The word is out – RVing is the hot way to travel this summer vacation. With great RV rental deals and a variety of vehicles to choose from, we’re seeing much younger groups hitting the road in their RV rentals. In fact, noted millennials and Gen Xers now account for 70 percent of all RV users, according to the latest North American Camping Report from Kampgrounds of America.

For many first-time RV renters, they put off renting an RV because they think it will be hard to navigate, only to discover a new, favorite way to vacation. If you’re still on the fence about RV travel, consider some of these unique benefits of RV camping.
 

A Few of our Favorite Things About the RV Life

Traveling by car for days or weeks on end can get old real fast! Think about it – you’re sleeping in a different bed every night, having to unpack and repack your stuff every day, making endless trips to the car for the things you forget to bring in, working your schedule around mealtimes at hotels … sounds exhausting to us! With an RV rental, you have everything you need on hand, the freedom to plan mealtimes around your schedule and the opportunity to personalize the space to make it feel like home. 

Let’s say you really want to unplug during your upcoming vacation. With free WIFI at your hotel and TVs in every room, how long do you think it will be before you’re checking emails from work, flipping on Netflix or looking up to find everyone with their noses buried in their electronic devices? With RV camping, it’s easier to resist the lure of technology and instead focus on truly connecting with your friends or family. Consider a few of these boredom busters [link to blog when live] to help keep you entertained during your digital detox. 

RV camping offers the best of two worlds: camping, with its immersion in the sights, sounds and smells of nature, coupled with the creature comforts of home. You can take advantage of your campfire for some great grilling recipes for camping one night, then take advantage of your RV stovetop for easy eats the next day. 
 

Reconnect with nature and your travel buddies by doing a tech-free RV camping trip. 

Are you starting to consider an RV vacation? Great! Here are some easy steps to follow for planning your first RV adventure. 
 

Step 1: Choose a Rental Company

There are a lot of different factors to consider when choosing an RV rental company. The first is whether to go with a more traditional company, like Cruise America, or to opt for an RV sharing company. Traditional companies provide certain benefits that peer-to-peer RV rental companies generally can’t. One such benefit is having custom-manufactured vehicles with regular maintenance for our rentals. This helps ensure that you have the safest, most reliable vehicles at your disposal. We also provide a 24/7 traveler’s assistance line to make sure you can get the help you need in the event of a breakdown.

Here are a few more questions to ask yourself when choosing your RV rental company:

•    What kinds of RV amenities are offered?
•    Are there RV rental locations near me?
•    Are one-way RV rentals an option?
•    Does the company provide RV rental insurance and what are the terms of coverage?
•    Are there RV rental deals I can take advantage of?
 

Step 2: Select a Vehicle

Once you’ve narrowed down your options on the rental company, it’s time to choose and reserve your vehicle. With Cruise America RV rentals, this process is super simple. Since each RV rental has a maximum capacity, you simply start with the number of travelers in your party and then upgrade based on the type of amenities or the amount of additional space you want for your trip. Compare all of our RV options with this at-a-glance view: https://www.cruiseamerica.com/rv-rentals/our-vehicles
 

Step 3: Plan Your Itinerary

Once you decide where you’d like to travel on your RV adventure, the next steps are to plan how you’re going to get there and where you’re going to stay. 

If you’re going off the grid for your trip, keep in mind that some smaller roads may not be amenable to RVs because of tight turns, high winds or low clearance. 

Not all RV campsites are created equal. Check out our RV Park Finder page for some great resources on choosing your campsite. And make sure you don’t dilly dally, as the best sites can fill up fast during peak seasons. 
 

Use Roadtrippers to find RV-friendly routes for your travel itinerary.

 

Step 4: Pack Like a Pro

The most common mistake we see first-time RVers make is overpacking. You don’t have to bring everything and the kitchen sink (especially because our rentals come with a sink!). The best idea is to swing by one of our 132 RV rental locations to get a good idea of the space available. Or, you can take a convenient virtual tour of our vehicles online.  

Once you have an idea of the space available, you can start determining the essentials for your trip. Check out this RV camping pack list to get you started.