here is something that is good for campers on a budget
http://www.freecampgrounds.com/

 

For me, it's camper without contest. The wife and I went on a short trip recently and got a motel room, and the people above us were drunk and loud. At 12:30 a.m. I called the front desk, and I couldn't understand the guy who answered the phone, and he couldn't understand me. I finally got dressed, went up to the loud room and asked the folks if they could hold it down. They did a little better, but it was still pretty loud. I ended up turning on the TV and was able to sleep with the noise from it better than from the noise from the people upstairs. In 30 years of camping, I've never had that kind of experience.

 

There is always something to do at the RV park.
Everyone has a blackwater tank story
A stuck in the mud story.
You can always talk RV's
If there is another DCTD next to you, you can waste the whole night patting each other on the shoulder for being so intelligent in your tow vehicle choice.

It might be a little testy if there is a PS next door

With a GM next door you may have another black water story as the BS flows haha

And of course you can share a beverage.

 

Ditto, that's one reason why I HATE tent trailers, kinda' hard to stop by the side of the road, set it up and cook lunch.

Also, if you're planning staying in KOA campgrounds along the way, you might as well leave the RV at home and motel it. Commercial, pay campgrounds are pretty pricy ($40+/night), and usually you're not staying long enough to justify the amenities. Better to camp in Walmart parking lots (where allowed) and rest stops for free, or Nat'l Forest/BLM lands/campgrounds which are free to cheap.

 

I think it depends on if you have a place to stay once you get to Colorado. If you do, don't take the trailer. If it's going to be a camping trip, take the trailer, take your time, and enjoy.

 

I vote for the camper (as you can probably tell from my sig).

Other than when I travel for business, haven't stayed in a hotel for about 6 years. A few months ago I was in Rochester, NY for a business trip, and my first thought as I walked in the hotel was, why didn't I just haul the camper up here! (Well, mainly it was because it was March, and Rochester got 13 inches of snow the first 2 days I was there!)

And, as someone else said, with the CTD, the mileage impact isn't too bad.

Guess I'll find out next week...leave for Myrtle Beach (~500 miles each way, mostly flat)...last fall was the first trip with the CTD and the camper, and going to the Shenandoah Mountains, I average 10.9. Not bad, considering you'd spend 1 mile with the skinny petal buried to climb the 10% grade, and the next mile punching the stop petal to keep your speed to double-digits! With my 1500 Hemi, I'd probably STILL be trying to get up the hills, and taking somewhat flat trips to Ocean City, MD, the mileage would drop from 16 to 8.2/8.3.

 

Nothing like camping. I find there is so much more to do in a trailer than a hotel. My family is heading out tomorrow for a weekend trip.

 

Definitely take the camper! Our family is counting down the days (8 days left! ) until we leave for our 3 week camping trip to Colorado. Except, we're going to Colorado via Missouri first to visit Branson, Lake of the Ozarks, etc. before we zip over to Colorado for a while, then finally back home to California.

Flying is too expensive. We did the hotel thing before and it was utter chaos. With 3 kids and a dog, it would take over 2 hours to get out of the hotel each day by the time everyone showered, packed, and ate breakfast. With the camper, there's no packing, showers and eating are quick, so breaking camp is quick and easy (much faster than getting out of a hotel) and we can pull over and eat lunch in the camper any time. Besides, camping is so much more enjoyable to experience the outdoors, and is a great experience for kids. We love camping.

 

Take the a trailer, Camper what ever just ditch the hotel. You have a traveling bathroom,kitchen,rest area right on back. Kiinda hard to put the litle one down for a nap aand enjoy the scenery in a hotel room. Put em down in the trailer sit outside and enjoy!!!

 

girlfriend and i hsve put about 40,000 miles in during the last 2.5 years pulling 2 diffeent 5vers. i've kept a spreadsheet for all our expenses for every trip for the last 4.5 years, (we had a toyota mh before the 5vers) we precook and freeze food for the entire trip. even w/eating out a couple of times and misc xtras trip cost have consistantly run between 60 - 70 $'s a day. even w/the rising fuel cost. colorado is 1 of our favorite place to go. the 5ver's probably a little less expensive than a motel, but a LOT more fun and versatle. we've had many wonderfull experience at various camgrounds, rest stops, and walmarts, that would never happened in a motel.



john,

95 club cab long bed, 227k, no more kdp worries, lots a new parts, pullin a 29' thor wanderer.