A motorhome adds a whole new dimension to travel, if you think outside the box.
Camping in an RV is a form of "roughing it" that city-bred folk can get used to pretty quickly. Sure, you can carry a tent and sleep on the ground if you want, but the comforts of home are just a few steps away. Anybody who's been to a Scout camp of any kind will understand why this can be a good thing. An RV allows you to cook over a stove instead of a campfire, and to have a hot, enclosed shower instead of a tepid outdoor dousing. For those of us who want to get away from the city without being thrust headlong into the wilderness, it's a perfect compromise. Most motorhomes are equipped to allow a couple of days of "dry camping" as well. Camping dry means that you don't need hookups; just park anywhere that'll allow motorhomes to stay for a day or two, and do your thing. With the compact Home & Park Roadtrek, we were able to camp at Wal-Mart (Wal-Marts are RV-friendly and won't run you off for parking overnight, though this is not true of all large retail outlets) and at an expired parking meter in downtown Savannah, free of charge. Clever dry camping can get you as close to the best tourist attractions as an expensive hotel.
As a hotel substitute, it's hard to beat a motorhome. Sports and music fans who follow their favorite events across the country have long known that an RV beats a series of hotel rooms hands-down. Not only does an RV offer cooking facilities in addition to the usual hotel-room fare, but there's no need for all of the pesky packing and unpacking involved in checking into a new hotel every night, and no worry about forgetting something in the room when you leave. Everything you brought is right with you, all the time. Need to hook up to power and water? Campgrounds and RV parks offer considerably lower nightly rates than any hotel that you'd be comfortable keeping your family in.
Need to bring a car, grill or a bike? Your RV will happily carry or tow anything that you can't stow inside. Try getting a bicycle on an airplane some time and you'll see what we mean. A big Type C or Type A motorhome will swallow golf clubs, patio furniture, picnic tables and just about anything else you might want to take along for that perfect getaway.
When you're not on vacation, the RV still has plenty to offer. Most will seat more people than a full-size van, so when you've got to haul a crowd to that wedding, concert or picnic, carpooling is easy. And, the next time your least favorite relative comes to town, an RV in the driveway doubles as an instant guest-house.
Five things to bring with on your motorhome trip:
A KOA and campground guide: Campground guides offer quick directions to dump sites, which can lead to less fumbling around looking for a place to hook up when you're in unfamiliar territory.
Rubber gloves: For dealing with the black and gray water tanks. Modern RVs make this a relatively pain-free experience, but trust us; you'll appreciate the gloves.
Bungee cords: For securing unexpected treasures. You never know what you're going to find in an antique shop or at an outlet mall...and you never know how big it's going to be.
Lawn chairs: For sitting out to enjoy nature, or for sitting around a campfire.
Fire extinguisher and first-aid kit: For unforeseen emergencies. That said, you should never attempt to fight a fire inside a recreational vehicle. That's a lesson for another day, however.
