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Recreational vehicle, also called RV, has become a temporary home for some, on wheels. RVs was intended for leisure and camping, but some people leave theire houses and start to live their lives driving around from here to there, known as fulltimers. Fulltimers are people who live in a Recreational vehicle on a full-time basis. They often stay in an RV park or campground, often moving or traveling to other destinations. RV parks and campgrounds provides a place to park the vehicle for a shorter or a longer periode. These parks also provides possibilities for tenting and cabins to stay overnight.

There are different classes of vehicles generally labelled as RVs: Truck Camper, - Folding Camping Trailer, - Travler trailer, - Fifth Wheel,  Park Model, - Motorhome. What all these vehicles have in common is the possibility to live in them, and travel at the same time. But the differences are also big. In a minimal RV you will find beds, a table, food preparation and storage areas. Larger models also have bathrooms, refrigerators, living areas, bedrooms, etc. Some RVs are very expencive, with satellite TV and internet access. RVs can cost in excess of $100,000 and some can cost over $1 million, so you can say RVs are for all kind of people.

In USA, fulltimers are often retired people, people who don´t work anymore, or people who have to move often to get a job. But there are another group of people who loves recreational vehicle, that is families. Families enjoy the RV lifestyle because it gives them freedom of movement, travel at a relaxed pace, they can spend time together, and they get comfort. Also, travel by a rental RV is economical, as well. They go where they please, when they want to go, and sleep each night in their own bed. A family traveling by RV rental avoids the stress of crowds, don´t have to get crazy while standing in crowds at airports, or checking in and out of hotels, and packing and unpacking luggage.

How to be able to get a Recreational vehicle? It is much money involved whether you can afford a expencive one, or a cheaper one. For those who ain´t able to buy, or of other reasons don´t want to buy, they can rent a RV for a longer or shorter period of time. That means all of us might have the possibility to try this form for a lifestyle and recreation. Just get started, fullfill your dream! I sure would like to try.

There are two main categories of recreational vehicles (RV’s); motorized and towable. Towable RV’s include fifth wheels, travel trailers, folding/tent/pop-up campers, toy haulers, and park models. In this article, part I, fifth wheel campers and travel trailers will be covered. Part II of this article will discuss folding/tent/pop-up campers, toy haulers and park models.

FIFTH WHEEL CAMPER
Fifth wheel campers are the most expensive of the towable campers (with the exception of some park models). They have a gooseneck hitch that is hooked up in the bed of the truck (a special package needs to be installed in the truck bed to accommodate the hitch).

In addition to the spaciousness and many amenities of fifth wheel, they are a popular towable camper because they are easier to tow than a travel trailer. That is because the weight of the fifth wheel is more centered and better distributed than with a travel trailer that is hooked up to the rear of the towing vehicle. That makes a fifth wheel camper more stable and much easier to control in windy conditions or when dealing with the back drafts from semi trucks on the freeway.

The distinctiveness of the fifth wheel trailer comes from its bi-level design. The raised section is often a master sleeping suite. A popular floor plan for families has the master suite on one end of the camper and a bunk bed sleeping area on the other end. Another popular floor plan, and my favorite, has a master bedroom suite on the raised end and a relaxing area with recliners and a full length window on the other end.

Fifth wheel campers usually have awesome kitchen areas. Some common amenities in the kitchen area include full-size pantries; full-size refrigerators, stoves, ovens and microwaves; ample cabinets and countertop space; and even snack bar areas for casual dining.

Fifth wheel campers are popular with families and people who do a lot of camping because they’re very comfortable and roomy.

Almost all new fifth wheels made today have slide-out areas to give you even more room. When you walk through a fifth wheel camper with slide-outs you’ll notice how spacious it feels because of the extra interior width they give you. Keep in mind though that every slide-out adds extra weight to the camper, adds to the cost, and adds to the setup time at the campsite.

When looking at fifth wheel campers make sure the ones you are looking at are not too heavy for your truck to pull.

One of the really nice things with having a towable camper such as a fifth wheel is that once you have the camper situated in the campsite, you can unhook the vehicle from the camper and go off and explore. Hooking and unhooking a fifth wheel from a truck doesn’t take that long to do either - usually only a few minutes. It usually takes longer to hook the camper up to the water and electric facilities than it does to hook or unhook the hitch.

There are some disadvantages of fifth wheel campers. A heavy duty truck (think more expensive truck) is needed to pull them, which adds to the expense of owning a fifth wheel. The hitch for the trailer is in the bed of the truck which limits the functionality of the truck bed. Some people take the hitch out of the truck bed when they’re not using the fifth wheel, but that can be a cumbersome and time-consuming process. And, some people do not like the bi-level design with the extra steps, because the only steps they want to have to navigate are the ones to get in and out of the camper.

