There’s nothing quite like hopping in an RV with your family or friends and hitting the road for a trip across the country. Because an RV pulls double duty as both your vehicle and your hotel, renting a motorhome or camper is one of the best ways to take an easy and memorable road trip. But if you’re new to the wide world of recreational vehicles, you may be wondering: How do I rent an RV?
The good news is that it’s never been easier to find the perfect motorhome for your trip. These days, there are unlimited online resources at your fingertips to help you figure out how to rent an RV for vacation and even how to find the best RV rental deals. And instead of having to call around to a bunch of different RV rental companies, nowadays you can almost always gather quotes online to ensure you get the best possible price.
Ready to dive in? Read on to learn more about where to find campers, the average RV cost, and how to rent an RV if you’re under 25.
How to Rent an RV for a Road Trip
When it comes to renting an RV, there are three main options. The first and most obvious one is to check out the major nationwide RV rental companies, which have locations all across the country. Because they do business in many different cities, these large businesses tend to have a wide variety of RVs and motorhomes in their fleets, making it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for, even if you’re making a reservation somewhat last minute.
The second option is to look for smaller local or regional companies that offer RV rentals. Provided you live in at least a mid-sized city, finding one of these companies should be as easy as doing an online search for something like “RV rentals near me” or “motorhomes for rent near me.” Because they are smaller operations, local or regional companies may not have the selection of their larger counterparts, but they tend to have better customer service and more flexibility when it comes to the terms of your contract.
The last option is to seek out an RV for rent by owner. Similar to using Airbnb, peer to peer RV rental companies allow you to rent campers and motorhomes directly from RV owners in your area. Because RV owners are just regular people without overhead costs or employees on the payroll, renting an RV via a peer to peer rental platform is one of the cheapest and best ways to find discount RV rental. Plus, unlike a traditional RV rental company, you’ll be able to read reviews and see photos for the exact RV you’ll be renting, giving you more decision-making power.
How Expensive is it to Rent an RV?
Now that you know where to find RVs, there are probably a few different questions on your mind: About how much does it cost to rent an RV? How much does it cost to rent an RV cross country? How much does it cost to rent an RV for the summer? How much does it cost to rent an RV trailer? And how much to rent an RV long term?
Answering these questions with a blanket response is not only difficult, but pretty much impossible. That said, there are definitely a few different variables that can help you narrow down the price range.
First off, consider what time of the year you’ll be traveling. If you’ve got your heart set on a summer road trip, keep in mind that this is one of the most expensive times of the year to rent an RV due to the nice warm weather and the fact that many people are traveling with their kids on summer vacation. If you’re looking to save money, see if you can move your trip to the spring or fall, when a rental will be hundreds of dollars less for the exact same type of RV.
Another point to consider is the fact that most RV rental companies charge a mileage fee in addition to the cost of gas that you’ll already be paying for. That means the farther you drive, the more you will have to pay. If you’ve been dying to do an RV trip in a specific place, such as the Grand Canyon or up the Pacific Coast Highway, consider renting an RV close to your destination rather than renting one in your hometown and driving it all the way there. By doing so, you’ll save on gas and mileage but still get to enjoy your time in the RV once you arrive by car or plane.
If you’re interested in renting an RV for a longer period of time, try asking around for long term RV rental rates. Especially in the less popular months, many RV rental companies offer special rates to customers looking for month long or seasonal RV rentals.
How Old Do You Have to Be to Rent an RV?
If you’re still in college or even a recent graduate, you might be curious: Can you rent an RV if you’re under 25? Luckily, the answer is yes. Ultimately, you may have to pay an upcharge, but there are still a handful of RV companies that rent to responsible drivers under the age of 25. Most likely, you will wind up paying an extra fee of anywhere from $20 to $30 per day if you fall between the ages of 21 and 24.
If you’re unable to find one of these companies, searching on the peer to peer RV rental platforms might be your best bet. As mentioned earlier, because RV owners are just regular people, they don’t have strict corporate policies to adhere to and therefore might be willing to take a chance on a younger driver. Whatever the case, you’ll always want to be upfront with the person or company you’re renting from. Honesty is the best policy, especially when you’re entrusted with a vehicle worth tens of thousands of dollars.