If you’ve never taken an RV vacation before, you don’t know what you’re missing! RV travel offers amazing flexibility, countless places to explore along your route and is far less stressful than air travel! In fact, you and your family will get a much better experience and even health  benefits while traveling in an RV than jet setting!

So, if you’re up for a unique getaway or different kind of vacation, here are the the #1 reasons why RV travel is so much better and a more relaxing method over flying or driving long distances just to stay in some skanky motel.

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Why RV Travel is a Much Better Vacation Option than Flying

RV trip planning is MORE FUN!

RV Trip planning is quite fun. You can surf the internet for spectacular destinations and things to do in between. Reading travel blogs like ours gives you cool perspectives and ideas on where you want to go and what you want to do!

By choosing to go the RVing route, you are in full control of where you want to go and stay. We use the RV LIFE Pro RV Life Trip Wizard as our #1 RV trip planning tool. And, ithas a mobile RV GPS app and RV maintenance tracker.

RV Vacations are LESS STRESSFUL!

Let’s admit getting to any destination by airplane just plain sucks these days. Air travel is downright teeth-grinding and stressful with all of the logistics and planning just to get to your destination.

Making flight reservations has become a loathsome task. Trying to keep the family together on a plane is darn near impossible due to seat assignments. And, we’re tired of getting fee’d to death. Speaking of fees, have you even priced air travel for a family vacation lately? 

Then there’s the hurry up and wait game. From long lines of TSA screenings, overbooked flights, missing connections, cancellations, being crammed in a plane with snorting and stinky people with B.O. or bad breath and crappy airplane food.

Let’s not forget running through the terminal to make your connection at the gate 3 terminals away all while dragging your broken suitcase, wheels bouncing behind you. 

Then, once you all climb into your Uber, by the time you get to your hotel, you’re eating Xanax like a kid woofing down M&Ms.

By the time you get to your vacation destination, between the stress and jet lag, you just want to go sleep it off like a bad hangover.

And if that wasn’t fun enough, your entire vacation you’re thinking about how you get to do it all over again to go back home.

RV Travel is MORE AFFORDABLE!

Aforementioned, if you’ve not looked at the price of plane tickets lately, you’re in for sticker shock. Air travel is outrageously expensive. And it’s only getting worse. With the price of a single ticket and all of the stupid fees and taxes, air travel has become cost prohibitive for the average family.

Even a coast-to-coast round trip in economy or coach class will cost a few thousand dollars just for a couple. Add in the kids and you’re looking at a vacation that’s going to take years off your life just to pay off that credit card bill.

Adding insult to injury, large families will need to fork out twice as much for hotel rooms or other lodging. And if that’s not already put you into the poor house, you still have all of your other expenses like food and entertainment.

But that shouldn’t bar you or your family from taking a little getaway or vacation. And I’m here to tell you from first hand experience, it doesn’t have to be that way!

While I agree, RV travel does require certain expenses (fuel, tolls, campgrounds and food, etc.), there are several ways you can cut costs on the road that won’t drain your wallet or dampen your enthusiasm to travel.

RV travel vacations are are much more economical because you and your family will actually be traveling in the same space you eat, sleep and play!

✰ PRO TIP ✰ Check out our RV Lifestyle video on how we save money on the road!

RV Travel gives you much MORE FLEXIBILITY!

One of he best things about RV travel is you can control your schedule. You can dictate how many miles you’re going to drive, when and where you want to stop and where you’re going to stay.

And if you get diverted or have to take a detour, that’s part of the fun of RV travel. Remember your vacation is supposed to be just that; a vacation. A time to rest, relax and enjoy while exploring all the great places without all of the hurried stress of air travel.

RV Vacations provides a better FAMILY BONDING EXPERIENCE!

RV travel allows you a bit of latitude when it comes to traveling with family or friends. Perhaps you want to take your mother-in-law or an old school chum. 

Or, if your child wants to bring a friend, RVing is an ideal way for them to join in your adventures.

From initial RV trip planning to parking the RV and setting up your campsite, your family will bond and share the memories for decades. 

In fact, I’m willing to bet they’ll want to do the same once your children have their own families.

But say you want to vacation together with another couple or family. You can travel together but in separate RVs. If either of you don’t have an RV, you can easily rent an RV to take you where you want to go!

If your motorhome or camper is big enough, you can take a couple friends or family members and split the traveling expenses.

✰ PRO TIP ✰ Learn more about our Best Camping & RV Trip Planning Resources.

RV Travel inspires you to visit NEW DESTINATIONS!

One of the big reasons for choosing to RV over other means of travel is experiencing new destinations on your own accord and time schedule.

You are in command of your ship; setting your own pace and route to get to your destinations. Whether you want to drive 500 miles in a day (which I really don’t recommend) or 100, you set your own course.

And, if while driving along you see an interesting landmark simply stop to check it out. RV travel allows you to easily deviate from your original travel plans.

