Hubby so into this, Wife unsure a hotel kinda girl

:-[. Well as title says, I am willing to try but now after reading posts , finances, cost , black water smells, pumping out tanks, etc... I am getting nervous.  I love being w my two Golden?s miss them terribly  adore the thought of never having to deal w a plane ride and TSA ,  have been researching for a year . We actually had a R pod for 4 months and then it was STOLEN yup. Lost 10,000 as it was not insured.  Never even used it . That makes me sick thinking about it,  I even read all the great and I mean great info on this website.  I am a quiet person we don't drink or smoke I also work from home for a EHR so we can travel endlessly.  I really want to try, but now I am scared.  Convince me this is great. I , we don?t fish hike bike but really want to see the beauty of the country... am I insane to try ?????????? This seems like a great idea ,  no hotel no packing no bad restaurants  just set ups and driving.  But now I am nervous .. tell me not to be and try........ )

NO bed bugs in your RV.
Stop when you want tavle where you wish (within reason)
Nothing like waking up in the morning parked RIGHT ON THE BEACH or in the middle of nowhere with no one else around.
As for the black and grey water smell it can be minimized and or eliminated.
My motor home rarely has an odor but I  know it is my own poop and I can eliminate it.

If the wife don?t like it you will be miserable. Better if it is her idea. My wife loves it. Me, I could take it or leave it. The sleeping in your own bed thing I don?t get. I like B&B?s and nice hotels with free cocktail hours and heavy snacks. I really like going on cruises. And RV?ing is not cheaper than hotels. Rent an RV and take a trip. See how she likes it. If she does then by all means go for it. If she doesn?t like it, make reservations at a nice hotel.

Oldgator73 said:

If the wife don?t like it you will be miserable. Better if it is her idea. My wife loves it. Me, I could take it or leave it. The sleeping in your own bed thing I don?t get. I like B&B?s and nice hotels with free cocktail hours and heavy snacks. I really like going on cruises. And RV?ing is not cheaper than hotels. Rent an RV and take a trip. See how she likes it. If she does then by all means go for it. If she doesn?t like it, make reservations at a nice hotel.

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It's the wife asking...

LOL replies already. LOVE the chats and yes I am the wife lol  )

But now I am nervous .. tell me not to be and try........ )

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There are always tradeoffs. So taking your pets along, spending the night(s) away from cities (when you want to), cooking your own food, not having to haul suitcases in or traverse stairs and hallways, and seeing beauty not generally found in the hotel way of travel, are benefits that you get by learning how RV stuff works, handling your water and sewage needs and finding parking at home for your RV, among other things. As I said, tradeoffs.

Renting an RV (motorhome or trailer) for a couple of nights might be a good way to get a little feel of what you're in for. RVing isn't for everyone, but do keep in mind that we were ALL novices at one point or another, and the good things you have already identified might be enough for you to make it worthwhile -- rent and try it a time or two, then come back with more questions/comments. Lotsa folks here willing to help, and when you're in a campground you'll usually find helpful folks available there, too.

So nervous is normal for first timers, but for most folks it can soon be overcome.

Larry N. said:

It's the wife asking...

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Makes my reply all the more relevant. If she is that reticent to take the plunge, and it is a plunge, then maybe it?s not for them. There are times I really enjoy taking the RV. When we park next to a nice stream or lake and the weather is great. But there are times I want to be in a hotel. Now, I have met folks on the road that have said their spouse did not like RVing. A woman at Hot Springs NP told me her husband gets her all set up and then goes home.

My wife was not at all enthusiastic when I bought our first rv, she knew I was enthusiaastic but wouldn't take part in getting it ready. I was ready to throw in the towel and put it on the market. Then we went on our first trip, a long weekend jaunt.
She loved it, especially having our ow bathroom on the road. When we got home she started grabbing travel brochures and planning the next one! She said she had been afraid of all the work involved. Why not rent for a few days and find a nice spot near home if that is possible? If you don't like it you are not out much, if you do you will have a better idea of what you want.

