While there is certainly no shortage of RV destinations to explore throughout this great nation, there are some cities in the United States that seem to draw more RV travelers than others. We took a look at some of these top RV destination cities to learn what it is that pulls RV enthusiasts in.
For some, it is the natural scenery; for others, it is the world famous events or attractions. What each of these top RV destination cities has in common are top-of-the-line RV parks, resorts, and campgrounds that cater to the needs of RVers, from those living the full-time RV lifestyle to weekend warriors and families on vacation.
Keep reading to learn more about some of the nation’s most RV-friendly cities.
When most people think of the traditional RV vacation or full-time RV lifestyle, Las Vegas, Nevada, is not likely to be the first destination that comes to mind. For the vast majority of folks, Las Vegas calls to mind mental images of a bustling downtown strip, casinos with bright flashing lights, and jangling slot machines.
While you will certainly find these sights and sounds in Las Vegas, this city has much, much more to offer, including world-class RVing opportunities. RV travel, or RV living, offers you an affordable way to see the city without breaking the bank. Many of the major casinos, like the world-famous Circus Circus Casino, and The Riviera, have RV parks located right on the resort grounds. For those who are looking for a little more peace and quiet, there are several high-quality RV parks located a stone’s throw from the Las Vegas strip that will allow you to get a peaceful night’s (or day’s) rest away from the lights and sounds of the strip, and then hit the casinos and the shows feeling refreshed and ready to live it up.
For nature lovers and outdoor adventure enthusiasts, Las Vegas has located just a short drive from some of the most spectacular outdoor playgrounds that you will find anywhere in the country. For starters, just outside the city limits, you will find a broad expanse of red-rock desert perfect for hiking and exploring. Red Rock National Park features miles of hiking trails winding through the scenic beauty of the Mojave Desert.
For those who are willing to drive a short distance outside the city, Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, and even The Grand Canyon are all located less than a day’s drive away from the center of Las Vegas.
Denver, Colorado, the Mile High city, is known for its natural beauty. Needless to say, the Denver area is popular with outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers, thanks to its stunning mountain landscapes. This makes it a prime destination spot for RV travelers looking for a home base to set out and explore the surrounding mountain ranges.
There is more to Denver, Colorado than majestic mountain tops, though. The nearby state parks in Cherry Creek and Chatfield are located on gigantic reservoirs that offer plenty of breath-taking natural scenery and exciting outdoor activities to keep outdoor adventurers entertained for days or even weeks.
For those looking to explore some urban fun, the city of Denver offers plenty of activities to explore. For the adults, Denver is well-known for its many breweries. Brew enthusiasts can check out the popular “LoDo Walking Tour” through Denver’s Lower Downtown District. The tour allows participants to sample brews from the city’s oldest craft brewery, and the top tap houses, before finishing off with a brew at a famous steakhouse.
Delores, Colorado is a hidden gem of an RV destination located just north of Cortez, Colorado.
Delores, Colorado, made our list of RV-friendly cities thanks to its RV parks, several of which come highly recommended by seasoned RV travelers.
Of course, the town’s proximity to Mesa Verde National Park doesn’t hurt either. For outdoor enthusiasts, National Park lovers, and history buffs, Mesa Verde National Park is one for the bucket list. The park features stunning natural landscapes and ancient archaeological ruins that draw tourists to the site from around the world.
Delores, Colorado, offers several full-service RV parks, including one, The Views, that offers generously sized RV parking spots, some of which feature stunning views of the valley, including Cortez and The Mesa Verde National Park. This is great news for RV travelers with large fifth-wheel travel trailers and Motorhomes who are looking for a room to spread out and enjoy some spectacular views.
Arizona weather is made for RV travel. Arizona boasts sunny skies, with hardly a rain cloud in sight for the majority of the year. However, the year-round sunshine is just one reason that RV travelers flock to Phoenix, Arizona. The Phoenix metropolitan area is home to a seemingly endless array of RV resorts and RV parks, some of which cater to long-term, year-round residents who come to visit this desert oasis and never leave.
