Motorhome Rentals

Hi!

I'm planning a two week trip of Arizona-Nevada-California this summer, and I'm doing it from overseas... I'm a bit intimidated at the prospect of reserving a motorhome thru the internet- has anyone done it before? The company I'm probably gonna go with is Moturis (thru the website RVJourney.com). At first I was looking at Cruise America but they're really out of options by now, guess I got a late start... Has anyone heard of them? Worked with them? Do they have a good/bad reputation?
Regarding the driving, I've never driven a motorhome before and I was thinking of getting some practise driving a van before I leave. Does anyone think that would be a good idea, or completely unhelpful? (I would be driving a C or D model motorhome, not a giant one...)
Also, any tips of what not to miss along the stretch between LA and San Francisco are welcome.

Thank you all so much and G-d bless the Internet

I've seen Moturis RV rental units on the road, but I've never done business with them. We used Cruise American once and had an excellent experience and we purchased our own motorhome shortly after that trip. My friend had a terrible experience with Cruise America and has used El Monte RV several times with good experiences. DH always drives so I can't really say anything about the driving end.

What route will you be taking for this two week adventure?

Utahtea

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Originally Posted by kitronit

I'm planning a two week trip of Arizona-Nevada-California this summer, and I'm doing it from overseas... I'm a bit intimidated at the prospect of reserving a motorhome thru the internet- has anyone done it before?

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The Web is probably the most common way (and far better than relying on the telephone) for renting a RV.

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The company I'm probably gonna go with is Moturis (thru the website RVJourney.com). At first I was looking at Cruise America but they're really out of options by now, guess I got a late start... Has anyone heard of them? Worked with them? Do they have a good/bad reputation?

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Like Utahtea I am not familiar with them, but have good information about both El Monte RV and Cruise America. The biggest problem with any of the larger rental firms is the quality and level of the maintenance -- since many of the renters are often not experienced operating RVs they turn in vehicles that may have been damaged in some way and it is often impossible to find those defects by the well-intentioned RV company service techs in the time before they are dispatched again. There are two ways to overcome this issue (not very inexpensive up front -- but...) use a packager/broker like Tracks-N-Trails who use Cruise America vehicles but because of their relationships can ensure that everything works A-OK or use a smaller firm. One of the firms that we will be profiling in an artice in August includes private vehicles in their rental fleet and they (at this point in our research) seem to have very high standards for the maintenance of those vehicles. This firm is based in southern California.

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Regarding the driving, I've never driven a motorhome before and I was thinking of getting some practise driving a van before I leave. Does anyone think that would be a good idea, or completely unhelpful? (I would be driving a C or D model motorhome, not a giant one...)

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Class C RVs handle like an over-sized pickup -- not really like a van. Driving a van for practice probably won't help that much. You will be fine.

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Also, any tips of what not to miss along the stretch between LA and San Francisco are welcome.

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This is a popular topic on this board -- there are lots of posts. But I would certainly stop and watch the Elephant seals at the viewing spot just south of the lighthouse at Point Piedras Blancas, there is an excellent California One guide that I use whenever I travel the coast highway and I recommend it.

Mark

Thanks so much for all your input. It's my first road trip- can you tell?- so I'm a bit green... ;)

The truth is, since I'm the only one going who can (hopefully) drive an rv (my companions are my younger sister and her friend and they're not 21 yet), I'm going to get an rv just for Week One: Nevada-Arizona, where we'll be on relatively open terrain.
I'm told I can't miss Sedona, Mesa Verde, Bryce Canyon/Mt. Zion and Painted Desert and of course the Grand Canyon... G-d knows how I'll fit that all in- I certainly haven't plotted it all out on a map yet!

Then I thought we'd find a Greyhound to California and rent a car for the Coast (Week Two) and stay in motels along the way- that way I could get a little help with the driving...

This country is so BIG!!! Who'd have thought "just" this one little corner would be too much to cover in two weeks?!

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Originally Posted by kitronit

Thanks so much for all your input. It's my first road trip- can you tell?- so I'm a bit green... ;)

I'm going to get an rv just for Week One: Nevada-Arizona, where we'll be on relatively open terrain.

I'm told I can't miss Sedona, Mesa Verde (which is in Colorado), Bryce Canyon/Mt. Zion and Painted Desert and of course the Grand Canyon... G-d knows how I'll fit that all in- I certainly haven't plotted it all out on a map yet!

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Sedona is beautiful but way too developed for my liking. Mesa Verde and the Painted Desert National Monument are a far drive for a one week trip. I don't drive our motorhome, but my DH tells me it can be draining at times.

