What Does it Cost to Travel Like We Do?
I've got to say that traveling in an RV the way we do is not cheap! So far 2018 has been our longest trip in our RV and along the way, I kept a detailed record of how much we spent. We are retired and after working 40 years we now have the time to go, see, and do what we want. So we are not just camping somewhere out in the woods for months. We are traveling from place to place and enjoying what each area has to offer.
In 2018 we were on the road for 167 days and traveled 15,890 miles. Below is a breakdown of what it cost us.
Camping Fees: $5,172.55
Camping fees across the country vary depending on where and how you stay. Some places cost nothing while others can be very high, this all depends on the location and the amenities. The highest we paid on our 2018 trip was $55.00 a night, this was at the Grand Canyon and near Yellowstone. But the average for our 167 days was $31.00 a night.
Fuel Costs: $4,893.24
Our truck is a 2007 Dodge RAM Dually with a 5.9 Cummins Diesel engine that loves to drink fuel. Towing the trailer, we get about 11 MPG. So you can see why our fuel costs are so high.
Maintenance: $3,243.30
There is always something on the truck or trailer that breaks or needs maintenance on a long trip. Some examples in 2018 were: Emergency wheel bearing repair along the side of the road (almost caught fire), replacement of the other three wheel bearings the next day (better safe than sorry), new front tires for the truck (a big chunk of tread on one tire came off), new battery for the truck (boiled over), rebuild our refrigerator (would not cool), 2 oil changes for the truck, and misc items for the trailer.
Admissions: $1,579.76
This included tickets to Disney World, two mule rides in The Grand Canyon, a visit to Alcatraz, Hoover Dam, Museums, a sand buggy ride in Oregon, and other places we visited.
Miscellaneous: $526.07
This includes things like road and bridge tolls, parking, laundry, propane, an Uber ride, and bear spray.
Memberships: $213.00
We have a couple of camping membership cards that give us discounts at campgrounds such as Good Sam, Passport America, and KOA. And also emergency roadside assistance with CoachNet.
Total cost for 2018: $15,627.92
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