RVers need advice

[hulahips]

Hubby and I have always wanted to try an RV trip. We are going to rent one and try a short trip to see if we like it. If we do, are we too old to begin now?? He is 66. I am 62. Also tips for 1st timers??

[Denny6083]

You are not to old to enjoy the rv life style !
Been in the business 42 years and have loved every minute of it !
Let me know what concerns you may have...

[ugotme]

How old will you be next year if you DON'T try it ????

[Cisco Kid]

how old will you be next year if you don't try it ????

67 & 63

[jimbo2012]

When you travel you will see folks well into their 80's RV'g
Having a trailer is a little more work hooking up backing up etc.

A motorhome or class C is easier

[leftyf]

We sold our home 10 years ago and lived in a 40 ft fifth wheel fulltime and loved it. We were still able to spend the summers up North with the family and the winters all over the South. We had to stop due to medical problems. One thing to remember when you buy your RV, whatever kind you buy, you will take a huge hit on it when you do sell it, especially if you buy it new. I would advise to only buy what you can afford to pay cash for. There are way too many used RVs out there that are upside down on their loans and forced to live in them.

[JCMSr]

We also sold our home about 5 years ago and lived full time in an RV for 4 years traveling throughout the entire US. Last year we found The Villages and decided to sell the RV and settle down here. Buying here was the best thing we could have done but selling the RV was one of the worst! After six months we decided to purchase a smaller, "vintage" RV that we could continue to use for vacations, family visits, etc. Once it is in your blood it is hard to settle down. I'll be the first to admit that the RV lifestyle is not for everyone but we happen to love it. By the way, we are 66 and 64 so the answer is no, you are certainly not to old. Renting an RV and trying it for a short trip is wise but will not give you the full experience. The most important thing to remember is that " It's all about the journey, not the destination". Enjoy the sites along the way and do not rush from one destination to the next.

[Gerald]

There is an RV club in the villages. Go to a meeting and ask your questions. There may be questions you do not know you need to ask about also.
R.V. travel is different for everyone. Depends on how you want to use it. The kind you want to own etc. new R.V's have a lot of equipment that make it much easier to set up and use. Size does count and so does price in choosing one.
I will tell you, it does not save money over staying in motels during travel. However it is a lot more fun and you will meet very nice people along the way.
My wife and I have owned several different kinds over many years. We would be happy to share our knowledge and experiences with you. Send a note to me at gerrijerry@aol.com

[hulahips]

We are very excited over renting and are looking forward to this A few concerns would be safety , size that is comfortable and yet can get in all national parks, cost, expenses, insurance? I am confident the people will be very nice we meet and can't wait. If we decide we love it we'll post for purchasing advice. We are renting our first one through cruise america end of April a 25 ft

[bxmt54]

Do you know if Cruise America will let you pull a car behnd the RV? If not, what will you do for tranortation when you get to each place to camp?

[hulahips]

I am not sure. Can't u get to most places with a 25 ft??

[hulahips]

Also another concern. Can u travel without a campsite reservation for ex if u want to travel or continue driving longer than expected one day? Or should we always have a site reserved? That would take entensive planning correct?

[kittygilchrist]

We are very excited over renting and are looking forward to this A few concerns would be safety , size that is comfortable and yet can get in all national parks, cost, expenses, insurance? I am confident the people will be very nice we meet and can't wait. If we decide we love it we'll post for purchasing advice. We are renting our first one through cruise america end of April a 25 ft

I went to the Cruise America unit and drive it from Gainesville to Daytona Beach for an RV rally just to see if I liked it. I really liked it and so did my boxer Emma.
I am a single gal, About your age, and found it quite easy to handle.

[chuckinca]

Also another concern. Can u travel without a campsite reservation for ex if u want to travel or continue driving longer than expected one day? Or should we always have a site reserved? That would take entensive planning correct?


When we are driving cross country and passing through we call ahead about an hour before we want to stop (usually around 6 PM so we can get set up and eat before it gets too late). Can usually get into the first RV park we call. If we are heading to desired location for a few days we will call ahead the day before.

[jimbo2012]

We rarely make reservations, you can always find a spot.

We use Rvparky.com

In a pinch you have truck stops, cracker barrel and the most popular Walmarts, they sometimes have 25-50 rv's overnite.

I have a 39' never had an issue except a few state parks at 35' max (not 25' as stated above)

Figure average private campground $30-$35 a nite with full hookups, state parks $5-25

[chuckinca]

KOA $45 +/- (they are usually a family destination and have more amenities)

Passport America members 1/2 price if you can find one.

Florida State Parks are usually very nice and Fla seniors get a 50% discount.

Truck stops, Cracker Barrels or Walmarts are too noisy and not very safe.

.

[hulahips]

Last post said Walmart not very safe? I am a bit worried about safety. If u are traveling through states that do not allow u to carry a weapon what would u use to protect itself if God forbid someone tried to break in??

[hulahips]

I am a bit worried about safety. If your traveling through a state that does not allow weapons what would u do if God forbid someone tried to break into ur rv??

[chuckinca]

call 911

grab a butcher knife

use wasp/pepper spray

scream

etc

Walmart might be a bit safer than a truck stop or a Cracker Barrel that closes at 10 PM or so.

We planed on staying in a Walmart a couple years ago and it took checking out three Walmarts before one looked ok to stay, at 11 PM. We left at 4 AM.

On the flip side - we always stop at Walmarts to get off the road for a few minutes, buy some food, use their bathrooms (always in the front of the store and usually fairly clean), walk around the aisles for exercise, buy gas at Murphy's if they have one; Murphy's usually has the cheapest gas in town. But staying overnight isn't a good idea. They sell a Rand McNally road map that locates all the Walmarts in the country and also indicates if the store allows overnight RVs.

