RV Information (RV Travel Tips)

How Much It Costs To Rent An RV (And How To Pay With Points)

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Do you want to experience a change of scenery every week or even every day? Are you a digital nomad who would like to wake up to unique office views? RVs, or recreational vehicles, have become quite popular in the era of social distancing and remote work, but how much does a lifestyle on wheels cost? Let’s find out.

What Are the Different Types of RVs?

Before you rent an RV, you might want to know what the types are and how they differ from one another in terms of space, comfort and fuel consumption.

A Class A motorhome offers the most space but also eats up the most fuel. If you’re after luxury on the road (think sofas and a master bedroom), this is what you’re looking for.

A Class B motorhome is closer to a camper van than an RV. It offers the least amount of space with a two-in-one toilet and shower, but does the best in terms of fuel economy and offers an easy parking solution.

If Class A and Class B motorhomes had a baby, it would be a Class C motorhome. It’s typically built on a truck or a van chassis and has an over-cab sleeping or storage area. The gas mileage is somewhere between the two aforementioned RVs. It’s a good choice for a small road-tripping family.

How Much Does an RV Rental Cost?

The nightly cost of an RV rental is going to depend on a few things:

Age of the vehicle

Class of the vehicle

Size of the vehicle

So, as with many things in life, the more you’re willing to sacrifice, the more money you can save renting a motorhome.

RVshare, an RV rental company, estimates average rental prices to be as follows:

Class A : $150 to $250 per night (10 years or older); $350 to $450 per night (newer)

: $150 to $250 per night (10 years or older); $350 to $450 per night (newer) Class B : $100 to $200 per night (10 years or older); $200 to $350 per night (newer)

: $100 to $200 per night (10 years or older); $200 to $350 per night (newer) Class C: $100 to $200 per night (10 years or older); $225 to $400 per night (newer)

Keep in mind that on top of daily costs, you will be charged for an insurance plan, a cleaning fee, taxes and service fees from RVshare. Let’s take a look at a concrete example of how much an RV rental will set you back.

Here’s a Class C 2021 Forest River Forester 2501TS Ford available for rent in the Salt Lake City area. Let’s say you want to rent it for two weeks in October.

You’ll pay the following amount for this motorhome rental:

$3,000 for 14 nights (including the 10% weekly discount)

$150 cleaning fee imposed by the owner

$501 insurance and protection standard package

$249 Utah sales and use taxes

$284 RVshare service fee

So, a two-week RV rental comes out to $4,183 or nearly $300 per night. The motorhome’s description mentions that it sleeps up to six adults, so that’s like paying about $50 per night per person for accommodation and transport for two weeks, plus you get a kitchen for cooking your own meals.

Other Expenses You Need To Consider When Renting an RV

Of course, the motorhome rental costs don’t stop after you drive it off the lot. Consider the following expenses associated with RV travel.

Fuel

RV campground fees

Toll roads

Excess mileage fees

RVs can be quite the gas guzzlers, which means driving across multiple states will cost you a pretty penny, especially with gas prices coming at you like Freddy Kruger jumping out of a nightmare into real life.

Parking costs are also worth a consideration. If you’re focusing on national parks, be aware that campground fees can run you $17.50 to $101 per night. The fees include amenities, such as RV hookups for electricity and running water, picnic tables, showers and sometimes even Wi-Fi and laundry facilities.

Tolls can be another unforeseen expense, especially if you drive in an unfamiliar area. Tunnels, bridges and express lanes can charge anywhere from less than a dollar to more than $100, which can feel like a literal highway robbery.

Your RV rental might also include excess mileage fees. For example, the RV listing in the example above includes up to 100 free miles per day and charges 35 cents per mile for the distance driven above the 1,400-mile limit during your 14-day rental.

How To Earn and Use Credit Card Rewards To Pay for an RV Rental

Although renting a motorhome hits two birds with one stone by providing a vehicle and a hotel, the cost of fuel, parking fees and tolls can increase the overall price tag of a road trip dramatically. Before you hit the brakes on van life, though, remember that you can use credit card rewards to make your RV vacation more affordable.

