Car/RV rental up west coast

Hi,
My sister and I are planning a 10 day trip from LA to San Francisco (starting around the 16th August.) I would love to look into renting an RV to save on hotel costs but have looked on quite a few websites and they all seem to be incredibly expensive. Is it more economical to rent a car (bearing in mind that both of us are under 23yrs so that may add to the cost.) We are both students so expense is pretty important.

Does anyone know of any good value car/RV rental places in LA? (A soft-top car would be superb for all the views etc.)

Thanks

Bella

Hi Bella, and welcome to RoadTrip America!

I am afraid that I can't comment on the costs of renting an RV for the reason that, like you, I was never able to find one at a sensible price. That's not to say that they're not out there, maybe someone else has experience they can share, but I always found it a whole lot cheaper, not to mention more convenient, to rent a car and find a cheap hotel/motel or campground each evening.

There is a section on this site whch you may want to read before you decide on whether to go with the RV, there may be other factors to consider other than cost.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bella dickie

I would love to look into renting an RV

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OK, first you ought to look at this Pro and Con worksheet and make sure that that your intended choice makes sense. Then look at this overview about how to rent a RV and if you decide to go that route -- make sure you read this article, print it out and take it with you when you go to pick it up.

Generally, you can find motels for less than the differential cost (per night) of renting a RV -- the main reason for getting a RV -- has to do more with the experience and being able to have a guaranteed clean restroom and a nice kitchen rather than a way of saving money on the road.

Mark

Of course, there are RVs and then there are RVs. A 23-footer is much easier to handle than a 32-footer. If you plan to drive Hwy 1 up the coast, there are some places where there are some genuinely scary places to drive an 8' wide vehicle, regardless of length. If you have experience, it isn't too bad, but you'll have white knuckles more than once.

I like the convertible idea for the coastal drive (I've driven it both ways - top down and RV) They both have their advantages, but the footloose-fancyfree aspect of the ragtop wins my vote, especially for a 23 year old. Pick up a cheap cooler for lunch and snacks, stop at the pull offs and enjoy the views, and you'll do great.

Finally, congratulations on leaving enough time to enjoy the trip, unlike most folks on the forum who seem to think it is OK to drive a thousand miles a day and try to squeezed in 3 national parks before lunch. It is a beautiful stretch of driving with much to enjoy if you take your time.

If you are into history at all, or if you were raised Catholic, stop and see the Purisima Mission State Park just northeast of Lompoc. Excellent restoration.

Craig