We at Outdoorsy like regularly chatting with adventurers to figure out what makes them tick and what makes them get out on the road. That’s why we went out and quizzed our adventurous tribe to discover the latest trends for fall travel.
Along the way, we found some pretty cool stuff — like the fact that 76% of travelers didn’t delay any travel plans this year despite record high inflation and gas prices.
Let’s dig in to see the key travel trends we discovered for the fall.
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How Are People Traveling?
RVing is still the name of the game. Road trips surged in popularity after 2020 as people grew weary of travel restrictions during the pandemic. Now that most travel has opened up, folks are still heavily leaning toward RV travel — with 89% of our respondents who took an RV trip saying they plan to take another.
80% of travelers also said that — compared to other types of vacations they’d taken in the past — RVing was the method of travel that made them feel ‘more mentally rejuvenated and refreshed’.
How Have Inflation And High Gas Prices Impacted Fall Travel?
Apparently not much at all. 76% of travelers didn’t delay any vacation plans they had this year.
And 49% of travelers who rented an RV were inspired to buy an RV, campervan, or trailer after their Outdoorsy trip.
The bottom line is that while the current economic uncertainty might be unnerving — people are still traveling by RV.
RVing Is Still One Of The Most Affordable Ways To Travel
Perhaps one of the reasons people gravitate to RVing over other means of travel is its overall affordability. Even with high gas prices and inflation, camper life is still very accessible.
Nightly rental prices on RVs near popular metro areas like Atlanta, Spokane, and Denver have actually gone down from 2021 prices. And because you’re towing your home and kitchen with you, you’ll generally save a bundle over hotels, airfare, and eating out.
RVing Is Relaxing
49% of our respondents said they felt more relaxed taking an RV trip than other means of travel like cruises, flights, hotels, etc.
RVing is good for the soul because you’re largely in control of your destiny — there aren’t any security lines or flight delays to cope with.
RVing also connects you and your family with nature in ways that we all deeply need. That’s why it continues to be one of the most popular vacation modes year after year.
RVing Is A Family Affair
The whole family can usually go RVing more affordably than the whole family can go flying. Beyond that, RVing also has built-in family-bonding features like s’more nights around the campfire and road tripping as one.
That’s probably why 63% of travelers feel their family will be more in need of a road trip vacation in 2023 than in years past.
Wanderlust can be inspired in kids from an early age — that’s probably why 25% of travelers we chatted with want to bring at least one kiddo along.
People Want More RVing
The majority of travelers we connected with (40%) said that if budget and time off work weren’t factors, they would want to take 5+ RV trips a year.
22% said they would want to take at least 2 trips, and 18% would want to take at least 3 trips.
Work Hits The Road
48% of our travel respondents indicated that they are completely disconnected from work when they travel, but that still leaves another 52% who are taking some work with them.
We know this might stir up some mixed feelings. But, this stat does seem to show that remote working options have made it easier for folks to get out on the road — and road tripping is something we totally support however people can make it happen.
We also found that the average length of a road-tripping vacay was around 6 days, so we hope that the 52% of connected travelers find some time to totally unplug — even if work travels with them a bit.
Where Are People RVing?
Here are some highlights we found about the places people are road tripping to:
- The Northwest and Midwest are hitting more road trip itineraries than ever before — chalk it up to their more affordable attractions and fewer crowds than itineraries along the coasts.
- The Southwest, Midwest, and Southeast continually top the list as the most affordable regions to travel to.
- Denver, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City continue to show up as our top 5 starting points for people renting RVs on Outdoorsy.
- National parks are way in — The pandemic saw an influx of national park goers that hasn’t slowed down much. Parks like Yosemite, The Tetons, Great Smoky Mountains, and more continue to top our ‘most searched for’ lists.
What RVs Are People Renting?
Here are the top 5 most popular RV rental types coming into this fall:
- Jayco Jay Flight (Trailer)
- Ford Transit (Campervan)
- Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (Class B)
- Forest River Wildwood (Trailer)
- Forest River Cherokee Grey Wolf (Trailer)
What Does This Mean For RV Owners?
Here are some of the key takeaways from our findings for owners either listing or looking to list their RV for rent:
- RV owners listing on our platform can still make over $50,000/year with the right rig(s) in the right places.
- RVing and road tripping are one of the most desirable means of travel for singles and families alike — meaning our industry is here to stay.
- If you own an RV in the Midwest, Southwest, or Southeast, you’re sitting pretty in terms of being in an affordable travel region that’s growing in popularity.
- RV types like Class Cs, campervans, and trailers have held as our most popular rental types over the years.
- 53% of our renters say they want RV delivery as an option, meaning it’s something you should consider offering if you want to rent out your RV.
RV travel is here to stay. Camping has been a legacy for U.S. families for eons. The past few years especially have seen a surge in our desire to get out and connect with nature. Based on the convos we had with our tribe, we don’t see any of that changing anytime soon. The future of RVing is bright, it’s family-focused, and it’s mentally rejuvenating.
So what are you waiting for? Check out our RVs for rent and start rolling.
