How to Rent an RV & How Much Does It Cost?

Traveling & exploring in an RV or motorhome is one of the best travel experiences you (and your family) can have. RV travel gives you the best of both worlds in that you hit the road with freedom and flexibility, as you enjoy the comforts of a home. We love traveling in our motorhome, but we understand that not everyone is ready to take the plunge and buy an expensive RV. So how can you enjoy an RV adventure without all the hassles and costs of buying an one? Well it’s simple…just rent an RV!

Why You Should Rent an RV

According to a recent study that was conducted Recreation Vehicle Industry Association, more than 62% of people who have never owned a motorhome in their life said they thought RV’ing is the best option for going on family trips around the country. Overall, the cost to rent an RV may seem quite expensive. However, that pales in comparison to the cost of buying an RV (or just maintaining it!).

For this reason, renting an RV is a good option for those who don’t want to make such a big purchase but still want to enjoy the RV lifestyle and its many benefits!

1. Renting an RV Costs Less Than Owning One (over the long run)

Renting an RV for your family vacation comes with several benefits. First of all, you aren’t actually buying the RV – which will save you a bunch of money in the long run. Plus, for a family vacation you will save a lot of cash that would have been spent traveling by air (especially if you have a large family). You will also save on hotels, which can also add up if you have multiple family members & need more than one hotel room.

The other thing to keep in mind that renting an RV means that you don’t have to take out a loan to buy it, nor do you need to pay for insurance or ongoing maintenance. Overall, if you only take the RV out a few times a year then you will never be able to justify the cost. It’s just money down the drain really — because an RV is a massive depreciating asset (far worse than your cars).

2. Experience RV Life on the Road!

When you compare the benefits of vacationing in an RV over staying in a hotel, the benefits are even more in terms of the experience. While in a hotel you will also sleep comfortably, in an RV you will not only achieve this, but also sleep in an environment that you like whether it is on a mountain, beside the lake, next to the theme park, or next to a beach.

I can’t tell you how much we enjoy this part of RV travel, it really is the best! Unless we are staying in a nice resort, we find hotels to just be boring and stale. With RV travel, we have the option to be in the wilderness and enjoy nature’s beauty. But we also may choose to stay at a wonderful RV resort with amenities like pools, hot tubs, even golf courses!

For more reasons, check out our post 10 Reasons We Love RV Travel (and Why You Will Too).

3. RV Travel Allows for Flexibility

Another major benefit of renting an RV is the flexibility that it provides. While you will be forced to go all the way back to your hotel’s restaurant to eat or look for a restaurant nearby, with an RV you will always have your kitchen right there with you. This can also save you a lot of money on dining out! Also, you won’t always have to travel back to your hotel to sleep, change clothes, or shower. In other words, you won’t need to stay close to a home base since you will be traveling with the home.

How to Rent an RV? More Options Than Before!

If you have never travelled before by RV, the idea of renting may seem like a daunting task. However in reality, all it takes is a little bit of research for you to plan that perfect family RV trip.

A few years back, if you wanted to rent an RV you would have to go through a chain rental service (such as Cruise America) or a dealership. However, this came with a few restrictions and the service is quite expensive. Plus, the motorhomes would be very generic and often not be in the best shape.

Thankfully, renting an RV nowadays has gotten a lot easier – and also more affordable!

Outdoorsy = The AirBnB of RV’s!

With RV travel becoming more popular, the RV ownership rate has been growing extensively over recent years. However, since most of these RV’s stand on the driveways for the best part of the year, owners have taken a page out of “share economy” handbook and decided they might as well rent them out when they aren’t using them.

The result is a trend for RV owners to rent their RV to families who want to use them, similar to staying in an AirBnB. Thanks to peer to peer networking and sites websites like Outdoorsy.com, RV owners and families looking to rent RV’s can now connect more easily.

This has become beneficial to both RV owners who rarely travel using their motorhomes and travelers who don’t have enough money or don’t want to buy an expensive RV just to experience traveling in one.

How Much Does It Cost to Rent an RV?

One of the biggest benefits of peer to peer rental sites and Outdoorsy is that costs to rent an RV are often much lower compared to those of chain rentals and dealerships. In fact, on websites like Outdoorsy, the cost of an RV rental could be as little as $7 per day. Of course, this price can go up to hundreds per day – because it really depends on the size of the RV, the age, the amenities, etc.

As if that is not enough, you are always free to look for discounts or even reach out for the RV owner using the system for negotiations on their price. The great thing is that it’s easy to browse the site and find exactly the type of RV and price that works for you.

Another major benefit of these RV rentals is that you will be renting from someone who loves RV’ing too. They may be able to give you advice on their favorite places to camp and they will be glad to support you all through the way.

In this way, I feel like the cost to rent an RV is not only more affordable than ever, but you have more options and may even get a better rig and better service too!

How to Rent an RV Through a Peer-to-Peer Site

First, the RV owner will take a few photos of their RV and upload them on the websites. Afterwards, they will state the nightly rate that they want and their rules for the person that will use their RV.

When you go to the platforms, you will start by researching through the huge RV marketplace based on your location and travel dates. When you do that, you will be provided with a wide range of RVs to choose from. When you see an RV size, shape, and age that is ideal for your trip, just submit a reservation request and the owner will just conduct a slight background check through the platform.

When they finally approve your request, you will just have to pay a security deposit which in the end may either go toward your rental cost or be refunded depending on the listing’s terms and conditions.

What If I’ve Never Used an RV Before?

If you are new to RV’s, you don’t need to worry as the owner will show you how to use everything. When renting through websites such as Outdoorsy, both the owner and you will be covered by liability insurance in addition to having free 24/7 roadside assistance. Once you are done with your trip, you will just refill the gas tanks and return the motorhome to the owner. Renting an RV couldn’t be easier!

Do I Need a Special License to Drive an RV?

This is a good question, and something I never really thought about since I grew up with RVs. But for the most part, no you do not need a special driver’s license to drive an RV. While the laws may vary by state here in the USA, most states only require special licenses if you are driving a super large (and heavy) vehicle – like say over 26,000 pounds.

Most RVs are much smaller and lighter than that. For example, a Class C RV (like the one we had) weighs only 10,000 – 12,000 pounds usually, depending on the length. And personally, we found our Class C super easy to drive – just like a big van really. Although, you do need to keep in mind the length when turning corners & that “backswing” – honestly it’s so easy to drive that it’s easy to forget (and yes, we’ve had a few close encounters!).

Even a lot of the bigger RVs, such as the bigger bus-like Class A’s don’t require a special license (which is what we now own). However, it never hurts to double check. Sites like Campanda have a great article all about the laws for RV’s.

Get Started on Your Next RV Adventure at a Great Price!

If you’ve been reading our blog or following us on social media, then you may already know that we are HUGE fans of RV travel! It’s such a memorable experience, especially for a family. But as RV owners, we understand that it is an expensive investment to actually buy an RV. So it’s great to know that there are websites out there that making renting an RV easy and affordable.