I could predict the headlines across social media: “First-Time RV driver wrecks rental RV!” A variety of similar themes and headlines swirled in mind as I pulled into the RV rental store to get my first glimpse at the road mammoth I would be driving for the next 7 days.
For those of you familiar with this Psychology of Travel website, you may have recognized that I don’t share a lot of personal stories. I’ve focused more on travel and psychology concepts rather than blogging about my personal travel experiences.
So, this post is a little bit different for a very specific reason. I’ve traveled on planes, trains, and automobiles, but never tackled the world of RVing. So today, I want to tell you what it’s like to rent an RV for the first time and how I survived my first RV trip.
The RV Rental Process
Sounds like the start of a really bad joke, but…what do you get when you put a psychologist in an RV for the first time? As it turns out, it’s the same as what happens when you put anyone in an RV for the first time. Well, perhaps I may have analyzed the process a bit more than the average person, but the general experience was not unique to me.
I’ll admit it. I was nervous about renting and driving a 30 foot vehicle. I had very little previous experience in driving such a large vehicle. We went with the 30 foot Class C motorcoach (the kind that drives like a pickup truck) for our rental.
The RV rental pick up process was smooth enough, with a brief checklist review of the basic systems. I didn’t feel that I had received the thorough explanation about each element that I had expected. Even worse, I didn’t know enough to know what questions to ask to clarify anything that was explained. I would advise reading up, watching YouTube videos like this one, and perhaps traveling along with a seasoned RV’er like I did on this trip. Regardless, before I knew it, I was pulling out of the parking lot feeling large and in charge from my elevated driver’s position.
Let the RV Trip Begin
We were heading down to the coast with other family members in their own RV, so like a family wagon train we mulled our way down the highway for about 10 hours. Well, each successive hour I felt incrementally more confident in driving that RV.
I appreciated the advice I had received that “everyone on the road is looking out for you, the big RV with the words ‘rental’ printed on the side”. It turned out to be so true! Small cars zipped around me at an extra length away to avoid having to drive anywhere near me for too long. Social distancing was one of the main appeals for renting an RV. As it turns out, cars preferred to social distance from me on the road as well.
The setup at our site was easier than expected. It really is as simple as pulling in, attaching a few lines and power cord to the box next to our site, and voila! Power! Our own little mobile hotel suite complete with kitchenet, bedroom, shower, and living space.
RV Lifestyle & Culture
Okay, I couldn’t help but bring a little bit of my psychological mind with me, although I certainly tried to take time off from psychoanalyzing things during my vacation. One of the cool things that I couldn’t help but observe was the culture of the RV world.
At our RV site, there was a friendly wave hello offered to us by literally every other RV traveler we encountered. It was also interesting to see how people had decorated their RV space, at times feeling that it might be an unspoken competition as to who could have the best lighting and biggest toys out front of their RV. At nighttime, there was a respect for quietness, even with small groups in lawn chairs gathered together in front of several of the larger RV’s.
The book So, You Want to be an RVer? came in handy, and had some helpful information about the culture of the RV lifestyle. Check it out.
For me, the only snag we encountered with our rental RV was a plumbing issue, which took a little ingenuity and some gumption to, um, keep it a recreational vehicle rather than a re-excretional vehicle (humor stretch, much?). Otherwise, it was smooth sailing on the RV.
Ultimately, we returned home with photo storage full of memories of an experience-building little adventure. The return process was even simpler than check-out. There was a brief inspection to confirm that we had not damaged the vehicle and returned it with the same amount of fuel as when we left. Then, I waved goodbye to the RV, and got back in my car. My car suddenly felt much more nimble after driving the 30-footer for seven days.
RV Rental Pros & Cons
My take-home message was this: If you’re looking for a luxury kind of camping experience that allows you the freedom to go almost anywhere, you can’t miss with renting an RV. However, if you’re looking for luxury (period), even the nicest RV’s may not rival four and five star hotel rooms (See Forbes Travel Guide for more on the hotel star ratings).
Con’s of RV rental were additional cleaning time on the front and back end of the trip to make sure everything’s ready to go and clean for return. Hotel staff do this for you.
Other Pro’s for the RV rental include easier social distancing, extra flexibility in destinations, and the cozy appeal of bringing your own things to personalize it.
So, there’s not a right or wrong answer to which method of traveling is best, just makes sure it suits your purposes!
RVShare is a reputable spot to begin your plans for your first (or next!) RV trip. Go ahead and check it out, and take it from me…If I can have a safe and successful first-time RV trip, anyone can! See you on the road.
Happy Travels,
-Dr. L
Founder; PsychologyofTravel.com
The content on this page includes affiliate links from advertisers. It may earn a commission from actions readers take on these links (at no cost to you), such as a click, purchase, or subscribe. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Read our Privacy Policy.