Not Utilizing RV Parks or Boondocking

[Floridastorm]

Just wondering how many RV folks choose not to use RV Parks and places like Walmart or boon docking to overnight? Instead using motels, hotels, or AIRbnb. It would seem that it may defeat the purpose of having an RV but there may be some people who just don't like RV Parks and would never stay in a Walmart parking lot or boondock overnight.

[JaxDad]

JRscooby wrote:
Jaxdad, ever think of installing RV living area in a plane? Flying RV?

Yup! But but I’ve got so many better things to do with the best part of 2 million bucks.

The flying motorhome.

[JAC1982]

Just depends on the trip. But to answer what I think the original question was, which is, have we ever parked our 5th wheel in the parking lot and stayed in a hotel room, the answer is no. We don't have one as nice as we have to just go stay in a hotel room. Plus we have 3 dogs.

The decision on whether to take the 5er or stay in a hotel comes into play more for quick weekend trips somewhere (we leave the dogs at home for these, or only bring one). For that, we decide on what's cheaper. For example, in previous years, we like to drive to Laramie for UW football games and the drive is short enough where we can leave Saturday morning and still have the full day ahead of us there. We can get there faster and spend less on gas in a car. But often, hotel rooms on game nights can be $200+ a night, plus the extra funds to eat out for a few meals (vs in the camper we can bring our kitchen with us). So we weigh out which is cheaper... stay at a hotel or pay the $50-60 at the KOA and take the camper. One time, we went up there for a concert. For that trip, it was cheaper to stay at a hotel as the rates were lower than on game nights.

[DrewE]

JRscooby wrote:
Jaxdad, ever think of installing RV living area in a plane? Flying RV?

Unfortunately, that's not really practical for any small planes due to weight and (to a somewhat lesser extent) space. A Cessna Caravan has a load capacity of about 3250 pounds (for both stuff and fuel), and a maximum fuel capacity of about 2250 pounds. A Twin Otter has a payload of about 5000 pounds, with a maximum fuel load of about 2500 pounds. These are probably about the closest you'd come to a "flying pickup truck" airplane, and both are much larger and use much more fuel than typical general aviation planes. Few if any (non-military) planes much larger than the twin otter are certified for single pilot operation.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

I'm one of the "weird ones" I guess - on several trips, we drove our RV to motels. Why? Our conversion van and both truck campers didn't have A/C or showers, so we'd tend to hotel it, if we would have a hot humid night. When we'd get to a scenic (and cooler) area, then we'd camp at an RV park. I have no problem doing either.

I do have to admit, that while many hotels now allow pets, the upcharge per dog, is making camping look even better. Our current truck camper has a rear window that would allow an A/C installation, and for what we'd save on pet charges at hotels, I can install air conditioning and just camp all the way 🙂

[JRscooby]

Jaxdad, ever think of installing RV living area in a plane? Flying RV?

[JaxDad]

A1ARealtorRick wrote:
Sure, to each his own. But driving 14-hour days, especially two or three in a row, would wear me out! Maybe you're a lot younger than I am!! :W

But as I see it, if you're going somewhere to fix airplanes or teach people to fly them, there's got to be an airport there, right? With so many many airplanes in your personal stable, I'd be chomping at the bit to fly everywhere, not beat myself up on the road. But as I've already stated, to each his own!

Happy travels.

If you had read my comment you would have noted that I said I take many breaks throughout the day, I’m ‘on the road’ for 14 to 18 hours a day, but am certainly not driving that whole time.

Yes, I’m always at an airstrip, but it’s often a private strip on someone’s own property or a very small local airport where I live in my motorhome. If I flew there I would be ‘stranded’ there with no vehicle or place to live. Sure I could rent a car, stay in hotel and eat in restaurants but a) that would only ramp up costs unnecessarily, and b) it’s not always practical, and c) I don’t want to do that.

Last fall I spent a week at a customers place, the nearest airport and motel were over an hours drive away.

But you were correct about flying at every chance I get.

[RetiredRealtorR]

JaxDad wrote:

A1ARealtorRick wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

A1ARealtorRick wrote:
We travel to enjoy ourselves, not to be cheapskates or risk our safety.

Funny that, one of the main reasons I tend to overnight in rest stops and such rather than a campground.

When I’m in transit I tend to pull long days broken up by short ‘stretch your legs’ breaks, fuel stops, meal breaks, etc. That means I’m not stopping for the day until sometime after 10pm and am always back on the road before 8am.

I would feel like a real heel disturbing a bunch of families trying to enjoy their vacation while I parked in a site equipped with services I neither want or need for a few hours sleep.

In 30+ years of doing this (probably a dozen nights a year I’ve never even heard of anyone doing so having any kind of problem.

Well, if you're driving until after 10 pm and heading out again before 8 am, you're probably not on the 'trip enjoyment schedule' that I'm on. If I'm in that big of a hurry I like airplanes!! .

No, I’m not, I’m on my way to fix airplanes or teach people how to fly them.

I’m also not ignorant or uncaring enough to disturb a bunch of people who ARE on ‘trip enjoyment schedule’.

