Question Kindly help me plan

[anonymous1977]

Hello Folks- I have a family of 4 which includes me, my wife and two daughters 9 and 12. I have a ford f150 but have never towed anything so far. I am interested in renting an Rv for vacation. My wife asked me to plan a one week trip in August. When I posted on a reddit forum about this because I am not sure if I should rent a drivable RV or a trailer RV, I was advised that since its my first time I should first plan a short trip and rent a class C RV.

Based on this I narrowed down to a 25 foot RV and would preferably like to plan a three night trip around Memorial day from NJ. Nj seems to have two cruiseamerica locations. Right now since I am not sure how to plan this, I am not sure which location I should rent from. Since being first time I am also not sure whether I need to book any RV parks or can just park along the way and stay overnight. Can someone guide me around how to plan this? I am not even sure which destination to plan for as I dont know how to work the logistics around the night stays. Any help on how to go about this would be appreciated.

Also for future purposes, it looks like a trailer is cheaper. How do I learn how to go about towing one?

 

[Rollin Ollen]

Hello Folks- I have a family of 4 which includes me, my wife and two daughters 9 and 12. I have a ford f150 but have never towed anything so far. I am interested in renting an Rv for vacation. My wife asked me to plan a one week trip in August. When I posted on a reddit forum about this because I am not sure if I should rent a drivable RV or a trailer RV, I was advised that since its my first time I should first plan a short trip and rent a class C RV.

Based on this I narrowed down to a 25 foot RV and would preferably like to plan a three night trip around Memorial day from NJ. Nj seems to have two cruiseamerica locations. Right now since I am not sure how to plan this, I am not sure which location I should rent from. Since being first time I am also not sure whether I need to book any RV parks or can just park along the way and stay overnight. Can someone guide me around how to plan this? I am not even sure which destination to plan for as I dont know how to work the logistics around the night stays. Any help on how to go about this would be appreciated.

Also for future purposes, it looks like a trailer is cheaper. How do I learn how to go about towing one?

Welcome aboard. It sounds to me like you have thought things thru. Well done. My suggestion is to rent a trailer BUT, since you have never towed before, you can have a unit delivered to a campsite. You can then "test the waters" with very little financial output at the beginning and not sweat pulling one for the first time. That way you can also get an idea of what you might like to own. As follows is a link to a company that might be of interest to you. Campers, Motorhomes & RVs for Rent | Outdoorsy

Learning to pull a trailer will be a bit of a learning curve. The best way, as far as I am concerned is to practice is a vacant parking lot.

Good luck and safe travels.

 

[rjshiflet49]

In my opinion to do it right if you are pulling with an F-150 you should have a weight distribution hitch (which would be an extra up-front cost unless the CruiseAmerica location provided or rented that to you as well). Make ABSOLUTELY SURE you research weight and towing limits for your F-150 including your family of four and everything else you are taking along.

You don't mention what your your F150 is or what engine you have. Towing limits can vary greatly based on that.

As far as learning the skills to tow - that's something we've all pretty much had to figure out by trial and error (hopefully few errors) but likely we've all had those "OOPS" moments in our RVing days.

As my Dad always told me every time my wife and I headed out on a trip with our two sons..."Remember, you've got precious cargo in there."

Research, study, learn...then research some more. Be safe and enjoy the ride.

 

[anonymous1977]

In my opinion to do it right if you are pulling with an F-150 you should have a weight distribution hitch (which would be an extra up-front cost unless the CruiseAmerica location provided or rented that to you as well). Make ABSOLUTELY SURE you research weight and towing limits for your F-150 including your family of four and everything else you are taking along.

You don't mention what your your F150 is or what engine you have. Towing limits can vary greatly based on that.

As far as learning the skills to tow - that's something we've all pretty much had to figure out by trial and error (hopefully few errors) but likely we've all had those "OOPS" moments in our RVing days.

As my Dad always told me every time my wife and I headed out on a trip with our two sons..."Remember, you've got precious cargo in there."

Research, study, learn...then research some more. Be safe and enjoy the ride.

To prepare, should I practice renting a uhaul trailer?

 

[Holdmybeer]

To prepare, should I practice renting a uhaul trailer?

There are a ton of variables involved in renting a towable RV. My advice would be rent a small C class and spend your time enjoying your vacation. Just unhook the utilities at the campsite and you can knock around in the C during the day. My neighbors rented a C last summer for 2 wks. in Co. and Az. They'd never driven an RV and said they had no problems.

 

[rjshiflet49]

To prepare, should I practice renting a uhaul trailer?

That's a tough one. Most U-Haul trailers are far smaller than an RV bumper pull trailer, and I generally find especially backing a shorter trailer has a lot more challenges than a longer one. I don't know that something like that is going to really help prepare you.

Honestly, it's something you're going to just have to decide to jump into with caution, concern and a dose of fear. I remember the first time the RV dealer (with no training whatsoever) hooked up a 27' bumper pull to our Expedition, slapped us on the back and said "Good luck". It was a terribly frightening 35 mile drive home. Then one of our first trips we went several hundred miles into another state and coming home we were beaten by a 40 mph cross wind on an interstate highway full of 18-wheelers that seemed to suck us every closer to them as they passed us.

I remember my hands cramping from holding the steering wheel so tight on that 8-hour drive home.

But - we survived, we're still married and we still own an RV (fifth wheel now) and have owned one continually since 2001.

I guess what I'm trying to say is educate yourself, humble yourself, realize it's a learning process, be careful and expand your knowledge as you go. Tiptoe with baby steps at first, whether you rent a trailer for practice of jump headlong in and rent an RV.

Understand you will now have a several thousand pound trailer pushing you along when you're braking, and slowing you down as you climb hills and basially extending your vehicle another 30 feet or so.

Trust me - there is no magic bullet. Everyone that pulls a travel trailer or fifth wheel or drives a motorhome had that "first time" when you crawled under the wheel, swallowed hard and took off.

You can do it...