How To Earn Bonus Points

RVshare codes as travel, so make sure to use a credit card that earns extra rewards in the travel category, such as:

As for gas, the Citi Premier® Card is a solid option, earning 3 points per dollar in the category. You might also consider the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card that earns 5% cash back in the top monthly category (up to $500 per billing cycle) with gas stations being one of the bonus spending categories.

How To Redeem Points for an RV Rental

Although you can’t redeem points for an RV rental through a travel portal, you can make a charge and redeem rewards as a statement credit after the fact.

For example, two rewards credit cards reimburse travel charges at a rate of 1 cent per mile:

Both cards earn 2 miles per dollar spent on everything, so it’s easy to rack up the points and use them toward the cost of a motorhome rental.

It’s also possible to use the rewards earned with Chase cards for statement credits.

Keep in mind that you can get an elevated return of 1.25 cents to 1.5 cents per point when you redeem them in the Ultimate Rewards travel portal with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, respectively. If you hold one of the Chase cash-back cards, whose points are worth 1 cent each, you can use the rewards to cover campground parking fees.

Read More: Best Gas Credit Cards

Bottom Line

A road trip in a camper describes a classic vacation for many American families, and it’s not hard to execute even if you don’t own a motorhome. RV rentals are readily available, and it’s possible to cover the cost with credit card rewards. Even though fuel is not cheap, use a card that earns bonus rewards at gas stations to build up your points balance quickly to be used on the next vacation.

How Much Does it Really Cost to Rent a RV?

As a child, my mom and step-dad would take me on RV trips all across northern California and Nevada during the summer.I remember it being some of the best memories of my childhood. I knew that when I got older that a RV trip was in store for the Rose family. I just didn’t realize it would come this soon….. A few summers ago, the five of us hopped into a rented RV for 14 days with the only planned destination being the Grand Canyon. Everything else was meant to be an adventure and it sure was. Many people were asking me questions about what it takes to rent an RV and how much it costs so I knew that I had to do a recap post on it. So if you’re ready to join me and Cousin Eddie and go off your own RV adventure, here’s what you need to know… “That There’s an RV” – Cousin Eddie, Christmas VacationGreat question, because I had no idea either. The first place I went to do research is where everybody does a lot of research nowadays: Facebook . I asked on Facebook where is a good place to rent an RV? I had a few people in my area suggest a local RV dealer. Perfect. I called them, and on my first attempt I got an answering machine. Hmmm. Trying to figure out why a business in the 21st century doesn’t offer a live person to talk to. That’s okay. I live in southern Illinois. I get it. I leave a message telling them I’m very interested in renting an RV, please get back to me as early as possible. A day goes by. Another day goes by. A week goes by. Another week goes by. Nothing. I still have plenty of time before I want to rent the RV, so I thought “what the heck, I’ll give it a try again.” I call again. Guess what? Answering machine. Really? I leave another message explaining that I called a few weeks ago, was still interested in renting an RV, and I’d love for somebody to get back to me. Time goes on and I get busy with other things, and forget about it, and realize that another few weeks had gone by. I once again share on Facebook profile, how many chances would you give a business to get back to you? I think I updated the comment to the same feed, seeing what the people would say that knew and had rented from this dealer before. Once again I got positive feedback that they had great experiences with the individual, not sure what’s going on, but to give it one more shot. Reluctantly, I agreed. I called back a third time and finally get a chance to talk to somebody who I think is the owner. I talk to the guy for about 10 minutes, telling him what I want. He says he’s busy at the moment but he’ll get back to me with some information by the end of the week. End of the week comes, nothing. Monday rolls around. Nothing. Tuesday rolls around. Nothing. At this point, I’m done. I immediately go to Google and type in “Rent an RV” and I come across Cruise America . I read a few reviews and it seems like what I’m looking for. This is perfect. I call the toll free number, and guess what happens? I get to talk to somebody. Immediately. I tell them what I’m looking for, and they explain everything in great detail. I’m taking notes, writing down numbers, I’m excited. I’m actually making progress. I tell them the time frame of when I’m looking to rent the RV, and they tell me that starting in June is their peak season, and that’s when prices go up. If I’m able to reserve the RV and actually begin the rental in May, then I would get a cheaper price and save money . It worked out perfectly, since my oldest son would be done with school on Friday, May 30. I agreed to pick it up May 31. At this point in time, all I have to do is put down a $300 reservation deposit. Since I’m gung ho on the idea of renting the RV, I go ahead and lock it in, and can’t wait to share with my wife the exciting news.According to Cruise America, the cost of renting an RV depends on the following factors:Below is the confirmation email that I received from Cruise America that explains their refund policy as well as some additional costs.Rates include all taxes and travel assistance. Cruise America rentals are covered by free insurance with a $1,500 deductible policy. For additional coverage, you can upgrade to their Zero Deductible policy. It was comforting to find out that I didn’t need any additional RV insurance or auto insurance coverage!

