The beginner’s guide to renting an RV
Thinking about renting your first RV? Read on for a personal account from first-time renters Susan and Andy to help you begin your adventure.
There’s something exhilarating—yet slightly nerve-wracking—about driving an RV for the first time. At least this was my thought as my boyfriend, Andy, and I touched down at Harry Reid International Airport to kick off our 7-day road trip from Las Vegas to visit Joshua Tree and Death Valley National Parks.
I was about to embark on my first real RV road trip, and I couldn’t wait to get started.
Perhaps it was nerves or my natural excitement for exploring new, wide-open places that fueled my impatience. But it seemed to take forever for the plane to taxi to our gate, and we were eager to get our adventure underway.
All I had to do was text Blacksford that we had arrived.
We collected our luggage, were warmly greeted outside by our contact from Blacksford’s Las Vegas RV rentals, and were quickly whisked from the airport to the RV rental site. This is where our chariot awaited.
Blacksford makes renting an RV for the first time easy and informative so you can hit the road with confidence. Here’s what we loved about renting our first RV from Blacksford.
RV rental tour & orientation
The professionals at Blacksford gave us a thorough walk-through of the RV—showing us all the features and how to check the generator, propane, battery, and water levels. Plus we learned how to safely dispose of black water (toilet waste) and grey water (kitchen sink waste)
As first-time RV renters, it was a lot of new, important information. We took notes to reference during our trip, and we knew the Blacksford team was just a phone call away to answer questions day or night. We also had a vehicle manual that traveled with us.
The team at Blacksford welcomed us to ask any questions, and they made sure we felt confident operating our RV rental before getting on the road.
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Get behind the wheel
For those driving an RV for the first time, renting a Class B motorhome like the Solis is perfect. It doesn’t come with as much of a learning curve as the Class A luxury RVs (or even the Class C).
And bonus: Class B RVs are more fuel-efficient, which means you don’t have to fill up on gas as often! And you can take to the open road more freely.
Driving a Class B RV was much easier than I thought it would be. The Winnebago Solis P pop-top handles and drives like a dream. Like any vehicle, you always have to be mindful of corners and backing in and out.
If there’s any learning curve, it’s adjusting to the extended body of the Solis compared to, say, a large minivan. It’s going to be bigger and so you’ll have to round corners with care and be aware of objects that are very close to you.
While our RV was on the smaller side, we still had to be mindful of which roads we took and the size of parking spots. Having said that, you can still swing through your favorite drive-throughs and travel through low-clearance tunnels.
Enjoy the luxury comforts of RV travel
A Class B motorhome, like the Winnebago Solis, is the perfect choice for adventure duos (or two adults and two kids). The interior is strategically designed to save space—the kitchen area is compact and very functional, with a minifridge tucked neatly below the easy-to-use two-burner gas stovetop.
There’s plenty of counter space to prepare simple meals and even a cover over the stovetop for a little added space when the burners aren’t in use.
The RV bathroom includes a toilet for emergencies and a shower head that we used to cool off from the desert heat. We chose to use campground toilets and showers whenever possible, but the RV bathroom worked great when we needed it.
There was even a table with two chairs directly behind the driver’s seat where you can dismantle the table for added space when needed. The table was the perfect place to eat meals, plan our days, and play games when we just wanted to chill out in the evenings.
Fall asleep in nature
The pop-up bed was one of our favorite features in our RV rental! The Solis has zippered mesh windows that let you fully enjoy the beauty of our surroundings and get some fresh air.
Like our own little treehouse at night, it felt like we were kids again as we climbed the ladder up into our rooftop nook for some shut-eye. In fact, if you are traveling with kids, this is the perfect area for them to sleep.
We also used the murphy-style bed in the back during our RV adventure. The nights were warm during our trip through Nevada and California, and the murphy bed was conveniently next to the air conditioner.
On cooler evenings, we enjoyed opening the back doors and letting in the evening air as we relaxed on the Murphy bed and gazed at the night sky.
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Our bucket list road trip to explore the Las Vegas area and the deserts of Southern California was only made better by the modern comforts of our RV from Blacksford’s Las Vegas RV rentals.
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Here are some of our favorite things about traveling in an RV for the first time:
We never had to unpack and repack our suitcases as we hopped from place to place.
We could make our own meals with ease, which saved tons of money.
We slept great! The RV was a cozy place to get some z’s after adventuring all day.
One of my greatest loves is exploring new places, and our experience with Blackford RV made me an RV enthusiast as well. I’m really looking forward to another RV adventure—and I hope you are, too!
