road trip

10 Facts & Tips for Renting an RV For a Road Trip

Nothing quite captures the spirit of freedom and exploration like a road trip. You've got your favorite tunes, a route filled with beautiful landscapes, and the open road before you. Now, imagine adding the comfort of home into this picture. That's what an RV gives you: the ultimate road trip experience. If you plan to rent an RV for your next road trip, let's delve into some facts and tips that can help you along the way.

 

Facts about Renting an RV

 Different Types of RVs

 RVs, or Recreational Vehicles, come in various shapes and sizes, each with its own unique appeal. For example, at Vintage Surfari, from iconic Bay Window campers to the contemporary and efficient Mercedes Metris, there's an RV to suit every taste. Understanding the different types of RVs available is essential to match your travel style and needs.

 

Costs Associated with Renting an RV

 Renting an RV comes with its costs, and it's crucial to understand them fully before setting out on your journey. The basic rental fee will depend on the type of RV you choose and how long you intend to rent it for. Besides, vehicle provides like us offer specific mileage packages for each vehicle, allowing you to plan your budget accurately. A deposit is usually required to secure a booking. We suggest you read about our rates before booking one for you.

 

Driver's License and Age Requirements

 A standard driver's license is typically all you need to rent an RV in California. However, age requirements may vary. At Vintage Surfari Wagons, we require our renters to be at least 25 years of age. Safety is our priority, and we believe this policy ensures a responsible driving environment. Our policies cover a range of subjects, including insurance, campsite infringements, smoking, security deposits, and pets.

 

Tips for Renting an RV for a Road Trip

 Let's get into the helpful tips for renting an RV for your road trip!

 Determine the Right Size of RV for Your Needs

 Choosing the right RV size depends on the size of your travel party and the level of comfort you desire. An RV should be spacious enough for everyone to sleep comfortably but not so large that it becomes difficult to maneuver. If you're unsure, our friendly staff can help guide you to the right fit.

 

Plan Your Route and Campsites in Advance

 Having a solid plan can take a lot of stress out of your trip. Map out your route, noting any places you'd like to stop and explore. Keep in mind that some campsites may require reservations, especially during peak travel season. Planning ahead will ensure you always have a spot to park for the night.

 

Reserve Your RV Early

 To ensure you get the RV you want, we recommend reserving it as early as possible, especially during popular travel times. We want to ensure you get the vehicle that suits your needs, and early booking is the best way to guarantee availability.

  

Take Advantage of the Included Amenities

 Our RVs come equipped with essential amenities, including a stove, sink, dining table, and more. These inclusions are designed to make your road trip as comfortable and convenient as possible. Be sure to take advantage of them!

 

Tips for RV Road Trip

 Embrace the Slow Pace

 Don’t rush; just don’t. Perhaps the greatest joy of RV travel is the opportunity to slow down and enjoy the journey. Remember, you're not racing against time; you're on a journey to create memories. Traveling in an RV is about embracing the laid-back lifestyle, soaking in the scenery, and experiencing the joy of the open road.


Avoid Specific Places

While the idea of 'freedom on wheels' is certainly appealing, it's important to note that not all terrains or areas are suitable or permissible for your Vintage Surfari Wagon. For example, navigating off-road terrains such as trails, sand, or river beds is highly discouraged.

 Places like Death Valley require prior approval, especially during hot seasons. Infamously strenuous routes like 'The Grapevine' on Interstate 5 are discouraged due to safety concerns. And trips to Mexico, Burning Man, or beyond California state lines (without approval) are not permitted. Violating these guidelines could result in an end to your trip without reimbursement, forfeiture of your security deposit, and responsibility for any associated towing or repair costs.

 

Stay Flexible with Your Plan

 While it's crucial to have a well-laid plan, a degree of flexibility can make your road trip more enjoyable. You might come across an unexpected site, a local festival, or simply want to spend an extra day somewhere. Being open to change can turn a good trip into an extraordinary one.

 

Hit the Road!

 Embarking on an RV road trip is about freedom, exploration, and creating unforgettable memories. It's a unique way to travel that lets you embrace the journey in its truest form. So why wait? Hit the road, enjoy the slow pace, make your own schedule, and create lasting memories.

Navigating Family Travel With Kids and Pets: Stress-Saving Tips

by Ted Fernandez

Traveling with the whole family—kids and pets included—can be a challenging and stressful experience if not properly planned. But with the right preparations, your trip can be a wonderful and memorable adventure that will bring your family closer together. There are many factors to consider when traveling with kids and pets, from packing smart and limiting your travel time to reducing costs and finding family-friendly accommodations. Here are some tips to help you plan a fun family trip!

Take a Road Trip

When you’re traveling with kids and pets, taking a road trip is much more manageable than flying. You’ll have more control over your schedule on the road, with complete freedom to stop and stretch when everyone is getting restless. Road-tripping can also be more cost-effective than flying, especially when you have a large family. For pets and kids, being in a car can also be less stressful than flying. If you’re interested in a family road trip, consider renting a vintage camper bus from Vintage Surfari Wagons to make your adventure even more memorable!

 Find Ways to Reduce Stress

To truly enjoy your vacation, take steps to relieve stress before you leave. Try to leave your work behind and avoid responding to work-related messages while you’re away. If travel-related decisions are creating stress in your life, take a deep breath and focus on your priorities. Gather all of the information you need to make an informed decision, but remember to listen to your gut as well. And once you decide where to go, which hotel to book, and what tourist attractions to visit, try to avoid second-guessing your decision. Just look forward to your trip!