What about gas?

3. What About Other Costs?

4. How Hard is it to Drive?

5. Where Do You Stay?

The rates do vary depending on which location you are visiting, the time of year and what you need for hookups.

6. Is it Better to Do a RV or a Camper?

7. How Much Stuff Can You Bring?

8. Can you really live in that thing?

9. What about your doo-doo?

10. What will you miss the most?

Two-ply toilet paper. Do I really need to explain myself on this one? Loofah. At first, I felt like I could just carry the loofah to the campground showers, and then carry it back, but then it was just another thing to carry on top of a change of clothes, toiletry bag, shampoo, soap, et cetera, so I stopped. The loofah was definitely something that I missed when I got back to take my first shower after being in the RV for two weeks. Decent Wi-Fi. We got spoiled at the first campground in that we were able to stream Netflix on our boys’ iPads, and we had fast enough internet for our laptop. As we got further on our trip, every campground offered Wi-Fi, but the speeds were questionable. I felt like it was 1996 again – worse than dial-up. Kids’ bedrooms. I love my boys, don’t get me wrong. But having a little separation is nice. We typically put our boys down around 8:30 which gives mommy and daddy plenty of mommy and daddy time. When you’re in an RV, there are no kids’ bedrooms. You’re literally 15 feet from each other. Our boys like to wrestle, play and giggle, which often kept us up late at night. This video shows you exactly what that’s all about. Cross fit. I don’t like to run, but I knew I needed to do some type of workout while I was gone, especially with the amount of food I was consuming. I missed my cross fit gym and throwing my Olympic weights around. Barbell pull-up bar. I love doing deadlifts and power cleans and I missed the set I had at home. Every campground had a decent playground, but only one of them had one where I could have done pull-ups. A nice pull-up, pushup, running workout would have been great. Small group. At our church, we have a monthly Bible study, and I love the couples that are in our Bible study. We have great discussions and share our struggles and triumphs in trying to be a better Christian. Being apart from them for two weeks was definitely something that I missed. A juicer. I love my juicer. After watching the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, I have been using it at least once, if not twice a day. I tried to tell my wife that I was going to bring it with me on the RV trip and she just laughed. I remember her saying something like where the heck are you going to put that thing? Without a garbage disposal in the RV, bringing the juicer definitely would have been a pain, so I didn’t bring it, but I definitely missed it. A toaster. We could have brought a toaster and it would have been fine. One of my favorite easy snacks is peanut butter and jelly, but I like mine toasted. Not having a toaster took away from my favorite treat.