If you just have one week in a motorhome to see Nevada, Arizona and Utah then I would depart from Las Vegas and make a circle, spend one night in Sedona, two nights at the Grand Canyon, exit the Grand Canyon on Hwy 64 towards Cameron and you will see some painted desert area as you drive up to Page, AZ. Just past Page is Lake Powell (Glen Canyon National Recreational area) Then up to Bryce and Zion National Parks. Each park needs at least one full day to really appreciate it and driving to each one will take time. This route is 920 miles. If you add Mesa Verde and Painted Desert you're looking at almost 1,500 miles. Most of the roads you will be on will not be interstate roads so you will be driving about 55 miles per hour on the back roads.

Utahtea

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Originally Posted by kitronit

I'm going to get an rv just for Week One: Nevada-Arizona, where we'll be on relatively open terrain.

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Better look at an atlas that shows mountains. The sections of Nevada and Arizona that you are speaking of are nearly 100% mountainous. If you have not had much experience driving in mountains, it could be challenging in an unfamiliar RV -- that being said, international visitors use RVs by the thousands each summer and I am sure you will be fine.

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Originally Posted by kitronit

This country is so BIG!!! Who'd have thought "just" this one little corner would be too much to cover in two weeks?!

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I have driven just a tick or two over 1,000,000 miles in recent decades and I believe I have only seen about 22% of the the United States and Canada. Yes, this is BIG place.

Mark

Hey All!

When it comes to roadtrips, your site is the single greatest thing on the internet! Thanks so much!
After skimming AAA and the postings on this forum, I'm thinking of utilizing my 7 day rv rental as follows:
Leave Las Vegas Monday morning heading for Grand Canyon (I-15 -> I-59 -> 389 as recommended by some thread or other on this forum), spend Monday afternoon-Wednesday afternoon there (thinking about hiking South Kaibab-Cedar Ridge , Tusayan museum and ruins, maybe some horseback riding?) and driving north by scenic drive (Desert View (64), north on 89 thru Painted Desert, past Jacob's Lake and up to Bryce Ntl Park).
Wenesday evening(is that plausible? how early would we need to start?) get to Zion Ntl Park I thought we'd spend Wedns night-Thursday there and then on to Bryce... Recommended sightseeing at Zion, anyone? Btw, are there any nice inns at Zion?
While at Bryce we were gonna stay at Ruby's- do we need to reserve that? How far in advance?
Saturday will be a little R&R time for yours truly, the sole driver... How did I get suckered into that? ;)
Sunday we were gonna be ambitious and try hiking Riggs Spring Loop- looks gorgeous on the web, but has any of you hiked it? Just how hard is it? My companions and I have all done 5+ hour hikes before...
Then Moday- back to Vegas...
Any ideas for where to spend a Monday night in Vegas? Btw- does anyone know of any rv parks in Vegas that aren't too seedy...?

Comments are *very* welcome :-)

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Originally Posted by kitronit

Any ideas for where to spend a Monday night in Vegas? Btw- does anyone know of any rv parks in Vegas that aren't too seedy...?

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Some of the fanciest, and the nicest (urban) RV parks in the country, are in Las Vegas. I have stayed at just about all of them -- the one I still like the best is the Oasis on Las Vegas Blvd near Windmill. There are newer ones -- but I like the spacing of the pads, and the pools.

Mark

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Originally Posted by kitronit

Hey All!

After skimming AAA and the postings on this forum, I'm thinking of utilizing my 7 day rv rental as follows:
Leave Las Vegas Monday morning heading for Grand Canyon (I-15 -> I-59 -> 389 as recommended by some thread or other on this forum), spend Monday afternoon-Wednesday afternoon there (thinking about hiking South Kaibab-Cedar Ridge , Tusayan museum and ruins, maybe some horseback riding?) and driving north by scenic drive (Desert View (64), north on 89 thru Painted Desert, past Jacob's Lake and up to Bryce Ntl Park).
Wenesday evening(is that plausible? how early would we need to start?) get to Zion Ntl Park I thought we'd spend Wedns night-Thursday there and then on to Bryce... Recommended sightseeing at Zion, anyone? Btw, are there any nice inns at Zion?
While at Bryce we were gonna stay at Ruby's- do we need to reserve that? How far in advance?
Saturday will be a little R&R time for yours truly, the sole driver... How did I get suckered into that? ;)
Sunday we were gonna be ambitious and try hiking Riggs Spring Loop- looks gorgeous on the web, but has any of you hiked it? Just how hard is it? My companions and I have all done 5+ hour hikes before...
Then Moday- back to Vegas...
Any ideas for where to spend a Monday night in Vegas? Btw- does anyone know of any rv parks in Vegas that aren't too seedy...?

