Has Anyone Ever Rented an RV?

I have never rented one, but I have traveled from Minneapolis to Spokane, WA in one. It broke down nearly every day. We spent LOTS of time on the side of the road (and it was a very good thing we were towing a little VW bug behind us so my aunt could drive for help when the RV had problems.) Yes, we went to Mt. Rushmore, Wall Drug, the Badlands, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho...gorgeous trip! I was only 9 years old, but my memories of it are some of the most vivid of my life.

If you get one, make sure the company you rent from has a very clear policy on their responsibility in the event of mechanical trouble. (The last few episodes of the TLC show "Kate Plus 8" showed them traveling in an RV and they also had mechanical troubles--so, seems to be a very real possibility.)

I bought a used RV instead of renting one from a Cruise America business.

Here's why: It is uber expensive to rent. Go to any RV rental website and input the details for a national park trip and receive a free estimate.

The cost of one of our summer trips, from Phoenix to Banff National Park in Canada would have been over $7K. Although, you don't have maintenance and ownership responsibilities.

I recommend a AAA membership and pick up their great (free with membership) tour books and travel service.

My goal is to see all the US and Canadian National Parks with my kids before they leave the house. So we have divided the country into manageable 2 week sections. We will go to one area and see what there is to see in that one geographical location. Trying to stop and see everything enroute makes for a slow and long trip.

GL!

No...but I want to so bad!! I'm planning to save my leave for a 2 week cross country trip in 2013. My parents have done it a few times and we all want to go together :). I hope you get some great responses because I'll be checking back!

We checked into this and while exciting...Very exprensive as indicated in the other responses. I would invest the money in making sure you have a roomy car and know your route for travel and books some accomodations on your way traveling.

This past summer my in-laws rented one and came camping with us. As others mentioned, it was uber expensive and not taken care of all too well. The one they had came with a full bath (as full as they can be on an RV) that had certainly been used. The people who provided the instructions gave them false info when it comes to the gray and black water tanks (Waste). And if they had given this same info to all the other previous renters they were basically allowing feces to dry up on the sides of those tanks....all we could smell was poo.....it was gross. So, should you choose to spend that kind of money, remember this. It was so offensive.....

Hahahahha! Your question made me laugh out loud! My family rented an RV a year ago Thanksgiving to drive from NY to SC for a family reunion of sorts (DH's family). While its always great to see family, this was ONE TRIP TO REMEMBER! I can laugh now but boy oh boy! Not so much then. First let me say DH and I are notsoyoung...over 45. So we are used to a bit more comfort when traveling at this point in our lives. We rented the RV from Cruise America (in Mahopac) for an adventure. Boy did we ever get one! DH is 6'4". He said showering in the RV was like standing in a coffin and getting damp. Hmm. Luckily he was able to use his sister's shower when we got to SC. The RV itself was allegedly 'detailed' prior to us using it. Supposedly its detailed between each renter. NOT. The RV stank SO MUCH, especially when we pulled the curtains closed separating the driver's cab from the rest of the unit, that the kids dubbed it 'Smokey'. Although there were signs throughout the unit saying "No Smoking", at least one of the previous renters ignored them. And of course, there must have been at least one previous renter: one of the highlights of our trip was watching the odometer turn over to 100,000 miles. No kidding. Sleeping accommodations were a challenge for me, but I find sleeping through the night in my own bed pretty darn challenging (insomnia, change of life, stress, et al). Make sure you bring a small set of basic tools. We hadn't even left town and DH had to use the tools to replace a fuse (luckily the auto parts place was still open!)

As others have said its not a savings, however, if you can insist on inspecting the RV you will rent and it passes your inspection, its definitely quite an adventure. If you think you would rent something from Cruise America, let me know. They sent us a gift certificate as a goodwill gesture and to try to convince us to come back. Its just not the kind of traveling we'll be doing. (In fact, we have an upcoming trip to the Caribbean and we are dreading the flight (remember DH's height issue?)) Anyway, inbox me; the GC is transferable.

Happy Trails.....!

Added: If you travel by road in ANY vehicle, purchase a copy of the Next Exit. Its a reference guide for what's available at each exit on EVERY interstate in the US.

More: Rent RV with Robin Williams. I promise renting an RV won't be THAT bad! LOL!

I've driven on such trips, but using my own car or a rental car. You can use AAA (some good stuff) and/or get maps and plan it yourself! Just be aware that AAA triptix will usually keep you on interstates - bypassing much! If you are ok with doing so, jump off those and try some of the "original" roads if you can! We did a trip up to the Wisconsin Dells (before all the waterparks!) and then across - kinda following Laura Ingalls Wilder on parts of it. Made Mt Rushmore, Rapid City, Wall Drug, Crazy Horse and a bit of Yellowstone on that end of the trip! Let me know and I'll help if I can!

I haven't but one of my friends I used to work with did and it was uber expensive, like 4-5k for the trip. She joked and said she could have went to HI for a month. So check the prices and see if its something you could even afford. Good luck!!!