Choose Kid- and Pet-Friendly Destinations

 If you’re traveling with a pet, you’ll need to be careful about where you stay and what you do. Camping is always a fun pet-friendly activity. And your kids will love it too! If you’re embarking on a road trip and you’d rather stay in hotels, GoPetFriendly.com suggests private accommodations like Airbnb for more flexibility. Vacation rentals can also be more affordable, especially if you would like a space with separate rooms for you and your kids.

Bring Snacks and Activities

When traveling with pets and kids, everything will go more smoothly if you bring plenty of activities and snacks. Pack some interactive dog toys to keep your pup busy and mentally stimulated. Be sure to also bring training treats so you can reward good behavior on the road.

Activities and snacks can help your kids stay happy during long car rides and rainy days stuck in hotel rooms. Bon Voyage With Kids suggests magnetic road trip games, mad libs, audiobooks, Wikki Stix, word games, and sketchbooks. You can even get special crayons that your kids can use to draw pictures on the car windows!

Don’t Overschedule

Although you might want to pack a lot into your family trip, try not to overschedule your vacation. Don’t try to do everything. Instead, have everyone in your family list a few things they really want to do or see, and prioritize these activities. This will help you avoid treating your vacation like a big checklist so you can actually enjoy yourself!

 Make Time for Relaxation

Limiting your vacation schedule will also allow more room for relaxation, which is crucial if you want to return home feeling rested and rejuvenated. If you have very young kids, consider bringing some other family members along so you can all take turns watching the little ones. This will give each adult some uninterrupted downtime. You can also plan slow activities for the evenings, like movie nights, to encourage your kids to wind down after a day of fun.

Traveling with your kids and pets can be a memorable experience. Planning ahead will ensure your trip is memorable for the right reasons! Choose destinations that are accommodating of kids and pets, pack engaging activities, and prepare yourself for a stress-free getaway. By following these tips, you can enjoy a fun and relaxing vacation with the whole family!

 

Are you looking to take a road trip in style? Consider renting a camper bus from Vintage Surfari Wagons! View our rentals today to find your perfect wagon.

Seems it Never Rains in Southern California

What’s the real deal on California weather and reports of disasters playing out in the current media?

Currently California is in a weather pattern that comes along every so often, one that causes a lot of temporary problems, no doubt. But it also solves a whole bunch of other problems that pretty regularly also plague our great state. We are getting a lot of rain and snow that in turn replenishes our reservoirs and ground water basins with the run off, as well as with snow pack that melts off throughout the subsequent summer months. We desperately need this after close to a 8-9 year drought. Conversely, we’ll see weather related road closures, some mudslides and avalanche damaged roads in a lot of central and northern areas of our state. But most of that is going to occur far from where Vintage Surfari Wagons sends you out on the road.

What you’re probably not seeing reported is that about 99% of these somewhat extreme weather incidents are happening primarily in the 2/3rds of California north of Los Angeles. In fact the counties of Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, and San Diego have been largely spared the deluges and floods that those other parts of the state are experiencing. This leaves a whole lot of California ripe for exploration in the midst of all the bad news.

The entire coastline of Orange County and south are open, and the beaches are beautifully un crowded. That's close to 100 miles of coastline to explore. And there are 6 wonderful California State Park system campgrounds along that coast as well as a dozen more regional and privately run campgrounds on down the coast. The areas east of those two counties (Riverside, Imperial, and San Bernardino) are largely situated in the dry deserts of the state and receive a small percentage of the precipitation that reaches the central and northern coast, so it’s almost always sunny and dry out that way. Top that fact with lots of spectacular and beautiful places out there to camp in solitude and watch the stars at night. It still gets some rain, but that only assures that the spring desert blooms will likely be abundant and incredibly colorful this year.

Bottom line? It’s not as disasterous as you may have heard, and there's still thousands of square miles of the Golden State to explore and enthrall you. Get in touch with us at VSW and we’ll be happy to suggest some routes we especially like that you might consider in, thru, and around these ‘roads less traveled’ topographies of Southern California.

California Road Report App

Download the app before you travel ☝️

Long Live the Camper Van: Companies renting Vacation Mobiles

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George, Alyce, Mae and Kim cruise the California Coast in a vintage VW camper van rental from Vintage Surfari Wagons.

If you live in Southern California and have an “Endless Summer” mentality, Vintage Surfari Wagons is probably the van rental company for you. Their fleet of vintage Volkswagen buses from the ‘80s through 2000s look straight from the set of a classic surfing movie, but with the addition of modern upgrades like much-needed air conditioning. Many models include pop-up roofs to create an even breezier open-air vibe, and if you want to go full RV, some have generators and water hook-ups. For those who’re looking for the glamping-est of camper experiences, they also offer tours led by experts.


Guest post by Dan Gentile on Paktbags.com

Happy Trails Desert Campout

This past March we experienced the Super Bloom as we wandered through the Anza Borrego desert landscape on our group journey, of at times up to 12 VWs, 20 peeps and 3 pups! We hiked, swam and partook of handcrafted libations & camp vittles, and campfires every day of our adventure. In the end new friendships were forged and once in a lifetime memories were made that we'll carry with us on into the years ahead. Here's a peek...

Annual Summer Party at Vintage Surfari Wagons HQ

This thing, we're doing it again... parking lot party at our place, Saturday, August 20th at 6 pm.

If you haven't been by our place before now we are located at 760 Newton Way, Costa Mesa, CA 92627.

Everyone is welcome! Bring your VW, air-cooled & non-air-cooled alike and show it off.

There'll be beer, live music, grub and I'm guessing a movie ;)

RSVP via EventBrite