Hi, I am hopping that we could get some helpful tips about our upcoming RV trip to America. We are from Australia and we are visiting America for the first time. We will be arriving in September and staying till mid October, we have hired a 22ft RV and would really love to see the most we can see in the short time we are here. Of course we would like to pay as little as we can for accommodation as possible. We are planning driving this route. Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Death Valley, Yosemite, Napa Valley, San Francisco, Carmel, Santa Barbara and then back to Los Angeles. We have 21 days and then we are off to Vancouver. In Vancouver we have an RV for 8 days and the route that we would like to take is. Vancouver, Whistler, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and then back to Vancouver. Please any ideas will be great.
Hi, sounds like you have a great trip planned. We have just returned back to NZ after a trip through the midwest in a 24 ft RV..with two kids..you are wise to go a bit smaller..some camp grounds charge by size of rv. KOA (kamp grounds of America are usually clean and nice campgrounds, but a bit more pricey..although for $27 you can join their loyalty programe and get a 10% discount at each site..also if you are not plugging in your black waste each night (ie ussing the campground toilets) it will be slightly cheaper). We found our biggest expense was fuel $150 every 2nd day..but we did cover alot of miles chicago to salt lake via St Louis..we have a costco card and got fuel there as it is a little cheaper. I am sure some of the more seasoned RVers on here may be able to give you some extra tips..good luck!
QUOTE(America Here We Come @ Apr 29 2014, 12:36 AM) [snapback]36378[/snapback] Hi, I am hopping that we could get some helpful tips about our upcoming RV trip to America. We are from Australia and we are visiting America for the first time. We will be arriving in September and staying till mid October, we have hired a 22ft RV and would really love to see the most we can see in the short time we are here. Of course we would like to pay as little as we can for accommodation as possible. We are planning driving this route. Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Death Valley, Yosemite, Napa Valley, San Francisco, Carmel, Santa Barbara and then back to Los Angeles. We have 21 days and then we are off to Vancouver. In Vancouver we have an RV for 8 days and the route that we would like to take is. Vancouver, Whistler, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and then back to Vancouver. Please any ideas will be great. Greetings, First, I suggest you get a Good Sam discount card. That will usually get you 10% off at their affiliated parks. There are more Good Sam's than KOAs. The card will also get you a discount at Pilot and Flying J Travel Centers. http://www.goodsamclub.com/whyjoin.aspx They also have a trip planning guide that will help you plan your travels with distances etc. It's too bad you cannot do the Canadian leg of your trip first. Canadian weather can be iffy in October but Death Valley and the southern parts of your trip will probably be more pleasant in October. You have planned a great distance to travel in only 8 days. You will be seeing the country from the seat of your coach (but still worth the trip). From Vancouver I would head to Banff/Lake Louise then up to Jasper. From Jasper to Kamloops then on to Whistler and back to Vancouver. Your Journey will be a loop and if you choose to see the Okanagan valley your route will not have any overlaps. Seeing the Okanogan will take more time though. If you bypass the Okanagan you will see Kamloops twice. Let me know if you want any more details. Have a great trip. Darrell
I am assuming that the RV will be your only mode of transportation--in other words you will not be towing a car behind the RV. In that case you need to think about parking options when you are sightseeing. Most of the more popular attractions will usually have an RV parking area, but some may not, so check ahead. Also every time you leave the park you will have to unhook and then hook up again when you return. This can be done, but some people don't think about this beforehand. Also if you are going to be in an area for a day or two where you plan to see a lot of attractions, you might even consider renting a car, especially if you are planning on going into a large city. RV's do not maneuver well on busy city streets. Be sure to use this website to look up RV parks to stay at. Our listings and reviews contain a lot of valuable information and be sure to read all the info on the park's website. Also if you plan on making reservations, be sure to ask them about their cancellation policy. Many places do not give refunds for any reason. You have picked some beautiful areas to see. Have a great trip, and ask more questions if you need to.
Hi, The Canadian part of your trip is about 2000 kilometers. That is over three days of driving. Shortest possible route is Vancouver, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Whisler, Vancouver. Fuel in Canada is about $1.299 per liter. In the mountains an RV will burn about 30 liters per 100 kilometers. Here is a web site to help find some inexpensive places to stay: http://freecampsites.net/
Hi, for your Canadian leg of the journey, which looks like it could be in late September or early October, you might struggle to find campsites with water and sewer connections. Or it is possible that being that late in the season, many of the Canadian campgrounds have actually closed for the year. Here is a link for the Parks Canada website that shows you their operating dates and facilities. There aren't too many privately run campgrounds in this neck of the world either and of those there are, again, they may be closed. http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/voyage-travel/reserve.aspx Ps. Fuel is significantly more expensive in BC and if it's diesel your RV runs on you'll be paying about C$1.60 per liter in the mountains. Oh, and I forgot to mention, you'll also need a park pass in addition to your camping fees if you stop in any of the parks. That runs at about C$150 although it is an annual pass - but I doubt you would be back for more in the next 12 months
QUOTE(Hutch333id @ May 25 2014, 12:17 AM) [snapback]36716[/snapback] Ps. Fuel is significantly more expensive in BC and if it's diesel your RV runs on you'll be paying about C$1.60 per liter in the mountains. Also, fuel is significantly more expensive in California, than it is in Arizona, N.M. and Nevada. Try to get most of your fuel outside of CA and you will save a bunch.