When I’m in a real hurry I fly too. I REALLY like airplanes, that’s why I own so many of them!! LOL.

Sure, to each his own. But driving 14-hour days, especially two or three in a row, would wear me out! Maybe you're a lot younger than I am!! :W

But as I see it, if you're going somewhere to fix airplanes or teach people to fly them, there's got to be an airport there, right? With so many many airplanes in your personal stable, I'd be chomping at the bit to fly everywhere, not beat myself up on the road. But as I've already stated, to each his own!

Happy travels.

[JaxDad]

A1ARealtorRick wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

A1ARealtorRick wrote:
We travel to enjoy ourselves, not to be cheapskates or risk our safety.

Funny that, one of the main reasons I tend to overnight in rest stops and such rather than a campground.

When I’m in transit I tend to pull long days broken up by short ‘stretch your legs’ breaks, fuel stops, meal breaks, etc. That means I’m not stopping for the day until sometime after 10pm and am always back on the road before 8am.

I would feel like a real heel disturbing a bunch of families trying to enjoy their vacation while I parked in a site equipped with services I neither want or need for a few hours sleep.

In 30+ years of doing this (probably a dozen nights a year I’ve never even heard of anyone doing so having any kind of problem.

Well, if you're driving until after 10 pm and heading out again before 8 am, you're probably not on the 'trip enjoyment schedule' that I'm on. If I'm in that big of a hurry I like airplanes!! .

No, I’m not, I’m on my way to fix airplanes or teach people how to fly them.

I’m also not ignorant or uncaring enough to disturb a bunch of people who ARE on ‘trip enjoyment schedule’.

When I’m in a real hurry I fly too. I REALLY like airplanes, that’s why I own so many of them!! LOL.

[RetiredRealtorR]

JaxDad wrote:

A1ARealtorRick wrote:
We travel to enjoy ourselves, not to be cheapskates or risk our safety.

Funny that, one of the main reasons I tend to overnight in rest stops and such rather than a campground.

When I’m in transit I tend to pull long days broken up by short ‘stretch your legs’ breaks, fuel stops, meal breaks, etc. That means I’m not stopping for the day until sometime after 10pm and am always back on the road before 8am.

I would feel like a real heel disturbing a bunch of families trying to enjoy their vacation while I parked in a site equipped with services I neither want or need for a few hours sleep.

In 30+ years of doing this (probably a dozen nights a year I’ve never even heard of anyone doing so having any kind of problem.

Well, if you're driving until after 10 pm and heading out again before 8 am, you're probably not on the 'trip enjoyment schedule' that I'm on. If I'm in that big of a hurry I like airplanes!! :C

No, we don't hear about a lot of problems boondocking, WalMart-ing, or rest stop-ing, but then again, not many problems of that type make national news. But believe me, they do exist.

[JaxDad]

A1ARealtorRick wrote:
We travel to enjoy ourselves, not to be cheapskates or risk our safety.

Funny that, one of the main reasons I tend to overnight in rest stops and such rather than a campground.

When I’m in transit I tend to pull long days broken up by short ‘stretch your legs’ breaks, fuel stops, meal breaks, etc. That means I’m not stopping for the day until sometime after 10pm and am always back on the road before 8am.

I would feel like a real heel disturbing a bunch of families trying to enjoy their vacation while I parked in a site equipped with services I neither want or need for a few hours sleep.

In 30+ years of doing this (probably a dozen nights a year I’ve never even heard of anyone doing so having any kind of problem.

[pnichols]

After backpack camping, tent camping, and van camping ... we're now in the group that want heat and A/C, hot showers, a microwave, and a hair dryer - but since we still love being out in nature, we want that kind of camping in places like this :C :

[ppine]

This thread brings up the idea of why people have RVs.

I have been a Road Warrior for 60 years. We slept by the side of the road on the ground, in tents, in the back of the truck. RVs are great just because they have hard sides and furniture. Everything else is a bonus. Heat, hot water, etc. Scenery and privacy are very important.

Another group wants RVs to be like being in a house or a hotel. They want heat and AC. They take showers, they use a microwave and hair dryers. A motel on wheels. The scenery is not that important.

Life get easier once you understand which group you lean towards and it is just as important to know the needs of the people you travel with.

[Crowe]

I've done it. Sometimes I didn't want to take the extra time to get off a highway, drive X miles to a campground and then backtrack to the highway if time was tight or I didn't want to take the time to set up/break down again, even if it was minimal. Had to deal with a last minute campground cancellation (their end) and chose a motel because it was easier. There are other reason such as equipment breakdowns or just wanting a break and a really good, hot shower.

I've never been interested in boondocking nor staying in a parking lot-just not my thing. RVing and hotels are not mutually exclusive. If you don't want to motel/hotel it at any time that's your choice but other's choices are not subject to criticism from anyone. It doesn't defeat the purpose of RVing to stay in a motel/hotel-it may enhance a trip experience to do so.

[BarneyS]

Ron3rd wrote:
A Walmart parking lot would be the last place I would overnight.

If you were trying to reach your planned campground in fog so thick you could barely see the road in front of you then you would welcome it - as we did.
Barney