Hi everyone! We finally found ourselves a brand new 30 foot RV to rent ONE WAY from Chicago to Florida, (I was afraid to rent a used one because I am very...umm...particular). I have been reading your forum and others until my eyes bleed but feel like a direct question to you wonderfully kind people would help me greatly.Hubs and I have two boys (5 and 11) and I'm kind of a sissy princess who loves the idea of, but doesn't love the reality of, tent camping (so I usually visit the campground with the boys and then go back home to my bed at night), but have been really wanting to get us into an RV. We want to buy one but knew we had to start out renting in case it's not for us.Can anyone give me any tips on what to bring for a 5 day, one way trip from Chicago to Orlando in a brand new rental? We are flying to Chicago, but we can bring several pieces of luggage between the 4 of us (8 bags). I assume we will find a Walmart somewhere in Chicago and stock up. I can get a list of basics like sheets, towels, salt, pepper,etc....but thought you with experience can think of things we have no clue would be vital. Maybe some appliances.....do you think I should buy some sort of mattress topper? Should I be trying to cook when we will be driving several (6ish?) hours every day to various locations of as of yet unknown destination. Just throwing out a random uneducated number---Chicago to Orlando is 17 hours according to Google....but I assume it will take longer in an RV, and then we want to veer off the path for some must sees along the way. Is there anything at all you can say to help us so we don't end up on your local news, on a Reality TV show called "What Not to Do When Rving" ..or worse, in a mental hospital 3 days in?

Camping in an RV is not the same, comfort wise, as a tent. I just want to reassure you haha. I am sure there are lots of tent campers who would disagree but I say nay nay.

I'm the last guy to ask this question. since I take every thing but the kitchen sink when I RV. unless you are going to eat in restaurants you will need at least one frying pan and other cooking devices. paper plates and plastic forks, etc. bedding and towels bath soap, napkins, every day stuff. you just do a mental of what is in your house and what you think you can't live without and buy it and use it. have fun on your trip.

You might want to check with whomever you're renting from, what to do if there's problems with the motorhome? A brand new unit is un-tested and hopefully whatever goes wrong will be minor enough that you can ignore it until you turn it in. But, if not, who do you call?See if they'll start the refer for you a day before you get there. It takes a while for them to cool down. The cold travels from the freezer (on top) to the bottom of the refer. It doesn't have cooling coils down the side and back like a household refer, so don't pack it so tight that the cold can't travel downwards.Make sure they give you a good walk around to explain everything. And both of you should participate because there will be a lot to absorb and each of you will forget parts of what you're told.NO, don't cook going down the road. If the (new) driver taps the brakes there goes the hot food all over the place and it may land on you or one of the kids. Nothing like spending the vacation in a burn hospital..... You can reheat solids in the microwave if the generator is running, but don't do liquids.Use paper plates and plastic silver wear.Use the gas buddy app on your phone to save on fuel costs.Travel time will definitely be longer than what Google says. The kids are going to need to get out and run around some. And the driver will need rest breaks, especially if they're nervous to start with. There's an app called Rest Stops for breaks. Get the mirrors adjusted correctly.Who do you call if you get a flat? Is there a spare and can you change it yourself? Take an air gauge to check the tire pressure - make sure the pressure is right before you take off. Check them at least once a day. If you get a flat on one of the rear duals and you don't catch it, it will cause all sorts of expensive damage when the tread comes off of the tire. There's lots of electrical lines, water lines and holding tanks near the rear wheels that are usually damaged if the tread comes off of the tire.Find out if the refer runs off of three way power - 12 volt, 110 volt and propane. The important thing is to know if it will switch between propane and 110 volt automatically when you go from driving down the road on propane to plugging it in at an RV park.Often the AC and the furnace run off of the same thermostat - make sure they show you how to operate it.The hot water heater will run on propane and 110 volts. Usually if it's hot in the morning when you leave, it will stay at least warm enough to wash hands and faces all day. If it doesn't you can run it on propane while driving. If the main body of the MH gets too hot, you can run the generator and therefore run the roof air conditioner also while driving.If you're going to travel with eight bags, make some of them duffle bags so they will fold up and use less space in the MH. Check if they'll provide hangers in the closet or if you have to take them.As for bedding, you might consider only taking some sheets and then buying some cheap sleeping bags at Wal-Mart in Chicago.Take a good map or road atlas with you, I'd also take a GPS. A lot of people like the GPS on their phones. I can't stand them because they're too small for me. Know how to use whatever you're taking.And the most important thing - since it's a new RV, make sure they give you a sewer hose and show you how to use the valves. Remember, empty the black tank first, then the gray tank so that the gray water flushes the sewage out of the line. And a water hose.Have fun.Bill