Comments are *very* welcome :-)

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I'm totally lost on your plans.

1. You said you were taking I-15, I-59 & 389 to the Grand Canyon. Those roads are going to end you up at the North Rim but the places you list are at the South Rim and the day you leave you are exiting from the S. Rim.

2. Are you planning on going to Bryce before you reach Zion?

To cut down on driving, I'd do Grand Canyon, Bryce and then Zion. We've gone to Ruby's Campground twice and made reservations well in advance the first time, but didn't really need them. Called a couple of days before we went the second time because we wanted a certain campsite. Both times were in early August. I'd call a day or two before you were going to be there just to make sure you can get a site. You will want to make resevations for Watchman Campground in Zion.

There is only one campground on the Las Vegas Strip and that's at Circus Circus and it is a BIG parking lot. All it has going for it is it's location and a nice swimming pool. See: http://www.utahtea.lithium.com/Pictu...ircus%20rv.JPG

Utahtea

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Originally Posted by Utahtea

There is only one campground on the Las Vegas Strip and that's at Circus Circus and it is a BIG parking lot.

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The Circus Circus RV park would not be my first choice -- it is true that it is near the strip since it is about 1/2 block from Sahara and Las Vegas Blvd (the strip) but the Oasis near Windmill is between I-15 and the Las Vegas Blvd and one of the nicest urban parks outside of the resorts in Orlando, Florida. In addtion, there are lovely parks on Boulder Highway, at the Silverton Casino and several nearly new parks on the southern end of the valley. ALL OF THESE PARKS offer free shuttles to the strip and I can not imagine choosing the Circus Circus for any reason, unless one really has a hankering for Sahara and LV Blvd. The Circus Circus isn't even the least expensive park in Las Vegas -- it is about mid-range.

Mark

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Originally Posted by kitronit

When it comes to roadtrips, your site is the single greatest thing on the internet!

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Always nice to hear!

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Leave Las Vegas Monday morning heading for Grand Canyon (I-15 -> I-59 -> 389 as recommended by some thread or other on this forum), spend Monday afternoon-Wednesday afternoon there (thinking about hiking South Kaibab-Cedar Ridge , Tusayan museum and ruins, maybe some horseback riding?) and driving north by scenic drive (Desert View (64), north on 89 thru Painted Desert, past Jacob's Lake and up to Bryce Ntl Park).

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Like the message posted by Utahtea, I think you have your route a little confused. To reach the south rim and see the things you have mentioned, you would need to travel south from Las Vegas. The most direct route would take you over Hoover Dam and there are large signs proclaiming that Hoover Dam is CLOSED to all RV and truck traffic. This is not actually true, you can cross Hoover Dam but your vehicle will be searched. If you don't mind some intrusion you would use US-93 over the Dam down to Kingman and I-40 over to Williams and then north on AZ-64 to the Grand Canyon.

If you would prefer not to be searched at the security checkpoint, your route will still be south -- US 95/US93 but you will stay on US-95 and go south to the the Laughlin cut-off (NV-163) to AZ-68 to I-40 at Kingman on on to the east. If you do go via Laughlin and you like petroglyphs, -- take an hour or two and check out Grapevine Canyon. The turn-off will be on your left near the bottom of the hill (although it is a gravel road -- your RV will have no problems).

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Recommended sightseeing at Zion, anyone? Btw, are there any nice inns at Zion?

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The inn and cabins at Zion are great. Dinner and cocktails on the terrace at the inn can't be beat in the summer!

Have fun!

Mark

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Originally Posted by Utahtea

I'm totally lost on your plans.
1. You said you were taking I-15, I-59 & 389 to the Grand Canyon. Those roads are going to end you up at the North Rim but the places you list are at the South Rim and the day you leave you are exiting from the S. Rim.
Utahtea

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An excellent point :-) Guess I got a bit mixed up between the North and South Rims (oops!) We're going to be based at the South Rim not North... So- south on US-93, East onto I-40 and back up on 64 then... Unless there's a more interesting route? Thanks for catching that.

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Originally Posted by Utahtea

2. Are you planning on going to Bryce before you reach Zion?Utahtea

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Yes, I suppose it would be about an hour(?) out of my way in each direction to do Zion before Bryce (especially since I end up driving west again back to Vegas).
However, we have a couple of friends who wanted to spend time with us since we'll be- more or less- in their area (and of course the weekend is when they'll have free time). There's certainly no way we can host them in our little rv :-) and Ruby's seems like a nice setting where they can stay at the Inn and spend time with us.

