The joys of RVing: recreation vehicles open up new horizons

Travel America, May-June, 2005 by Nancy Baren Miller

TRAVEL OUR COUNTRY'S HIGHways, and you'll frequently find yourself spotting motorhomes and travel trailers.

Perhaps they're carrying families taking weekend jaunts to festivals and nearby attractions or heading for longer vacations at one of our national parks. Maybe you'll see sportsmen traveling to favorite hunting or fishing spots in RVs they've adapted into portable lodges. Then there are retired seniors using them as homes on wheels for full-time travel.

With more than 7.2 million RVs on the road, the RV lifestyle is growing in popularity, and there are numerous reasons why.

THE RV ADVANTAGES

The lifestyle offers comfort, convenience, and flexibility. Best of all, the level of control is unmatched by any other way of travel. You avoid such hassles as flight delays or renting cars. The days of lost luggage are over. You pack and unpack once, with no need to haul heavy luggage through airports. If the weather changes, you can move to another location because you're not tied to airline schedules or hotel reservations. You eat what you want when you want it. Since RVs have kitchens, it's easy to avoid crowded restaurants, prepare special diets, or feed the kids when they become hungry.

Today's RVs are loaded with modern conveniences and creature comforts. Most are homes on wheels complete with bathrooms, kitchens, living areas, bedrooms, central air conditioning, and heating. Microwave/convection ovens, side-by-side refrigerator/freezers, outdoor entertainment centers, wine cellars, and Internet-ready computer stations have become increasingly common. Other amenities range from expandable "slide-out" rooms and "basement" storage to trash compactors, dishwashers, combination washer/dryers, global positioning systems, TV/VCRs, and direct-broadcast satellite antennas.

Among popular electronic gadgets found on RVs are flat-screen TVs, video game systems, and surround-sound CD and DVD players with individual headphones. Other high-tech options include automatic leveling systems and closed-circuit rear-view cameras for backing up.

Some RVs have built-in garages in which to house ATVs and motorcycles. One has a rooftop lounging area accessible by a set of indoor stairs. Even smaller units have more space and amenities than ever before.

In these days of over-scheduled families, the RV lifestyle is the perfect way for family members to relax, recharge, and stay in touch with each other. According to a Harris Interactive Survey, 94 percent of parents who own RVs overwhelmingly consider them the best way to travel with children. Your children's toys, snacks, books, and videos are within arm's reach. At campgrounds, they will find plenty of other youngsters eager to make friends in a safe environment. It's also an easy way to take along your family pet.

RVing is ideal for fostering a love for the outdoors. RV owners surveyed by Robert Hitlin Associates cited teaching a respect for nature as an important benefit of family RV camping.

Although the initial outlay for an RV is a major expense, many RV studies show a family of four can spend up to 70 percent less on vacation costs over other forms of travel. PKF Consulting, an international travel and tourism research firm, recently conducted a complete vacation cost analysis. The study found family RV vacations are more affordable than travel by personal car, train, airline, or cruise ship.

For the vast majority of RV buyers, the interest on their loan for their motorhome or towable unit is deductible at tax time because it qualifies as a second home. This benefit applies if the RV is used as security for the loan and has cooking, sleeping, and toilet facilities onboard.

SURGE IN SALES

Despite record-high gasoline prices, factory-to-dealer deliveries of RVs surged by double digits in 2004, reaching their highest level since 1978, according to newly-released data from Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA). The number of RVs owned by the 35-to-54 age group has grown faster than any other.

University of Michigan researcher Dr. Richard Curtin, who produces quarterly forecasts for the RV industry, said 2004 set a new quarter-century record of 364,900 RV shipments, shattering 1999's peak of 321,200. This represents an almost 14 percent gain over the 320,800 units shipped in 2003.

Reflecting the hot RV demand, the online auction website eBay reported that "RV" was the most popular search term in 2004 among its 125 million users.

"There are many factors behind the surge in RV sales. Among them are the rising popularity of driving vacations, a favorable economic climate, product innovation, and demographics," explains RVIA president David Humphreys. "Younger consumers and empty-nesters both are driving up sales--realizing the advantages of RVing over other forms of travel."

Also driving sales are the new RV amenities and low interest rates that buyers are using to finance their purchases. Rising fuel costs also affect flying, driving a car, or taking a train, bus, or cruise. As fuel prices go up, costs for all these travel options rise, too, giving RV trips a continued edge in overall savings.