Excellent advice given above. While we have towed our travel trailer to FL several times (from Chicago) one year we rented a 31' class Cfrom Camping World and drove to Orlando and back during winter break. A stop to Walmart bought us all we needed for the trip. We tend to pack heavy and since we have TT experience we knew what to buy. Just in case you forget something there are numerous Walmarts and Camping Worlds along the way. That year we stayed at several of FL state parks and experienced a new style of camping compared to Yogi Bear. One stop we were at a manataa refuge another we literally were on the beach (Flagler city). One year we flew to FL and rented a 31' Class C (El Monte) so like you we had our suitcases to start with but again a quick stop at Walmart got us what we needed and we stayed at Disney RV Campground.With the El Monte rental the MH wouldn't start at the end of the night at Disney World but a call to their roadside assistance directed me to a loose nut somewhere in the electrical system. In the Camping World MH the slide got stuck out at a truck stop but it was extremely cold and their roadside helped me then also (breaker?). Try to get a grasp of the systems during the orientation or and read their rental handbook if the have one.Realize that the fuel economy probably won't be as good as the rental salesperson says especially if you are going over 60 mph. I think they told me 9-10 mpg but speeding there in the cold going through the mountains it was more like 6-7 mpg.Your family will enjoy this, while I'm writing this makes me want to do it again lol

I see you already have trailer experience. I was going to suggest to camp out in your driveway for a couple of nights - This was the best way for to us to figure out what we might be needing...We always like to spot the closest WALMARTS and LOWES when we travel and stop somewhere. These two stores always have what we might be needing...I'm on the other side of the spectrum of driving something brand new. Being used means to me that someone else has found all the flaws already...Your Chinese 'BOMB' tires will be the first thing to go hehe... I lost my first one bringing my brand new trailer home from the dealership.Roy Ken

Newbies renting brand spanking new RV....help! | Good Sam Community

77 Replies

OutdoorPhotogra
Explorer
Jun 12, 2015
I'm not prone to motion sickness but have a daugher who is and have my fair share of time at sea where I've observed others really struggle. The key is staying ahead of the curve. Your son must take dramamine, patch, whatever, before he feels sick.

Once he feels sick, medicine will not help. I've watched Sailors try to tough it out and my daughter will protest she feels fine but that is the wrong approach if someone is prone to motion sickness.
kohai
Explorer
Jun 12, 2015
Vulcan Rider wrote:
lovetoskifloridian wrote:
And wow, I had no idea a RV bumps and sways.

So.....given that, has your husband ever driven a vehicle that size before ?? Assuming it will be him driving ??

Getting your head "adjusted" to having 30 feet of vehicle sticking out behind takes some time and practice. And stopping suddenly will take at least 2X as far as with a car.

Two trips ago I came down sick the last day of our trip. I had been talking with my wife about her learning to drive the truck while pulling the 5th wheel so this was the time!

She backed the truck up and we got it hooked up. I then rode shotgun and she drove the 2.5 hours home (small town, freeway, and suburban areas). She did amazing. Hooked the truck right up and when we pulled into the neighborhood she got it right next to the curb by the house with the right distance between the curb and the trailer. My setup is about 50' long. I didn't do that well my first several trips.

My advice to her was:
- just driving down the road, you really won't notice the length.

- Take your time, it takes twice as long to start and stop (just like our winters with snow on the road)

- Take really wide turns, the trailer will cut the corner (in my case)

- You're not in a race car, you will be the slow person on the road.

- Go around the block if you need to

I would echo what another person said in this thread. Opt for pull-through sites at the campground. Don't mess with backing in. It should be pretty easy to avoid it.
kohai
Explorer
Jun 12, 2015
lovetoskifloridian wrote:
And wow, I had no idea a RV bumps and sways. Guess the boy will have to stay up front then. :(

I'm not one that usually gets car sick. Once I was on a tour bus in Hawaii up one of their really tall mountains (yes they have a couple). I was in the very back of the tour bus and the switch backs really got to me. A couple people stopped at the information center and didn't get back on the bus to go to the top.

