Practical tips for great USA motorhome holidays

Practical tips for great USA motorhome holidays

Article by Dipika Patel









If you are looking for America holidays that offer complete freedom to go where you want, when you want, there is no better choice than hiring a motorhome and setting out on the open road.

Motorhomes – known as recreational vehicles or RVs in the USA – are perfect for the great American road trip that many people dream of making. Whether you want to cruise down Route 66, explore the west coast or travel from New England to California, a motorhome is the ideal form of transport.

This type of fly drive holiday to the USA has a number of advantages – the main one being you are taking your accommodation with you, so you can plan your own itinerary and change it as often as you like. USA motorhome holidays are also a particularly sociable experience and you are sure to enjoy the campsite camaraderie as you meet other intrepid travellers during your journey.

While a motorhome USA experience is one of the most flexible holidays you will ever take, there are a few basic rules to follow to ensure your trip goes smoothly.

The first thing you will want to do before travelling is book a motorhome for your journey. Price is obviously an important factor when comparing different rental firms, but there are other issues to consider.

It is a good idea to find an unlimited mileage deal so you don’t have to worry about incurring extra charges if you decide to make some changes to your journey. You should also read the details of the insurance cover provided to ensure the policy is comprehensive enough. And check what is included in your package, as you will need practical items such as pots and pans.

Also remember to look at the locations of the motorhome rental firm’s depots to ensure it has convenient pick-up and drop-off points that match your flights. It is not worth trying to save a few dollars on a deal if it means you waste a day travelling out of your way to drop the vehicle off at the end of your break.

One other thing to be aware of is that most RV rental companies will not permit you to take a vehicle on your first day in the USA, so you will need to book a hotel room for the night your flight arrives.

Driving a motorhome is not much different from driving a big car, although you may find parking difficult to begin with. However, there are major differences between the road laws in the UK and the USA, so it is important to ensure you familiarise yourself with all the rules and regulations before you get behind the wheel.

And remember that the laws change from state to state, so be certain to keep an eye out for details of local speed limits. The drink-driving limit also varies and is very low in places, so think carefully about how many beers you have in an evening if you are planning to set off early the next day.

One other major difference between driving at home and in the USA is the distances involved. Many of your journeys will involve travelling through hundreds of miles of wilderness and will pass very few gas stations, so don’t waste opportunities to keep your petrol tank topped up.

A motorhome holiday in the USA will give you the freedom to change your plans as often as you want, but a little forward planning can help it run more smoothly. It is sensible to book a campsite for your first night on the road in advance and to choose somewhere not too far away from your start point. That means you should arrive before dark and can undertake the task of hooking your vehicle up to the campground’s electricity and water supplies for the first time in daylight.

You may also want to select a pull through campsite, where you enter at one end and exit at the other, as it will mean you are not forced to make any tricky reversing manoeuvres. There are lots of sites like this across the country, so finding them shouldn’t be a problem.

One other piece of planning you will need to do is to ensure you book places on campsites close to major attractions in advance. Campgrounds near places like Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon are always busy, so there is no guarantee they will have space for you if you just pitch up in the hope of finding somewhere to spend the night.



About the Author

If you are looking for America holidays with plenty of freedom, then a motorhome USA adventure may be exactly what you want. Get in touch with Bon Voyage to find out more about USA motorhome holidays and other fly drive holidays to the USA.










Solar Recreational Vehicles – How To Travel Long Distances On Solar Power

Solar Recreational Vehicles – How To Travel Long Distances On Solar Power

Camping can be a lot of fun and when you take a recreational vehicle (RV) it’s just like living in nature. RVs are used for lots of purposes, such as cross country trips, weekend getaways or just a fun excursion. One thing you need for your RV when you are out is an electrical hookup to get the inside working. If you ever wanted to have freedom to use the electricity anywhere without having to worrying about hookups, consider converting your RV into solar power.

Normally, people use generators when there is not an electrical hookup available. The generators are easy to use but can get costly with fuel prices. The other problem with generators is that they only last for a certain amount of time. With solar power, your RV is only in the need of the sun. You can convert your RV smoothly and cheaply.

There are different ways to get the RV ready to use solar power. You can have it professionally installed, which could be expensive. However, you can set up your RV yourself. All you need to do is purchase a few things. You will need a solar panel and a solar panel mounting bracket. There are companies that make specialty kits available specifically for an RV. The kit will charge the RV batteries that run the inside lights and appliances.

The kits come in different sizes depending on your RV and what size battery you have. Many companies will help in selecting the right size, so if you have any questions talk to the place you are purchasing the solar panel RV kit from. This is a great investment because once the kit is put in place, you don’t have to spend any more money buying fuel for the generator (you still need gas for the vehicle) and wasting electricity. By using solar energy for the inside of the RV, you are doing your part to help the environment. You aren’t using electrical hookups that are needed to run through power plants far away and the generator isn’t spurting out harmful emissions. Solar energy is clean and efficient.

There are add-on options once you get the solar power hooked up. You can also get a Solar Power Ventilator. This is used for small areas, such as the inside of an RV, to circulate the air. This works well on warm hazy days or on a cool fall day when you are just trying to get some fresh air.

It doesn’t take too much power to run the RV because of its size. This is one of the advantages of owning one a solar panel kit. You also don’t have to worry about the panel breaking. The solar panels for RVs are created to withstand most weather conditions. It doesn’t matter if it rains or snows, even heavy winds won’t rip the panel from the roof.

The solar panel RV kit gives people the freedom they have always dreamed of when buying an RV. If you own an RV you never have to worry about where you are going again. You won’t be limited to the areas you visit because there is no electrical hookup or your generator is low on fuel. Solar power allows you to roam the great country or just hideaway for a weekend with nature.

Abhishek is an avid Environmentalist and he has got some great Alternative Fuel Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 70 Pages Ebook, “Energy Conservation And Alternative Fuel” from his website http://www.Wonder-Homes.com/643/index.htm . Only limited Free Copies available.