Best RV Rental Options In December 2024

RV Rental Near Me | Best Owner Options & Recommendations

The RV rental industry is booming right now, which is excellent news for consumers; we have many options for renting. However, knowing which RV rental company is best can be a challenge.

Key Takeaways

- RV Rental Options: The article explores the top three RV rental services: Outdoorsy, RVShare, and Cruise America. Outdoorsy and RVShare are peer-to-peer rental platforms, whereas Cruise America follows a traditional rental company model with its fleet of RVs.
- Top Recommendations:
  - Outdoorsy is highly recommended due to its peer-to-peer rentals, comprehensive insurance, excellent customer service, and high ratings from customers and the BBB.
  - RVShare: Similar to Outdoorsy but with slightly lower insurance coverage and customer satisfaction.
  - Cruise America: Traditional rental company offering pick-up/drop-off flexibility but with higher prices and mixed customer reviews.
- RV Rental Costs: Rental costs vary depending on factors like location, time of year, and type of RV. Prices range from $40 per night for basic pop-ups to $300 for luxury motorhomes.
- Considerations for RV Rental: Factors to consider when renting include the group size, type of RV, trip destination, and total budget. Costs may include extra fees like mileage charges, cleaning, and optional amenities.
- Family-Friendly Experience: RV travel offers a flexible and immersive way to enjoy family vacations. It allows travelers to experience the outdoors at their own pace without traditional lodging or air travel constraints.

We also recommend reading the following articles:

Whether you’re looking to rent from an RV rental company or a company specializing in peer-to-peer rentals, you’ve come to the right place.

Without further ado, let’s look at the best RV rentals near me options.

RV Rental Near Me | Best Options

1. Outdoorsy Review (Highly Recommended)

Outdoorsy is a phenomenal company that has injected new life into the RV rental world.

Rather than renting directly from a catalog of RVs, Outdoorsy uses peer-to-peer technology to connect RV owners with customers.

It’s similar in some respects to Airbnb. Every renter must apply through an in-depth process to keep standards high, which means you can be confident in your rental choice.

Outdoorsy Advantages

So, why should you part with your hard-earned cash and hire an RV from Outdoorsy?

Insurance is available for $1 million on a confirmed booking.
Roadside assistance is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
With the entirely online system, book your RV from home.
10’s of thousands of motorhomes and campers are available to rent.
Thousands of five-star reviews.

The company was created by and is run by outdoor enthusiasts Jeff Cavins and Jennifer Young. Jennifer and Jeff wanted to escape the 9-5 drudgery many of us experience. Their idea crystallized into the formation of Outdoorsy, which is now the 2nd biggest RV rental website working in the US today.

Since its inception, Outdoorsy has garnered over 5k reviews, averaging 4.9 out of 5 stars, which is fantastic.

Additionally, they’ve scored a rare A+ rating from the BBB (Better Business Bureau), which is pretty decent compared to the competition.

RV Rental Costs

The cost to rent an RV from Outdoorsy varies greatly depending on the city, state, or season.

This is mainly due to supply and demand, with the market balancing itself against what customers are willing to pay. This means that prices should be generally equivalent to the standard market rate or slightly below.

We’ve put together some rental averages to give you an idea of what you can expect to pay. A top-of-the-line Class A motorhome can cost as much as $300 a night, while a simple popup camper can cost as little as $40.

Be aware that these prices vary monthly, depending on the season, supply, and demand. To get an idea of the prices in your area, look at the available rentals and see how much they’re going for.

You might be surprised at the vast variety available, from classic Airstreams to brands and RVs you’ve never seen before. Our in-depth review of Outdoorsy is available here.

You can check out Outdoorsy here.

2. RVshare Review

Hot on the heels of Outdoorsy is our second favorite RV Rental company, RVShare.

RVShare has a similar operating model to Outdoorsy. It uses a peer-to-peer system to provide rentals. If you own an RV, you can sign up and rent it out when you’re not using it.

RVshare Advantages

So, why should you part with your hard-earned cash and rent from RVShare?

- - Insurance covering up to $500k liability and $200k coverage.
  - Roadside assistance is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  - With the fully online system, book your RV from home.
  - 10’s of thousands of motorhomes and campers are available to rent.
  - A loyalty program with up to 5% cashback.

As you can see above, they are similar in many respects to Outdoorsy. However, Outdoorsy has a slight advantage due to the increased insurance and superior online reviews.