Renting a RV – Trip of a Lifetime

According to Google Maps, hitting the Grand Canyon and back would be roughly about 3000 miles. I probably should have guestimated that we would use it more, but I thought that was a safe play. Turns out that we actually traveled 3440 miles.At .34 cents a mile, that was an additional $149.60. Not great, but really not that bad. We opted to buy the kitchen set, which included a skillet, pots, pans, plates, bowls, silverware, et cetera. That was an additional $100, and the reality is that we didn’t need it. We never cooked in the RV, other than using the microwave, so really that was pointless. Luckily, we were able to keep the set, so we brought most of the stuff home and donated the rest. Since we didn’t cook we didn’t use a lot of propane. Actually, we only used one ounce of propane, which was $20. The reason we had to use that was that our refrigerator ran on propane, so that’s where that cost came into play. We only used four hours on the generator, and at 3.50 an hour, that was an additional $14. Why the four hours? Typically, the only time we needed the generator was whenever the RV was really hot and we needed the AC kicked up a bit, especially in the back. We predominantly used this in Texas and New Mexico, whenever the heat was at its highest.This was the expense that I was most concerned about. I had no idea what to expect and how much I would be spending in gas. I read that RVs will get anywhere from 6 miles on the gallon up to 12 miles to the gallon, so I wasn’t all that hopeful. We put a total of 3440 miles on the RV, needing a total of 397 gallons of gas. The average price per gallon was about $3.50, and our total fuel bill for the entire trip was $1,400.67. Ouch. I knew it was a lot, but didn’t realize it would be that much. I tried to keep our gas tank above or around the halfway mark most of the time, and on average that was about $100 to fill up. A few times it got down to a quarter tank, which was the lowest I ever let it go; and those times it was roughly about $150. I couldn’t imagine doing an RV trip when gas was north of $4 a gallon. The highest that we had to pay was in Williams, Arizona, at $3.89 a gallon, and the lowest that we had to pay was in Tucumcari, New Mexico, at $3.35 a gallon.In addition to gas, campground fees, generator costs, et cetera, other costs include the random stops that you want to hit while you’re traveling. For example, we hit up a few national parks while we were driving, including the Petrified Forest in Arizona. It was $20 just to drive through there. If we hadn’t done the pink jeep tour at the Grand Canyon, it would’ve cost $25 to get into that national park.On the way to Flagstaff, Arizona, I happened upon a sign that boasted about the largest meteor crater in the United States, and of course I had to stop. After we drove six miles off the road in the RV, we get to the place only to find out that its $12 a head to get in. At that point in time, we basically felt stuck, but they did give us a military discount so we decided to see it. I’ll tell you, I definitely think it was worth it, but these are the type of costs that you really don’t anticipate but you know will occur, especially on a road trip. One thing I have learned is that having one of the best travel credit cards is a must-have for trips like these. When you’re forking over $3,000 or more for the rental, plus paying for everything else that pops up, it makes sense to earn something in return. If you’re someone who travels all the time, I would probably suggest a top travel card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . With this card, you’ll earn 2X points on travel and dining, plus 1X points on everything else. Plus, you’ll score a 50,000 point signup bonus worth $500 in cash-back or gift cards after spending just $4,000 in 90 days. This is the perfect card to get right before you take off on any journey around the country.I have driven a five-ton truck in the military, so I was comfortable driving the RV, but the five-ton was only driven in short distances, never for an extended road trip. The one thing that I was impressed by was that the RV was able to get up and go. In Oklahoma, northern Texas, and also Arizona, the speed limit was 75 and it was easy for me to get the RV in that speed. What I didn’t anticipate was how much the wind coming across the interstate or highway would affect the driving. It almost felt like the alignment was off, because every time I would let go of the wheel it would sway pretty hard.After a while, I realized it was the wind that was pushing the RV, making it extremely difficult to drive. Predominantly I was driving with my hands at 10 and 2, with my hands clenched because every little wind gust I would come across would push me on the shoulder. Things were always interesting too when a semi-trailer would come up and pass me on the left, creating a sort of a wind vacuum that would also push the RV. Because of this, I typically didn’t drive more than four to five hours a day, taking the necessary stops. The longest I ever drove was when we were trying to get from Colorado Springs to Topeka, Kansas. It was eight hours of driving, but it took us 12 hours to complete.I have a lot of clients who have RVs and will travel all across the U.S. Everyone I polled about where to stay mentioned that they typically stay at KOA Campgrounds . KOA Campgrounds are kind of like the Holiday Inn of RV parks. A majority of the ones that we stayed at always had a pool, a playground, Wi-Fi, laundry facilities, gift shops, and sometimes even food. The one in Flagstaff, Arizona, even had an Elvis Presley impersonator.The costs there are anywhere from $35 on up to $45 per evening, depending on what all hookups you needed. If you just needed electricity it was cheaper, but if you also needed sewer and water then it would be a little bit much. We never had an issue getting to a KOA campground where they had no room available. I could see though, that if you were near a tourist area like the Grand Canyon, that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to call ahead. We stayed at the Williams, Arizona, KOA campground on a Friday evening, and that was the most packed of any of the KOAs that we stayed at ever were. On the way back home we met up with some of my wife’s friends who have stayed at several campgrounds before, and they wanted to stay at the Yogi Bear campground, otherwise known as Jellystone, which is located just outside St. Louis. The campground price was just about the same of $45 per night, but it was definitely a lot more kid-friendly.They had a nice pool and a huge playground, and plenty of activities for the kids. When we checked the map for Yogi Bear Campgrounds, they are predominantly in the Midwest and East Coast rather than more on the West Coast, so