Cost of Towable RV vs. drive/hotel?

[Cin]

Hi, I am thinking of getting a towable travel trailer. Around 28 ft. lightweight. We have a SUV. We have only done tent camping (a lot of it) and of course when we travel we stay in motels and dine out. Even on a budget using Motel 6 and Super 8 it adds up quickly. I would much rather have my own bed and room and "hotel on wheels", but I don't really know the cost involved. The campground costs at WDW Fort Wilderness are really steep and really not much savings over staying at the value resorts. It seems campground costs that I can find online are rather high but I am so used to tent camping and the rate of less than $20 a night. For those of you who know, is is really any significant savings over driving and staying in hotels and dining out? Not just at WDW, but in general when traveling anywhere? I don't really want to just break even or it's going to be hard to present and sell the idea to DH. I looked at go rv'ing.com but it really didn't help with info. Help?

 

[bama_ed]

Hi, I am thinking of getting a towable travel trailer. Around 28 ft. lightweight. We have a SUV. We have only done tent camping (a lot of it) and of course when we travel we stay in motels and dine out. Even on a budget using Motel 6 and Super 8 it adds up quickly. I would much rather have my own bed and room and "hotel on wheels", but I don't really know the cost involved. The campground costs at WDW Fort Wilderness are really steep and really not much savings over staying at the value resorts. It seems campground costs that I can find online are rather high but I am so used to tent camping and the rate of less than $20 a night. For those of you who know, is is really any significant savings over driving and staying in hotels and dining out? Not just at WDW, but in general when traveling anywhere? I don't really want to just break even or it's going to be hard to present and sell the idea to DH. I looked at go rv'ing.com but it really didn't help with info. Help?

Cin,

First I have to say since I don't recall seeing your name before on the Camping Board. I could have missed it.

Second, we on this particular board hear the Value-vs-campsite arguement from time to time and I respectfully have to disagree. Here are some comparisons: Spring Break season in March Value = 149 weekend rate, Full campsite = 100 weekend rate. Summer break (July not around the 4th): Value = 144 weekend, Full campsite = 86 weekend. Christmas-New Years week: Value = 164, Full campsite = 108. So the campsites are 2/3 the cost of a Value and a 33% difference is not insignificant.

Remember the Fort has different levels of campsites (4) and the Full Hook-up level would be the most affordable one for someone likeyourself with a travel trailer. It's like on the Values I quoted Standard rates and not Preferred view rates. Of course this is normal times and not the "free dining" offer times either.

Third, I have a pop-up and bought it new 7 years ago. My signature is a little out of date but our nights camped in it as a family are approaching 150 nights. It paid for itself around the 100 night mark. There are a few key factors that relate to this discussion - some you can put a price on, some you can't.

I can put a price and say although the Fort is expensive (although not the MOST expensive campground I've stayed in - that you go to Boyd's in Key West - loved Boyd's though) there are wonderful state parks and Corps of Engineer campgrounds to stay in all over the South and Texas where you are. Lots of them. Don't compare to RV parks which tend to be higher priced and designed to accomodate big rigs.

I estimate my family saves $150-$200 per day in room/food savings. Yes per day. The food savings is considerable. On a week to the beach each summer we eat dinner out 2-3 times and buy groceries and cook at our campsite otherwise. I have 3 teenagers who are HUNGRY all the time. I pay $30 a night for the site (state park within walking distance of the beach). For a 2-bed condo I'd be paying at least $150 per night.

Over time all our spring break trips, summer beach trips, and holiday trips all have us in the pop-up going someplace. Plus long weekend trips (several per year). My kids are busier now and it's harder to get schedules lined up for the weekend trips but we rarely do the hotel thing now.

The other thing about it which you CAN'T put a price tag on is that your camper is your "home". Whereever you go on your vacation you get to sleep at "home" each night. It's comfortable, it's familiar, it's what you want it to be. Honestly, how many days do you spend over at All Stars just sitting around, relaxing, and admiring the oversized decorations? Spend hours inside your room awake, relaxed, listening to the birds sing? I got back last month from the Fort and spent only 1 day in a park and 3 full days in and around the Fort just relaxing and having a good time.