RVShare has garnered an average of 4 stars from hundreds of reviews on Trustpilot, which is above average for the industry.

The biggest black mark against their name is the B-minus rating from the BBB. This is mainly due to several complaints that RVShare is slow to respond to customer emails.

RVShare has almost identical pricing for RVs as Outdoorsy. A top-of-the-line Class A motorhome can cost as much as $300 a night, while a simple popup camper can cost as little as $40.

As before, prices will vary from state to state depending on the season you’re renting. The market is quite fluid, so expect prices to fluctuate with the seasons. If you want a better idea of the prices available in your area, browse. You can check out our in-depth review of RVShare here.

Check out RVShare here.

3. Cruise America Review

Cruise America is more like a traditional RV rental firm in that it keeps a stock of RVs available for rent.

So, while Outdoorsy and RVShare operate a peer-to-peer rental system, Cruise America owns various available vehicles.

This operating model offers both advantages and disadvantages. The most obvious disadvantage is the higher prices. Hiring a motorhome from Cruise American will cost you much more than renting one from RVShare or Outdoorsy.

Another problem is that they have a limited number of RV rental locations. This is unsurprising, as they must build and stock each location.

The most significant advantage is that they offer the ability to pick your RV up from one location and drop it off at another. This is an excellent option if you travel across the state or country and then fly back. It can also work out pretty cheaply if you’re flexible on the type of RV you’re looking for.

Cruise America Advantages

Another advantage offered by Cruise America is that everything is very standardized. Renting the same rig from multiple locations should result in a near-identical experience. This offers reassurance that you know what you’re getting and some security that the RV should run and be clean.

However, making a rental booking can be a protracted and frustrating process. Additionally, you’re limited to a range of standardized RVs available only from a handful of pickup points.

Cruise America Reviews

Unfortunately, Cruise America has a pretty terrible reputation. On the BBB website, they’re averaging 1.75 stars out of a possible 10 and have been awarded a rating of C-.

They are the only company I’ve encountered with a warning on their BBB page.

If you’re intrigued and want to learn more, we recommend reading a first-hand account of the pitfalls of renting from Cruise America; then, I urge you to look at the article published by Heath and Alyssa.

Look at Cruise America’s prices compared to those of the competition.

Putting an exact figure on Cruise Americas prices is not straightforward. A lot depends on how far you travel and the extras you’re looking for. A ballpark average price could be as little as $99, which on paper sounds pretty decent, but you need to factor in the 35-cent charge for each mile traveled.

You’ll have to pay more to include optional extras such as utensils or bedding. If you’re still interested in looking at Cruise America, you can check them out here.

You can read an extensive review of Cruise America here for a more in-depth review.

RV Rental By Owner

When choosing an RV rental, there are two choices: renting from a traditional company such as Cruise America or renting directly from the owner. As with anything, renting directly from the owner has pros and cons.

One of the biggest advantages of renting from an RV owner is that the overall costs are generally lower. Each owner can set their prices, leading to competition for business and allowing you to negotiate the best rate possible. Websites that facilitate renting from RV owners will have a huge selection of RVs. In contrast, traditional RV companies will generally only have a couple of models to pick from.

Not only will you have more options, but the facilities and extras included are generally higher by default. While linen, dishes, and cooking utensils are often included when renting an RV from an owner, these are more often than not paid extras when using a corporate RV rental company.

Travel Trailer, Camper, Class C, Class B, Pop Up Rental Near Me

No matter what you’re looking for, whether it’s a travel trailer, camper, Class C, Class B, or Pop-up, we can help you on your rental journey.

Our experienced team can recommend the perfect RV Rental in your location. Just give us a call, and we will help you out.

Tips For a Great Experience

Now that you know about the best RV Rental companies in operation today, now’s the time to get the most bang for your buck and guarantee an exceptional rental experience.

Family Experience

Taking your family on an RV holiday can be a brilliant experience for everyone. It pays to take a minute out of our technology—and gadget-obsessed society, and very few things beat the thrill of hitting the road and taking in all the sights and sounds that nature can produce.

Buying an RV outright is not always an option, but renting can provide the RV experience at a fraction of the cost.

Interesting Fact: In a recent customer survey by the RBIA (Recreation Vehicle Industry Association), 62% of people with little experience owning an RV thought an RV was one of the best ways to enjoy a family vacation.

