mobile home trip for 5 people

[mariafleischhack]

Hi! I'm from Germany and me and my family (5 grown ups) are planning on driving through the States next summer. We want to go from NYC via Chicago to San Francisco. We want to rent a motor home or camping van, but are not sure which kind would be the best (an cheapest),and whether we can pick it up in NYC and leave it in SF, or do we have to take it back to NYC? We'll be in the States for three weeks and want to see as much as possible. So any suggestions would be more than welcome!
thanks a lot! Maria

[lhuff]

I've never traveled by RV, but if you type RV into the search engine at the top of the page it will give you links to lots of RV websites and forums that can answer your question.

Tchus!

Laura

(Sorry for my rusty attempt at German)

[Mark Sedenquist]

Hi! I'm from Germany and me and my family (5 grown ups) are planning on driving through the States next summer. We want to go from NYC via Chicago to San Francisco.

Welcome to the Forum! I edited your original topic title, because "mobile homes" are not self-powered and can't go anywhere without a tow truck. Recreational Vehicles, on the other hand, are generally better suited for such an application. Here is an article written by one of the RTA RV experts that provides a great overview of the types of RVs that are available.

We want to rent a motor home or camping van, but are not sure which kind would be the best (an cheapest),and whether we can pick it up in NYC and leave it in SF, or do we have to take it back to NYC? We'll be in the States for three weeks and want to see as much as possible. So any suggestions would be more than welcome!

We have some resources that you should read, print out and carry with you as you seek your RV rental. There are two excellent articles that address just about everything you might want to know about renting a RV. The first one, written by our expert RV columnist, Alice Zyetz, is chock-full of advice about the various kinds of rental RVs available here in the USA. The second one was written by Mark Helmlinger, an accidental expert in rental RVs, based on his ten years of using rental RVs for NASA field work is one you should print out and use as a check list.

Further, Alice wanted you to know: ... that the major companies, Cruise America and El Monte RV will allow them to pick it up at one destination and drop off at another. The camping van would be cheaper BUT with 5 adults, they would want a motorhome, making sure that the beds will be the right size.Often the table can turn into a bed but it may be 3/4 size.

Finally, take a few moments and read the rest of the fine articles that our RV experts have written about enjoying the RV lifestyle.

Have fun, relax, it is going to be a grand adventure!

Mark