First time rental - all & any advice sought

[ascanio1]

Hello to everyone,

We seek any advice that this community is willing and has time to spare to offer to two Italian families, both with one daughter (2 x 4 y.o.) who are renting and experiencing an RV holiday for their very first time.

We want to visit Grand Canyon or Yosemite or Yellowstone or other National parks in the US. We have 2 weeks (any time of the year).

The two little girls are friends and can sleep in the same bed but the two couples would prefer some intimacy (separate compartment?). Of course cost is a parameter and agility of the vehicle a big concern (only one of us has a lorry driving license but unsure if the International Driving Licence will endorse that permit).

We understand that our requirements are contrasting (two separate sleeping compartments vs agility) so we can compromise.

We seek advice on the best rental companies, vehicle size, options to ask for (we want 4 mountain bikes with seats for the little girls), and really any other advice, recommendation, items to consider, what's important and what is not, dangers, laws, regulations, etc., etc..

Basically anything that you would  say to friends who are jumping into this experience for the first time and who find even know what questions to ask!

Thank you in advance for your time and expertise that you will share with us.

 

 

[Lance A Lott]

I have no rental advice but I suggest you reconsider the bikes, we took them many times and every one wanted to ride they never did. I understand Yosemite is beautiful but very hard to get into. May I suggest picking several places that you wont to see that are close together. If you have never been to the US it is hugs and you don't wont to spend all your time driving.

[Kirk W]

Welcome to the Escapees RV Club forums! 

There are several companies that rent RVs here in the USA and by far the largest of them would be Cruise America. I suspect that the second largest such company would be El Monte RV Rental. You should also consider RV Share and Outdoorsy. I have no personal experience with any of these companies, but hear them mentioned or see their rented RVs frequently on the road. Some other companies that you may wish to check out are:

1. USA RV Rental - Offers a simple, three-step booking process
2. Apollo RV Rentals - Great for travelers who want flexibility
3. Cruise America - With 121 locations across America, it’s a convenient choice
4. El Monte RV - Huge selection and can help you plan your trip
5. Motorhome Republic - Perfect for travelers who want all the included services
6. Expedition Motor Homes - Can even get motorhomes delivered to your home or office
7. Road Bear RV Rentals and Sales - Plenty of winter specials
8. Motorhome Bookers - No-frills but great prices
9. Camper Rentals USA - Great option for people wanting to explore California
10. RV Rentals USA - Family owned and operated, but still plenty of RVs to choose from

The most difficult part of your plan will be to find an RV that has separate private compartments for two pairs of adults. Very few RVs are built with separate bedrooms and only the largest will allow any significant amount of privacy. My suggestion is that you find ways to work around that requirement. Sleeping space for your group is easy to find but with only 1 private bedroom while the other would share space with the children.

2 hours ago, ascanio1 said:

We want to visit Grand Canyon or Yosemite or Yellowstone or other National parks in the US. We have 2 weeks (any time of the year).

Each of those parks offer a great deal to see but it would be very difficult to see all three in only 2 weeks time. All 3 parks aslo are best visited in the summer months and they are all very busy in summer and so would need reservations to stay inside of the park. It would be possible to see both Grand Canyon and Yosemite in two weeks but to add Yellowstone would be problematic because of the distance involved. You could visit Yellowstone, Glacier, and Rocky Mountain national parks in that time period with perhaps a few other stops in the trip. I suggest that you narrow the field of where you wish to go first, then let us know and we can help a great deal to fill in with suggestions of thiings to see along the way. If you were to travel from Yellowstone NP to Rocky Mountain NP in Juy, there is a huge rodeo for 9 days in Cheyenne Wyo. that could be a good intermediate stop in route. There are many other possible things that could be included in your trip based on the area that you select and the time of year that you visit. 

[TherapyBound]

Is there any flexibility for two smaller RVs, one for each family? I do wonder if six people in one motorhome is going to feel very, very tight after a few days, let alone 2 weeks. With two smaller class Cs, you also wouldn't have to worry about driving an overly large vehicle, and each couple would have a private sleeping area.

I don't know how that would work out as regards the cost of petrol (if two smaller RVs would be  more than, close to, or less than what it would take for the biggest motorohomes as far as petrol mileage), but it might be worth it for the sake of everyone's happiness.

[LindaH]

Look for a Class C with sleeping arrangements over the cab and a dedicated bed in the back for both of the adult couples (you'll have to flip a coin to determine which couple gets which sleeping space  ).  The girls can sleep on the dinette which converts into a bed. 

[sandsys]

5 hours ago, LindaH said:

Look for a Class C with sleeping arrangements over the cab and a dedicated bed in the back for both of the adult couples (you'll have to flip a coin to determine which couple gets which sleeping space  ).  The girls can sleep on the dinette which converts into a bed. 

This is what I was going to suggest as well. Try to get a regular dinette rather than a u-shaped one. U-shape seats a lot of people but there's little room on the table for anyone to actually eat--two plates pretty much fills it up.

A Class C motorhome does not require a special driver's license in the USA so your international ones will be fine.

Linda Sand

[Lance A Lott]

Might I suggest picking up at one location and droping off in another, so that you dont back track.

You could do Rushmore to the Grand Canyon in two weeks if you only travel one way. The bus company I work for does it in one week.

[Twotoes]

Many campgrounds now have cabins. Many cabins have multiple rooms or you could possibly rent two cabins. You will still need to rent a car. You could rent the bikes when you get to the location as a daily rental. This may be easier and eliminate the need to rent an RV. Summer, Memorial Day to Labor Day is prime season. It will be harder to reserve a cabin or RV, it will be more expensive, and more crowded. After Labor Day the weather is still good, the demand is reduced and the price is also reduced, and it is less crowded. 

[MidMOTraveler]

We met 2 couples from Lithuania this spring. They were traveling in 2  Class C 22’ or 24’ campers. They had bikes but no kiddos. Cruise America was the rental company. They had flown in to Orlando Florida and went to Disney for a week. Then picked up the campers and were headed to New Orleans. After that they were going somewhere in Texas? I think they were dropping the campers of there. Then flying to Las Vegas then home. 

They were doing it all in 3 weeks.