How to Choose the Best Type of RV for Your Family
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More and more families are starting to invest in the RV life as their primary means of taking a vacation together, and the rewards are rapidly becoming more evident to others. Enjoying the convenience and simplicity of traveling together without the hassle of booking hotel stays, shelling out for expensive timeshares with restrictions on when you can stay, or even “roughing it” the old-fashioned way by sleeping in tents, are not a problem with the right RV.
Choosing the Best RV For Your Family
That’s the key right there: choosing the best type of RV for your family. With the wide variety of available options, pull out expansions, amenities, and technology, it can be difficult to find the type of RV that suits both your needs and your budget. In order to simplify this process for you, we’ve compiled a brief guide to help determine what type of RV is best for you and your family. Check out these points to ponder and tips about amenities and features to make choosing the perfect RV for your family an easy decision.
Where to Start
First things first: take a minute to answer the following questions about you and your family:
How many people will be vacationing with you regularly?
If you have a large family or have a tendency to invite guests along for the trip, you’ll need to consider whether or not a specific type of RV is going to have enough sleeping space, seating arrangements, and cargo storage, not to mention considering if the amenities and plumbing can handle that many people for days or weeks at a time. Smaller families who are short-haul vacationing may also find themselves better off with a pop-up camper or 5th wheel as opposed to a motorized RV, especially if they are taking shorter trips.
How often do you plan to use your RV?
Does your family take a vacation twice a year, or every other weekend? The more your RV gets used, the sooner it will need regular maintenance on accessories, power plants, and amenities. Additionally, you may prefer a towable over a motorized RV if you are traveling less frequently.
What amenities can you not live without on vacation?
Is the lack of hot showers a deal-breaker? How about no toilet? No microwave or electricity? Do you need to have a TV or entertainment system for while you are on the go? What RV you choose and what features you need will largely depend on what you are not willing to live without, and the more you want to take on the go, the higher your price point.
How far do you plan to go on your average trip?
Whether you are taking multiple cross-country treks or just going back and forth to the beach a few hours away, you will need to calculate your average miles per year. Once you have a number, it makes it easier to choose the type of RV you want to purchase. Obviously, if you are a high mileage traveler, a self-propelled or motorized RV is the best choice for larger families since it will more than likely sleep more people and travel better than a towable. On the other hand, if you are only taking trips back and forth to the shore or the lake, then you are going to be a better candidate for a 5th wheel trailer or other towable RV for sleeping larger groups.
If you are a high mileage traveler, a motorized RV is the best choice for larger families since it will sleep more people and travel better than a towable. On the other hand, if you are only taking trips back and forth to the shore or lake, then you are going to be a better candidate for a 5th wheel trailer or other towable RV.
Choosing Your Perfect RV
Once you take these questions and their affected variables into account, you’ll have a much clearer idea of what your RV needs are. Here is a quick overview of RV types to help you pinpoint just the right model:
Class A
Often bus-sized RVs with high-quality amenities, accessories, and luxury options, Class A RVs are best for large families who are planning on extended trips across long distances, or for small families who intend to be location independent for the foreseeable future. Class A RVs are less fuel-efficient and more expensive than smaller class RVs, but they are essentially a fully functional home on wheels once connected to water, sewer, and electricity.
Class C
Another popular choice for families who travel short distances and need to sleep a large number of people comfortably, Class C RVs are motorized models that offer a wide range of amenities and pull out expansions typically only found elsewhere on higher-end Class A models. Class Cs are often preferred due to their fuel efficiency, enclosed driver compartment, and large internal storage and sleeping capacity.
Trailers
Much like the classic Airstream towable trailers, these RVs offer many of the features of high-end RVs without the motorization. Generators, showers, toilets, and all the comforts of home are available at a significantly reduced cost compared to pricier motorized models. Provided you have a truck or SUV that can pull your towable safely, they are a great option for large families on vacation or smaller families looking for location independence.
Your Ideal RV Choice
Once you determine what your RV needs are and what features you cannot live without, choosing the right RV is just a matter of matching your budget to your needs. Don’t forget to shop around for gently used and pre-owned RVs as well. They may have a few more miles on them than a brand new model but are often a significantly less expensive option for families looking to live the RV life without investing their life savings.
Once you know what you need, the rest is easy. Come check out our RV options at Kirkland RV to begin your RV adventures today!
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