Besides the awesome weather and the plentiful RV resorts, the Phoenix area is packed with attractions and things to do for RVers of all ages and tastes.
For nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, the Tonto National Forest is located on the outskirts of Mesa, Arizona, just east of Phoenix. The Tonto National Forest is home to the legendary Superstition Mountains, home to the elusive Lost Dutchman Gold Mine, and several ghost towns, including local favorite, Tortilla Flats, where you can enjoy a stagecoach ride, pan for gold, and settle in for a steak dinner and a brew at the local steakhouse.
Want to marvel at the Arizona scenery from the air? Arizona is home to several hot air balloon companies, and it is not uncommon to see these colorful balloons dotting the clear Arizona sky on a daily basis. Arizona is known for its stunning sunrises and sunsets, and there is no better way to view the painted skies than from the basket of a hot air balloon floating over the desert.
The Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix is a must-visit for music lovers of all ages. Visitors to this one-of-a-kind museum are supplied with a pair of special headphones upon entry. As you tour the museum, you will enjoy videos and music beamed directly to your headphones and synced to each unique exhibit.
Orlando, Florida, makes our list of top RV-friendly cities for its sunny climate, abundant RV parks, and resorts, and of course, Disney World.
Orlando, Florida, is home to many of the world’s largest RV dealerships and RV parks, so to say that Orlando is an RV-friendly city is definitely a bit of an understatement.
Orlando is so popular with RV travelers that many of the RV parks and resorts are more like year-round social clubs than RV parking areas. For example, Orlando’s popular Sherwood Forest RV Resort hosts RV travelers of all types, from retirees to families and full-time RVers to tourists, and everything in between. The service at the park is phenomenal, and there are plenty of organized social events year-round, providing opportunities to make new friends. Though this park is always full, there is plenty of space for all to enjoy the resort’s many amenities, including not one but three swimming pools and much more.
If we are talking about things to do in Orlando, Florida, Disney World tops the list. Budget savvy travelers know that RV travel is the economical way to enjoy this world-famous theme park, as well as the many other theme parks and entertainment venues that people flock to Orlando to visit. Best of all, the area surrounding the Disney World theme park offers plenty to do without braving the crowds on prime tourist travel dates. You can easily spend an entire day window shopping in nearby Disney Springs, a free outdoor mall with tons of cool stores, including a three-story Coca-Cola store dedicated to Coke products and memorabilia.
Of course, Orlando is much more than just theme parks, shopping, and world-famous nightlife. Nature lovers can enjoy a relaxing nature walk through the Tibet-Butler Nature Preserve, a 440-acre preserve with plenty of nature trails that allow you to escape the crowds while you meander past the stunning natural Florida scenery.
In downtown Orlando, you can grab a paddle boat and head out on Lake Eola to enjoy stunning views of Orlando’s famed skyline while you enjoy the meticulously landscaped grounds and watch wild birds from your vantage point in the middle of a lake located right in the heart of the city.
Washington DC may not be the first place that pops into the mind of most people when thinking about RV travel hotspots; however, the nation’s capital makes our list because of the little known hidden RV parking locations that offer RV travelers the perfect way to visit this historical, must see destination on a budget.
For example, the Union Station parking garage is located right in the heart of DC and offers short-term parking with spaces for oversized vehicles. While you may not be able to squeeze in the larger RV varieties, those with camper vans, or smaller RV travel trailers, will be able to enjoy a short stay here while they check out the sights. For RV travelers with larger RVs or those looking for a longer stay, nearby Cherry Hill Park offers traditional RV lodging with a shuttle service to transport guests from the park location into the city.
One of the best things about visiting Washington DC is the abundance of free attractions. Tourists can visit many of the nation’s most important buildings, structures, and historic monuments for little or no out-of-pocket costs. Among the top must-see locations in this important city is the famed Smithsonian, the largest museum in the world, and the nearby Museum of Natural History, where visitors can marvel at full-size dinosaur skeletons, an African elephant, and the world famous Hope Diamond, all under one roof.
