RVing is one of the most cost-effective means of travel. When you travel by recreational vehicle, your transportation, your food preparation, your entertainment, and your sleeping accommodations are covered with your RV rental. Understand the prices and other expenses so you can set up a budget before you go on your RVing vacation; it can be an amazing and affordable way to travel.
RV Rental Prices: Towables
When you’re renting an RV, you have a lot of choices because there are several different types of recreational vehicles to choose from. As with most things, pricing usually depends on sizing and how many people an RV will accommodate. It’s always a good idea to compare RV rental prices and your own preferences before you make a decision on a rental.
Towable RVs require a tow vehicle in order to go anywhere. Some require more burly vehicles like trucks and SUVs, but there are a few that can be towed by cars and minivans. Here is a generalized list of the types of towable RVs that you might encounter and what each may cost you on a day-to-day basis.
• Teardrops – Teardrop campers are traditionally for one or two people. They have a single bedroom, they usually have no bathroom, and you have to cook outside the RV. As a result, these are often the cheapest type of RV, and you can expect to spend as little as $60 to as much as $125 per day for a teardrop RV.
• Pop-ups – Pop-ups, which are also called folding trailers, will usually sleep anywhere from four to eight people at a time. These can have a bathroom, a kitchenette, and more than one bedroom, but these still fold down to a fairly small size and can even be towed by a minivan or car. Per day, you can expect to find a pop-up trailer in the ranges of $75 to $200.
• Travel trailers – Here’s where you may start to encounter some relative comfort and luxury. A good travel trailer like an Airstream can have some nice features, but there are many mid-level travel trailers that provide a very homelike experience without being overly opulent. There are travel trailers out there that will sleep 10 people comfortably, and you can expect to spend anywhere from $100 to $200 per day on one of these RVs.
Prices for RV Rental: Motorhomes
If you don’t have a tow vehicle or don’t want to rent one, motorhomes are a great type of RV to choose. These motorized RVs come in a variety of sizes, and some even have a luxury styling that’s like a five-star hotel. Here’s the list of motorhome RVs from Class A to C:
• Class A – When you start with a Class A, you start with the largest variety of motorhome. There are some Class A vehicles that have electronically expandable sides, giving you even more space than you already have with this type of RV. As the largest and most luxuriously furnished, Class As are often the most expensive, and you can expect to spend anywhere from $250 to $500 a day renting one.
• Class B – Somewhat counterintuitively, Class B motorhomes are actually the smallest of the three types. This is because these are traditionally converted vans that have room for two to four people to sleep comfortably. These are very inexpensive, and you can expect to spend as little as $100 per day for one of these or as much as $250.
• Class C – These are usually mounted on the back of a converted truck. They are a bit larger than a campervan Class B, but they’re more maneuverable than a Class A, and they can sleep at least eight people. These RV motorhomes usually go for at least $125 but can scale up into the $250 range for a night.
Costs Outside of the Rental RV Price
There’s more to an RV rental than just the cost per night. One thing to consider is that there will be times when you want to stay in RV parking places that are not state-approved free RV parking. This means that in addition to the cost of your RV rental, you’ll also have to pay the daily fees of the RV park or campground where you’re camping for the night.
Additionally, it’s also important to understand that most RV rentals, even rentals done through an owner, will require you to leave a deposit on the rental before you can leave with the vehicle. Usually, for most RVs, you can expect to have to leave more than $100, but this expenditure will be refunded back to you when you bring the RV back in top shape.
How to Save on RV Rental Pricing
As a rule, there are no general RV rental prices because prices will fluctuate almost constantly. That being said, you can definitely save on your rental if you’re careful. Consider this: Many RV dealerships will actually discount your rental if you deliver their RVs to a part of a country that’s low on stock; this means that these one-way RV rental prices are much cheaper than normal.
Also, renting from a private owner is a good way to save some cash as well. Private owners don’t always use their RVs all year, and storing them can cost hundreds of dollars a month. To save on this, many RV owners will rent you their vehicles for a reduced price as compared to the dealerships.
You can also work with early bird pricing. When you are looking for the best price RV rental, always reserve early because as demand increases, so will the rental price of the RV. When you reserve early, you avoid these price increases entirely.