I finally understood why the old people wanted to sit at the front of the bus. They are smart -- it moves around less.
Vulcan_Rider
Explorer
Jun 12, 2015
lovetoskifloridian wrote:
And wow, I had no idea a RV bumps and sways.

So.....given that, has your husband ever driven a vehicle that size before ?? Assuming it will be him driving ??

Getting your head "adjusted" to having 30 feet of vehicle sticking out behind takes some time and practice. And stopping suddenly will take at least 2X as far as with a car.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Jun 12, 2015
Look in a drug store for motion sickness wristbands. I know it sounds like a gimmick but I'm convinced they work. They do for me, anyway.

I would try to keep the motion sickness low-key at first. Don't keep dwelling on it and reminding him with "how are you feeling"? There will be lots of other new things to take his mind off of it that it might not be an issue. Good luck!
lovetoskiflorid
Explorer
Jun 12, 2015
And wow, I had no idea a RV bumps and sways. Guess the boy will have to stay up front then. :(
lovetoskiflorid
Explorer
Jun 12, 2015
Yay, this was some AWESOME information since last I was on here!! Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to help me, to each and every one of you! I'm literally going to take each of your comments with the hints and tips and copy and paste them into a word document and my husband and I will go over them, including what to check for before we leave and what to tell them to do. Especially for the fridge to be cold for our medicine that needs to be cold. We leave in a week, and he travels for a couple of the days prior for work. We really are flying by the seat of our pants, but I think with what you great people have posted will save us some real heartache and make it more enjoyable.
rolling_rhoda
Explorer
Jun 12, 2015
Haven't read all 7 pages of replies, sorry. For your carsick youngster, here are a few suggestions from a champion cookie-tosser.
First, have him sit toward the back of the group, so he's always facing forward. Turning one's head to talk, especially facing the rear of the vehicle, can make some people sick in a blink. Second, stay seated while the coach is moving. If he's moving one speed/direction and the RV is moving another, he might get ill quickly. If he must get up to use bathroom or whatever, make sure he is always facing the windshield. Third, games, reading, even watching movies may not go well in an RV that bumps and sways. Last, ask at the pharmacy counter for children's Dramamine, just in case. I also find that an instant cold pack (for sprains) applied to the throat calms nausea. The front passenger seat is best, if you can make that work.
Rick_Jay
Explorer II
Jun 11, 2015
lovetoskifloridian,

Sorry, I don't mean to monopolize your thread, but I thought of another topic.

In an earlier post, I think the concept of "cooking" while underway was brought up. Here's what we do.

Sooner or later you will run into a traffic jam of some sort due to road construction/accident/rush hour/etc. When the rig is crawling along, we use this time for bathroom & snack breaks. Wifey will make some sandwiches (or hand them out if they were pre-made) and drinks, the kids will use the commode as necessary. If the traffic is really backed up and is stop and go, she'll even get behind the wheel to give me a chance to freshen up a bit.

By the time the traffic clears, we're all refreshed and ready to go. The majority of people caught in the traffic jam are headed for the first available rest stop and we just roll on by. One of the great perks of motorhome travel.

I will emphasize, however, that in general, passengers should always be buckled while under way unless the driver deems it safe to move around.

And speaking of seatbelts, make sure the rental company shows you where all of the seatbelts are located in the motorhome you're renting. Sometimes they fall behind the sofa or into the dinette and can be a bit of a pain to get back into proper position. Make them do this.

Hope this helps.

~Rick
Rick_Jay
Explorer II
Jun 11, 2015
Vulcan Rider,

The torque on the lug nuts of an E-450 is about 140 lb.ft.. More than a normal auto, but not impossible to handle. And the tires aren't that heavy either. (Unlike many Class A's which are torqued to 450 lb.ft. or more and the tire assembly weighs near 200 lbs.)

The more important points for lovetoskifloridian to know are a.) what they should do should there be a tire problem (is road side service included) and b.) if no road service is provided, are the proper tools and spare provided with proper instructions.

lovetoskifloridian. One thing you should be aware of is that RV's "from the factory" are not always perfect or complete. It seems "Quality Control" for most RV's occurs at the dealership, not at the factory. Most rigs go through a "break in" period where broken items are fixed, missing items are installed, stuff needs to be adjusted, etc. Just know this going in. Hopefully the rental company will check everything out for you before you take the rig.

Good Luck,

~Rick