questions about rental RV

OP says he wants to use this to "try out" RV'ing.
Pretty sure that if there's a next time, there'll be fewer co-conspirators!

jdc1 wrote:
Use the RV to tow a small trailer. No way are you going to cram that many adults into a single RV for any extended time.
A huge toyhauler has more sleeping capacity than any Class A.

Many RV parks and campgrounds limit each site to one camping unit. I would suggest finding parks that also have camping cabins and rent a cabin to put half the people in each night. The extra money spent will be much less than the hospital bills after someone snaps and goes on a murderous rampage from having 8 people in a space that starts to get crowded with 4. Eight people can travel in reasonable comfort in a single RV, but no way can they sleep and bathe in one in anything other than in a living nightmare.

Before you do this trip, you might try to get hold of my favorite RV movie ever, "Rolling Family."

video trailer

Use the RV to tow a small trailer. No way are you going to cram that many adults into a single RV for any extended time.
A huge toyhauler has more sleeping capacity than any Class A.

A1ARealtorRick wrote:
Eight people sharing one teeny tiny bathroom should be the highlight of the trip :C

point well taken :)

an opportunity to educate the kids not everybody in the world has their own bathroom :)

valhalla360 wrote:
The Class C units they rent technically may sleep 6-8 but no way will it be even remotely comfortable.
- 2 people will have to climb up and sleep in the overhead...which typically has weight limits.
- 2 people will be in the converted dinnet which is usually on 5.5ft long so they need to be short.
- 2 people will have to cling to each other to fit on the sofa.
- 2 people will be hated for having the comfortable main bed.

For 8 people, either get 2 units or are some willing to tent it?

Thanks for the detailed information! I understand it won't be comfortable, but it will only be for a week, if I can find a RV that sleeps 8. I'm finding out if tent camping next to the RV is allowed.

Mr.Mark wrote:
We rented 3 times before purchase to make sure that we like it, we did. :)

The first rental was a class C, 31 ft. one slide, then a 38 ft. class A diesel with three slides and finally a 38 ft. class A diesel with four slides. (renting is not cheap!).

During the second rental, friends rented a 37 ft. class A gas. We all went to Sedona, AZ, from CA. Had the best time as we all had our own sleeping quarters.

Back to your rental....... the kids could sleep in sleeping bags, no need to try and find a unit that can sleep 8. Depending on the SUV/Van, the kids could camp in that for the night, I'm sure they would love their own space.

To me, it seems a large class C would work as the adults would have their private spaces, two in the bedroom and two in the loft and maybe two on the fold-out sofa.

Have you thought about renting two class C's? That way, everybody would have their own sleeping quarters. You could leave the SUV/Van at home if you were not going be touring during the day and just enjoying camping at your three travels stops.

Anyway, whatever you decide you will have a blast even though it will be crowded. :)

Safe travels,
MM.

Thanks for sharing! I've always thought I will try RV once my youngest finish highschool :) this will be my first time to try it. I've read some warnings about challenges of RVing.

We will be touring the park, where some roads are not suitable for RVs, that's why we decide to try one RV, and one SUV/Van.

looking at the floor plan of the largest RV that sleeps 7 offered by cruise-america, it doesn't look like there is enough floor space for the 8th person. it sounds that a tent is more feasible.

DrewE wrote:
Eight is a lot of people for most RVs to accommodate comfortably. My class C in theory could sleep eight, but two on the jackknife sofa would be very tight unless they were young children (and even one on it is impractical if they're on the tall side). Even with that, it would be crowded for socializing, eating, etc.; the table can't fit more than four reasonably.

I'd suggest maybe having a tent or two for a few of the people. Some campgrounds might not permit eight persons on one site (though many will), and having the tent would also permit you to easily spread over two adjacent sites in such cases--and indeed even when not strictly needed.

thanks for the suggestion! I'll check with the RV parks to see if they allow tent camping at the same location.

The Class C units they rent technically may sleep 6-8 but no way will it be even remotely comfortable.
- 2 people will have to climb up and sleep in the overhead...which typically has weight limits.
- 2 people will be in the converted dinnet which is usually on 5.5ft long so they need to be short.
- 2 people will have to cling to each other to fit on the sofa.
- 2 people will be hated for having the comfortable main bed.

For 8 people, either get 2 units or are some willing to tent it?

We rented 3 times before purchase to make sure that we like it, we did. :)

The first rental was a class C, 31 ft. one slide, then a 38 ft. class A diesel with three slides and finally a 38 ft. class A diesel with four slides. (renting is not cheap!).

During the second rental, friends rented a 37 ft. class A gas. We all went to Sedona, AZ, from CA. Had the best time as we all had our own sleeping quarters.

Back to your rental....... the kids could sleep in sleeping bags, no need to try and find a unit that can sleep 8. Depending on the SUV/Van, the kids could camp in that for the night, I'm sure they would love their own space.

To me, it seems a large class C would work as the adults would have their private spaces, two in the bedroom and two in the loft and maybe two on the fold-out sofa.

Have you thought about renting two class C's? That way, everybody would have their own sleeping quarters. You could leave the SUV/Van at home if you were not going be touring during the day and just enjoying camping at your three travels stops.

Anyway, whatever you decide you will have a blast even though it will be crowded. :)

Safe travels,
MM.