Now that I’m adult, I’ve found myself more accustomed to the seasons with more moderate temperatures, meaning fall and spring. But when I was a young child, there were no three months in the calendar year better than the summer months. This was mostly because of the lack of school. When you’re a twelve year old, it doesn’t matter what the weather’s like outside, any time off of school is glorious. Like many American families, mine took advantage of this time off by taking a little time to travel. Our trips usually would last a week or so, and I hold many memories of these days dearly. Our preferred method of travel was by plane, but every now and again we drove to our destination, depending on the distance. I don’t think my parents ever considered an RV. No one in my family had one. I never even set foot inside an RV until I was 23. This was when one of my best friends in college wanted to go for a road trip across the west coast–one of the great vacations of my life. Dining on the exquisite San Franciscan food, exploring the behemoth beaches of southern California, watching a multitude of dynamic bands in Seattle’s ever-present alternative music scene, it was an extraordinary time. But what was also great about the trip was that I learned about traveling in an RV; I realized the fantastic benefits that come with traveling in an RV.
Camp Inside
I’ve always been something of an outdoorsman. However, there are friends and family of mine that are anything but. Indeed, I call these people “indoor cats.” Traveling in an RV is perfect for those who love to hike, camp, fish etc. You can drive up to the site you need to be for these activities, and you have the option to set up camp. But for “indoor cats,” who don’t really enjoy sleeping in tents, RVs offer most of the conveniences of a modern home, including a comfortable bed. One can even take a hot shower in the morning and use a bathroom that isn’t a nearby bush. Traveling in an RV is ideal for a camping trip. Those who enjoy sleeping in tents can stick to the outside, while older travelers can secure themselves inside.
Save Money
Traveling in an RV is also a great way to save money. RVs themselves can be on the expensive side, sure. But with the money you have the potential to save over several years of vacationing, an RV pays for itself and more. Finding a campground for an RV is far cheaper than trying to book a hotel room, about $100 cheaper on average. Since RVs come equipped with kitchens as well, there’s no need to spend an exorbitant amount of money on eating out every meal of every day; one can buy groceries and prepare meals just like at home. Traveling in an RV is definitely better than paying for airfare, which seems to go up year after year, even though the quality of the service seems to do the exact opposite.
Bond at the Campgrounds
The campground experience is unique to traveling in an RV. Campgrounds, at least the better ones, offer many of the same amenities of a modern hotel, including pools, gift shops and playgrounds for the children. They also provide some electrical services. But where the campground experience differs from the hotel experience is the socialization. In a hotel, visitors tend to lock themselves in their room and throw on the television. At a campground, there are no walls to separate travelers. It’s a far more communal experience that provides for the opportunity to meet interesting fellow travelers. Indeed, many campgrounds encourage this kind of fraternization by sponsoring group activities and special events.
RVs are not for everyone. I get that. I didn’t think they were for me when I was younger. But after experiencing the wonderful benefits that RV travel allows for opposed to other forms of travel, I’ve never gone back.