Call me naïve, but I figured with the price of fuel hitting record highs there would be far fewer gas guzzling recreational vehicles on the road this summer. Boy, was I wrong. Apparently, Americans (at least those driving through Illinois and Wisconsin) are denying high gas prices and hitting the highways in RVs. I know this because I was stuck behind a caravan of them on the way back from our family’s 4th of July festivities.
About a year ago I wrote a blog about the costs involved in traveling in a RV. Price, it seems, has not affected the way some families travel. According to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), sales of RVs have shot up 22% in the past three calendar years. RVIA officials say last year a record 390,500 RVs were sold, the most in 28 years. And considering the average cost of a new motor home is $260,000, I suppose the price to fuel it is peanuts.
Managers at the two largest RV campgrounds in the nation said their lots are booked this summer and the people who are pulling up in these homes on wheels are affluent. A manager with popular KOA campgrounds says customers tend to be “baby boomers, retirees and young families with a healthy amount of discretionary income.”
Which is not to say families like mine who opt to rent RVs don’t exist. We are the ones who use parks as destinations rather than pit stops. An increasing number of RV parks are offering more attractions such as pools, tennis courts and live entertainment, making it easier to stretch your dollar. What’s more, if you were to add up all of the expenses related to a traditional vacation (hotel accommodations, meals, gas or plane tickets, etc.) you would find that RVs are an economical alternative.
You can save even more if you drive shorter distances and stay longer. In addition, industry surveys show that while mileage is “not great,” it’s better than it was 10 years ago. The industry has introduced more efficient engines, and new materials that make motor homes and trailers lighter.
According to RVIA, there are roughly 18 million RV owners in the United States. One of them is our neighbor. He and his wife own a 30-plus-foot-long motor home with a 90-gallon tank. It takes them about $275 to top off. But that’s nothing compared to the $1100 they spent keeping it full of diesel fuel during their 10-day trip to the West Coast.
Have you ever spent a family vacation in a RV?