The cool thing about vacationing with an RV is you can stop practically anywhere there’s a big enough parking spot.

RV Travel opens you to NEW EXPERIENCES!

Had it not been for our choice of RV travel, we would have never enjoyed all the new experiences along the way.

Since we started RVing, we were able to experience zip lining for the first time, climb mountains, hike amongst desert Saguaros and Joshua Trees, paddle kayaks through canyons, snorkel with millions of fish, swim with the manatees, and so much more!

As an RV traveler, you’ll have more opportunity to try new experiences than you would through air travel or trains.

And, if this is any consolation, we would never have done even a quarter of those experiences if it weren’t for choosing RV travel over riding our motorcycles.

Seriously, RVing allows you and your family to experience more amazing places and adventures; all while literally, taking your home on wheels with you.

RV Travel is EDUCATIONAL!

Traveling by RV provides opportunities to stop and learn about the culture and history of different regions of the country that you wouldn’t get by flying over them.

This type of travel is really beneficial for families as children can apply what they learn while on the road to their school work. Can you imagine your child walking on the battlefields of Gettysburg or learning about great Presidents instead of just learning about them in a text book?

RV travel affords your family the opportunity to get a much better in-depth perspective of the historical events that took place, how people lived, the wildlife, geology, etc.

One of our favorite ways of roadtrip learning is through the Autio smartphone app. 

Autio is a network of stories, told by master storytellers like Kevin Costner, Phil Jackson, and John Lithgow. It has the power to bring the landscape, its people, and its history alive as you pass through it. 

These audio vignettes combine to paint a picture you’re unlikely to get from a history book or visitor’s guide.

Another awesome way to learn about the culture and history on the road is the National Park Service smartphone app called NPS App (Apple iPhone or Android) The NPS app was created by National Park Service staff; people who know national park to help you make the most of your visit.

The NPS App takes authoritative information from park rangers and combines it with a great suite of features; interactive maps, park tours, amenities, accessibility, offline use, things to do and news, alerts and events.

RV Vacations Offer MORE PRIVACY & FREEDOM

Staying in an RV offers so much more privacy and freedom as opposed to staying in a stuffy hotel or over-priced AirB&B. And let’s admit, nothing’s worse than staying where there’s hundreds of cameras monitoring every move you make. I mean really, how relaxing is that?

But, staying in your own RV, you can dance naked in your kitchen, play silly games or do things you may not feel comfortable doing in someone else’s bed. And if you want to eat in your underwear or go braless in your RV, no one’s going to judge you.

RVing gives you the freedom to be who you are wherever you are.

RVing Allows You to TAKE YOUR OWN GEAR!

If you travel by air, you’ll need to rent gear once you get to your destination. But, RV travel affords you the opportunity and space to take your own bicycles, kayaks and all of your hiking gear with you! Taking your own gear along will save you hundreds to even thousands of dollars in rental fees.

And let’s not forget, taking your own gear allows you more time to get out there for that bike ride or paddle instead of standing in line at the equipment rental companies.

✰ OUTSIDER TIP ✰ Looking for a quality ebike? Check out our video review of the Boogie Bike Cruiser Ebike!

RV Travel encourages you to CONNECT WITH NATURE!

Air travel and organized tours lack the connection to nature because you’re always on a schedule and in a hurry. Plus, you’re always packed into a plane or bus like sardines. There is no ‘nature’ to enjoy in the airport terminal or while enroute to your destination.

But traveling in an RV, you’re destined to visit more naturalistic venues like National Parks, wildlife areas, and do fun outdoorsy activities like hiking, climbing, kayaking or just enjoying nature.

✰ OUTSIDER TIP ✰ Before stepping foot in a kayak, check out our Lifesaving Kayak Safety Tips for Beginners: Boating Safety

RV Travel encourages FRIENDSHIP!

We’ve said it at least 10 dozen times throughout our RV travels, “it’s the people we meet that makes our journey complete”. And, we’re not done yet! Our address book is still growing because of all of the cool people we meet on the road.

Because here’s the thing, our journey isn’t just about us and our story. The same will go for your journey too. It’s about listening to others’ experiences of travel and their story.

RVing inspires you to EAT LOCAL!

Traveling by RV helps to expose you to trying out regional and local cuisines.

Whether it’s trying a delicious lobster roll in Maine, shrimp and grits in Alabama, beignets in New Orleans or a big honkin’ steak in Texas, you can enjoy what the locals eat simply by parking the RV and ordering up.

RV Travel allows you to EAT HEALTHIER!

While it’s fun to try all the local cuisines, there are times on your vacation or getaway when you may just want to eat in. And to be quite honest, eating meals out all the time gets a bit expensive on the road, especially for families.

But also, trying to control special diets or eat healthy in some regions of the country can be challenging.

