RV USA/Canada Holidays - has anyone done one? Don't know where to start!

[patienceisvirtuous]

Has anyone done one of these holidays?

Where did you go? Any tips? Approximate costs for 3 weeks?

We'd like to do one next year: me, DH and my wider family (including 2 teenagers) - we haven't decided where yet but we'd definitely like to include one of the big National Parks. Any suggested routes welcome too.

I've started my research but thought I might get some good hints/tips/recommendations here to kick things off. Any info would be much appreciated :)

I've considered one but didn't do it

We were looking at Utah/Nevada etc. and some of the roads are a bit hairy - after driving them in a car I swore I wouldn't do them in anything bigger!

Also don't forget that you have to pay for your overnight pitches as well as the rental vehicle itself so it can work out more expensive than staying at a lodge in the parks. And you have to take a mahoosive vehicle if you want to go to a supermarket/restaurant or any where else!

I usually use the "RoadTripUSA" when I'm working out routes and to answer any queries.

The hiring cars and staying lodges had crossed my mind too - less hassle, probably less fun but it's worth considering...

I'll check out RoadTripUSA thanks Enormous

These RV holidays seem to be to explore the west, but the distance between attractions is enormous. You can be driving for whole days.

Do consider the East. There are plenty of RV campsites near the Appalachian Way and the Atlantic Coast plus all three coasts of Florida.

The Smokey Mountain National Park is a fantastic place to stop for a few days.

Thanks Fuga.

I should say we're complete novices (relevant experiences include a few city breaks in USA and tourer caravan hols in UK/France) so a route that isn't overly ambitious would be good for our first time!

Watching with interest as we have been talking about this for next summer.

Wanted to put it in chat to get more responses but thought I'd best stick to the protocols :) Hopefully we'll get a few responses...

A couple of Summers ago we did an RV trip from LA to San Francisco, stopping at various places, including Big Sur, Monterey, Yosemite.

First thing I'd say is that I found it more akin to camping than I'd bargained for... but assuming you know that.

We hired our RV through Cruise America. You need to book one quickly. They're soon gone and you'll end up with the wrong size.

Similarly, camp sites. The best ones get booked up quickly. You need to do your research. You want the right size space, with hook ups for electricity and water and a fire pit. You also want to avoid camps that are essentially permanent trailer parks.