It was while standing near the water hookups outside a Love’s Travel Stop in Alabama, as the contents of our class A vehicle’s putrid blackwater tank splurted and slurried all over the ground at my feet, that I realized owning an RV might not be for me.
It was the latest and most acutely illustrative example of everything that can go haywire with a hotel room on wheels. Over the course of a 5-day, 2,200-mile round-trip between Minnesota and Alabama, seemingly everything that could have gone wrong did. And it wasn’t anyone’s fault — except perhaps my group’s general inexperience with RVs — it was just a symphony of plausible problems crescendoing in perfect harmony.
This, I came to realize, is the real blessing of renting an RV through a professional outfit like Outdoorsy, rather than embarking on the odyssey of ownership outright. The feel of driving, route planning, navigating the myriad bells and whistles — and above all, troubleshooting — should all be fully understood before signing on the dotted line at the dealership.
What follows is my experience as a first-time RV renter, and how working through a vetted platform helped navigate some of the hardships and preserve an overall good time.
If you are ready to buy, check out the GearJunkie guide to choosing your perfect RV or camper trailer.
Getting Started: Plan Your Vacation
My dream vacation was to do something big! I don’t mean big adventure — I mean big spectacle! I was curious to shake up my world and my senses by driving 1,300 miles south to Talladega, Ala., and see a 200 mph NASCAR race. These events — and this one in particular — are multiday car camping experiences, from race car museums, festivals, and rides to all-night dance parties and concerts.
Tip 1: Consider the driver
No great expedition is better alone, whether it’s with family or friends. But one thing to consider if you’ve never driven a Class A RV is to invite someone who can wheel a big vehicle or who knows how to drive with a trailer. One of my friends had a commercial driver’s license (CDL). This wasn’t strictly necessary, but it helped to know somebody was familiar with driving very large vehicles.
Tip 2: Consider the route
If you opt for the full Class A RV experience — or if you just want to ensure a simple, predictable driving experience — download TruckMap. As we discovered, Google Maps or similar will default to the fastest route, often with the least traffic. That sounds great in theory, until you find yourself on a two-lane rural highway driving a 35-foot RV. TruckMap routes only highways best suited to large trucks and RVs, with plenty of fuel and rest stops along the way.
A Note on Pricing
I never much considered RV rentals. I figured you either paid a small fortune to own one or were invited aboard someone else’s. What I’d overlooked is that getting behind the wheel of an RV could look less like a traditional vehicle rental and more like an Airbnb reservation.
That is where Outdoorsy comes in. While RV rentals have existed for decades, Outdoorsy married the concept with the modern vacation rental experience. From big Class A rigs to pull-behind teardrops, the process is strikingly similar to booking a spring break stay. Pick preferred days, filter by pet-friendly options or features, and narrow down by pickup location.
Pricing will vary widely, depending on the vehicle you choose — from under $100 a night for a pull-behind trailer, to over $500 for a class A RV.
Do Your RV Research
Tip 1: Consider the age
Five years in a typical car’s lifetime is basically nothing. But with RVs, it’s a different story. Remember, these vehicles are far more likely to rack up long miles on each trip. And if it’s being rented out to the public, those miles can add up fast.
This does not mean you should avoid RVs that are more than a year or two old; they can be great. But especially for long excursions, like my 2,200-mile round-trip journey, newer vehicles with fewer miles on the odometer offer much more peace of mind.
Tip 2: Research known issues
Once you’ve found a good candidate, take 10-20 minutes to research issues and complaints for that make, model, and year. Again, finding an issue isn’t a deal-breaker, but it can help you prepare for non-critical issues you might face — like sticking door locks or temperamental onboard appliances.
Of course, if you do find several complaints of critical systems, it’s better to know this before booking.
Tip 3: Insurance
Nobody wants to add more costs to their trip, but it’s worth seriously considering added protection for your RV trip. Unlike a static vacation rental, an RV will be surrounded by bad drivers on the road and, when set up at camp, potentially by falling branches, kids playing frisbee, or any number of other variables. Outdoorsy offers its own tiers of added insurance, and if nothing else, it’s worth looking over before deciding.
Pre-Trip Walkthrough
You’ve planned your route and booked the RV of your dreams; understandably, you’re eager to hit the road! When you go to pick up the vehicle, or when it’s delivered (an option on many Outdoorsy bookings), curb your enthusiasm and take time for a thorough walkthrough with the owner. This is your last and best chance to prevent any problems that might arise (and I assure you, even the best plans encounter problems).
If you found any issues in your booking research, now is the time to address them directly with the owner. Also, ask about any quirks the vehicle might have. Treat the walkthrough like you would if you were about to buy the RV — make sure everything works, and if anything seems amiss, address it now.
