The appeal of taking off on the open road, with your transportation and lodging combined on four (or more) wheels, has never been stronger. Here, writer Evelyn Kanter, an RV fan and afficiando, provides RealFoodTraveler.com readers with everything you need to know about renting RVs. 

Save this guide to renting RV’s to Pinterest to keep it handy. Photo courtesy of Canva.com. Graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.

Everything You Need to Know About Renting an RV

These days you can rent just about everything, from vacation homes and the furniture to fill them to clothing for a special event or a chef for an at-home party. RVs are no different.

There are some basics to know before renting your first RV for your next getaway.

Where to Rent an RV

The recommended option is to rent from an owner through one of the so-called peer-to-peer groups, just as you would rent a condo on Airbnb, VRBO or similar. These RVs – and their owners – are vetted for cleanliness, reliability, etc., and outfitted with towels, linens and kitchen supplies, ready to move in for a weekend or longer.

With dealer rentals, or directly from the manufacturer, you have to supply your own linens and kitchen gear, maybe even the mattress and pillows to sleep on. Rentals directly from an individual owner are not recommended because of potential scams and other disappointments.

You can rent anything from a van to a luxurious bus-size three-bedroom RV with a full-size kitchen and a bathroom with a tub, which is more glamping than camping. The largest such peer-to-peer companies are RV Share, RVnGo, Outdoorsy, and CruiseAmerica. Some Hertz locations, especially near national parks, also rent campers or trailers – which are not outfitted with linens or kitchen supplies.

RV Share is an example of one of the companies you can use when you’re renting an RV. Photo courtesy RV Share.

You can opt for one already set up in an RV campground of your choice, have the rental company or owner get it there for you, or take it on a road trip.

With the first two options, it will be hooked up to power and water connections before you arrive – including that yucky mucky waste line – so you don’t have to deal with them yourself.  And you get to spend more time enjoying resort-like facilities in many campgrounds, including a pool or lake, mini-golf, a gym, playground for the kids and happy hours for the grown-ups.  And laundry and shower facilities.

At the end of your rental, you pack your bags and check-out, leaving the rental company or owner to flush the waste line. That’s an absolute perk for a novice RVer!

If you are on a multi-stop road trip, many RV campgrounds will help you hook up, for a fee. But that’s not a service you are likely to find in national park or state park campgrounds, so you’ll need to learn that yourself, including flushing the waste lines when you leave. Even though RVers are a friendly bunch, you should not rely on finding an experienced and helpful one in the adjoining spot.

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What to Rent – Driveable RVs 

Class A – This a huge motorhome, like driving a large bus or tractor-trailer and not for the novice.

Class B and C – These are the best option for a beginner, and generally not more difficult than driving a large SUV.

What I call an “all in one” camper van, like a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter or Ford Transit outfitted as a camper, is a Class B. I spent six months a lifetime ago in a VW Microbus, which my new husband and I outfitted as a camper and drove through Europe and Africa on an extended overlanding honeymoon.

Class B also includes purpose-built camper vans, such as those from Thor Industries, the parent company of Airstream.

These have galley kitchens and mini-bathrooms. Depending on the model, there are so-called pull-outs and/or pop-up roofs for added space and canopies.

Airstream is one of the most recognizable RVs you can rent. Photo courtesy Airstream.

There’s even a new EV RV – the Winnebego ERV2 – in the pipeline. I test drove a prototype this spring at an RV industry event at Reunion Lake RV Resort near New Orleans. It’s a dream to drive, with convenient features that make it feel more spacious and luxurious. I want one!

I got to test drive a prototype of the Winnebego ERV2. Photo by Evelyn Kanter.

If you can drive a car, you can drive a Class B or Class C. Anything else requires driving lessons, which RV rental companies usually provide, even require if you book a million-dollar motor home or towing one the size of a tractor-trailer. Even towing a small camping trailer needs a bit of practice to get around corners and maneuver into your campground space.

Towable RVs

These are preferred by many RVers, because you can unhook it from your vehicle and leave it parked at the campground, while you have the freedom to use your vehicle to explore nearby. And buy groceries.

Which size you rent depends on the size of the vehicle hauling it. Your manufacturer guidelines and the RV rental company are the experts on that.

5th Wheel – Huge trailers towed by huge pick-up trucks, and not for the newbie.

Toy hauler – Small trailer that can be towed by most SUVs and pick-ups.

Popup – even smaller trailer that most passenger cars – except for the smallest – can tow.

A Toy Hauler is an example of options you have when renting an RV. Photo by Evelyn Kanter.

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What it Rental RVs Cost

It depends on size, whether it’s a one-site stationary rental, or a one-way rental picking up here and dropping off there. Also, prices can vary by model year – simply, older RVs cost as little as half the fee of newer ones with upgraded features and less wear and tear.

You could pay as little as $50 a night for an older “toy hauler” and as much as $500 a night for sumptuous new motorhome.

Check your auto insurance policy to see if it covers RV rentals – it probably doesn’t. Also, coverage by credit cards rarely includes RV rentals, so check that, too. Or, add-on daily insurance from the rental company.

Other add-ons include late fees if you don’t return it on time and impact the next renter, even a fee for extra cleaning if you party too hard and leave a mess.

And don’t forget fuel costs – larger RVs inhale gas, getting 10 miles a gallon or less.

-By Evelyn Kanter

Evelyn Kanter is a longtime and award-winning travel and transportation journalist whose bylines have appeared in major publications including airline in-flights, AAA magazines, NY Times and US News & World Report. She has traveled to more than 100 countries, but always returns home to NYC, because that’s where the washing machine is. Evelyn currently serves as President of the International Motor Press Assn., the oldest and most prestigious professional organization of automotive journalists and manufacturers in North America.