🤔 RV Curious? What You Need to Know Before Renting an RV (AARP Article/updated)

[Winter2025VA]

FROM THE ARTICLE.

Get some pointers on how to rent an RV, with tips on where to look and how to research.

By Heather Mundt, AARP.

Published May 03, 2024.

➡️[*** Updated June 30, 2025.

Albuquerque, New Mexico, couple Debbie and Max Kush had never considered RVing until a group of friends invited them on a camping trip in fall 2022. As a retired military officer, Max, 72, could rent an RV for the trip from the Kirtland Air Force Base for under $200.

The available units were well-maintained, he says, but they showed some wear. Debbie noticed bloodstains on the couch, for instance, probably from hunters who often rent the travel trailers. And the bed was little more than a thin mattress on plywood.

USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE.

https://www.aarp.org/travel/vacation-ideas/outdoors/rv-curious/

[Winter2025VA]

[Thursday 11/6/25]

Anyone own a RV or rented one? WE would luv to hear from YOU!!!

Maybe IF I was younger, but in my old age luv my bed at home. Lol, and the WILD LIFE (snakes,bears) - NO thank you!!!  ‌‌‌‌‌😱‌‌‌‌‌

Happy Travels RVers.

Nicole  ‌‌✈️‌‌  (Travel Forum)

[Winter2025VA]

[9/6/25] Gail @GailL1 I am in Virginia & @fffred in Canada (lol, well I "think" he is, waiting on an UPDATE from him). I have NO idea about Florida. Sorry, Nicole!

‌➡️‌[*** GAIL 

@GailL1 wrote:
Is it still the residence of [forced] choice by many seniors living in Florida?

Does it meet the definition of “tiny” residence?  

I have seen some that are really big - then they pull out for even more room.  I had some friends whe were jewelers by trade and lived (and worked) in one but it was about the size of a large greyhound bus with pullouts.  

I asked them once where they had to buy their tag cause to my knowledge other than a P.O. Box in some state they had no official address at the time.  Laughingly they told me, whatever state catches us. 

You certainly know your living expenses when living in such a vehicle - I assume they still categorize them as vehicles even though some never move.

[GailL1]

Is it still the residence of [forced] choice by many seniors living in Florida?

Does it meet the definition of “tiny” residence?  

I have seen some that are really big - then they pull out for even more room.  I had some friends whe were jewelers by trade and lived (and worked) in one but it was about the size of a large greyhound bus with pullouts.  

I asked them once where they had to buy their tag cause to my knowledge other than a P.O. Box in some state they had no official address at the time.  Laughingly they told me, whatever state catches us. 

You certainly know your living expenses when living in such a vehicle - I assume they still categorize them as vehicles even though some never move.

[Winter2025VA]

[9/6/25] Gail @GailL1 I am in Virginia & @fffred in Canada (lol, well I "think" he is, waiting on an UPDATE from him). I have NO idea about Florida. Sorry, Nicole!

➡️[*** GAIL 

---

@GailL1 wrote:

Is it still the residence of [forced] choice by many seniors living in Florida?

Does it meet the definition of “tiny” residence?  

I have seen some that are really big - then they pull out for even more room.  I had some friends whe were jewelers by trade and lived (and worked) in one but it was about the size of a large greyhound bus with pullouts.  

I asked them once where they had to buy their tag cause to my knowledge other than a P.O. Box in some state they had no official address at the time.  Laughingly they told me, whatever state catches us. 

You certainly know your living expenses when living in such a vehicle - I assume they still categorize them as vehicles even though some never move.

---

[GailL1]

@Winter2025VA 

Shows the many uses of RV;s - for recreation as they were actually meant to be used.  OR as a complete residence for those who may be having trouble finding a place to live.

Like this - don’t think these are there for recreation 

LA TIMES 03/05/2023 - The real and complicated reasons why Los Angeles still has so many RV encampme... 

I think for the most part, this has now been corrected and I hope it never reoccurs - but in Florida, many people use RV’s to live in but they have parks with utility hook ups and sewage disposal - similarly to trailer parks.  However some folks do just move around, with no money to pay for their parking or use of these facilities.  A type of roughing it RV style.

YahooFinance 05/08/2024 - RV Retirement in Florida: A Cheaper Alternative to Housing? Let’s Take a L... 

