Frommer's Exploring America by RV

In this guide, renowned travel-writing teamHarry Basch and Shirley Slater offer updates on their favorite RV trips around the U.S., including scenic routes along Virginia's Skyline Drive and the New England coast, plus jaunts through the Heart of the Heartlands (Indiana, Iowa and Illinois) and to Alaska via Canada. On each trip you'll get all the famous, infamous, and off-the-wall attractions; campgrounds along each route, from luxurious private RV parks with heated swimming pools and golf courses to quiet, forested campgrounds in state and national parks; tips for making life on the road easier and more comfortable; and a complete guide to buying or renting an RV, with tips on how to decide which type is right for you. All this, plus information on wildlife watching and scenic views, the best parks and beaches, quick-and-easy recipes, packing suggestions, info on road etiquette and safety, and more. Head off the beaten path with Frommer's, to discover the real life lurking around the bend.

Were You Born to RV?
Twelve Personalities Ideal for RVs

1. Garbo Gourmets. They like to be alone together luxuriating in the best life can offer. They dislike tiptoeing through creaky B&Bs or suffering second-rate food and service at expensive hotels and resorts, preferring to carry their own wine and food, sleep in their own beds, and select their own surroundings by serendipity.

2. Sportsmen. Skiers, fishermen, surfers, golfers, and mountain bikers want to be in the heart of the action with all the comforts of home, including heating, air-conditioning, and hot showers, plus plenty of storage space to carry fishing rods, skis, golf clubs, and bikes.

3. Weekenders. These stressed-out folks want to get out of the rat race and into the countryside to delete the pressures of the work week from their hard drives. Their RV is always packed for a quick getaway, with only a shopping stop to load up on perishables on the way out of town.

4. Families on Vacation. They offset a visit to a pricey amusement park by traveling with their own budget hotel, with a self-serve restaurant at hand. A comfortable journey for the kids means no more “Are we there yet?” or “I have to go potty!” or “I’m hungry!” Everything they need is in the vehicle. They’ll even sit still for an educational journey.

5. Ecotourists. They go back to nature the easy way, with dawn bird-watching, twilight wildlife-spotting, photography, and hiking. It places less of a burden on Mother Earth than staying at hotels and resorts with heavy infrastructures.

6. The Ultimate Shoppers. They hit all the antiques shops, estate sales, and the world’s biggest swap meets in comfort and style, with room in their vehicle to take their treasures back home.

7. Relatives, Retirees, and Empty Nesters. An RV is ideal for family visits because you bring your own bedroom and bathroom and can even entertain your hosts in your own home on wheels. Conversely, when parked at home, the RV doubles nicely as a guest room and bathroom.

8. Pet Lovers. Take Fifi and Fido along for the ride, enjoy their company, and avoid facing rebellious and destructive pets after a spell of boarding them out. Many (but not all) campgrounds welcome pets.

9. Travelers with Disabilities. For those who get impatient with the well-meaning but often bungled accommodations in hotels, from shelves hung out of reach to bathroom doors too narrow to navigate, a customized RV can open up the world with familiar and accessible surroundings. (For more information, see “RVing for Travelers with Disabilities,” below.)

10. Special Events Attendees. Day or overnight RV trips to jazz festivals, weekend art shows, outdoor dramas, garlic festivals, tailgate parties, jumping frog jubilees, and Civil War reenactments let you sidestep overbooked hotels and restaurants. RVers can take off, even on the spur of the moment, and have bed, bathroom, and breakfast and lunch facilities on the spot.

11. Snowbirds. For escaping from –10[dg] in Minnesota to the balmy Rio Grande Valley of Texas or heading for the high country to get out of summer’s heat, an RV makes you a man (or woman) for all seasons.

12. Full-Timers. Whether you’re quitting the rat race for a season or forever, chasing a dream, or discovering America, an RV is the only way to go.