Best of all, Washington DC is home to a huge array of food trucks. You will find them throughout the city, making it easy to explore a huge array of cultural cuisines and delicious treats as you explore the city.
Port Townsend, Washington, is located on the Olympic Peninsula, one of the most beautiful natural environments on the planet. The unique geography of Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula makes it home to plant and animal species that cannot be found anywhere else on earth.
Port Townsend is one of the most RV-friendly destinations in western Washington, offering RV parking and camping opportunities with full-service amenities located right on the water’s edge. South Beach Campground is a particularly popular RV parking hot spot, offering guests RV parking spots on the edge of a ridge that looks out over the awesome beach and water views. The proximity of the campground to Olympic National Park means nature-loving guests are just minutes away from some of the nation’s most beautiful hiking trails.
Port Townsend’s prime location in the Pacific Northwest means RV travelers can experience a huge array of unique outdoor adventures, from whale watching to hiking over boulders along the beach or through a stunning alpine meadow.
Plus, the town of Port Townsend is a destination unto itself, with an independent theater, an eclectic variety of quaint shops, and numerous eateries to grab a quick bite to eat or sit down to a delicious meal.
Buellton, California, is another hidden gem for RV travelers. Located along California’s Central Coast, Buellton has a ton of fun attractions and a number of RV parks, one of which takes the idea of full service to a whole new level. In fact, many RV travelers describe Buellton’s Flying Flags RV Resort as a destination unto itself.
The Flying Flags RV Resort offers plenty of things for RVers and their families to enjoy on the resort grounds, including not just one but two swimming pools and a playground to let the kiddos stretch their legs and burn off some pent up energy. Feeling like a little friendly sporting competition? You will find all you need at the resort’s bocce ball court, horseshoe pit, and on-site sports field. Looking for some less strenuous social entertainment? Flying Flags RV Resort offers guests live music shows on the patio on the weekends year round and nightly during the summer months. For the foodies, the resort serves up Santa Barbara-style BBQ alongside live entertainment on Friday nights. For those who want a quieter, less social atmosphere, Flying Flags RV Resort has several fire pits strewn throughout the resort grounds, offering plenty of opportunities for guests to cozy up around a crackling campfire to enjoy the crisp California coastal evenings.
With an RV resort like Flying Flags, there may be no need to venture off the resort grounds. However, you will find that Buellton, California, has plenty to entice you away from the resort for the day or evening.
For starters, there are ostriches. You heard us right, ostriches. Buellton’s Ostrichland USA lets visitors get up close and personal with ostriches and emus; if you are feeling adventurous, you can even feed them.
The local Mendenhall Museum is another must-see Buellton attraction. The museum is home to a collection of cool automobilia and gas station memorabilia, as well as plenty of other interesting antiques.
Last but certainly not least, the beer, wine, and spirits aficionados will love Buellton’s location smack dab in the center of a Santa Barbara wine country. Wine lovers can stop by for tastings at one or more of the town’s many wineries and venture out to explore the rest of the Santa Barbara wine country greats.
For those who prefer brews to vino, Buellton is the original Central Coast craft brew destination, boasting the area’s first distillery to open following the rescinding of prohibition. California craft brew darlings, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., and Firestone are both located nearby.
Feeling inspired to get out on the road and start exploring some of the nation’s top RV destinations? Start your adventure with a visit to RV Wholesalers or your local RV dealership to check out your RV options from some of the top brands in the business, like Forest River RV, Winnebago, Cherokee, and more. Explore a variety of RV styles to find the perfect RV type for your RV vacation or RV lifestyle. If you are an outdoor enthusiast planning on traveling to one of the more rugged locales, you may gravitate towards the more practical and rugged toy hauler travel trailers like those by Puma XLE. For those traveling with a large family or just looking for a more comfortable RV travel experience, the Rockwood RV line of luxury fifth-wheel travel trailers may be more to your liking. No matter which RV you choose, make sure that you protect your investment with an RV extended warranty provided by the RV dealer or a third-party warranty provider like RVing Solutions and others.
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