where can I find a rental RV in Austin TX?

Hi folks,

I'm planning a trip with a rental RV - had been thinking about it for a while, but I don't know anything about RV. The trip will be about 1 week, camping at 3 locations, each place 2 nights. As some roads at the destination (national parks) are not suitable for RVs, we will also be driving a minivan or mid-size SUV on this trip, so only one driver and one co-driver will be in the RV on the road.

When I search for RV rentals (Class C most likely), to my surprise, there doesn't seem to be that many options. I'm looking for rental in Austin, TX, what are good reputable places to rent? Is this the right forum to ask questions about rental?

If so, for a 1st time renter, is it better to rental from commercial companies, or RV-Share sites? Not sure if the commercial rental is better in terms of roadside assistance, and insurance?

We have 6 adults and two 13 year olds, I checked cruise-america, their largest sleep 7. Are there commercial rentals that sleeps 8? For places that allow tent camping, some in the group may sleep in tent, but some place may not allow that, so I'm trying to find a rental that sleeps 8, in case we need to all cramp in the RV for a night or two.


thanks,

Jason

Try checking with RV dealerships in your area.  Probably get a nicer unit than CA.

Google rental rv's

https://www.outdoorsy.com

is a site that rents. 

Don't know what's in your area but worth a try.....

Something sounds a bit off here, you mention national parks, and Austin, TX, the nearest national park with camping to Austin is nearly 500 miles away (The 3 closest national parks to Austin are all about the same distance, Big Bend, Hot Springs, AR, and Gaudalupe Mountains, with the last being the newest NP in the list with very few amenities).    A thousand miles round trip in an RV in 7 days is really pushing it, particularly for someone that may not be familiar with RV operation, driving in a motorhome is not like a car, you can expect to average no more than 50 mph even in areas like west Texas with 75-80 mph speed limits, also anything over 350 miles per day is going to be a LONG day in a motorhome, as everything seems to take longer than when in a car.  It takes longer to get up in the morning, get everything stored, get the tanks dumped, and with 8 people you will be dumping the tanks every day, maybe more than once per day in an rental RV with their limited sized tanks.

Beyond that 8 people in an RV of any type is really going to be pushing the living capacity, this is not just about the number of beds, but also bathroom space, food storage space, water and holding tank space, kitchen food prep space, etc.  Sure there are some larger bunkhouse style diesel pushers with 1 and a half bathrooms that can sleep 8, but even if they are available on the rental market, it would probably work out cheaper in your situation to rent a pair of cruise America class C's.

Can a thousand mile round trip RV trip be done in 7 days, yes, it can, but don't expect much time for sight seeing along the way.  I have done a thousand mile RV trip with stops at 2 destinations for 2-3 days each in 9.5 days and I felt that was about as short as I would ever want to cut such a trip.

Ike

p.s. In the 4 years I have owned my current 28 ft class A coach, the longest single day drive I have ever done was 499 miles, driving home from west Texas (solo RV trip) , and that was only so I could get through San Antonio on a Sunday evening, instead of a Monday morning, and that nearly wiped me out, the drive took just short of 12 hours, stopping only for fuel, meals, and the occasional stretching break at rest areas, and I had the advantage of over 10,000 miles of experience driving this particular RV at the time.

I second Isaac?s concern. If your trip is to the Texas National Seashores, that is one thing. But going from Austin to even your closest National Parks is a big deal. Big Bend? Lovely place but truly hours and hours from anywhere else. Utah NPs? Colorado? Great, but a very long way from Austin still. My husband and I did 1700 miles in a two and a half days once, but it was truly an emergency, we both drove early morning to late at night, and we were totally beat when we arrived at our destination, and we also had 30,000 miles under our belts. Also note the capacity of a RV is more than beds. As Isaac said, there is limited fresh water and waste space, and 8 people staying in the RV would spook me out in a big Class A let alone in a Class C. What are your plans?

Cruise America RV Rental has an agency in Austin - it is named Annihilator Customs. Cruise America is nationwide - just enter the location where you want to rent.

https://www.cruiseamerica.com/rv-rental-locations/texas


GoRVRentals, an agency for private owner rentals also has rentals in the Austin area.

https://www.gorvrentals.com/vehicle/class-c-motorhome-rv-rentals--browse-5.aspx?cid=5&wb-address=Austin%20TX&wb-currency=USD&wb-filter%5Btype%5D=c&wb-locale=en-us&wb-page%5Blimit%5D=250&wb-page%5Boffset%5D=0

If you google RV rentals in Austin Tx there are several that pop up. 

