the rented RV), educate yourself on weight limits and safe towing equipment. If your RV rental agency allows towing, they should be able to help you.

Compare - Collect some price quotes and start comparing.

Note what you are getting with each quote, and add in additional expenses you will incur, so that you have an apples-to-apples comparison. Compare the things you care about:
* Can you tow a car for day trips?
* Does the RV rental firm allow pets?
* What mileage is included?
* Add in your estimated fuel expenses.
* Are insurance costs included? What is covered?
* What's the deductible?
* Is there optional coverage available?
* Check your personal insurance policy to avoid paying for coverage you may already have.
* Travel in Mexico or outside the US, may require additional coverage.
* What is the deposit and deposit return policy?
* Are there prep, cleaning or other additional fees?
* What type of air conditioning and heating?
* Is there a generator? A generator may come in handy if camping without power, or in the event of a power outage. Note that generators run on your RV's gasoline - and there may be an extra charge per hour of use.
* How big is the rental RV? Does it have slide outs? It's good to have adequate space for the number of people traveling.
* How many does it sleep comfortably?
* Is a TV, VCR, or Tape/CD player included?
* Does the company's website/literature make you comfortable?
* List other features you like or dislike as you compare rental RVs.

Other tips:

Read the rental agreement before you book the reservation, and make sure you understand the terms and conditions.

Make sure you know the refueling policy for the return, so you don't have any surprise costs at the end of your wonderful trip.

Driver's licenses: For American or Canadian citizens traveling in the U.S. or Canada, no additional license is needed - and border crossing just requires proof of citizenship. If you plan to travel to Mexico, additional insurance and other conditions may apply.
For international visitors renting in the U.S., or for rentals in other countries, ask your RV Rental company about licensing and insurance considerations. In most cases, an international license will be fine for renting an RV in the U.S.

A little concerned about driving an RV? Sure it will take a bit of getting used to. But it is very doable - think how many RVs you see on the roads these days. You will need to rely on your side mirrors - if you don't already use them when you drive, then practice getting in the habit with your personal auto. And if you will have a lot of people traveling with you in the rented motorhome...first take a run solo, or with one other person, so that you can get comfortable.

Pay close attention to the walkthrough of the RV. Your rental company should spend sufficient time with you to explain how everything works. They should run through things like hooking up at a campsite, starting the generator, how to use appliances, and everything else in the RV. Take notes, ask questions, ask to have things repeated. Know where to find the manuals on various components. Make sure the dealer shows you that everything works. Better yet, ask your RV rental dealer if you can do some of these things "hands-on" as part of the walkthrough. This way you'll know they work and it will be easier to remember how to do it the next time.

Have the phone number(s) for the RV rental dealer, including a number to use in emergencies.

If you have questions or need a bit of help on the road, just ask a fellow RVer. If you have never been RVing, the one thing that is sure to stand out is just how friendly and helpful "RV people" are.

RV Destinations: Where to go?

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