For those of us who define “roughing it” as packing our own road-trip food until we arrive at our hotel, camping has never held much appeal. “Glamping” in an RV, on the other hand, seems like a great compromise: Enjoy the beauties of nature without giving up hot showers, electricity and indoor toilets.
If you’ve been considering an RV glamping trip but have been deterred by high gas prices, your dream vacation doesn’t have to be put on hold. This is 2022, and everything can be delivered — even an RV. That means your RV comes without you needing to drive it, fill it up or figure out how to set it up, thanks to RVshare’s delivery option.renting an RV from RVshare is a great alternative to hectic, crowded airports and expensive hotel rooms.
How to go glamping with an RV delivery
Just go the RVshare site, enter your destination, select your RV, and the home-away-from home will be delivered to the site and all set up for you. After all, glamping is all about relaxation!
With RV delivery, you can:
- Explore all the sites near your home that you’ve been promising yourself you’d get to one day.
- Visit out-of-town family and friends while having your accommodations delivered to you.
- Add an RV glamping experience to a trip you already have planned.
Is it expensive to rent an RV?
Having an RV delivered saves on gas prices, but what’s the rental cost for the RV itself? Since you’re having the RV delivered, a “fifth wheel” type of RV (the kind that’s towed behind another vehicle) probably makes the most sense because you’re not going to be driving it. According to RVshare, this type of RV runs $60 to $150 per night for vehicles 10 or more years old and $150-$300 per night for newer RVs.
Also, delivery fees are extra and can vary widely, but they’re clearly stated on the RVshare site. Most providers offer delivery for a flat fee within a certain radius. The most common distance seemed to be about 50 miles round-trip.
To save even more, use these tips when searching for a rental:
- Be flexible with dates
- Avoid holidays and peak seasons
- Find an RV with unlimited mileage and generator use
- Negotiate with owners on rates
- Rent longer for cheaper nightly rates
- Don’t get a bigger RV than you need
What if I have never driven an RV before?
If you’re an RV novice, the experts at RVshare recommend looking for a class C or class B motorhome. For someone who has driven a traditional vehicle for years, these are much more natural to drive than the more bus-like class A RVs. They’re also far easier than towing most travel trailers.
Other reasons to choose RV delivery
Besides glamping, here are some reasons people commonly cite for having a vehicle delivered, according to RVshare:
- They’re nervous about driving one and would rather have it brought to them.
- They’re testing “living small.”
- They need to find lodging for people during a large event such as a festival or a reunion.
- They need temporary housing, perhaps while a home is under construction.
- They don’t have a truck with which to tow a trailer.
What if I want to use an RV for lodging but not drive it?
You can take your hotel with you, or you can have your hotel come to you!
According to RVshare, It’s not uncommon for people to request RV deliveries. RV delivery is convenient whether you’re:
- Nervous about driving one and would rather have it brought to you
- Testing out “living small”
- Are staying at a campsite and want shelter
- Planning a large event and need places for people to stay
- Are looking for temporary housing, perhaps while your home is under construction
- Want to stay in a trailer but don’t have a truck with which to tow it
- Having a backyard camping week with the kids
- Are attending a festival and need affordable lodgings for a group
Peer-to-peer rentals like RVshare have plenty of options for RV delivery; you just have to do a little extra digging. The process is very similar to renting an RV that you plan to drive, except you don’t have to get behind the wheel. The owner will bring the RV right to the location for you. Once there, they’ll set it up and show you how all the systems work. They’ll hand over the keys, and the RV is your new home for the time being.
Should you buy an RV or rent one?
RVshare is the first and largest peer-to-peer RV rental marketplace. Founded in 2013, the company has more than 100,000 vehicles available – everything from affordable travel trailers to luxury motorhomes that can accommodate any adventure in comfort and style. You might technically be camping, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be roughing it.
Vacation home or RV rental?
One of the best reasons to rent an RV is that it’s an affordable vacation choice, with a range of options and price points to fit your budget and travel style.
Let’s face it, buying an RV is expensive, especially if you go for the high-end luxury types that really allow you to travel in comfort. A travel trailer or motor home will cost you anywhere from $10,000 to $300,000, and then you have to maintain it once you own it.
A much smarter option for the casual vacationer is to rent an RV. If you later decide you do want to own one, you’ll have a much better idea of what to look for.
Choosing an RV is like booking a vacation home
In many ways, booking an RVshare RV rental is just like organizing a stay in a regular vacation home.
