Cost of RV vs hotels and B&Bs

[NW-Bound]

I am impressed! Aren't you going to post pictures or blogs for others to learn from your experience?

 

[REWahoo]

No need for me to spew any additional drivel on the internets. A majority of camping sites are gravel or grass - nothing exceptional about my RV experience.

 

[NW-Bound]

Oh gee! No heroic boondocking... Sorry I misunderstood. I hereby retract my admiration.

 

[brewer12345]

Different strokes for different folks, but it does seem like RV'ing is a bit more popular with the married men here than it is with the single men, perhaps?

Ain't no way I am letting that [-]sexist remark[/-] one go. How about those of us married men that do the cooking and the cleaning? I cook all the meals on the road and clean the camper before the next trip.

For OP, it depends. When we go away for a 3 or 4 day weekend and don't drive too far, I figure it costs us something like $100 for the four of us (plus 2 dogs) to go. Where can you take a family of 4 for $100 for a long weekend these days? OTOH, if you drive a lot in a short time, it will be expensive.

 

[Orchidflower]

The only advantage I see in RVing is the camaraderie with other RVers, but I swim with a guy who RV'd with his wife for 6 straight years 365 days a year. He said it was pretty break-even costwise between his RV and motel/restaurant tripping, so give me the motel/restaurant where others do the work for me then. I'll make friends elsewhere and skip the camaraderie I guess.
The biggest negative I gathered from this fellow was that the RV's seem to break-down or need major repairs once a year. He gave me the impression it wasn't cheap to keep the RV up, plus all the other costs associated with RVing adds up.

 

[NW-Bound]

In reading blogs, I have found that some of them use RVs in order to stay in places where there are no restaurants. They are into nature big time. The question I am asking myself is how much "nature" I can enjoy. I do not have an answer yet, still living vicariously through their blogs and finding it very interesting.

 

[Moemg]

It is just another way to vacation . I camped when my children were small and it was fun . I've also rented condos ,I've rented RV's ,I 've rented houses , I've rented houseboats , cruised ,went on a historical schooner ( that went aground and we were rescued by the coast guard ),stayed at B&B's , stayed at top notch hotels ,stayed at Club Med , stayed at all inclusive hotels , stayed at boutique hotels and occasionally stayed at Days INN . They are all part of the travel experience and except for Days Inn I enjoyed all of them .

 

[NW-Bound]

It is just another way to vacation . I camped when my children were small and it was fun.

Just a way to vacation, M'am? Have you traveled and camped the T-Al way?

Same as with camping, there are different levels of RV'ing, and I am still learning by reading. Cheap armchair adventures for an ER.

 

[Moemg]

Just a way to vacation, M'am? Have you traveled and camped the T-Al way?

Same as with camping, there are different levels of RV'ing, and I am still learning by reading. Cheap armchair adventures for an ER.

I have to say NO but I think T AL is lucky to have such a great wife . Maybe when I was twenty that would appeal to me but not now.

 

[WhoDaresWins]

It is just another way to vacation . I camped when my children were small and it was fun . I've also rented condos ,I 've rented houses , I've rented houseboats , cruised ,went on a historical schooner ( that went aground and we were rescued by the coast guard ),stayed at B&B's , stayed at top notch hotels ,stayed at Club Med , stayed at all inclusive hotels , stayed at boutique hotels and occasionally stayed at Days INN . They are all part of the travel experience and except for Days Inn I enjoyed all of them .

Yes, good to have variety and try different things. I like to rent a condo or stay at a suite hotel as it is nice to have a small kitchen and also a sitting room. I also enjoy small educational trips. I was so happy when I turned 55 as I can avail myself of Elderhostel. The RV sounds appealing except I couldn't manage the upkeep. I am fortunate in that I have family in good vacation destinations: London, New York City, Cape Cod, San Francisco, Hawaii.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Well, in our few years as RVers, we've spent long weekends on the beach, state parks which were beyond description in terms of scenery, hiking, birding, outside of great cities like St. Augustine, Charleston, and Asheville, explored tidal basins in Florida's nature coast for anywhere between $20 and $40 per night. Even got to visit our friends Sarah in Charleston (brought our dog along that trip), and Moemg in Siesta Key. FWIW (not much) I do about half the cooking when we RV.

