Sunday, November 30, 2008

The Importance of Researching RV Parks

Are you interested in taking an extended RV trip? If you are, you will likely end up staying at a RV park. For many traveling by RV, motor home parks are their only affordable overnight accommodation option. RV parks are similar to traditional campgrounds, but they are designed with motor homes in mind. When compared to traditional campgrounds, RV parks often have more space.

Whether you are interested in staying at one RV park or if you would like to stay at multiple RV parks along the way, it is important to first familiarize yourself with all of your options. This is best done with a little bit of research.

Researching RV parks enables you to save money. Regardless of where you travel, you will find that RV parks differ, on a number of different levels, including the prices that they charge. Price comparison is particularly important for long distances trips. The longer you must stay at an RV park, the more you will have to pay.

Researching RV parks is also important to get an idea of what you can expect, in terms of features. RV travelers are urged not to make reservations at a motor home park without first knowing what they can expect to get. For example, does the park in question have a swimming pool or a hiking trail? What about a play ground for kids?

Speaking of kids, if you are traveling with your family, will young children be present? If so, there are a number of additional reasons why RV parks should be closely researched and examined. For safety, will your intended parking spot be near a lake? If so, does your child or children know how swim?

Researching RV parks before you leave for your RV trip also gives you enough time to examine all park rules and restrictions. Although most public RV parks will allow pets and children, not all do. That is why it is important that you do the proper research first. This research will allow you to first make sure that you can meet all rules and restrictions. If not, it also gives you time to find an alterative.

Now that you know a few of the many reasons why it is important to research RV parks and public campgrounds with motor home accommodations, you may be curious as to how you can go about doing so. The good news is that it is relatively easy to do.

When researching RV parks and public campgrounds with motor home accommodations, perform a standard internet search. You will want to search with the name of the park in question. Your standard internet search should connect you to the website for that particular park or campground, should they have one. Examine that website to learn as much as you can or at least get the contact information from the website. This allows you to contact the park or campground in question to ask any additional questions that you may have.

Even if you do not have a RV park name, you can still use the internet to your advantage. Business directories enable you to search for a business, like an RV park, in a particular area, such as a specific city and state. You can also perform a standard internet search with a generalized phrase, such as “New York RV parks.” Through the use of a business directory and standard internet searches, you should be able to find the online websites of multiple parks or at least the proper contact ifnoramtion.

As a recap, there are a number of reasons why you should take the time to research RV parks and public campgrounds with motor home accommodations. By taking the time to do the proper amount of research, you are more likely to choose the park or campground that is the best fit for you and your needs. This, alone, should improve the overall quality of your next RV trip.
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Sunday, October 26, 2008

5 Tips for RV Renters

Are you in the process of planning a cross-country trip to see the United States firsthand? Or, are you in the process of planning a long distance road trip to visit friends and family? If you are, you will want to consider traveling by RV. There are a number of benefits to traveling long distances in a motor home. These benefits include luxury, comfort, and having many home-like features.

As nice as it is to hear that traveling by RV is a great way to travel long distances and with large families, many are unsure about doing so. One of the biggest concerns is the cost of buying an RV. If you are interested in traveling by RV, but cannot afford the cost of owning one, you still have options. RV rentals are an affordable way to gain access to a motor home. With that being said, RV rentals can get expensive if you are not careful. For that reason, five helpful tips for RV renters are highlighted below.

1 – Know All Of Your Options

Knowing all of your options is the best way to see success when renting a motor home. First, examine all of your options in terms of local RV rental companies. Many have multiple companies to choose from.

Next, examine the types of motor homes available for rent. For comfort, as well as safety, rent a motor home that is able to accommodate you and your traveling party. For example, a group of six travelers should not try and squeeze into a motor home built for five. Also examine features, such as number of electrical outlets, onboard television, movie players, and so forth.

2 – Compare Rental Prices

As previously stated, most individuals have multiple RV rental companies to do business with. To limit the cost of your next RV trip, compare prices. In addition to comparing the average rental price for different companies, also examine the different motor homes. As previously stated, size is not something that you will want to be short on, but by limiting additional features, you may be able to save money.

3 – Read All Fine Print

When renting an RV, you will be required to sign a contract. This contract is similar to one that you would sign if you were renting a car. With that being said, never assume that all rental contracts are the same. Always fully read an RV rental contract, including the fine print. Never sign anything that looks too suspicious. When in doubt, ask to take the contract home and review it first.

In keeping with reading all fine print, it is important to know all RV rental rules and restrictions upfront. Many times, these rules and restrictions are highlighted on a rental contract, but there is no harm in asking for additional information. Be on the lookout for any rules that may limit the number of guests allowed on board, age requirements for children, and so froth.

4 – Be Careful With Use

Being cautious is an important component of renting an RV. If you are not careful, you may be financially responsible for any damage that occurs. That is why you should always use caution. Some tips involve keeping all food and drinks properly covered or put up while on the road, don’t prepare foods while driving that can cause harmful stains, and so forth. Also, if you have children, be sure to set some ground rules.

5 – Return Your Rental On Time

Returning your RV rental on time is important for keeping your rental costs low and affordable. Late rentals may incur late fees. These late fees, should they exist, should be outlined on the RV rental contract. If you know you are running behind schedule and will be late, be sure to contact your RV rental company to inform them of your delay as soon as possible.
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Saturday, September 27, 2008

The Importance of Properly Preparing for a RV Trip

Are you interested in taking an RV trip? If you are, you will want to take the time to properly and fully plan for and prepare for your upcoming trip.

As nice as it is to hear that should properly plan for and prepare for your upcoming RV trip, you may be curious as to what the importance of doing so is. After all, you may only be interested in visiting the next town over for a day or two. Even in these types of situations, with short RV trips, it is still important to properly plan and prepare.

One of the many reasons why you are encouraged to properly plan for and prepare for your upcoming RV trip, no matter where you are going or for how long, is because of safety. If your motor home breaks down, will you be able to get assistance right away?
Those who own their own RVs are encouraged in invest in RV insurance or at least roadside assistance. For those renting RVs, it is important to determine, ahead of time, if roadside assistance is included in rental fees. When traveling, it is always best to prepare for the worst.

Another reason why you should properly plan and prepare for your upcoming RV trip is for your loved ones. When you take the time to do the proper amount of planning and preparation, your loved ones can take comfort in knowing that you are safe and out of harms way. This is ideal if you have children who will be staying behind. In fact, you may want to create a mini itinerary for yourself to leave behind; include what stops you plan to make, when you will check-in, as well as when you will return.

Perhaps, the greatest reason why you should take the time to properly plan for and prepare for an upcoming RV trip is so that you can have a good time. If your planning and preparation is rushed, you may find yourself missing important supplies. For example, what would happen when you went to take a shower and realized that you forgot the towels, and so forth? Not only can this result in additional expenses on the road, but it is also a huge inconvenience.

In conjunction with improving your overall satisfaction, proper planning and preparation, for an RV trip, reduces the amount of worry or concern you may have about doing so. For example, by creating a checklist in advance and going through that checklist before your trip, you can make sure that you have “all of your ducks in a row.” This is likely to provide you with a sense of comfort and security, which can help improve your chances of having a truly fun and memorable RV trip.

As highlighted above, there are a number of reasons why you should take the time to properly plan and prepare for your next RV trip. The good news is that it is relatively easy to properly plan and prepare for an upcoming RV trip. For example, make a checklist of what items you would like to pack, which items you will need to buy, stops you would like to make along the way, and so forth. Traveling by RV can be fun and exciting, but it can also be dangerous and frustrating if the proper steps are not first taken.
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