Frommer's Exploring America by RV (Frommer's Complete Guides) [Paperback]

Shirley Slater (Author), Harry Basch (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In this guide, renowned travel-writing team Harry Basch and Shirley Slater offer updates on their favorite RV trips around the U.S., including scenic routes along Virginia's Skyline Drive and the New England coast, plus jaunts through the Heart of the Heartlands (Indiana, Iowa and Illinois) and to Alaska via Canada. On each trip you'll get all the famous, infamous, and off-the-wall attractions; campgrounds along each route, from luxurious private RV parks with heated swimming pools and golf courses to quiet, forested campgrounds in state and national parks; tips for making life on the road easier and more comfortable; and a complete guide to buying or renting an RV, with tips on how to decide which type is right for you. All this, plus information on wildlife watching and scenic views, the best parks and beaches, quick-and-easy recipes, packing suggestions, info on road etiquette and safety, and more. Head off the beaten path with Frommer's, to discover the real life lurking around the bend.

Were You Born to RV?
Twelve Personalities Ideal for RVs

1. Garbo Gourmets. They like to be alone together luxuriating in the best life can offer. They dislike tiptoeing through creaky B&Bs or suffering second-rate food and service at expensive hotels and resorts, preferring to carry their own wine and food, sleep in their own beds, and select their own surroundings by serendipity.

2. Sportsmen. Skiers, fishermen, surfers, golfers, and mountain bikers want to be in the heart of the action with all the comforts of home, including heating, air-conditioning, and hot showers, plus plenty of storage space to carry fishing rods, skis, golf clubs, and bikes.

3. Weekenders. These stressed-out folks want to get out of the rat race and into the countryside to delete the pressures of the work week from their hard drives. Their RV is always packed for a quick getaway, with only a shopping stop to load up on perishables on the way out of town.

4. Families on Vacation. They offset a visit to a pricey amusement park by traveling with their own budget hotel, with a self-serve restaurant at hand. A comfortable journey for the kids means no more “Are we there yet?” or “I have to go potty!” or “I’m hungry!” Everything they need is in the vehicle. They’ll even sit still for an educational journey.

5. Ecotourists. They go back to nature the easy way, with dawn bird-watching, twilight wildlife-spotting, photography, and hiking. It places less of a burden on Mother Earth than staying at hotels and resorts with heavy infrastructures.

6. The Ultimate Shoppers. They hit all the antiques shops, estate sales, and the world’s biggest swap meets in comfort and style, with room in their vehicle to take their treasures back home.

7. Relatives, Retirees, and Empty Nesters. An RV is ideal for family visits because you bring your own bedroom and bathroom and can even entertain your hosts in your own home on wheels. Conversely, when parked at home, the RV doubles nicely as a guest room and bathroom.

8. Pet Lovers. Take Fifi and Fido along for the ride, enjoy their company, and avoid facing rebellious and destructive pets after a spell of boarding them out. Many (but not all) campgrounds welcome pets.

9. Travelers with Disabilities. For those who get impatient with the well-meaning but often bungled accommodations in hotels, from shelves hung out of reach to bathroom doors too narrow to navigate, a customized RV can open up the world with familiar and accessible surroundings. (For more information, see “RVing for Travelers with Disabilities,” below.)

10. Special Events Attendees. Day or overnight RV trips to jazz festivals, weekend art shows, outdoor dramas, garlic festivals, tailgate parties, jumping frog jubilees, and Civil War reenactments let you sidestep overbooked hotels and restaurants. RVers can take off, even on the spur of the moment, and have bed, bathroom, and breakfast and lunch facilities on the spot.

11. Snowbirds. For escaping from –10[dg] in Minnesota to the balmy Rio Grande Valley of Texas or heading for the high country to get out of summer’s heat, an RV makes you a man (or woman) for all seasons.

12. Full-Timers. Whether you’re quitting the rat race for a season or forever, chasing a dream, or discovering America, an RV is the only way to go.

Review

‘Reading it made me want to raid the piggy bank and book an RV rental holiday tomorrow.' (MotorHomePlanet.co.uk, January 2011).

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Frommers; 6 edition (April 12, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470537752
• ISBN-13: 978-0470537756
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.9 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,450 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > Travel > Canada > National Parks
  • #38 in Books > Travel > Reference & Tips > Food & Lodging > Parks & Campgrounds

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Take a pass - another outdated Frommer guide, December 14, 2010

By 

North Carolina Editor (Crystal Coast, NC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Frommer's Exploring America by RV (Frommer's Complete Guides) (Paperback)

Though this book has some basic information on the general concept of RV ownership and offers several suggested US itineraries, I regret wasting my money buying it last year since much of the material is way outdated. Though my copy was dated 2009, it apparently was actually written many years ago - one of the authors unfortunately died in 2002 and the other is now 85 years old. It doesn't seem likely he is out exploring all the many RV parks and destinations to be sure the information presented is still accurate -- and no other co-author is credited for updates.

I have noticed this in other Frommer guides - I lived outside the US in a tourist destination and was apalled that the Frommer guide (marked on the cover as that year's dated version)still listed "top" restaurants in great detail that had closed several years previously. Meanwhile, I met and became friendly with a writer who was employed by Fodor's guides who carefully updated her material annually. I no longer buy Frommer guidebooks - the company is trading off the good name of Arthur (Europe on $5 a Day) Frommer from the 1960s - and I am kicking myself for making an exception.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great advice for RVers, October 6, 2010

By 

L. Biringer - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Frommer's Exploring America by RV (Frommer's Complete Guides) (Paperback)

The authors who wrote this book have lived the RV life and represent it in a realistic light, along with a great sense of humor. We've used many of their tips, all of them practical and much appreciated. They write in a easy to understand manner and break up the book into great, usable sections. A must read for any RV owner or owner-to-be.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Some info is not up to date, November 22, 2010

By 

Ceili (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Frommer's Exploring America by RV (Frommer's Complete Guides) (Paperback)

Overall, I think this book has lots to offer. However, it does seem that not enough attention has been paid to making sure the info is current.

I purchased a 2010 edition of the book. But some of the information is out of date, or simply erroneous:

1. The authors refer to "modem" connections at RV campgrounds when they really ought to be reporting on availability of Wi-Fi or other high-speed Internet connections.

2. The speed limit along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway is 35 mph, not 45 mph as reported.

3. Grandfather Mountain along the Blue Ridge in North Carolina is reported as a privately run enterprise, when in fact much of it was acquired by the State in 2008 and the rest is operated as a not-for-profit preserve. It is less of a tourist attaction now and more of a nature attraction.

In general, a good book, but travelers would be well-advised to verify the info ahead of time if possible.