we didn’t get a chance to stay in any until near the end of our trip. The only one that we encountered was in Colorado, but we were not at a point where we were ready to stay.At about the halfway point of the trip, I remember asking my wife “So, what do you think is better? Taking the SUV and staying at hotels, having an SUV and towing a camper, or the RV?” We started talking about the pros and cons of each. With the SUV/hotel idea, obviously it would be much more expensive, but you could cover ground a whole lot faster. What would probably be the most annoying thing was the number of potty breaks that we had to take with the kids – as every parent knows, your kids are not on the same potty schedules, so there had been multiple stops having to take care of business. Plus, with snacks and drinks, they also become annoying having to furnish our kids with those, especially if we’re trying to cover a lot of ground. The camper would be also similar. Since you’re not allowed to ride in the camper when you tow it, you’d be subject to all the same potty breaks and snack breaks that you would with the SUV. The only benefit would be that at the campground, you’d be able to unhitch from the camper and tour some areas that wouldn’t be accessible in a camper or RV. With the RV, our kids were able to take potty breaks when needed, and also with the fridge right there, had plenty of juice and snacks whenever they wanted. This allowed us for a lot of uninterrupted driving time. Driving in traffic was definitely interesting, but wasn’t impossible with the RV. The most annoying thing was parking. Oftentimes, we would have to park several blocks away from our destination if we were trying to eat at a local diner, but overall it wasn’t too bad. If your plan is to stay in a national campground and never really tour, then it shouldn’t be that big a deal.A lot. The one annoying thing about where the RV pick up location was is that it was 2 1/2 hours away. That means we had to load up the mini, including our extra carry-on bag that goes on top of the mini, to get everything packed up and loaded. We were afraid that we might not have enough room in the RV, but by the time we got everything unpacked out of the mini and uploaded in the RV, we realized that we had plenty of room. We had four full-sized suitcases, chairs, toys, food – everything that you could think of – and we still had plenty of room in the RV. Most of the bigger stuff you had to keep stored in the outside compartment of the RV, so you couldn’t access it while driving, but that never really proved to be an issue.Ha, ha. I’m pretty sure that this was a question that my wife was wondering before we went to go pick up our new home on wheels. Since we survived the two week RV excursion, I’m happy to say yes, you actually can live in this thing.The 25 footer ended up being the perfect size for a family of five. The wife and I took the Queen (it felt like more like a twin) bed in the rear. Our two oldest boys slept in the converter bed that was above the driver and passenger seat. Our youngest son slept by himself on the converted bed that also served as the dining room table. He easily could have fit up top with the two older brothers, but we did have a fear that he may roll off and fall, which actually did happen to both our youngest and our middle son during the trip. Don’t worry; they’re okay. One of the things that helped the most, at least for me going to sleep each evening, was running the air conditioning/heating unit. Why is that? Because the noise of the unit would drown out our kids giggling or any other noise outside our campground. Whenever it would shut off, you could hear absolutely anything, including our neighbors talking, and that would generally wake me up. The AC unit served as a nice white noise background that would let me sleep through the night. What about eating? Our RV came equipped with a propane four-burner stove and also a microwave. The refrigerator was a little bit larger than a mini-fridge, but was able to fit plenty of milk, juice, bottled water, Gatorade, and other snacks for the boys. Every time that we would visit a new town, we liked to find the local eatery, so we actually never used the stovetop. One time one of the boys accidentally turned the knob to the stove and the RV reeked of propane. I read another review of another family that stayed in the RV and tried cooking, and they said it was like cooking in an oven. I could definitely see that being in such cramped quarters. The bathroom. I think everybody always wants to know, okay how big is the bathroom? Great question. I’m six foot, 210 pounds, and I could barely squeeze into the bathroom. I never took a shower in the RV, but my wife and boys did. Each campground that we stayed at had showering facilities, so that’s typically where I would take my showers.Oh, yes. Where does the doo-doo go? When we picked an RV, the guy at the rental place, gave me a very brief overview on how to empty the pooper. I thought I understood, but I do remember asking him the question, “do you think I really have to empty it if we’re only going to be there for two weeks and we only use it when we have to?” That basically meant that if I could avoid emptying the pooper, I was definitely going to try. The RV has a gauge that shows you different levels, different tank levels. After the fourth day I realized that eventually it would have to happen. I was going to have to empty the pooper. Luckily, we met a nice couple at the campground in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the husband showed me how to do it. The next morning I had my first test, and it was a success. Fortunately, I didn’t get sprayed or dripped on, thank goodness. Emptying the sewer is definitely one of the less glamorous aspects to using an RV, but it’s definitely not that difficult. I’m not sure how I pulled this off, but for the entire two-week rental, I never actually used the RV bathroom for the number two purpose. Might be a bit too TMI, but I felt much more comfortable with using the campground facility versus the RV. Our boys, of course, had no shame or issues taking care of business inside the RV.Going on a two week RV trip, you tend to wonder the things that you would miss while you’re gone. Here are the 10 things that I missed the most.On Day 11 I remember that both my wife and I were a bit homesick and we missed our king size bed and down comforter. Despite that, we can both say that we and our kids had a blast. This trip was about making memories and the hundreds of pictures that my wife took is a testimony of how many memories we created. I asked her if she was ready to go on another RV trip and for now she needs a 365 break to think about it. I’m not sure if we’ll go on a RV trip next summer and I can confidently say that we will go again.