Rent a few times, it's the only way you'll know

It's a mobile house, so all the house kind of things can go wrong. Maybe things that you were never really aware of in your house. But generally things go smoothly enough and you can enjoy life.  Whether its better than a nice hotel is very much a personal perspective. Obviously the folks who hang around here enjoy it. The ones who do not don't stay long (we've had a few).

Renting an RV a few times is a good way to get your toes in the water without an expensive commitment.  Renting isn't cheap, but its a heck of a lot cheaper than buying an RV and not using it.

You are all so helpful... Researching rentals hope they allow the Golden?s thanks again

I'm the wife of this duo and I LOVE our motorhome.  I love my own bed, my own food, my own "facilities" and being able to go where we want to go and when.  If the weather turns bad we change direction or hole up in comfort until the weather is better.  It's so much more comfortable to have our own home away from home.  Oh, and I also love driving it.  We've had five motorhomes over the years (3 Cs, 2 As) and we've always shared the driving.

We did the airplane/hotel/restaurant thing while we were working and don't miss it at all.  And that was in the "good ol' days" before TSA when we had civilized seating, good food and nice people (not that they're not nice but they ARE harassed and stressed) so flying was a much more pleasant experience.  On a previous airplane trip to a wedding, it was lousy sleeping on the floor of the Atlanta airport when flights were cancelled because of bad weather.  That definitely was NOT fun!  There were extremely long lines for everyone trying to change flights, no available hotel rooms, no available rental cars and our "dinner" at 1:00 a.m.m was the very last pieces of Popeye's chicken before they closed for the night.  Definitely not fun or enjoyable!  We were so wishing for our motorhome!  The one bright spot was that someone came around in the middle of the night and covered everyone with blankets which was nice.  But it didn't make that floor any softer!

As to driving, we dislike making hotel reservations and adhering to that schedule, we dislike trying to find pit stops, we detest the constant packing, unpacking and wrestling suitcases, we feel much more cramped and less comfortable even though we drive a very nice vehicle, and we dislike trying to find restaurants that suit us.  We've stayed in a lot of very nice hotels but still prefer the motorhome.

Don't let all the other stuff you've read about obscure the good things.  Many people have no toilet odors and as said they can be mitigated.  Most trips don't involve a lot of repairs and what happens often can be solved easily or wait until you get home.  We don't have pets but I should think having an RV would be a huge plus for you.  My observation is that most people have their pets with them.

It's too bad your previous new RV was stolen but it's rare to have RVs stolen, especially motorhomes.

As to renting, please take into account that rental RVs probably won't be all you would hope to have in one of your own.  It will give you an idea of what it's like, however, and that's worth something.  You certainly will learn what features you want or don't want when you buy one.  It's normal to be hesitant about such a purchase.  My advice is to get a modest one initially and then upgrade later once you find out it's more fun than you thought.  You'll also have a better idea by then what you really want and don't want.  Good luck hunting!

ArdraF

 

I was in much of the same situation when I started considering buying my current coach, as my current wife is not much of a camping person either.  We ended up getting a small class A, because I wanted to be able to get to some of the more remote spots, and my wife did not want a toilet in her shower.      Three years, 13,000 miles, and something over 100 nights in for me (much less for my wife)  and I am enjoying it, she still has mixed feelings.

The question is what type of RV is right for you, and how do you see and RV as an alternative to a tent, or as an alternative to a hotel room.  One one end you have pop up campers which are basically a tent on wheels, on the other end you have diesel pusher class A, that are a condo on wheels.  In recent years prior to buying our coach most of our trips were by cruise ship, so the limited  space in a sub 30 foot motorhome was not a big deal for us. If space was a big issue, then there are larger RV options, a dual full wall slide 42+ ft diesel pusher is down right huge inside, rivalling the size of a typical vacation condo.

