RV-ing: Another Creative, Even Affordable Way to Integrate Travel into Your Lifestyle

Non-mainstream forms of travel have fascinated me for a long time. Combine that with affordable travel and the possibility to make the travel experience a full-time lifestyle, and I am intrigued even more.

In researching the topic, and particularly the cost angle, I found out that a new tent trailer would probably cost from about C$5,000 and up, I figured that's a pretty good entry level price for exploring the RV-ing lifestyle. Of course a bus-type Class A motor home is going to probably run you from about C$70,000 and up for a new model while a travel trailer can probably be purchased from about C$12,000 and up. So depending on your taste and your preference for built-in luxuries, there are all sorts of recreational vehicles out there that might fit your pocket book and your travel plans.

For a while now I have wanted to investigate RVing, the concept of using recreational vehicles for short-term trips or even permanent lifestyles so I contacted the Canadian RVing Assocation to get more practical information about this form of travel. Catherine Fleming from http://www.gorving.ca was willing to take her time and enlighten us about this travel option.

1. Please tell us about the RVing lifestyle.
There doesn't seem to be a definition of the "RVing" lifestyle. An RV is a recreational vehicle that combines transportation and living quarters for travel, recreation and camping. An RV is suitable for vacations and weekend trips any time of year and there are even some people who RV on a full-time basis.

2. What types of recreational vehicles are there and how do they differ? How difficult is it to drive an RV?

RVs are divided into 3 main categories:

(1) Towable RVs - designed to be towed by a car, SUV, mini-van or pickup truck. These can be unhitched on arrival at a campsite making the tow vehicle available for use while the RV remains stationary. Types of towable RVs are: folding camping trailers, truck campers, travel trailers and fifth-wheel travel trailers.

(2) Motorized RVs - RVs that you drive, combining transportation and living quarters in one unit. Ranging from vans up to large bus size, all models can tow a family car. Types of motorized RVs are Class A motorhomes, Class B camper vans and Class C mini-motorhomes.

(3) Park Model RVs. These are RVs with complete living quarters designed for seasonal use. Types of the Park Model Trailer 102 and the Park Model Recreational Unit.

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