I don't know if it's any better private vs commercial but I do know private rental insurance is very high.

It will be expensive but you will have a blast!

Robin

Plus, I have never seen a Class C motorhome with seat belts for 8 people, so I am guessing half of you would have to ride in the SUV.  People need to be belted in while riding in an RV, not wandering around or laying in beds. 

Also, what national parks are you going to where the roads "are not suitable for an RV" but are suitable for an SUV??  This does not make sense.  I have been on the road full-time for eight years and have never seen such a national park, although I guess it might exist.  Are you planning on going off-road with a four-wheel-drive SUV of some sort??  National parks almost never allow you to do that. 

JudyJB said:

People need to be belted in while riding in an RV, not wandering around or laying in beds.

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Technically, good advice but I think a lot of people use the rest room, get things to eat or drink and sleep in the coach. We do wear seat belts in the front seats and it has air bags but I can't put my dog in a seat belt.

Bottom line is the driver assumes a lot of responsibility. I think it's way more than avoiding an accident; it's also not hitting the brake hard or even quick turns. Driving an RV is different than driving a car for sure.

As long as everyone is an adult and understands the danger.  As the driver, I agree that you accept a lot of responsibility, but you also accept the liability in case of an accident. 

Well it looks like the OP has not been back, maybe we should hold off talking more about this until he replies.

First of all, Thank you for all your concerns and suggestions! I went for backpacking last weekend and was off the grid for a few days.

Here is my plan, please let me know if this is realistic, safe and enjoyable -

This trip will be for my family and my sister's family, both family of four. Me and my brother-in-law will be taking turns to drive the RV. Since this will be the first time for either of us to drive an RV, for safety, I would have everybody else to drive/ride the SUV/miniVan for transportation.

I am planning to go from Austion to Guadalupe Mountains National Park (479 miles), with a stop in the middle for the first night.
stay at the RV site outside the park for 2 nights.
drive from Guadalupe Mountains to Study Butte outside of Big Bend NP (278 miles), stay there for 1 night.
drive from Study Butte to Rio Grande campground in Big Bend (44 miles), stay there for 2 nights. (it is one road in that park that they say not suitable for RVs on park website)
drive back from Big Bend to Austin (500 miles) - two guys driving 10 hours, is that reasonable?

We will be hiking and sightseeing during the day, only having dinner and sleeping in the RV. Will use the public showers and/or bathrooms as the one in the RV is not enough for 8 people.

Suggestions and critiques very welcome!

Thanks,

Jason

p.s. do we need to fill those questions everytime we post?

seafan said:

p.s. do we need to fill those questions everytime we post?

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No. After about 4 or 5 posts, the questions will stop

Can it be done, maybe, 6 or 7 years ago I helped an old friend drive a U-haul truck from Louisiana to Missoula, Montana a distance of about 2,100 miles departing at noon on a Monday and arriving by 9 am on Thursday, with just the two of us alternating driving the truck, with his wife and teenage son driving their car along.  I then slept for about 16 hours and flew home on Saturday.  So yes such things can be done, enjoyable is another question entirely. 

I will leave it to others to comment on RV road conditions in Big Bend as it as been over 20 years since I was last there.  As to the rest use of bath houses, is pretty much mandatory when talking about that many people in an RV given limited tank sizes, my motorhome has an 80 gallon fresh water tank with  40 gallon black tank, and 40 gallon gray tank.  Traveling solo with only minimal water conservation I can go over a week between dumping tanks, though that is with 1 person (flushing as needed with a single 3 minute shower per day), if there were 8 it would a daily chore.

As to sleeping 8, there may be some model of larger class A out there that can do it, but I think if you are doing the rental RV thing, you would be much better off getting 2, maybe a 22 ft and a 28 ft. model, the smaller 22 ft model will be able to go just about anywhere a large pickup truck can go.  This would also give you 2 bathrooms and more onboard water / waste tankage.  The big thing to remember is an RV does not drive like a car and being your first time you will take longer than you expect to set up and break camp each day, dump tanks, refill water.  It will even take longer to for fuel stops and just driving, plan on 50 mph average and at least an hour to break camp in the morning and an hour to set up in the evening and you should be good.  500 miles in a motorhome even with 2 drivers is a long day, but it can be done, just try not to do it 2 days in a row.

Love to chip in my $0.02 about your planned excursions in the Lone Star State.  Strap it on Fellas that little Jaunt from Austin, Better Start out on that Old Toll way around the city of Austin. 