How old and how many kids you do have and how much have you tent camped? I think it's wonderful that you've got them outdoors and in nature like that. A small used travel trailer would cost maybe $10-15k for a newer one and less if you found a good deal. Sounds like your tow vehicle would handle a small TT. If you would use a TT only for your visits to WDW then it's not cost effective. When you use it more often it becomes so. I call my pop-up by several names: it's my condo on the beach; it's my cabin in the mountains; it's my timeshare in any place I want to be any time I want to be there.

So part of it is dollars and cents but part of it is lifestyle too. But I think it's good for families (anyone) as longs as it doesn't set you in the poor house. If you have any more questions we (us posters) love to opine.

Bama ED

 

[Cin]

Wow. Great info. Thanks for the welcome, I am still pretty new here. It's just DH and I now, all kids are grown and the "baby" is in college. I grew up camping and my family was very active in both girl and boy scouts so it was just second nature to take my kids camping too. That is just something we always did. I miss it and don't sleep on the ground as well these days and even an air mattress isn't like a real mattress and a queen bed with A/C. We take an annual trip north (a 13 hour drive) for family reunion every summer for a long 3 day weekend. We always get a room or stay with family but it's at the lake and it would be great to have our own place and stuff right there. We would kind of always be home. I'm sold on the RV idea, but have to be able to get some numbers together to show DH and make my presentation with cold hard facts and show how it would be beneficial to us to own an RV. Even a small barely used lightweight towable. We are fortunate to live in an area that we can camp year round here and do have many campgrounds in our area. I just wondered with the cost of gas and towing, insurance and upkeep on the unit, if it was going to cost us more than it saves us in the long run.

 

[2goofycampers]

I'm not sure camping v hotels breaks down into doing it for $. It breaks down mostly as a choice/lifestyle.

Factoring in extra fuel, TT payment, insurance, maintenance etc it might be a break even or slightly cheaper. But, we sleep in our own bed, meet great people, get closer to nature and take our pup with us.

 

[Cin]

I think if we can at least break even then it's worth it to have our own place and our own bed and linens. I read you can stop in parking areas and stay overnight for free to catch some zzz's? Like rest areas on the highways? And Walmart? That is much cheaper than a hotel for sure if we can get free parking for a night's rest.

 

[poohbearwithme]

The Hotel vs. RV arguments has been going on for ages...

RVing is a lifestyle, not just a hotel on wheels. I would really recommend that you rent or go off with some friends that have a rv for a couple weekends before you buy.

There are really 2 types of folks when it comes to Rving...those that love it and those that don't. You really need to find out which one you are before you invest in a RV. You also need to consider what the tow rating is on your vehicle. A 28' RV can get pretty heavy and some SUVs are only a have V6s.

Remember that RV dealer is there to sell you an RV, not to determine your tow rating...

Here are 2 great sites that might be able to help you find out more information also:
RV.net & RVitch.com

 

[Cin]

Thank you for the info! We have camped with my brother and his family numerous times in a pop up camper but I don't know how that compares to a towable or class C as far as livability and us loving it. We loved the pop up so much better than the tents and that was my first thought but the more I looked and did research the more I decided I needed a towable or class C TT. We will rent a TT and do a bit of travel on our own before buying to get a feel for it and how it works for us. Those are all class c's though but it should be similar enough to give us an idea on how it will fit with our lifestyle and needs. Thanks again for the websites.

 

[bama_ed]

Yes, sorry I read your initial post as a young family wanting to get out of tents. Ooooops!

It sounds like DH will have to be led there to the promised camper land rather than you following him. Some folks save $$ by sleeping by the roadside but it's risky.


The year-round nature of your future travel would concern me. Popups aren't good for one-night stayovers (I know when we have one night I usually get the hotel room with my pup in tow) Even towing a TT in wintery weather would concern me. That leads me to the Class C consideration.

Give it a try (try renting?) and be safe.

Bama ED