RV Information (RV Travel Tips)

RV Information from Kampgrounds of America, Inc.

50 Tips for Better RVing

Brent Peterson

1. If you don’t know what your RV weighs, it’s probably overloaded.

2. Two carpet samples, one placed at the base and another at the top of the entry steps, will help keep dirt and moisture out of the interior.

3. Write down your vehicle’s exact exterior height (remember to add the A/C) and GVWR and keep it inside your cockpit so you never exceed your weight or risk a nasty incident going under an overpass.

4. Never drive more than 500 miles per day. Actually, 400 is pushing it.

5. Backup monitors are wonderful, but expensive. If you’re in the market for one, make sure the camera works in the dark, since a majority of your back-ins will probably occur after the sun goes down.

6. When tackling tough ascents, go down the hill in the same gear you went up in.

7. We don’t really have to remind you to regularly check your LP gas, smoke, and carbon monoxide detectors, do we?

8. Ah, duct tape.

9. Teach your co-pilot to drive and let him or her take the wheel often. Sharing the driving duties cuts down on driver fatigue while reinforcing the notion that RVing is for both of you. Another perk? If the main driver should ever become sick or hurt, you won’t be stranded.

10. Surge protectors offer cheap insurance against power spikes for all your pricey, onboard equipment.

11. Don’t risk traveling in an overloaded vehicle. Not only does extra weight accelerate wear and tear on your RV, but if you’re involved in an accident, expect a weigh-in to be performed. An overweight vehicle may void any insurance claims and might find you liable. Don’t take chances with this.

12. Visit every national park.

13. During an argument, eliminate the words “never” and “always” from your vocabulary. A happy co-pilot is the key to a pleasant journey.

