RV vacation costs vary from person to person but according to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association of America one thing is clear; even when fuel prices go up, RVing vacations are still more affordable than any other type of getaway.
The cost of renting or owning your own RV for vacation trips might seem high when compared to buying an airline ticket or renting a car. But a 2014 study reveals that even a seven day trip in a luxury motorhome is less costly that other methods of travel or staying in a hotel, rental house or condominium, and eating in restaurants.
The study, prepared by PKF Consulting USA, a member of an international travel and tourism consulting group, found that a family of four can save 23-to-59 percent less when vacationing by RV, and even two people can save anywhere from 11-to-46 percent when they hit the road in a RV.
Why RVing is Cheaper Than Other Vacations
To calculate the costs of average RV vacations, the study analyzed trip costs for two types of travelers: a family of four, including two adults and two children; and a party of two adults. Then it calculated the costs for these hypothetical travelers to take nine different types of vacations to nine popular vacation destinations, including: Branson, MO; Cape Cod, MA; the Grand Canyon; Corpus Christi, TX; Orlando, FL; Lancaster, PA; Napa, CA; Traverse City, MI; and Yellowstone National Park. All types of RVs were part of the fictional travelers’ trip cost analysis, including folding camping trailers, lightweight travel trailers, compact motorhomes, Type C motorhomes, and Type A motorhomes. Finally the study compared costs of 3, 7 and 14 day trips for these travelers, while taking into consideration theoretical increases in fuel prices. The results?
- RV vacations are cheaper, regardless of where you go or what kind of RV gets you get there
- Even if fuel prices more than doubled, RV vacations are still more cost effective than other types of travel.
- Other vacations travel methods are more acutely affected by rising fuel costs, for example when airlines slap fuel surcharges onto passenger tickets.
- Luxury Class A motorhome vacations are still 45 percent cheaper than taking an upscale resort vacation
There are a million more benefits to renting or buying a RV for vacation trips, such as the freedom to go where you please and when. But if you’re still looking more hard facts to justify your next RV purchase, visit the RVIA’s press release about this study for more information.
Often called “The O.G. of full-time RVing,” Rene Agredano and her husband Jim Nelson hit the road in a fifth wheel trailer in 2007, after their dog Jerry lost a leg to terminal cancer. Sixteen years later they are still traveling and sharing their nomadic adventures at LiveWorkDream. As a self-employed wordsmith, Rene shares her expertise for many RV industry videos, publications such as the Escapees RV Club Magazine, and has authored numerous books, including the Essential RVing Guide to National Parks, and Income Anywhere, a guide to earning money on the road. She has been featured in global media outlets including the PBS documentary “NATURE: Why We Love Cats and Dogs,” The Guardian Sunday Edition, and the Dan Pink book Free Agent Nation.
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