Best trip ever...

[riverwed070707]

Do you speak Spanish? Just wondering if it would be an easy place to explore even for those who don't.

Spanish is helpful but you can navigate without. I did not speak more than "how much" "beer please" and "where's the bathroom" on my first trip. As it is growing in tourist popularity and with expats, there was a noticeable difference between my first trip in 2017 and my second in 2019 with how much English the locals spoke. They also use the US dollar as their national currency which makes dealing with money very easy.

[kork13]

I've been on so many great trips, it's hard to pick just one!! However, just less than two years ago after much debate, my husband and I bought a used motorhome. I was quietly skeptical of how much we'd actually use it, but have been delighted to prove myself wrong. It's been a game-changer for us. So far, we've logged over 100 nights and more than 20k miles of adventuring. It's turned into a hobby we enjoy together, and has become our favorite way to travel and relax.

That seriously sounds like a dream. Once I retire from the military (8yrs), I want to do the exact same thing.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I've been on so many great trips, it's hard to pick just one!! However, just less than two years ago after much debate, my husband and I bought a used motorhome. I was quietly skeptical of how much we'd actually use it, but have been delighted to prove myself wrong. It's been a game-changer for us. So far, we've logged over 100 nights and more than 20k miles of adventuring. It's turned into a hobby we enjoy together, and has become our favorite way to travel and relax.

While a lot of people were feeling locked down and stuck in their homes, we were vacationing in a self-contained vehicle, sightseeing, being active, and being safe. We pulled off some truly awesome trips. Two from memory that really stuck out. One was a cross-country rendezvous to meet family after not having seen them for more than a year, for my birthday. We reserved 3 sites so my sister and her husband, my parents, and we could each park our RV's in a common area. Although there were no hugs, we did not enter each other's RV's, and we all looked like freaks wearing our masks sitting far apart from each other around the campfire, we did it. It was definitely my most memorable birthday and one of our more memorable family events in many years. On the way out there, I introduced my mom to the "share location" feature on her iPhone so she could track our progress. She was hooked! A couple times a day she'd look to see how far we made it, or what state we were in, or asked if we'd send a picture of our dog...lol. The travel along the way was an adventure too as we stopped in many places we hadn't stayed before.

The other was what I'd call a homecoming trip, after returning to the West Coast this fall. During a rare weather event in Early December, my husband and I took off to camp on the ocean, same spot where we took our first RV trip. The skies dried out and it remained sunny with daytime highs in the mid-high 40's all weekend. Perfect hoodie weather, SO Northwest, we made the BEST food, and had such a good time--and it felt so great being home. My husband took Saturday afternoon to nap with the sun coming through the windows and the screen door latched so he could hear the ocean. I took the opportunity to walk the beach for hours, basking in the coastal beauty, making myself good and sore while letting the stress melt away.

how much is a used motorhome? Is it expensive to upkeep? Do you pull it or drive it and pull a car behind? How does it work?

[scfr]

It's impossible for me to pick one best trip ever. But many on my list are because of the people I was with, so I won't share those. Thinking strictly about location (sights, scenery, activities), a couple of my favorites that haven't been mentioned yet are:
Cape Cod + Nantucket
Washington, DC
Cape Town & The Winelands (South Africa)
Japan - all over
Nice (France)

[ua_guy]

how much is a used motorhome? Is it expensive to upkeep? Do you pull it or drive it and pull a car behind? How does it work?

Ours is a Class C motorhome - moves under its own power and can tow a car behind it. It's a big long box with a truck front-end. Cost and expense is so variable depending on RV type, size, features..they span such a huge range. From little tiny travel trailers to $2 Million+ coaches on a bus chassis. RV'ing isn't something I usually think of as a frugalist hobby, but it could warrant its own thread for frugalists to chime in!

Maintenance on ours is what you'd expect for a large truck with a small house strapped to the back. Like anything, if taken care of, it will last a long time. Expense can be kept much lower if you are able to do basic mechanical maintenance and troubleshoot/fix basic household stuff. Also, if you're able to avoid storage costs / have the ability to store for free. It's not that bad, though. We keep checklists and are good at keeping up. Me- I love tinkering and wrenching so it's a hobby for me outside of our travels as well. Biggest thing, the only way to get value out of owning an RV is to use it. I always encourage the curious to rent an RV a few times if they think it's something they want to do!

[GoodLiving]

I love travel but haven't done much outside the US. In 2016 I did go with a travel study group to NZ for about 2 weeks, swimming out in the ocean with dolphins, hiking in the tropical but also in the alpine, Milford Sound. It was wonderful and amazing. After my group returned to the US, I went over to AUS for a couple of weeks to see Sydney, first time traveling internationally alone. Blue Mountains and other lovely places. In retirement, our plan is to get a campervan to go all over the US. We are purchasing a very cheap minivan that we'll outfit for travel but I also don't expect it to last more than a couple of years. Our preferences tend to run to the quieter travel, museums, national parks and etc not shopping or other experiences that most folks seem to spend their money on. It would be my hope that with luck, we can also travel internationally.

I'm going to expand on this question and say where do you still want to go? What's on your bucket list that you haven't done?

• Hawaii
• Alaska
• some beautiful beach....mexico or anywhere south
• I'd like to hike the West Highland Way
• Hike up to the top of Bear Butte
• Take the train down the PCH
• See the Redwoods
• Go to Nova Scotia
• DC for the National African American Museum

I'm sure there's more for me to add as I think about it. I do worry about running out of time but I suppose this is a part of aging. Although, I'm *just* 51.

[disneysteve]

I'm going to expand on this question and say where do you still want to go?

We've done a decent amount of US travel though there are still plenty of places I'd like to see here. But I'd also like to do more international stuff - England, France, Italy, Asia. I'd like to do a Viking river cruise or two. And a Mediterranean cruise.

I'm much more adventurous than my wife, though, which is somewhat limiting. She'd go for the cruises for sure though. She loves cruising.

I'm hoping that by the time I'm around 60 (I'm 56 now) I'll be able to cut back to part time at work and free up more time for travel (and have the funds to do so). But I'm very thankful for all we've gotten to see thus far.

[SavingBucks]

Alaska trip in 2016 was one of two memorable trips for my and DH. Dropped off DD for freshman year in Idaho and headed for the border with our travel trailer. Equipped with the Milepost book, we meandered through Canada to Alaska. We saw more wildlife in Canada versus Alaska, especially in British Columbia. Met lots of friendly people in Canada and Alaska as well. DH got to catch his first salmon, and we toured a glacier. Regrets -- our trip was not long enough - 6 weeks was too short with all of that driving. We stayed on the side of the road, RV parks, and a Walmart in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Saw the Northern lights! But next time, I would want friends to come along with us -- I am not a fisherperson per se, and I was a bit hesitant to hike around Alaska due to all of the bear signs (even with bear spray). Safety in numbers.

[James4]

Here’s a favorite travel picture from the Grand Canyon.

wow, such a beautiful place, I hope to go there someday.