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Ooh I've never posted in here before because we always go in the motorhome in the UK! but we have an idea to be adventurous in the next couple years....

Kids are older now and as a last big holiday we fancied going to look at stuff in California  and beyond - yep it's that vague at the moment but I am aware of Yosemite, grand canyon, San Diego zoo, disney world, Hollywood, the beach! etc etc. 

Anyway obviously after a while someone said - come on, let's rent an RV when we're over there!  So has anyone done this?  So far I have a brochure from Thomas Cook which details a firm they use to hire motorhomes and they'll package up whatever you want so they say.  I looked at the pricing in their brochure and on the RV's own website.  Brochure price not too bad as includes personal and kitchen kit plus insurance (not sure if all) and unlimited mileage which were not in the price on the RV firm's own website.  I am veering to using an all in package - never do that normally but just seems cheaper...but maybe isn't??  I have also seen the ridiculous prices to hire a camping chair, windbreak etc so I am hopeful you can just buy the things in Walmart or wherever over there...?

Have just ordered the lonely planet guide from the library and that's about it.

So any tips, ideas etc - we'd hire the RV for about a week to ten days and then probably do a couple of cities in hotels renting a car? - blimey how much time do we need?!!  Blimey how much money more to the point!....

Thanks

Deb

I looked vaguely into hiring a RV when we went to the states a couple of years ago, but decided against it in the end - one of the things to think about is the vast distances - its about 700 miles from Yosemite to the South Rim of the Canyon.  You might be better getting a car and staying in motels (we had a Ford Mustang and stayed in some gorgeous hotels / b&bs - but it was our honeymoon!), so you can cover the ground faster.  There's plenty of cheap places to eat out.  The roads are a pleasure to drive on once you're out of the big cities.  We did a loop from Vegas (where we got married), taking in Flagstaff, Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Moab (for Arches and Canonlands national parks), Bryce Canyon, and Zion Canyon in three weeks.  We were taking it pretty easy, and doing lots of hiking, so that sort of loop could be done in around two weeks, I guess.  If you've got kids this might not suit, but OMG, the scenery - you think you've seen it all when you've seen the GC, then you see the other places that you don't see pictures of so much and it's truly incredible.  If you fancy any of those places get the Moon Zion and Bryce Guidebook - its the best. 

Thanks - I will get hold of that book.

Such a lot to think about....

Deb