Tip 1: Sleeping arrangements
If you’re traveling with more than two people, you’ll want to understand exactly how each sleep setup works. The beds are straightforward, but pull-outs and dining areas that convert to sleeping quarters can be a pain to figure out at night when all you want to do is collapse. Ask how all the hidden bedding options operate.
Tip 2: Know every button
The real fun of an RV is parking it for the night and treating it like a luxury hotel room. Many conveniences are activated by a switch or button — and there are lots of them. Take time to ask about all of them and test them out. Consider adding Post-it note reminders around the RV as you go (silly, but it works).
Tip 3: Take photos of everything
If you’ve ever rented a car, you know the drill: Confirm every nick, dent, and scratch before taking the keys. Walk around the outside and inside with the owner, and take photos of anything that appears damaged. Most owners are great and will show you every blemish to ensure a smooth transaction (as ours did).
Outdoorsy also prompts you to upload pre-trip photos to execute the booking. Heaven forbid anything should happen, but having proof of the vehicle’s condition when you received it is crucial.
Expect Delays
Before you finish up the walkthrough, ask how responsive the vehicle owner will be to any issues. Again, owners like ours, with high user ratings, are likely to be reasonably available to answer any questions.
If this is your first time traveling in an RV, I can almost guarantee you’ll have questions after the first 100-200 miles. Is the fridge not on? Did a dashboard light illuminate? Is one of those switches not working? This is the getting-to-know-you phase. Over the course of a day or two, you’ll mostly know how to use all the features you need to use, but there will be a learning curve.
Outdoorsy has a messaging feature that I recommend. This is a helpful record of your experience, should you need to refer to it.
Tip 1: Make the first day a short day
Resist the urge to be a road warrior. Our group was ambitious and aimed to make our first day driving a big day that would take a huge chunk out of our trip mileage. We drove until well past dark, but our progress was slowed by technical glitches and route-planning that sent us down backroads unsuited to an RV.
This left us weary and 100 miles short of our planned campsite. We pulled into a crowded highway rest area, tired and still figuring out how all the convertible beds worked.
A better option would be to make day one a short day with achievable mileage and an arrival window that would give plenty of time before lights out. What’s more, this gives you time to message your host with any questions before they go to bed.
Tip 2: Check the weather
If you planned your trip well, you’ll find yourself at a nice camp spot to settle into. For class A RVs like ours, it’s a blast to deploy all the bells and whistles: outdoor galley, side awnings, entertainment center — the works! While these accouterments are generally well-made, a nasty storm can wreak havoc (speaking from experience).
Before turning in for the night, take a peek at the weather. If you see any alerts — wind, thunderstorms, severe weather — make certain your awnings are retracted and all external accessories are stowed, closed, and bundled.
Be Patient, Enjoy the Experience
If you followed all the steps so far, and you’re lucky, something will still go haywire. That’s OK! If you can believe it, minor mishaps and technical SNAFUs are actually the key ingredients to good memories. As the saying goes, “sh*t happens” (in our case, literally). The best way to keep solvable setbacks from becoming real disruptions is to be patient when an issue arises and work on the problem.
There’s not enough space to address all the potential pitfalls, but there are two key points that would have spared my group some hassles.
Tip 1: Understand power
Many of the issues my group experienced related to power, or lack thereof. The vehicle’s primary batteries worked fine, but the house batteries — which powered the bump-outs, drop-down bunks, water pump, and more — kept dying.
Because of a mechanical defect we never resolved, these batteries were not charging while driving. That left the onboard generator to juice them up. Let this be a lesson: make sure you know how your generator operates, if it’s equipped.
But as we learned, the gas generator had a hidden fuse that kept tripping — leaving us with a dead RV on a couple of occasions (until we discovered it). Power is critical because when your batteries run low, household appliances can start acting funny due to a lack of steady voltage. Be sure you understand what batteries power what accessories, what backups are in place, and how they operate.
Tip 2: Don’t be shy — Ask the experts
As you travel down the interstate, you’ll find travel stops and refueling stations that you prefer over others. For my group, Love’s became a favorite (Buc-ee’s was too crowded). When we needed to dump our blackwater, none of us knew how. The staff at many of these rest areas and travel stops are familiar with the needs and basic operations of RVs and large trucks.
The assistant at Love’s in Alabama showed us where the dump station was, which levers to look for on our vehicle, and what to expect. Of course, had we been patient and not tired and travel-weary, we would have double-checked that our blackwater hose was properly secured and noticed it was about to detach, creating a filthy mess.
It’s OK, though, sh*t happens!
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