Roadtrippers from Barcelona asking for tips ;)

[quirze]

Hello!
This is Quirze, from Barcelona and this site looks really useful. I'm sure I'm gonna find a lot of tips and experienced people here ;)

We're planning a road trip through the western states (mainly california) with a friend and our partners (4 people in total) in August-September of 2012 during 15 days. The plan is:

San Francisco > Yosemite Nat. Park > Sequoia Forest > Death Valley > Las Vegas > Grand Canyon Nat. Park > Los Angeles > San Francisco

First of all, I would like to know your opinion about if it's better to hire an RV or car+hotel. I assume that there are several reasons to choose one option or the other: cost, agility of the vehicle, comfortability, better for sightseeing... so I would like to know your comments :) The plan isn't luxuryous hotels nor activities, we just want to admire those beautiful spots and landscapes

Another thing is, are there any reccomended car/rv rental companies?

Thank you all for your comments!!

[Southwest Dave]

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

The RV versus Car and Motel is often a matter for debate, like here, and the simple answer really is that the better one is the one that is your preferred choice, which is ?

It really should be about 'Lifestyle,' but rarely is the RV the cheaper option of the two, however with 4 paying adults the costs are much closer to that of the car and Motels. You have to consider the little extras with an RV, like bedroom and kitchen kits for overseas visitors, afterall you won't want to be bringing your own pots and pans and pillows etc half way around the world. Often overlooked is the extra cost of fuel, which in an RV you can only expect a return of 10mpg. Another thing to consider is that you will have to pay campground fees.

That said, if you like the idea of the RV life, as I do, it can be a wonderful experience, especailly when out in the National parks and open roads. Not so great in LA and San Fran, but there would be no need to have the RV on your arrival in SF and a couple of nights in a Motel would be advisable. If you put your cursor over the 'Trip Advice' link in the green tool bar above you will find a link to much info on Pros and Cons of the RV life.

On a side note, if you were to reverse the order of your trip you could head south down the coast and have Ocean and Oceanside viewpoints on your side of the road. This was our first RV trip out of SF and it might give you a couple of ideas.

See what you think [that's what's important] and if you have other questions just ask.