Will the growing popularity of RVs make RVshare the “Airbnb of RV rentals?”

The recreational vehicle (RV) industry has taken off during the COVID-19 pandemic. RVs offered a way to get your pod (aka “family”) out of lockdown into the great outdoors while maintaining isolation.

RV sales and rentals continue to increase now that COVID is “over”, although this year’s fuel cost increases may have kept RV users closer to home. Surprisingly, RVsharea leader in the RV rental industry, complaints that the cost of an average RV trip only increased by $35 per trip compared to last year. RVshare, which likes to call itself “Airbnb for RVs”, has over 100,000 RV owners on its platform.

By renting on RVshare, families can experience a camping vacation without buying an RV, or even driving one. With RVshare’s delivery option, you can have an RV delivered to the campground of your choice.

“Since 2018, RVshare has grown 10x, primarily due to the 2020 RV boom and the continued shift in perspective around RV travel,” says Jon Gray, CEO of RVshare. “RV travelers are getting younger and families are seeing the benefits of traveling in RV.”

For owners, the value proposition is simple. What if, instead of staring at the RV in your driveway, you could put it to work? There are 11.2 million US households that own RVs, but RVshare estimates that RVs sit idle 90% of the time.

The company says owners can make from $10,000 to $40,000 per year in additional revenue by renting RVs on its platform. The similarities with Airbnb are undeniable, like this one page for owners on how to “Build your RV list for success: photography, staging, accessories and more!” RVshare takes a 15-25% commission from the RV owner. Owners are also responsible for providing regular maintenance.

We recently spent two nights in an RVshare RV, and it opened our eyes to the RV lifestyle. None of us had ever stayed in an RV.

We drove to the Ocean Mesa RV Resort on the California coast, north of Santa Barbara. But we didn’t have the pleasure of pulling a big trailer on the narrow coastal road. In fact, we literally couldn’t drive it. Our motorhome’s wheels were removed and it was jacked up on its concrete slab.

But we certainly enjoyed the motorhome version of “glamping” – glamorous camping. The motorhome had its own toilet with a shower cubicle. There was a queen-size bed at one end of the trailer and two nooks above each other, like covered bunk beds, for children or visitors. The sofa could serve as a fifth bed.

The kitchen included a four-burner stove with an oven. There was a microwave, a kitchen sink and a washing up rack. The kitchen had a decent sized refrigerator with a freezer, and the cabinets were neatly stocked with plates, silverware, spices, cookware, and cleaning supplies.

We enjoyed eating on the picnic table outside. The site also had a charcoal grill and a wood burning fire pit, which neither of us used as it was hot. Our camper even came with a pair of electric rotating marshmallow forks, as well as chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows for making smores.

As for creature comforts, the RV also had air conditioning, wifi/internet access, a TV, and even a working gas fireplace. Did I mention he has his own restroom?

Bodhi, our 13 year old Labrador mix, was welcome in both the RV and the surrounding park unlike most hotels. More than 48 million Americans have dogs, but most hotels ban them altogether, only allow small dogs, or charge an additional pet fee. (LA is legendary square of the centurywho has a Labrador serving as “canine ambassadoris an exceptional exception.)

Bodhi enjoyed his trip to the great outdoors. Although he struggled up the metal steps to the RV, once inside he was comfortable sleeping on the couch.

The Ocean Mesa RV Resort is a beautifully landscaped private park just across the Pacific Highway. You can take a 15 minute walk from the RV park to El Capitan State Beach and spend the day in the sand or surfing. The Goleta region is known for its beaches and activities such as horseback riding, hiking, bird watching, biking and golf.

We hiked Ocean Mesa with and without Bodhi, climbing up the coastal hills behind the tent area of ​​the park. Our motorhome had a pair of bikes which we took for a ride around the campground. The park was a friendly place, where parents felt comfortable enough to let their children cycle up and down.

There were also plenty of activities to keep families busy. There was a large pool, hot tub, playground, and a store selling snacks and supplies. Ocean Mesa also had laundry facilities and lockable bathrooms and showers. We didn’t use the latter much; Did I mention we had our own bathroom?

With the exception of dinner at Goleta, we spent most of our time camping or in a motorhome. I cooked a cheese omelette for brunch and we figured out how to use the little shower without getting burned or freezing. We were spared the hard work of setting up the RV and hooking up its hookups. But we had to figure out how to make streaming-only TV work, downloading Hulu to watch “Only Murders in the Building.”

We left the campsite to venture on a three hour kayaking tour led by Santa Barbara Adventure Company. Attentive guide Sean gave us a refresher lesson before heading out on the Coastline Beach Kayak.

The self-guided tour took us to the calm waters of Haskell’s Beach. Sean taught us about pelicans, geology and local history, from native Californians to oil drilling, as we paddled or drifted. The ocean gave us sightings of a harbor seal, dolphins and many seabirds.

We thought we were kayaking, until a local paddleboarder warned us “good luck getting in” as the waves crashed on the shore. It turned out to be correct as we struggled to land. We didn’t mind as our phones were in waterproof bags. We just ended up riding the last 100m across the Pacific.

How much does an RVshare rental cost? It depends on where you’re going, the size (and age) of the RV, when you’re traveling, if you want it delivered or not, etc. Motorhomes are more expensive than trailers.

For September, we found seven four-night RV rentals within a 10-mile radius of Goleta, CA. They ranged from a 2021 Forest River Rockwood Ultra Lite 2606WS trailer that slept five for $229 a night, to a 2006 Fleet Wood Sea Pine wood that slept six for $95 a night, plus $85 round trip for delivery for the first 30 miles.

RVshare said a trailer like ours would cost $100-200 per night plus $100-120 for delivery. These prices do not include taxes and fees, which may add an additional 25% for insurance, campsite liability, service charges, and state and local taxes.

You will also need a campsite. The oceanic mesa says RV sites start at US$77 per night. To ensure you can have an RV delivered to your chosen private, state, or national park, RVshare recommends searching or calling the park directly.

We have heard French, German, and other languages ​​spoken by RV campers across the United States. Will we join them? We just might.