[Winter2025VA]

[9/6/25] Gail @GailL1 and when the hurricanes & tornadoes arrive in ANY STATE = loss of life. Thanks for link, Nicole!

➡️[*** GAIL 

---

@GailL1 wrote:

@Winter2025VA 

Shows the many uses of RV;s - for recreation as they were actually meant to be used.  OR as a complete residence for those who may be having trouble finding a place to live.

Like this - don’t think these are there for recreation 

LA TIMES 03/05/2023 - The real and complicated reasons why Los Angeles still has so many RV encampme... 

I think for the most part, this has now been corrected and I hope it never reoccurs - but in Florida, many people use RV’s to live in but they have parks with utility hook ups and sewage disposal - similarly to trailer parks.  However some folks do just move around, with no money to pay for their parking or use of these facilities.  A type of roughing it RV style.

YahooFinance 05/08/2024 - RV Retirement in Florida: A Cheaper Alternative to Housing? Let’s Take a L... 

---

[GailL1]

---

@Winter2025VA wrote:

[9/6/25] Gail @GailL1 and when the hurricanes & tornadoes arrive in ANY STATE = loss of life. Thanks for link, Nicole!

---

---

No doubt when violent weather is expected, action has to be taken -  Same for anybody no matter where they live. 

(1) need to find a sturdier place to stay if weather has tornado possibilities.  

(2) for hurricanes, they are given warnings to evacuate and they just pack up and leave - many of them end up in Georgia at the Speed Way when this happens.  We make the arrangements cause we know they are headed this way.  They stay and then return if their little place in the Florida Paradise hasn’t blown away - if so, they just find another.

Wonder if there are still RV lots to be rented in Florida for this sort of living?  

[Winter2025VA]

[9/6/25] Gail @GailL1 , my comment was "based" on the TOPIC of this thread = RVs dear lady. At age 67, I know that we ALL need to "pay attention" to the weather. Nicole!

➡️[*** GAIL WROTE.

No doubt when violent weather is expected, action has to be taken - Same for anybody no matter where they live. (1) need to find a sturdier place to stay if weather has tornado possibilities. (2) for hurricanes, they are given warnings to evacuate and they just pack up and leave - many of them end up in Georgia at the Speed Way when this happens. We make the arrangements cause we know they are headed this way. They stay and then return if their little place in the Florida Paradise hasn’t blown away - if so, they just find another. Wonder if there are still RV lots to be rented in Florida for this sort of living?

[Winter2025VA]

Luv your picture @fffred !!!  ‌👍‌  Yes, please continue to post = lol, I can PRETEND I am "brave" enough to do this. SAFE travels my friend, Nicole  ‌💛‌

‌➡️‌[*** 

@fffred wrote:
t’s funny that you asked,

Bonjour! Today is the four week anniversary of my long motorhome journey across Canada, my new home. It has been, and is, quite an adventure, with good and bad. Good experiences come along with inconvenience and discomfort. 

Our travel is not typical. We are my wife and me, wuth her brother and his wife. And their geriatric mid-size dog. And our three cats. Very crowded in our 23 foot Class C motorhome, not even 3 feet each!

We are in Gaspe peninsula of Quebec, Canada. Driving along the seacoast through occasional small towns, a d up and down the mountains.  Beautiful countryside! Thus us our third day here and will be our last. Today we travel west at the top of the gaspe alongside the mammoth St Lawrence river.

I will try to put up a photo from a rest stop just now

More on our adventures later!

[fffred]

t’s funny that you asked,

Bonjour! Today is the four week anniversary of my long motorhome journey across Canada, my new home. It has been, and is, quite an adventure, with good and bad. Good experiences come along with inconvenience and discomfort. 

Our travel is not typical. We are my wife and me, wuth her brother and his wife. And their geriatric mid-size dog. And our three cats. Very crowded in our 23 foot Class C motorhome, not even 3 feet each!

We are in Gaspe peninsula of Quebec, Canada. Driving along the seacoast through occasional small towns, a d up and down the mountains.  Beautiful countryside! Thus us our third day here and will be our last. Today we travel west at the top of the gaspe alongside the mammoth St Lawrence river.

I will try to put up a photo from a rest stop just now

More on our adventures later!