I think we'll try the Keys this fall - that should be a little more expensive, at $40-$50 per night in Marathon. Or maybe Destin's breathtaking Topsail park. Might try a night or two in this new park in the Everglades we heard about. Probably a nice long trip late this year to see the kids where, after a few nights staying at their home, we'll move out to our RV in a nice campground so we are not in their way yet can stay on a while.

You get to bring whatever you want both food and stuff (I'll throw in both sets of clubs just in case), and you can even go out to eat (just when you want to, unlike a hotel vacation) . We've met 2 or 3 couples we've hung out with, which is fun.

So, RVing is definitely not for everyone and all in it's usually not a money saver, to say the least. But it has provided use with a great deal of pleasure, often on trips we never would have taken otherwise. We'll take other kinds of vacations once in a while, too.

 

[Moemg]

I am fortunate in that I have family in good vacation destinations: London, New York City, Cape Cod, San Francisco, Hawaii.

Wow , can we trade ? I have family in Lakewood , NY , Wilkes -Barre , Pa and Weeki Wachee , Fl ..

 

[WhoDaresWins]

Wow , can we trade ? I have family in Lakewood , NY , Wilkes -Barre , Pa and Weeki Wachee , Fl ..

I'll be glad to give you my sister in L.A.(you notice I left her off the list). I am staying in a B & B when I visit her for 4 days in the fall. I haven't been to see her since the early 90's but she comes out to see me about every 3 for 4 years....except she stays with me for two weeks. I drink a lot then.

 

[Nords]

It would be a shame to pay that much money and then decide you don't really like that mode of travel all that much.

... but overall you can not really make a case for RVing as a frugal strategy. Either you enjoy it for its many advantages and are willing to pay for them, or stick with traditional travel plans if long-term cost is your concern.

... the RV's seem to break-down or need major repairs once a year. He gave me the impression it wasn't cheap to keep the RV up, plus all the other costs associated with RVing adds up.

I guess this accounts for the large, liquid, robust, and fast-moving market in used RVs.

In reading blogs, I have found that some of them use RVs in order to stay in places where there are no restaurants. They are into nature big time. The question I am asking myself is how much "nature" I can enjoy. I do not have an answer yet, still living vicariously through their blogs and finding it very interesting.

If I wanted to get "back to nature" then I think I'd use a backpack and and a good pair of hiking boots. Getting "back to nature" with a 40-foot Class A RV seems like going "sailing" in a submarine...

Best use I ever saw for an RV was at my nephew's West Point graduation. We spent most of the week waiting in line at various locations on the campus and in the bustling greater metropolitan area of Highland Falls. (As Fuego says, this is sarcasm.) One of the worst lines was at the security gates and the 30-minute drive to the hotel (each way) wasn't much fun either.

A few days later, in a quiet corner of the campus down by the Hudson River, we discovered a parking lot full of RVers. I think they were boondocking (of course the Hudson River was only the length of a sewage hose away) but they weren't standing in line for food, drinks, or beds!

 

[NW-Bound]

I have to say NO but I think T AL is lucky to have such a great wife . Maybe when I was twenty that would appeal to me but not now.

Well, T-Al is nowhere in sight to speak for himself, but perhaps this keeps them young. I am a few years younger than T-Al, and look MUCH younger (you will have to trust me on this as I have posted no photos), but I most likely feel way older than he does, both physically and mentally.

If I wanted to get "back to nature" then I think I'd use a backpack and and a good pair of hiking boots. Getting "back to nature" with a 40-foot Class A RV seems like going "sailing" in a submarine...