You're asking a somewhat biased membership (that's why we're here), but my 2 cents...
Getting a Class A motorhome was my idea. Over the years I'd had quite enough of hotels due to work. Got tired of rolling suitcases, lengthy check-ins, always eating in restaurants...the list is endless.
Did you know there is a "bedbug registry" which reports hotels with known problems? That in itself is cause for alarm, as it indicates a widespread problem.
The only hotel thing I do miss is a hot tub at the end of a long day. But after owning my own spa for years and knowing a few things about water balance and chemistry, I can tell you the vast majority of hotel spas are not maintained properly, and many are a breeding ground for bacteria.
Back to the wife - she was hesitant at first, but after two or three trips she prefers the RV over other travel options.

All that said, it may not be for you, but keep an open mind and rent one. Please let us know how it goes.

To follow up on that last post, if you rent one, rent the right type, don't go out and rent a 22 ft Cruise America class C if what you plan to buy is a 40 foot diesel pusher.

Omg you must have been sick over it being stolen!!! I'm sick for you!!! Mine was totalled before we ever used it, so I feel you! But I think it's worse knowing someone else has it.

You don't have to be really outdoorsy to have an RV.  We enjoy just hanging out with our pug.  I,who have wanted an RV for about forty years,was panicked when we actually got one.  Used it one weekend and the husband decided we needed a bigger one for a planned,one week,get away.  Which is much more comfortable,I admit. 

We rent a golf cart and drive around the campground,checking out other set-ups and looking at other doggies.  They have a dog beach,which ours could care less but goldens would love,I bet.  I just don't know what people do with their wet dogs.  Of course,we leave her in the camper to hit the pool or go out for dinner.  I would never be able to leave her alone in a hotel room. 

Hubby takes care of the black water,etc.  he used to work in wastewater management,so it doesn't bother him.  We have never had an odor problem

I still worry about stuff after 2 years.  Sometimes I don't know if it's worth the added worries of maintaining ,etc,to be honest.  Definitely rent one. 

I HATE camping!  But I love living in my 32' Class C motorhome.  I've been on the road for 7 years by myself and driven 127,500 miles entirely myself. And I am 76, but I can tell you that the few struggles I have had with broken things and having to lift heavy things are more than worth it compared to hauling around luggage, crowded airplanes, delayed flights, having the airlines lose your luggage, eating crummy food in junky restaurants, and dirty hotel rooms even in the most expensive hotels! 

I agree on not renting a Cruise America RV.  They cut out all the things like slides, awnings, comfortable seating, and comfortable beds so they end up with a really basic unit that a renter cannot ruin.  The result if that these units are NOTHING like my real bed, clean bathroom, two slides that provide a comfortable experience, and awning to provide shade. Nor do they have satellite TV and all of the other little luxuries I would not do without.  Ask around at regular RV dealers about rental units that are models that people actually buy.  It will be a much better experience. 

I will also tell you that in 7 years on the road, no one has ever bothered me, threatened me, or made me feel unsafe.  In fact, I suspect campgrounds and RV parks are a lot safer than hotels.  And there are no odors from my black tank, which I dump myself, and I keep my fresh water clean and drink it without concern.  No bottled water in my rig.

And do get whatever you buy insured before you drive it off the lot!!

I have to agree on not being  crazy about camping, although my wife is more into it than me. But I do like glamping, which is what we are actually doing full time. As far as holding tank odors and such you'll find out that it's all manageable.

My wife had never been camping and didn't want to go camping. But an RV is a home away from home. She gets to decorate it to suit her tastes and everything she put in it is familiar to her. Now she feels a sense of ownership and wants to go every possible weekend and we do.

And we discovered the campgrounds in rural areas are like being transported back to the 50's. 3 year old kids riding their tricycles down the street unattended and that is completely normal. A place where you don't worry whether you locked the RV door when you left. Everyone waves as you walk or drive by. You take naps outside in your lawn chair and nothing wakes you up. Granted in campgrounds around big cities or tourist traps this is not the case. But in places like Army Corp campgrounds in rural areas its very safe. With 10 mph speed limits. Big campsites 10-20 yards apart beside a lazy river. Getting away from that high pressure job and completely unwinding on the weekends is the only thing that kept me sane during my working years. Some people want to go where the action is. We like to go where it isn't.