If you are wanting to go away this summer on vacation but on a tight budget, you might want to consider doubling up with family or friends on a RV trip.
RVs are not just for old people, they are for the young as well. A few years ago, my family and I decided to rent an RV and drive across country (we were moving from the east coast to the west). It was an experience that we will never forget.
One of the things that appealed to me about this option was the level of independence from the other “parties” that are normally part of a family vacation (hotel, restaurant, etc.). We did not have to worry feeling robbed after paying $100-200 on a hotel based on a picture online only to discover the room was the equivalent of a crack house at the corner of Washington and MLK blvd. My wife and I had our own bedroom and the kids had theirs complete with cabinets, drawers, and televisions. As far as food goes, we had the best food in town–ours! You and the other family/friends can go in half with stocking up on food from somewhere like Costco or Sams. RVs come complete with a full kitchen. So while you are driving down the interstate, Moms could be in the back frying up some fish, preparing the ‘tatah salad (you know how we do).
As far as overnight parking goes, you have some options. First, you could go to an RV park where you will have access to a water line, phone line, and in some cases a high speed Internet line (a must have for me or the whole trip is off 
). RV parks are also good because most of them have their own security guard on site. The other option would be Wal-Mart (believe it or not). Wal-Mart is widely known throughout the RV circuit as THE overnight stop if their is not a good RV park in the area. Plus you have a built-in grocery/knick-knack store right in your own backyard. My advice? Park close to other RVs in the parking lot to increase security (Please do your research of the area before considering this option. Who knows? Right behind that Wal-Mart could be a prison!!).
On our trip, we towed one of our cars. This proved to be invaluable to us as we enjoy exploring new areas. Lugging a big ‘ol RV around the city would be just too much (imagine trying to parallel park an RV?). Spend the day exploring the area and come back home (I mean the RV) at the end of it all.
Another thing I like about RVs is the amount of storage space. Unless you are like my wife in her college days, you should have more than enough room for all of your luggage and things you picked up along the way. Got a charcoal burning Weber grill? There’s room for that.
For me, the best thing that I like about this option is that for my wife and I, we did not feel rushed. She did not have time to do her hair before the trip so while I was driving, there she was in the back just sewing away (don’t tell he I said that). If the kids were not jumping on the bed in the back, they were watching TV while laying across it–all while doing about 60 mph.
So if you have not solidified those vacation plans just yet, you might want to consider RV’n this summer. Trust me, it will be an experience that you will talk about for years.
Related: National African American RV’ers Association Inc.