14. If you feel cramped in a 40-foot Prevost bus, RVing is not for you

15. Put a roll of quarters in your shower kit in case you’re faced with a bathroom that insists on pay showers. Believe me, it’s hard to get change for a twenty-dollar bill wearing only a robe and slippers.

16. On your way out, be sure to tell the campground owner how much you disliked paying for showers.

17. Conserving resources is a good habit. Don’t let the water just run when washing hands, dishes, or brushing your teeth.

18. If you don’t like where you are, go someplace else.

19. Compile and laminate two basic lists: one for setting up your campsite, the other for breaking camp. That way, you’ll never drive off with your antennae up again.

20. Carry a box of disposable rubber gloves for use during sewer hookups and the dump station.

21. Before leaving the dealership with your new RV, arrange for a walk-thru with your salesperson to make sure every appliance, utility, and function onboard is in top working condition.

22. Your cockpit can’t be too comfortable.

23. A good set of mud flaps should help keep debris off your dinghy vehicle. There are also a number of protective covers and shields available to safeguard the towed vehicle as well.

24. Your kids and grandkids worry about you. Leave them the names and numbers of the places you’ll be staying during your travels.

25. A partially folded paper plate makes for a usable funnel in a pinch.

26. If an extension cord is needed for your electric hookups (really any type of hookup for that matter), use the shortest length available. The longer the distance, the greater the voltage drop will be.

27. Visit Maine.

28. Trash onboard your rig is always a major hassle. Eliminate unnecessary garbage by taking food such as cereals, meat, and coffee out of their overblown packages and into smaller ones. Contribute old reading materials to the campground’s rec. room and re-use or recycle old shopping bags.

29. I see no reason to stand on top of your RV unless there’s a bucket of soapy water and a brush with you.

30. Furnace 101. Check the outside vent periodically for soot, a sure sign of faulty operation. Clean and vacuum the unit as necessary. Check hoses for kinks; replace as needed. Have the system inspected once a year by a professional.

31. Wash your vehicle in the shade. The sun quickens drying time of cleaning agents and makes waxing more difficult.

32. Ah, sway bars.

33. Use an onboard timer for lights to thwart would-be thieves, just as you might for your home while you’re away.

34. Avoid nasty spills by equipping the entryway with handrails.

35. Carrying two 25-foot hoses is better than one 50-foot hose.

36. When making campground reservations, take a few extra minutes to describe exactly the kind of site you want. If you prefer to be close to the bathroom or swimming pool, need fewer trees due an extra large vehicle, or simply want the prettiest site in the place, be sure to tell them.

37. A GPS is nice, but nothing beats a compass to keep me from driving around in circles.

38. Change your windshield wipers annually.

39. CB chatter can be crude and distracting. However, it can also be a valuable resource for upcoming traffic, weather, and area recommendations. It’s also a nice companion on a long drive.

40. Fruit and vegetables from a roadside stand always taste better.

41. Believe me; no one over the age of 13 wants to sleep in the cab-over area.

42. Make sure your RV insurance covers you during any trips abroad.

43. Good drivers should carry a higher deductible on their insurance.

44. Bring the grandkids.

45. Want better-tasting hamburgers, steaks, and poultry? Let cooked meats sit for several minutes before serving. Cooking at high heat forces juices inward, leaving your food less juicy. Waiting a few minutes prior to eating makes a big difference.

46. It’s not camping unless there’s S’mores.

47. Of course you know that your RV must be level for the refrigerator to work properly.

48. Create an emergency kit and put it in an outside storage compartment. It should include first aid supplies, a pencil and paper, flashlight, and disposable camera for capturing the scene of an accident. Compile a list of names (doctor, insurance agent, lawyer) and any medications you’re currently taking. Then hope there’s never a need to open it.

49. Once you use an electronically-deployed awning, you’ll never go back.

50. Don’t mess around with your tires. Inspect them often and replace at the first signs of cracking or worn tread. It’s also better to buy them in pairs. Check tire pressure before any big trip.