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Originally Posted by Utahtea

We've gone to Ruby's Campground twice and made reservations well in advance the first time, but didn't really need them. Called a couple of days before we went the second time because we wanted a certain campsite. Both times were in early August. I'd call a day or two before you were going to be there just to make sure you can get a site. You will want to make resevations for Watchman Campground in Zion.

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Originally Posted by Editor

Some of the fanciest, and the nicest (urban) RV parks in the country, are in Las Vegas. I have stayed at just about all of them -- the one I still like the best is the Oasis on Las Vegas Blvd near Windmill. There are newer ones -- but I like the spacing of the pads, and the pools.
Mark

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Thanks to you both for the lodging tips! I will definitely get moving on Watchman, and also check out the link to the Oasis....

Also- if anyone out there has done some good hiking at Grand Canyon, Zion or Bryce and can vote for or against a particular trail (a proper hike; not rock-climbing or anything, but something challenging...) I would really appreciate hearing about your experience!
And especially if any of you road-trippers tried hiking Riggs Spring Loop; the website for Bryce Canyon classified it as the longest and most strenuous one-day hike there... any opinions?

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Originally Posted by kitronit

An excellent point :-) Guess I got a bit mixed up between the North and South Rims (oops!) We're going to be based at the South Rim not North... So- south on US-93, East onto I-40 and back up on 64 then... Unless there's a more interesting route? Thanks for catching that.

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Just remember, if you use US-93, you need to have tough skin -- the signs will say that RVs are prohibited on the Dam route and your vehicle will get searched (and this can sometimes take a while). So, unless you like personal invasion, I would RECOMMEND that you us the US-95 route, described above -- US-95 is nearly all four-lane highway). On the other hand, crossing the Dam is a really cool drive.

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Yes, I suppose it would be about an hour(?) out of my way in each direction to do Zion before Bryce (especially since I end up driving west again back to Vegas).

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Um. What? It is three hours from Las Vegas to Zion NP (one way). However, you don't need to go to Las Vegas to reach Zion if you are coming from the Grand Canyon (that is way out of the way). You would take US-89 or US-89ALT and go to Zion on the way to Bryce,

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Also- if anyone out there has done some good hiking at Grand Canyon, Zion or Bryce and can vote for or against a particular trail (a proper hike; not rock-climbing or anything, but something challenging...) I would really appreciate hearing about your experience!

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I have hiked in all three parks -- you have to remember, it is going to be hot during the day and unless you are all in the peak of physical condition, I wouldn't recommend too much hiking. Even professional athletes in prime condition can get in trouble in a hurry when they get heat stressed in the canyons.

Mark

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Originally Posted by Editor

Just remember, if you use US-93, you need to have tough skin -- the signs will say that RVs are prohibited on the Dam route and your vehicle will get searched (and this can sometimes take a while). So, unless you like personal invasion, I would RECOMMEND that you us the US-95 route, described above -- US-95 is nearly all four-lane highway). On the other hand, crossing the Dam is a really cool drive.
Mark

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Roadblocks can't scare me! How bad can it be? (F.L.W.? I hope not...) Hoover Dam would make a great photo op, even if we don't take time to tour it properly. Hopefully, the reduction in driving time along 93 instead of 95 will make up for the time lost getting through the checkpoint...

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Originally Posted by Editor

you don't need to go to Las Vegas to reach Zion if you are coming from the Grand Canyon (that is way out of the way). You would take US-89 or US-89ALT and go to Zion on the way to Bryce,
Mark

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That's what I meant...

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Originally Posted by Editor

I have hiked in all three parks -- you have to remember, it is going to be hot during the day and unless you are all in the peak of physical condition, I wouldn't recommend too much hiking. Even professional athletes in prime condition can get in trouble in a hurry when they get heat stressed in the canyons.
Mark

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I realize of course that we need to pace ourselves more than usual and bring several liters drinking water each... But I have actually done long hikes in 100 degree weather before- its not ideal, but if the only time we can go is August, then that's when we gotta go... (And if we have reception on our cell-phones out there, even better!)

Thanks again for all your help! I would not have been prepared for that road-block otherwise, and if I wasn't expecting it, it probably would have made me a lot more nervous...

We have just published a very informative article about the types of rental RVs there are what to know about every rental RV.

Read this article and study the section about using a RV here.

Mark