Blowing thru Austin to the Bad Side of San Antonio.  Avoid IH 35 like the Plague would be my words to you if you are in the San Antonio Austin area if I was you, if possible.  RVs are for back roads.  Takes the stress of driving a house down the road. 

That A-SA Trip could be a entire day Killer, if a Swift Truck Hauling hams goes a little side ways for a bit and the hams roll out on the highway for sure.  Hours shut down once...In the AM around SA watch the news for wrecks in that area.  They have a couple hour shut downs with frequency, especially during rush hours. 

So many people are moving to that Area.  Congested always. 

Hitting 35 is a Great Opportunity to Brush Way Way  Up on those 4 letter words, sentences, and proper use of conjunctions. Avoid those pesky Run on sentences, please. Wink!

I use to be a writer of fiction,.. report cards.  Whole non starter, nevermind...

As for the Half way to The Guadalupe and the interior Sierra Blanco Check Point, Willie's Pit Stop, back in the day.  If you packing the wrong camping gear you will be staring that the inside of Jail bars.  Ask Willie, Willie Nelson.  Yep don't be rolling thru TX as we are the Front Line Defenders of Law Breaking my friend.  Yep, that will be about the only thing you will see once you get out towards, IH10 Out near Ozona.

Ever Drilled 9800 ft Air Holes, Oil Field Style?  Not Fun. lol.  Love to hear the Rumble of the Natural Gas you just discovered! Bam! Hello ROAR!  Where did that Giant Flair come from?  Driving by you would swear there was major problems if you were not aware of the process.  That would be a great visual!

I only did these air holes twice and the latter being Dry Hole?Nothing.  Crazy having scary Flame Right on the other side of the Reserve, Big old Fire Roaring the Size of 2 Locomotives and sounding like them too.  Fire and Rigs don?t together in my simple mind, not when I am out there playing around in it anyway.  I will say the Torch of Flame compensates for all the burned out lights in the derrick as I do remember pretty good. 

Sure seeing better, made it safer somewhat unless there was a gas leak that is, thank the spirits we did not have one.  Dodged a couple bullets out there on Air Adventures 1 and 2. 

Only had the agony of doing that type twice.  125 miles Round Trip being chaufferred in a Old 4 Door Cadillac Fleetwoods.  Battle Cruisers. Great for fairly Smooth Dirt Roads doing 65 MPH! 

Air, make it Drill FAST!  Like the House is on Fire! Get the bit under h20 and when you mix 5 gallon of Liquid Soap looks like it is snowing out there.  Wild stuff very unique drilling.  We Roughnecks (Way back when) liked the Safety of Mud in our pits, but rocky area out there, lost circulation problems is the reasoning and certain blowout if you passed thru gas. Too much potential for endless water down the hole and cost with fluid drilling the hole with mud.  If your looking to break out working Floors in the Texas Oil Fields.  Look elsewhere that around Ozona!  Langtree TX is right close there for all you western lovers

Old Man out there in the early 80s named Tom Mitchell, at the time opened up the Biggest Truck Stop, who knows if it is still there, I ain?t googling it.  Man was a true Modern Day Jed Clampet, Double Wide Mobile House on the Edge of the Location on the Edge of the Pad.  More Like a Drilling Rig Tool-Pusher with the boots and overalls.  Guy bank rolled an Auto Parks Broker?s son from these parts in the Indy 500 back then.  Gas well mineral Rights to A bunch of Gas wells.  Not sure if he owned the top of the ground but assuming he did also?   

Sonora, has the Caverns.  Well their brand of Same Cavern anyway. Cool underground Spaces in the summer.  I am not a huge cave fan myself, personally a bit  too Muggy.  I have trekked thru these as a youngster.  Once Sonora had years ago a Huge Rattle Snake Skin in the Snack Bar.  I did not check location of where the snake lost that skin of his, bet it was within a few steps of where you were viewing if I was throwing the dice on a guess.

We hit a Coyote out once near Van Horn.  That is going to be Brutal. Be sure and snap a Pic of the Crossing the Time zone sign. 

Balmorhea out west, too.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/balmorhea

Seriously, you are going to want to Pull the Pin on that grenade and Blow that thought right out your head.  Not only is it going to be boring, but nothing but Yucca to look at. Yuck! 

Maybe some Deep Rigs out By Pecos in the Night Sky.  They Drill Real deep out that way.  Maybe one will be close to the road.  Count me in to watch from a safe distance! 