Eh, talk about ruffling some feathers!

No, I don't even have backpacks and hiking boots. But I was talking about something much smaller (and cheaper!) than a class A, in order to get as close to nature as I can. It may not be much compared to the young kids who hike and camp out in the forest, but a guy's got to know his limits.

 

[haha]

I am a few years younger than T-Al, and look MUCH younger

I bet you've been studying that Dale Carnegie course again.

 

[CuppaJoe]

Urban RVing, hybrid with a mean watchdog riding shotgun. Reason number 4,728 why I don't camp.

 

[Rustic23]

I just checked RV rentals from Cruise America. It is about $131 a day for a 14 day rental. This included a $448 for 1,400 miles. I assume it does not include gas. When we travel we normally stay in Quality Inns, Hampton Inns, or Holiday Inns. We normally pay less than that.

 

[ziggy29]

I just checked RV rentals from Cruise America. It is about $131 a day for a 14 day rental. This included a $448 for 1,400 miles. I assume it does not include gas. When we travel we normally stay in Quality Inns, Hampton Inns, or Holiday Inns. We normally pay less than that.

I don't think you rent an RV for cost savings. You rent one to make sure you really do want to buy one.

 

[REWahoo]

I just checked RV rentals from Cruise America. It is about $131 a day for a 14 day rental. This included a $448 for 1,400 miles. I assume it does not include gas. When we travel we normally stay in Quality Inns, Hampton Inns, or Holiday Inns. We normally pay less than that.

Absolutely.

As has been said many times, an RV is rarely a money-saving travel option unless you're willing to give up a lot in creature comforts and go with something [-]cheap[/-] inexpensive:

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Rustic, I'll be a lone voice here, but I do not thing renting an RV is a good way to judge whether you like the lifestyle. One's lack of familiarity with the RV and the usual routines is next to nothing and the chores surrounding this type of lifestyle can seem daunting at first but become trivial over a few months of use. Also, you usually get to sample only one a few different settings at most. The cost is very high as you discovered and the condition of the RVs is highly unpredictable., both chassis and coach.

Unfortunately, the only alternative is to do a ton of research on the web and with local RV groups. Take test drives, visit different dealers. If you are still intrigued, I'd take the plunge and buy used (like REW did; I bought new mostly because the exact rig I wanted was on a very deep recession discount).

II guess a rental experience can teach you a lot, but as mentioned it may be artificially negative.

 

[Brat]

We just returned from a trip to the PacNW and couldn't take the MH due to time constraints. DW remarked on more than one occasion, "If we were in the MH I could buy that!" No way to get all those 'road bargains' in your checked or carry-on bags.

Yet another way to save money!!!

So, how was your trip (asks I, pulling the thread off topic)?

 

[Orchidflower]

Oh, I forgot to mention the guy who RV'd for 6 years with his wife I swim with said he got something like 7 miles per gallon. Gas cost is ridiculous in an RV. It's just not my thang I guess.

 

[Janet H]

If cheap travel is the goal here and this is a one time trip than sleep cheaps and a cooler may be a good option. If you think you may do this again... I would consider a light weight travel trailer (not a motorhome). I have one that weighs 2400 lbs and is 20 feet long. While I have to tow it, it doesn't really impact fuel milage much and affords me immense freedom. One of my pet peeves is having to wait for a 3 PM check-in when I need to sleep NOW!

Trailers are cheaper to keep on the road than motorhomes and in your 20K price range you could get a really great used high-end trailer and are nudging into the new price range. The big question is would you use it again?

 

[IndependentlyPoor]

I just checked RV rentals from Cruise America. It is about $131 a day for a 14 day rental. This included a $448 for 1,400 miles. I assume it does not include gas. When we travel we normally stay in Quality Inns, Hampton Inns, or Holiday Inns. We normally pay less than that.

I wonder if this rate varies with the season. A FIREd person could just as easily rent in October as July.