Our experience renting this RV was the icing on the cake of our family's best ever adventure. We are big campers, and have both a popup and a trailer at home on the East coast, so we knew what camper life was like. But one thing we have never done is RV through a national park. Seeing Yellowstone and Grand Teton from Karl and Janine's "White Buffalo" made our adventure so comfortable and convenient, my kids even said "I could see us living in an RV!"Karl and Janine went out of their way to try and answer all my million questions beforehand, even recommending ordering groceries ahead for pickup at a local supermarket. We didn't get to meet Janine but Karl was as nice as can be, and very patiently explained all the ins and outs of the RV both before our trip, and during, via text. Many of my questions were ignorant, but Karl never made us feel like we were asking stupid questions! I spent hours reading all the reviews of this listing and inspecting the photos, so we could be as prepared as possible. I knew the RV was older. Still, when we arrived at the airport and stepped inside for the first time, I was amazed at how clean it was. I have a very sensitive sense of smell, and I was expecting an RV of this age to have a mustiness to it, but it did not! Everything from the floors to the upholstery to the linens were impeccably clean.Why rent an RV for this trip:
First of all- for those who say it isn't a good idea to do Yellowstone in an RV- you're wrong! Yes, there are some roads that are off limits, but there aren't many, we didn't have time in 8 days to do it all anyway, and we loved what we did see. Many times the "RV only" parking spots in crowded lots were available a moment or two after we got there, while the rest of the car spots were full. We got to the point that we were dressed and ready to go each day in under an hour- less if we didn't have hookups- making this a truly easy camping experience. We were able to pull off the road whenever we needed to see wildlife. And I don't know whether it's just the White Buffalo or all RVs but our gas mileage was way better than we thought it would be. Even driving for eight straight days we only needed to fill a tank and a half, making the RV a much more affordable accomodation for a family of five than hotel rooms and a rental car.Why rent this RV:
This was the perfect size for our family of 5 with two big teenage boys. There was tons of storage space also so nothing needed to be stored on the floor (my pet peeve), and with the bumpout extended there really was a lot of space. But the added amenities in this RV are what made it truly special. There was so much already thought of that it meant we didn't need to plan our days, freeing us to truly go adventuring. My suggestion is to make reservations EARLY at all the campgrounds, stay at a different one each night, and then spend your days driving and exploring from one site to the next. There is no need to pack a bag or cooler each day. Kids are hungry? Just pull over and make lunch in the fully functional kitchen while staring out at the mountains. Someone needs a nap? Go sleep in the nice dark bedroom (with a VERY comfortable mattress) in the back. Forgot to use the bathroom before we left? Go ahead- it's super clean. Can't find any meat in the (very limited) convenience stores in the park? No worries, we have leftovers in the fridge and a microwave to heat it up. Hot after a hike? Let's sit in the A/C and finish that pint of huckleberry ice cream we have left in the freezer! Freezing in the morning? Stay under the (very cozy) covers. I'll turn on the heat, and here's some hot cocoa I made with the Keurig. The best was when we connected our phone to the Bluetooth and turned on the GuideAlong app (highly recommend) and realized the speakers go throughout the RV, so our kids could listen and look out any of the very large windows, wherever they were in the RV!Karl and Janine literally thought of everything to make the space fully functional and convenient, both on and off the grid. The personal touches and extra comfort provided by a well-stocked RV makes renting this Coachman Leprechaun the obvious choice. If we ever get back out to Yellowstone, and the White Buffalo is still kicking, we'd rent it again!