But in an RV, you have a refrigerator or room for a cooler to store fresh produce and perishables. Plus, most have a cooktop and well stocked kitchen, you can govern what your family eats and how much you spend.

And let’s be real, nothing tastes finer than hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill and delicious pudgy pies and s’mores over a campfire. 

✰ OUTSIDER TIP ✰ For quick and easy campfire meals that require no pots and pans, check out these 20 Quick & Easy Foil Packet Camping Meals.

RV Travel encourages GOOD HEALTH!

When the COVID pandemic reared its’ ugly head, so many people bought RVs for the sole purpose of getting out without worrying about the spread of the virus.

Look at it this way. Everything you need is IN your RV. You can prepare your meals and eat in your RV or your campsite.

Your RV has its’ own private bathroom and bed to sleep in. You’re not pushing elevator buttons, grabbing icky handrails, turning nasty door knobs or breathing the same air where someone else may be infected.

RVing helps to eliminate the spread of the COVID virus or exposure! Because when you’re not inside your RV, you’re enjoying the outdoors, breathing fresh air and soaking up that Vitamin D to strengthen your immune systems.

On another note, there’s another reason RVing is HEALTHIER than flying that’s actually disturbing. Medical-News.org wrote an interesting health article 40 Everyday Activities That Can Cause Cancer. #38 caught my attention loud and clear.

They said that regular jet-setters are at a much higher risk of a variety of cancers. And frequent flyers are four times more likely to get non-melanoma skin cancer. But there’s other cancers that could be linked to excessive flying.

Adding to that, they explain that exposure to carcinogens via cosmic ionizing radiation which elevates at higher altitudes. They report that this type of radiation is particularly damaging to DNA.

Now, while you may not be as frequent of a flyer as a flight attendant or flight crew member, you still are being exposed to cancer causing culprits if you’re an avid jet setter.. 

Alarming as it is, it makes us even happier choosing the RV life rather than flying all over tarnation to get to our vacation destinations.

RV Travel allows you to TAKE YOUR HOME WITH YOU! 

Having traveled on the road on cross country motorcycle trips, we totally get this. We had to go without and sacrifice the comforts of home. Oftentimes, we’d travel in places where resources and even groceries weren’t up to par.

Air travel leaves you at a disadvantage when it comes to having everything you need. From carrying your favorite shampoo and flat iron, there’s just some things that are a pain in the rear to pack in your suitcase or you just can’t get at certain destinations.

In an RV, you can bring your smoothie maker, French press and favorite coffee, salad dressing or MCT oil. 

But also, when you go RVing, you can enjoy having all the creature comforts of ‘home’ but in a downscaled venture.

Even the smallest of RVs have a galley or kitchen, private toilet, a table for meals, work and games, And you can control your own heat or AC.

The best part of RV travel is if you or your family gets tired, just pull over at a rest stop for a couple hours to take a nap or let the kids (even the fur type) run around to burn off some steam.

RV Travel allows you to SLEEP IN YOUR OWN BED!

As mentioned above, there’s nothing like going on a trip yet having all the comforts of home. This includes sleeping in your own bed!

I know whenever we stay in a hotel, I get a little anxious on cleanliness; even if it’s at one of the best hotel chains. And we certainly won’t take a chance at any local no-tell motels.

RVing dissuades chances of getting bed bugs because in an RV, you’re sleeping in your bed. And of course, the bed in your RV is going to be more comfortable anyway. This means you can really enjoy your adventures when you get a good night’s sleep!

RV Travel allows you to TAKE YOUR PETS WITH YOU!

If you have pets, you may think your only option is to leave them at home with a pet sitter or kennel when you go on vacation.

That alone, ends up being quite costly. But really, do you want to lock up your pet in a kennel while you go on your vacation anyways? He doesn’t want to be left behind!

On the other hand, if you bring your pet on a road trip or pay for your pet to fly with you, you face another dilemma.

While some hotels may be pet friendly, you’re going to pay hefty pet fees just for them to sleep in the same room with you. Even if they are good kitties and doggies, you’re still subject to paying for the privilege of having your pet with you.

By taking your dog or cat along on your RV adventure, you’ll deal with far less stress. And you’ll save a ton of money. 

Today, it’s common to see so many pet friendly establishments. It’s actually become the norm to see pups and even kitties at outdoor cafes, riverwalks, outdoor museums, and hikes.

✰ OUTSIDER TIP ✰ We highly recommend checking out The Ultimate Pet Friendly Road Trip: A Guide to the #1 Pet Friendly Attraction in 48 States & Washington D.C.

Final thoughts on why you should try RV TRAVEL for your next family vacation or weekend getaway!

So, as you see RV travel has quite a few benefits when it comes to choosing how you want to spend your vacation and how to get to your destination!

While traveling in an RV may not be for everybody, RV travel is a great option for those who really want to take their time to explore the great National Parks, cool landmarks, small town and cities and every place in between with your small home in tow!

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