10 Reasons RV Vacations are Better

It's kind of drifting off subject, but having a cabin pretty much locks you down to vacationing in the same spot all the time. OK for some, but I use camping to see new and different things.

dodge guy wrote:
I've been on plane once! Had the window seat by the wing, I watched that wing flex for 4 hours! Anyone know what happens when you flex a metal coat hanger a few times? Never again!

And don't get me started on redundant controls! Anytime you need that means that they figured out at some point they needed it, and it wasn't a calm meeting. If my truck stops it does't fall 2 miles!

I can go on and on, but I don't want to scare anyone!

You should feel completely safe of the design specifications built into commercial aircraft wings. They are tested to flex in feet not inches over weeks not hours. Testing is done to failure. They won't just fall apart if the aircraft is flown within its limitations. Some aircraft still flying today are more than 50 years old ( B52). Proper maintenance is the key.

I love my MH and I love flying. You're more likely to be in a collision on the freeway compared to landing, taking off, or in route flying in a aircraft. But that won't stop me from doing either. I used to fly small planes, I honestly felt safer doing that then being on some highways.

Personally, I don't think they are better, per se. They're just different. I still enjoy my flyaway vacays to exotic locales. There's still something to be said for for staying at upscale Caribbean resorts where the worst thing that breaks is a wine glass, and even when that happens, I don't have to call a mechanic to fix it.

to the OP, one reason RV trips are better is that hotels don't have "quiet hours".

recently stayed in a hotel in major metropolitan area for a weekend conference. turned out that I had booked a room in a "party central" hotel. nice brand name hotel with nice clean room; however, the folks coming in and out, and down the hall all night long did not have a clue of quiet hours. both nights I was woken early morning (1 am and 3 am) with the group down the hall coming in from partying. When I commented Sunday as I was checking out and heading to my day of training, the hotel front desk person said, "yeah there were folks in and out all night". She didn't think it unusual or unacceptable that I had been woken by the partyers.

Stayed in a busy crowded and loud campground on Father's Day weekend. although at night, it was loud with kids playing, a few stereos and TV's, and folks talking and laughing loudly, once quiet time came it actually got quiet.. so I could sleep.

Boy this is funny. You give the example of going to two places both overseas because you did not have RV expenses, duh! I went to St. Croix last year, no RV expense because you can't take one but I sure wish I had my MH to stay instead of a noisy resort.

Also I did not see at any point where they OP advocated that Rv's are better people just that the RV vacation is a better experience, you might want to come off the high horse a little bit.

Dude, ya gotta lay off the Starbucks! I did many fly vacations while owning RVs and could easily have countered with why those types of vacations are "better. Flew many times when we RVd but it was financially easier with a kid in college to not have that expense to take some of the bigger trips. The OP's title alone infers what I commented on. No high horse here, just presenting a point of view about preferences and differences, not superiority. I just don't understand all the defensiveness and justification some feel is necessary to support the RV lifestyle. We absolutely loved it however it's just not our thing right now. I don't feel how we travel is any better than how you travel. And no noisy resort for me. Rented a quiet, 2 BR condo overlooking Cruz Bay. A noisy hotel/resort is no different than the noisy campgrounds I've been in.

Francesca, you are a much braver soul than I! Did the tenting, canoe camped with my son's boy scout troop, had two pop-ups, 5th wheel, then the Endura. They say everything comes full circle. We keep eyeing pop-ups (and truck campers) but not sure we want to head in that direction. Still entertaining a cabin in the woods in Maine but decision are being put off until son finishes grad school.

I've been on plane once! Had the window seat by the wing, I watched that wing flex for 4 hours! Anyone know what happens when you flex a metal coat hanger a few times? Never again!

And don't get me started on redundant controls! Anytime you need that means that they figured out at some point they needed it, and it wasn't a calm meeting. If my truck stops it does't fall 2 miles!

I can go on and on, but I don't want to scare anyone!

Crowe wrote:
It's cheap. At least the way we go about it.

You must tent. Otherwise when you include unit payments (if you have them), gas, insurance, site fees, maintenance, etc., it might not be as inexpensive as you think. We were able to take the trips to Denmark/Iceland and the USVI because we didn't have the RV expenses.

To the OP, please don't take my original comments as an insult. As a parent my thought process was to be careful how you word what you say as you have impressionable young'uns. How one travels is not better or worse than how another travels. The point is you travel and you are exposing your kids to many wonderful things. What you DON'T want to do is give your kids the impression they are better than their peers because they RV.

Boy this is funny. You give the example of going to two places both overseas because you did not have RV expenses, duh! I went to St. Croix last year, no RV expense because you can't take one but I sure wish I had my MH to stay instead of a noisy resort.

Also I did not see at any point where they OP advocated that Rv's are better people just that the RV vacation is a better experience, you might want to come off the high horse a little bit.

We got into RVing because of our youngest son. He's severely mentally handicapped and autistic; he functions like a 1yr old, walks, wears diapers, needs to be fed, bathed, dressed, etc. It was easier on him to have a single living space rather than having to get used to new living arrangements. He got so used to traveling with the camper that when school started he would go out and hug the camper on his way to the bus stop. We took that kid all over the US and he had a blast!

Crowe wrote:
It's cheap. At least the way we go about it.

You must tent. Otherwise when you include unit payments (if you have them), gas, insurance, site fees, maintenance, etc., it might not be as inexpensive as you think.

Oh, no- I assure you...we have an "RV" and have had in one form or another for years! But the present manifestation is very small- no payments involved, little maintenance that we can't do ourselves very simply and cheaply, little effect on our (daily driver) tug's gas mileage, and impact on our insurance is negligible.

As for site fees? Fahggeddabouddit. We boondock almost exclusively and, frankly, see little other reason to have an RV at all! If we want amenities like electricity, running water, TV/internet reception, and a flush toilet: well, we have those things at home.

The whole point for us, though, is the adventure of leaving "home" behind.

And cheaply! :B

Taking the RV on a trip isn't all that much more expensive than taking the family car. In my case, based on a 1000 mile trip, the RV will get approx 9 mpg; my Grand Cherokee will get about twice that at 18 mpg. So over a 1000 mile trip, the RV costs about $175.00 more for fuel than the SUV. But there's no hotel bills, no restaurant meals (unless preferred), and all the other advantages listed previously in this forum. Best $175 I could ever spend.
RV vacations are most certainly better!