need your opinions: rv or hotel?
We are retired, very young ages 58 & 64, two small dogs and getting ready to hit the road, but have not been able to decide on mode of travel. Additional facts: we want to take the dogs as much as pos...
Forum Discussion
If you want to take the dogs, get an RV.
If you want to avoid a schedule, get an RV.
If you want to stay in National Parks, get an RV.
If you want to avoid set-up, a class C is probably best.
We have traveled the west in an RV and in an SUV (staying in hotels). The RV wins in every sense. In the SUV, we had to book flights, rental car, and hotels in advance, sometimes way in advance to get a room in the location we wanted or the type of car we wanted. We couldn't take our dog and had to pay $25/day to kennel her. We couldn't stay in National Parks such as Arches and Capitol Reef because they have no lodging (Fruita Campground in Capitol Reef is just beautiful). We always had to move on to our next location even if we didn't want to because we had to make reservations.
the RV trips have been much more relaxed and more spontaneous. Two years ago when, in July, Going to the Sun Road was still closed, we left earlier than planned and went to Teddy Roosevelt National Park. If we had paid (with required advance reservations) $200 a night for Many Glacier Lodge, we probably would not have and missed a beautiful park.
Out west, the distances are great. It can be 50-100 miles between gas stations/rest stops/civilization. With an RV you have a bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom and can pull over any time you wish. Having to find a bush on the side of Route 95 in Utah was 'fun,' but not something I want to repeat.
If you want to avoid a schedule, get an RV.
If you want to stay in National Parks, get an RV.
If you want to avoid set-up, a class C is probably best.
We have traveled the west in an RV and in an SUV (staying in hotels). The RV wins in every sense. In the SUV, we had to book flights, rental car, and hotels in advance, sometimes way in advance to get a room in the location we wanted or the type of car we wanted. We couldn't take our dog and had to pay $25/day to kennel her. We couldn't stay in National Parks such as Arches and Capitol Reef because they have no lodging (Fruita Campground in Capitol Reef is just beautiful). We always had to move on to our next location even if we didn't want to because we had to make reservations.
the RV trips have been much more relaxed and more spontaneous. Two years ago when, in July, Going to the Sun Road was still closed, we left earlier than planned and went to Teddy Roosevelt National Park. If we had paid (with required advance reservations) $200 a night for Many Glacier Lodge, we probably would not have and missed a beautiful park.
Out west, the distances are great. It can be 50-100 miles between gas stations/rest stops/civilization. With an RV you have a bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom and can pull over any time you wish. Having to find a bush on the side of Route 95 in Utah was 'fun,' but not something I want to repeat.
