According to a recent travel report by TripAdvisor, travelers around the U.S. are looking to take shorter trips to destinations closer to home in an effort to stay safe from the coronavirus pandemic, while still feeling like they’re getting away. Nearly half (44 percent) of respondents said they’d likely take a road trip this year. So it’s little surprise that companies like RVshare have recorded their highest bookings ever in the past year. In fact, RVShare revealed in a statement that it saw bookings increase 650 percent month-over-month from April to May in 2020. Excited at the prospect of hitting the open road in a souped-up rig? There are a few things travelers should know about before jumping behind the wheel of a newly rented RV or conversion van. To be fully prepared, we asked Jen Young, the cofounder and CMO of Outdoorsy, a peer-to-peer RV rental marketplace, for all of her road-tested tips. Next it’s time to think about where to go, but, as Young notes, you don’t need to look far. “We’re encouraging folks to use this opportunity to check out what’s in their own [locale],” she says. “While it may be tempting to check the big, iconic national parks off your list, there are smaller national parks and monuments with less traffic, and in some cases, that are even more beautiful than the popular parks. You’ll have an easier time avoiding crowds in those areas.” Avoiding crowds makes for a more pleasant and convenient trip experience, of course, but it’s also more conducive to exercising safe social distancing protocol. Young also notes that websites like Harvest Hosts and Campendium are great options for finding dispersed camping locations around the country. According to advice from RV rental company Cruise America, you’ll want to first take into account the cost per night, which varies by renter, season, vehicle type, and customer demand. Then figure out how many miles you’ll be going (check out Google or Apple maps to calibrate your route’s approximate length), since many rental companies charge a per-mile fee as well. Multiply the cost per night times the number of nights you’re planning to go—and then multiply the per-mile cost times the number of miles estimated. Add those two numbers together for a basic estimate of the total. You may pay extra if your vehicle includes a generator, and a little more depending how often you use it (it’s summer, so the AC will probably be in use, for example). You may be charged to have the rental company include items like bedding and kitchenware—but in many cases you can opt out of their additions and bring your own. Other fees include those for cleaning, gas, campground rates, rental insurance, and setup fees. The Wandering RV did some research and reported ball-park estimates for the average RV rental price for renting from individual RV owners (peer-to-peer), like Outdoorsy. An average travel trailer costs anywhere from $50 to $100 per night, while a large, class A motorhome averages around $175 to $275 per night. RELATED: 3 Times You Should Buy the Extra Insurance—and When It’s Fine to Skip It RELATED: Our 10 Best Packing Hacks of All Time The best part about an RV trip? Your furry family members can come along. “Remember that one of the greatest perks of RV travel is that your four-legged companions can join for the full experience, so check with the owner if they allow dogs,” Young says. “If you’re going to be staying at RV parks or campgrounds throughout your trip, almost all vehicles on our platform will work for you because you’ll be able to plug into power when you get to the campground,” Young says. “But if you’re planning to boondock—camping off the grid—you’ll want to make sure the vehicle has a solar-panel or a standalone generator so you won’t need to be plugged in to use all the vehicle features.” Other things to look for in a rig for longer trips include a bathroom, outdoor shower, water tank, stove, or backup generator. All of these things will help you stay off the grid (and socially isolated) for longer. “The beauty of RV travel is that you’re not restricted by a glowing seatbelt sign in seat 24B,” Young says. “On the road, opportunity is at your fingertips and you can spend time exploring all hidden gems between Point A and Point B that you’d miss from the air. RV travel also offers you the flexibility to change your plans and pivot your schedule in real-time.” That said, Young says it’s still a good idea to have a general plan of where you’d like to go. For example, she’s heading out with Jeff, her Outdoorsy cofounder, this summer for a road trip through the American Southwest. “The scenery will change from desert to mountains and we’ll also get to visit a number of the ‘bucket list’ national parks,” she says about her own itinerary. “What makes traveling through this part of the country great is you can do the route quickly, or if you’re feeling adventurous and want to try a longer trip, spread it out to hit more landmarks along the way. But either way, you’re guaranteed to see some of the most beautiful landscapes our country has to offer.” At the very least, a journey like this can be a special getaway, but at its peak, it can be life-changing. “From the key exchange where you connect with the RV owner to that first night sitting around the campfire at your campsite, you are having an experience that pulls you out of your comfort zone and separates you from your normal daily routine,” Young says. “You are, as John Muir so eloquently put it, ‘washing your spirit clean.’ By seeing everything that can’t be seen at 30,000 feet, hearing every bird chirp, and breathing in the fresh mountain air, you are recalibrating how you think about yourself and the world around you.” RELATED: 5 Ways to Make Sure You Get the Best Rental Car