Drifting out the Area but still a Avoid area and Night. I just took a Drive thru Midland on Sunday to visit a Old friend.  Avoid Highway 158 at Night, Highway 133.  Lots of Oil Field Traffic...Drinking Prolly....Hard Living fools! Torture unless you like a Steady Stream of Raised F350 Pick Up Trucks eye ball height all the way stuff roadway.  Basin is dead right now compared to when the Market is Lit...Dead, but this is the Permian Basin so some stuff going on, and lots of Flares buring.  Million People fighting for 12 positions and the Tool Pusher.  Not a good occupation to try and pay for things over a long period of time 

Geez approx 40 years ago Highway 158 coming out of Midland was dark one lane pleasant trip.  2020 Raised 350 trucks from Midland all the way to Sterling City, widened road, Yuck.  I can't see anyway at night so I did not enjoy it that much, LOL.

More Big Rigs and Oil Fields in the Big Spring Area.  Rattle snake round Ups at certain time of years.  100 snakes in a Sleeping bag zzzzip?Big Heck No Thanks from me.  Get a sprayer and a mirror and some gas and go for it.  Snake charmers gear. 

While there at Trash Central, bout a big old cup of Midland, TX?  May I suggest, for those Future Derrick Men.  Will Solar Rigs need Derrick Men?  It's out near IH 20 Oil Field Trash Museum.  I think it would be Cool for anyone to kill some time at. I found it fascinating to participate in while hoping you were not the next ?X? out there.  Disposable.

Paris Texas?  Our Eiffel Tower has a Cowboy hat on it.  Tyler near has a Beautiful State Park.  Look at State Parks near Austin.  Austin is where you can Party.  8 in a Van.  Austin.  Marble Falls, Buchannan Lake, Inks Lake.
Lot?s more to see Hill Country.  Pretty.

Now if you want to Thrash, Blast the Turbos. 
Stand back and eye ball it would be my message.  Adventure.  8 Drivers.  Rental... Who is Pinning their ears back first!

Generally speaking: I would Avoid all of Texas in a RV 1 June to 31 October.  Chances for hot pretty good during this window.  JUL AUG and 1/2 of Sep are Blast Furnace Heat! 

Let me go ahead and say you are overweight  prolly being just having 8 jump in.  Did not mention, but was there a Weight Watcher Support Meeting on the calendar?

Under Wear Tooth Brush.  You should be fine.  Don't forget the brakes prolly in that OK category as long as you are not going too Fast. 

I will get my Aspect at 32 ft Up to 70 MPH if no TOAD and Feeling like living on the edge for awhile. 

Good Luck... Stay near Austin.  Lots to see up Johnson City, Fredericksburg.  These are the Really pretty parts of TX, Out to the East, South to Coast, Way out west Desert.  Beautiful but 400 Plus of it dulls the senses looking at it after awhile.

Up near Amarillo is Palo Duro Canyon.  I have not been yet it is close so I will catch it coming back down into TX sometime.  Supposed to Rival the Grand Canyon.  Just saying...

PS.  Sorry About the Rant couple weeks ago.  To those I may have offended, I apologize.  Congrats.  Personally can't remember or does it matter.  Just a Game of the Rich.   

I Love America!  I got Passion for it!  I got too much skin in the Game to lay down and take it. Sorry, I got Spun Up.  Just want to come in and Share a bit of knowledge of TX.

That's All I got Folks.  May Pop in now and again to say a Quick Hello.  I might see what opinions may be shared.  Lot's of Knowledge here.  Gary and his RVn Crazy Disciples of knowledge. 

Knowledge with a Capital "K". 

To the Original Poster.  Have fun.  News Flash for ya.  Ain?t nobody getting out of here alive.  Be Nice.  Don?t be me. Wink

JD



 

This sounds like a nice trip. Guadalupe is pretty impressive and very lightly traveled. There are some great historic sites in addition to the natural landscape. Big Bend has three distinct environments - desert, river, and mountain so try to spend time in each. Two days is short, but I understand vacation time. I think the miles are reasonable. That last day will be a killer, but life happens. Two people should be able to do it. Your idea of having most of the people in the SUV is a much safer alternative to driving everyone in the RV. Being backpackers, you should be fine.

BA Coming back with new name. I Got Spun and Hit Delete.  We are all hot heads down here.

Wink!  ;D

I think I need 5 posts to reply so threw it out here.

Have you been behaving around here, wink.  Please tell me the replacement for the Factory Lemon TT you jettisoned from your life is performing the camping task to standard. 

Keep a Eye on the Peanut Gallery for me, BA!

JD