In our opinion, there is no better way to leave the trappings of everyday life while still being able to travel comfortably. When you’re on an RV vacation, there’s no rush to get out of the door first thing: no commute, no working late, and no working lunches. It’s just you, your family, and any destination you can imagine.

If you find a particular destination is not for you, you can quickly be on the road again to a brand new location. This cannot be said for a holiday abroad or a hotel stay.

If all of this sounds a bit overwhelming, don’t worry. Planning the perfect RV rental holiday only takes a small amount of time!

Cost

It’s always a good idea to set a budget when planning a trip away, and one of the more significant expenses is renting an RV per night. As we’ve already discussed, rental prices vary greatly based on the state, city, time of year, and RV class.

If you’re looking to save money, opt for a Class B or camper van over a fifth wheel or Class A. Consider a popup or A-frame camper if you want a very cheap trip.

Most RV rental sites accept credit card payments, and you may need to pay an additional security deposit, so you should factor that into your expenses.

Success is in the Details

There’s no avoiding it; if you want a perfect trip, you’ll have to do a bit of planning.

The summer months are hectic for RV rentals, so factor this into your planning. If you want to travel during these months, that’s fine; book early to avoid disappointment.

What’s Your Destination?

When you travel by RV, the possible destinations are nearly infinite. However, it’s also important not to overdo it and have too many points on your itinerary.

For example, traveling through the Rocky Mountains or along Route 66 are excellent options, but each requires distinct planning and logistics.

Once you have your destination, you can consider renting locally and driving there or flying somewhere to pick up the RV.

Give yourself enough time to enjoy the journey. You can complete a trip on a weekend, but if you spend your whole time driving, then it might be a wasted journey.

How Many Are Travelling?

Since we have our destination in mind, we must consider who will join us for our trip. Without an accurate headcount, we can’t determine what RV rentals will meet our needs.

Maybe you’re just looking to start with the two of you, or you’ll take your nieces, nephews, kids, and aunties. Whatever you decide, choosing the right RV for your group to ensure everyone remains comfortable is a critical decision.

How Much Can You Spend?

Accurate budgeting is an essential part of planning your RV rental. Your budget needs to cover more than just the cost of the RV rental. You’ll need to prepare for food, fuel, activities, and the cost of camping overnight.

Pro Tip: Set aside some money in case of an emergency.

Must Have’s

Every family is different and has a different set of priorities regarding must-haves. You might need the most basic amenities but insist on luxury fittings and state-of-the-art entertainment systems. Knowing exactly what you need and can live without will make your RV rental search far easier.

What Is The Best Option For You?

Do you need a luxury travel trailer, or would you rather have a Class C motorhome? Some models are easier to park, while others offer internal space and room for toys like bikes.

There’s no shortage of RV types available. From travel trailers to pop-up campers, something should suit your needs. Please have a read of our RV Classes guide to get a better understanding.

Movability

If you’re considering an RV that will be driven (Class C, B, or A), will you also tow a car? If not, you’ll have to factor in driving the RV to all the destinations and activities you want.

Maneuvering a 36-foot RV around a rental or national park can be frustrating. A smaller model will be much easier to transport and cost less gas.

If you’re considering towing a car, such as an RV, make sure you know the laws and the types of vehicles that can be legally towed.

Storage units, home theater systems, and large-sized bathrooms compared to Class C.

Q. How much does 5th Wheel Rental Cost?

A. 5th Wheel RV rental prices can vary depending on the type of RV, the season you rent it, the upgrades included, the vehicle’s age, the rental location, and more.
Generally, a 10-year-old (or older) fifth wheel up to 30′ long will cost around $60- $125 per night. If you prefer a newer version, it may cost you $150-$300 per night. Budgeting around $100-$150 per night without factoring in gas is a good idea.

Other costs you should consider include cleaning fees ($50- $100), delivery or set-up fees ( $100- $150), and rental insurance (generally at 6% of your total rental cost). In addition, you should consider the security deposit, which is usually $500, though this is returned at the end of your trip.

Remember that renting a 5th Wheel per month is cheaper than renting daily (usually at 10%-20% less).

Rental By State

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Final Thoughts

We hope you’ve found this article helpful while planning who to rent your RV from and how to plan your trip.

We’d love to hear from you if you have any questions or comments on the companies we’ve featured. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, and we’ll get back to you soon.

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