Florida is a beautiful state. It offers warm to subtropical weather year-round. It is home to long stretches of beaches. There are tourist attractions from Disney theme parks to unique historic locations. Staying in a hotel is expensive, and so is driving all over the state to hit multiple attractions takes time in and of itself.
The solution is to travel in an RV. Yet most of us don’t want to buy an RV. Fortunately, you can rent one.
There are a number of places you can rent an RV in Florida, whether you live there or are simply visiting. Better yet, there are multiple different ways to find an RV to rent. This means there is something for everyone’s budget and tastes if you do the necessary research.
Let’s learn where to rent an RV in Florida.
- Rent from an RV Dealer
There are many dealers who let you rent an RV as well as buy one. One of the biggest RV dealer networks that allow you to rent travel trailers and motorhomes is Cruise America. The benefits of renting from dealers include the option of renting new or nearly new RVs and knowing that they’re well maintained.
The downside is that they typically cost more to rent per night. The RV company is more likely to provide customer service such as when you call to ask how to drain the black water tank. Yet the dealers typically have just a few locations. You will generally have to handle the logistics of picking up the camper before you can load it and head out on vacation.
On the other hand, RV dealers with a large network may allow you to do one way RV rentals. For example, you could rent an RV in one state and drive to another. Then you can fly back home after leaving the RV at the destination. You don’t have to drive back to return the RV.
Rent an RV in Orlando, drive around the state, and drop off the RV in Miami before flying home. If you’re renting from a private individual, this obviously isn’t an option.
2. Rent from Private Individuals who Do This All the Time
Short-term rental sites allow you to rent someone’s home to stay in instead of a hotel. The same sort of sharing sites allow you to rent someone else’s RV for a set date. You can select from a wide range of motor homes, tent campers, camper vans and full RVs.
One benefit of these peer to peer rental sites is the price. You’re often paying less than what it costs to rent an RV from the dealer. On the other hand, the vehicle probably won’t be as well maintained. The selection of RVs depends on what is available in your area, and it may be hard to find one available during the travel season.
Major peer to peer rental sites for RVs includes Outdoorsy and RVShare, not RVSide. One point in favor of sites like this is that they can step in if either party isn’t honoring their end of the agreement, and you can take advantage of ratings to find a reputable person.
- Drive for Transfer Services
Sites like Transfercar are used to hook up drivers with cars and vehicles like RVs that need to be moved from one location to another. The benefit of this type of service is that you don’t have to pay to drive the RV. They may pay you.
On the other hand, you’re only going to find these jobs driving RVs from popular destinations to where the dealers need them. That means you might be asked to drive an RV from Florida to New York when most people want to drive south.
Nor can you spend a lot of time hitting the sights. They want you to get from point A to point B as soon as possible, though there is time to hike in the evening at each campsite or spend a few hours in a given location.
- Hit Local Social Networks
Sites like Craigslist and Nextdoor connect people in a given community. They’re a great way to find odd jobs or buy items from private sellers in your area. It can also be a way to connect with people willing to rent out an RV, just as you could find a car or RV to buy on such sites.
One benefit of this approach is that it is generally cheaper. Neither of you has to pay the commission charged by service-matching sites. You don’t know what you’re going to get. Selection is more limited than what dealers will offer.
Yet you could find vehicles to rent from your neighbors who wouldn’t be willing to sign up to rent the vehicle on a regular basis.
