San Diego-based mom of two Audrey Patterson frequently vacations in an RV with her family. But sheB次元官网网址檚 actually only driven an RV once B次元官网网址� a brief stretch near Burbank, California B次元官网网址� en route to Yosemite National Park for their 2021 summer vacation. The area northwest of downtown Los Angeles is a tangled web of freeways, tricky to navigate no matter the vehicle.

B次元官网网址淚 was super overwhelmed, and I just felt bad for everyone B次元官网网址� especially my husband,B次元官网网址� Patterson says.

PattersonB次元官网网址檚 husband usually drives. When it came time for the familyB次元官网网址檚 summer 2022 vacation B次元官网网址� a camping trip in Big Sur, California B次元官网网址� her husband couldnB次元官网网址檛 drive because he was arriving a day later.

With the Burbank memory fresh on her mind, coupled with the fact that she would be solo parenting her two- and four-year-old boys, Patterson was intent on not driving an RV to Big Sur.

B次元官网网址淢y husband suggested researching if we could get an RV delivered, and I was like, B次元官网网址榦h my gosh, yes,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� she says.

THE RISE OF RV DELIVERY

RV delivery is one of the latest trends in camping, upending the traditional model where you exchange your car for an RV at a rental facility. One of the biggest RV delivery operators is RVshare, a company that operates like Airbnb for RVs. And while not all RVs offered there are deliverable, RVshare said that almost 40% of its RV rentals were delivered so far in 2022, up from 27% in 2021 and 16% in 2020.

With RV delivery, you donB次元官网网址檛 have to worry about driving, gas mileage and liability. Instead, you simply arrive at a campground to an RV thatB次元官网网址檚 already set up for you. Patterson rented through a similar service called Outdoorsy, which says that 70% of its listings offer delivery.

Other delivery companies own and operate the RVs themselves. Most are regional, like Southern CaliforniaB次元官网网址檚 101 RV Rentals , which delivers to campgrounds throughout Santa Barbara, California.

WHO ARE RV DELIVERIES FOR?

RV deliveries can be great for nature lovers, but thatB次元官网网址檚 not the only clientele. ItB次元官网网址檚 also handy for those traveling to a destination with no hotels available or a place where hotels are expensive.

RVshare said its top 2021 delivery destination was The Campsites at DisneyB次元官网网址檚 Fort Wilderness Resort, a Disney-owned campground located a quick ferry ride from the Magic Kingdom theme park in Florida B次元官网网址� and itB次元官网网址檚 getting more popular. According to RVshare, RV deliveries at Fort Wilderness for the first three quarters of 2022 were up 12% versus the same period in 2021.

The cost of a campsite at Fort Wilderness Resort, including full RV hookups, is $1,300 for a six-night stay during the first week of March 2023. For a six-person cabin at the resort over the same period, youB次元官网网址檇 pay $3,600.

Sure, the cost of an RV rental and delivery eats into the $2,300 difference. But across delivery sites like RVshare and Outdoorsy, there are dozens of available listings large enough to sleep six that cost less than $1,000 for the week, including setup and delivery. A few are even less than $500, making an RV rental one of the cheapest ways to sleep at Disney World.

LIMITATIONS OF RV DELIVERY

Some campgrounds ban delivery: Rules vary by campground and are inconsistent across state and national parks. For example, RV delivery is prohibited in Yellowstone National Park, but itB次元官网网址檚 OK for some sites at Yosemite National Park.

You canB次元官网网址檛 stop overnight wherever you want: For many, part of the charm of an RV trip is the ability to stop along the way.

Patterson says she prefers delivery if sheB次元官网网址檚 driving to the campground in one day with minimal stops. But for a leisurely trip with many stops, she might default to driving the RV, especially since it gives her kids room to spread out.

Delivery fees can be confusing: Outdoorsy lets owners set delivery fees, and it means that sometimes a cheaper RV might turn out to be more expensive if delivery fees are high. Some companies charge a flat rate for delivery (typically $150-$300), while others charge by distance (typically $4-$6 per mile). Even then, most limit deliveries to a certain area, which varies by owner.

You canB次元官网网址檛 pack as much: For rentals near home, you can pack the RV from your own driveway. Otherwise, youB次元官网网址檒l be equipped only with what you can fit in the vehicle that got you to the campground. That especially limits bulky items B次元官网网址� such as bikes and surfboards.

BENEFITS OF RV DELIVERY

RVs can be one of the most desirable ways to camp, offering conveniences like air conditioning, kitchens, power outlets and Wi-Fi. Many of their challenges can be mitigated by delivery.

You save on gas by driving a car B次元官网网址� not an RV B次元官网网址� to the destination: Cruise America says, on average, its RVs get 6 mpg to 10 mpg. Instead, you drive your car B次元官网网址� which gets better gas mileage B次元官网网址� on the road trip and have an RV delivered from a place closer to your destination.

Insurance coverage is often cheaper: Rental company Outdoorsy requires that all renters have an insurance package that covers liability and damage. For stationary deliveries, that insurance is cheaper because youB次元官网网址檙e not paying to cover the rig on the road. Sometimes itB次元官网网址檚 less than a quarter of the cost of OutdoorsyB次元官网网址檚 comprehensive coverage to insure an RV that youB次元官网网址檒l drive.

No onerous setup: RVs can be challenging (particularly for first-timers) to hook up, which is necessary to access fresh water, sewers and electricity.

Since Patterson has no room to store an RV if she had one, she rents every time. But each type of RV does have its downsides. With a van, she has to remove hookups and secure the items inside every time her family drives off the campsite. A detachable trailer RV provides more freedom.

B次元官网网址淏ut maneuvering detachable trailers on winding roads is tough,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淲ith RV delivery, itB次元官网网址檚 almost all upside.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擲ally French Of Nerdwallet, The Associated Press