TRAVEL TRAILER
Travel trailers are the most popular towable camping trailer in the United States. They come in many different weights and lengths. Some are light enough to be pulled by a van or SUV. A heavy duty truck isn’t always needed. Because they are hitched to and pulled by using a rear hitch, a travel trailer doesn’t use up truck bed space like a fifth wheel trailer does.

They are lighter than fifth wheels and aren’t quite as long as fifth wheel trailers. And, depending on the size the trailer, they can be very spacious with lots of great amenities including: nice-size kitchens, a bathroom, living and dining areas, and multiple sleeping areas.

Travel trailers are less expensive than fifth wheel trailers but can have the same amenities as a fifth wheel trailer which is probably the main reason they are the most popular towable travel trailer sold. They are also the oldest type of RV. Airstream has been making travel trailers for over 70 years.

Slide-outs are popular in today’s travel trailers. But again, they add weight, set-up time and cost.

When looking at travel trailers keep in mind that, in many cases, a 30 foot trailer is a trailer that is 30 feet when both the trailer itself and the front hitch are measured together. A 30 foot trailer may only have 27 feet of usable living space. Ask questions and look at the printed specifications when doing your shopping so you know what you will be getting. To be absolutely sure of the dimensions, take along a measuring tape and measure the length, width, and height of the travel trailer yourself - especially if the space in your driveway or storage area is limited.

Because of the popularity of SUV’s, many manufacturers now offer lightweight and ultra-light travel trailers. They are attractive to many RV purchasers because the majority of the trailers in these categories can be pulled by SUV’s, minivans, or medium-sized trucks. Keep in mind though that “lightweight” is a relative term. In the travel trailer world, “lightweight” typically means a trailer that weighs less than 4,000 pounds.

The biggest disadvantage of a travel trailer is how it tows. Because they are pulled using a rear hitch versus the truck bed hitch used with fifth wheels, they are not as stable. Larger travel trailers can be difficult to control in windy conditions and hard to maneuver into a campsite. If you have a large travel trailer, such as one of the 35 foot models and your towing vehicle is 15 feet long, you have 50 feet of “vehicle” to maneuver from place to place.

That’s not to say owning a travel trailer is going to be a bad experience. Millions of people own travel trailers and are very happy with them. Just make sure you have a vehicle capable of towing the travel trailer, a good hitch, good side mirrors on your vehicle for unobstructed views, and have a willingness to learn how to adjust your driving habits to accommodate having a travel trailer hooked to your vehicle.

The RVs for sale have really been on fire lately, as more and more people discover the high level of freedom, and low level of cost, that an RV vacation can provide.

As air travel becomes more of a hassle, and the cost of hotel stays continues to rise, many people are discovering the convenience of taking their hotel room with them wherever they go.

The attraction of a recreational vehicle, of course, is that it provides the budget traveler with the freedom to go where he or she wants, whenever they want to go there.

An RV frees the traveler on a budget from rigid schedules, lines at airport security, restrictions on luggage, and so much more.

And with over 15,000 park model rvs and campgrounds dotting the country, there is bound to be one wherever you want to go.

And many RV’s have all the amenities of home, including living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms. Many RV’s also have rooms that slide out to provide even more living space when the vehicle is parked.

There are some important tips for first time RV’ers to follow to get the biggest bang for their travel buck.

- Hit the web for tons of free information on living the RV lifestyle and keeping costs under control. There are a great many web sites and newsgroups dedicated to recreational vehicles, and they can provide valuable tips for those newcomers.

- Try renting an RV before you buy one. The purchase of a recreational vehicle is a big decision, and one that is likely to have a major impact on your lifestyle, especially on how you vacation.

- With the average RV costing as much as the average house did a couple of decades ago, it is important to know that an RV is the right decision before taking the plunge.

- There are a number of places that rent RV’s, and these rental agencies can provide a low cost alternative to RV ownership, or a way to try it before you buy it.

- Do your research. If you do decide to buy an RV, be sure to research the buyer’s guides, and read the reviews on the internet. Doing so will allow you to get the most RV for your money.

- Visit a couple of RV dealers, and attend an RV show. RV shows are great ways to see a wide range of models quickly, and it is often possible to strike some very good deals at these events.

- Be sure to inset in a quality guide to RV campgrounds. Knowing where the campgrounds are, and having good directions for getting there, will save you lots of hassle, as well as gas money.