Plug in your dates, price range and location, then filter results by the type of RV (drivable motorhomes vs. towable travel trailers and popups) or the amenities you need (number of beds, pet-friendly, specific kitchen amenities, etc.). The owner will make sure the RV is neat and clean before your stay.
Benefits of RV travel
RV travel has always been a convenient way to roll your vacation transportation and lodging into one. With more people able to work remotely, traveling without having to use up vacation days makes spur-of-the-moment road trips much easier.
No need to bother with flight delays and lost luggage at the airport.
No sweating over fiddly tent setups and primitive cooking conditions at a campground.
You can skip the uncomfortable or noisy motels, bad or overpriced road food, and emergency bathroom breaks at dodgy gas stations in the middle of nowhere.
The benefits are magnified for travelers who still aren’t comfortable in crowds and want to maintain social distancing practices. Because of this, RV travel has been steadily rising in popularity since 2020.
With an RV rental, you have your own self-contained unit for traveling, sleeping, eating and using the bathroom. That means you can avoid crowded rest stops on your road trips.
You won’t need to wear a mask when you travel or worry about washing your hands all the time.
You can bypass the hotels with their communal elevators and facilities, and pass up unmasked indoor restaurant dining for cooking with groceries you brought from home. (Or do takeout at your comfortable dinette.)
Planning for your RV getaway
Once you have chosen your perfect camper at RVShare, now you need to reserve your camping spot.
Before you leave on your RV road trip, visit campground reservations sites such at ReserveAmerica.com, which has many state parks and private campgrounds, or Recreation.gov, which is exclusively for booking at the many wonderful Corps of Engineers campgrounds around the U.S.
You’ll want to reserve in advance because camping is still a hot trend for vacations this year.
Full hookup sites (those including electric, water, and sewer) often sell out first at many campgrounds.
When booking a spot, you’ll need to know the length of your rental camper and what types of hookups it has. For example, if you’re renting a high-end RV, you might need a 50 amp electrical service and room for a 30-foot camper with slide-outs.
Map out acceptable overnight parking places before you go. (Did you know that Walmarts, truck stops and casinos are among the places that welcome RVs?) Consider making your overnight campground reservations in advance too, in case some are limiting campers or selling out from high demand.
Ideas for glamping trips in popular spots
The RVshare blog has suggestions for glamping in all 50 states. Here are a few highlights for popular summer vacation destinations:
Florida
Fort Wilderness fun at Disney: There’s another kind of magic to the Magic Kingdom when you have an RV delivered to Disney’s Fort Wilderness resort. Just reserve online at RVshare and zip-a-dee-doo-dah, your rented RV will be delivered and you’ll be ready to enjoy woodland trails, refreshing pool areas and family entertainment at this glamping retreat.
The best of both worlds: At Fisherman’s Cove Resort, nature lovers can enjoy shaded walks, spectacular Gulf Coast sunsets and fabulous fishing. When you’re ready for excitement, you’re about 30 minutes away from the adventure and activities of downtown St. Petersburg, Bradenton, Sarasota, Anna Maria Island and Tampa.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Sixty miles of sun and fun: On South Carolina’s Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach is known for beaches (of course), but also its golf courses, restaurants and entertainment — including the famous SkyWheel.
Just a mile from the beach, the Briarcliffe RV Resort on the Intracoastal Waterway offers a quiet getaway. Secluded doesn’t mean sleepy, however. A highlight is the oversized Olympic swimming pool with cool deck and lounges overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. Outdoor activities include an 18-hole miniature golf course, shuffleboard, basketball court and a youth playground. Reserve online at RVshare.
Colorado
Peak vacationing near Pikes Peak: Home to the highest summit in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado Springs is a peak vacation destination for glampers. And if you don’t mind being woken by reveille being played at nearby Fort Carson in the morning, Cheyenne Mountain State Park is a highly rated choice for an RV stay. As Allen T. wrote in a TripAdvisor review, “It is practically a part of Colorado Springs. This means that you may hear light traffic noise, but you will also be within a few minutes of a grocery store.” There are no lakes or rivers, but other reviewers note that the 28 miles of trails make for fabulous hiking and biking. There are also designated trails for horses and dogs. As with most state parks, there are also plenty of educational and recreational programs such as guided wildflower walks, family mystery hikes, animal education, and campfire talks; geo-caching opportunities; weekly yoga; and more.
Rent out your RV!
Don’t let your RV sit idle in storage this season! List it on RVshare and help ensure that families, medical professionals, and others have a home away from home this season – all while earning some money for you. List Your RV for Free on RVshare
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