Record Amount of RV Users To Hit the Road

Image: An RV parked beside a mountain lake. (Photo via iStock/Getty Images Plus/cookelma)
Image: An RV parked beside a mountain lake. (Photo via iStock/Getty Images Plus/cookelma)
Rich Thomaselli
by Rich Thomaselli
Last updated: 5:24 PM ET, Tue June 15, 2021

It was more than 13 months ago, as the coronavirus pandemic was raging and the vaccines were still more than six months away.

Nobody was flying; cruise ships were grounded, and train travel was at a standstill.

But for those who had wanderlust, there was always the old-fashioned American road trip, which led to a surge in the sales of recreational vehicles.

Now all those sales are about to pay off.

According to a recent survey, 31 percent of U.S. leisure travelers - 56 million people - are planning on taking an RV vacation this summer with 65 million planning an RV trip within the year.

The survey was done by Go RVing, the trade group for the recreational vehicle industry.

Unlike the summer of 2020, the pandemic is not the primary reason for the rise in RV camping. The survey shows that remote work, family travel and exploring America are the top reasons for the continued popularity in RVing this summer.

Go RVing has seen a surge of requests for more information on planning an RV adventure for the first time. The group has compiled a "First-Timers Toolkit" on its website with videos and step-by-step instructions from real-life RVers. The website also offers advice on choosing the right RV for you; finding an RV to buy or rent; budgeting for the trip; sample itineraries; recipes for the campsite; packing lists and more.

Among the most searched subjects on RV camping for first-timers are Finding An RV; Finding A Place To Camp; How To 'Boondock'; How To Plan Your Trip; and more.


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Rich Thomaselli

Rich Thomaselli

Associate Writer

Editor Associate Writer true 9281 14744 Rich Thomaselli has written for TravelPulse since 2014 and has been a professional journalist for nearly 40 years. His work has appeared in USA Today, the New York Times and New York Yankees publications. He is an 11-time writ

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