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[CFrance]

67 & 63
You smarta$$!:1rotfl:

[Xcuse]

Hubby and I have always wanted to try an RV trip. We are going to rent one and try a short trip to see if we like it. If we do, are we too old to begin now?? He is 66. I am 62. Also tips for 1st timers??
We are 69 & 65 and have been traveling in a motorhome for over 20 years during which we have met lots of people in their 70's & 80's still going strong. We used a 26 footer for many years and carried bicycles to get around if we didn't want to drive. With the 26 footer we could almost always find a place to park to shop or sightsee. The only time we ever make reservations is if we are visiting a popular tourist area in the high ( generally when schools are out ) season. We moved up to a 36 footer to go full time on the road several years ago and started to tow a car to augment the bicycles.
Definitely try it to see if you like it before buying something.

[gerryann]

KOA $45 +/- (they are usually a family destination and have more amenities)

Passport America members 1/2 price if you can find one.

Florida State Parks are usually very nice and Fla seniors get a 50% discount.

Truck stops, Cracker Barrels or Walmarts are too noisy and not very safe.

.

Passport America and most other discount clubs have pretty much gone to the wayside. I agree it is best to stay out of the Walmart and other parking lots. It's just not safe anymore. Go to a KOA and get their free book. If you stay in KOA,s, there are incentives and discounts if you belong. (Inexpensive to get the KOA card).

[hulahips]

Definitely appreciating the straight forward answers as I am trying to learn from experienced rv'ers. Will avoid walmarts as mentioned previously but still looking for honest answer on security concerns

[vitacr]

We've bought & sold 3 RV's in the last 4 years - currently have a 26' travel trailer & we look forward to long weekends usually once a month. Mostly we travel 2-3 hrs for a 3 night trip. We bought & sold only "used" RV's using this site, Ocala4sale. Villages4sale & Craigslist. We always sold for more than we paid. If you like it, we suggest you join Passport America where you get 50% off RV parks nationwide. We rarely pay more than $25 a night. Most parks offer activities, WiFi, Cable, pool, etc. All state parks give seniors 50% off. The coastal RV parks fill up fast with "seasonal folks" in "season" Glad you're giving it a chance - Mainly, have fun.

[SantaClaus]

We've been RVing for 12+ years and love it. You can do a lot of touring with a 25' but having to break camp every time you want to see a sight or make a grocery run is very problematic. We did that for years. You can always rent at your destination but that's not very convenient either. There's a reason you see so many towing a dinghy.

[chuckinca]

Or pulling a trailer or 5er.

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[jimbo2012]

Truck stops, Cracker Barrels or Walmarts are too noisy and not very safe.


Truck stops maybe, but CB & Walmat are not noisy at all,

Not safe do have you any info to support safety issues?

in 9 years never heard anything

Last post said Walmart not very safe? I am a bit worried about safety. If u are traveling through states that do not allow u to carry a weapon what would u use to protect itself if God forbid someone tried to break in??

I think they are very safe and there are always other RV's parked generally in one area.

A gun is a problem, we carry a 12 Ga but a 410 shotgun will work as well, just can't cross over to Canada with it.

call 911

They sell a Rand McNally road map that locates all the Walmarts in the country and also indicates if the store allows overnight RVs.
.

Rvparky.com is free and up to date



but having to break camp every time you want to see a sight or make a grocery run is very problematic. We did that for years. You can always rent at your destination but that's not very convenient either. There's a reason you see so many towing a dinghy.

I agree, we towed a 31' Airstream for 6 years, and last 3 drive a motorhome, should have made the switch years ago.

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also checkout RV (http://www.rv.net), and iRV2 Forum | - RV Forum Community and RV News (http://www.irv2.com/)

those two have thousands of RV'ers that give you info/advice


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[Xcuse]

Have to agree with Jimbo. In 20 plus years of RVing have never met anyone who had to use a weapon while camping at a truck stop,Walmart, Crackerbarrel etc.
Noise is another issue. Just beware of your surroundings when you stop someplace.

[Jayhawk]

Here's a great site where many questions are answered by the owners of every type of RV imaginable:

RV.Net RV and Camping Forum ? RV, Trailer, Camper, Motorhome, Camping and Campground Information (http://www.rv.net/forum/)


:posting:

[SantaClaus]

We have had one situation that was pretty scary while boondocking at Walmart. It was the middle of the night and someone came banging on the door. I sprang from the bed and in my best "burly football player" voice asked "Who is it". It was a couple of rough looking young guys who said they needed $20 for some scam-reason. I told them we used the last of our cash earlier buying KFC (also in the parking lot) , even having to use our available change. They left without so much as an apology for waking us at 2am. I suspect that they were really checking to see if the moho was empty so they could break in. I hate to think what might have happened if someone smaller had answered the door... I'm 6'2" 300lbs. We do not do parking lots any more. We have done a few rest areas since, but really prefer to pay $30 for a proper site if we can.

[hulahips]

Just a little nervous about what would happen if someone broke door down. Would feel vulnerable w/o protection. I know most people say its safe so therefore I'm excited to go and counting down. Only 23 more days and we're on our first ever rv trip!

[borjo]

Those RV doors are really strong and must be pulled out, can't be busted in.

[hulahips]

Great. Tks. Can't wait to give it a try. We rented one through cruise america

[chuckinca]

Have Fun!

Good website for RV Parks:

RV Park Reviews - Trusted Reviews of Campgrounds & RV Parks (http://www.rvparkreviews.com/)




.

[hulahips]

Tks. Can't wait! Who knows maybe we'll love it so much could end up buying. if so, I'll be back for more advice