Think about your upcoming summer travel plans for a moment. The routes you’re dreaming about, the campgrounds you’ve bookmarked… and then there’s the cost of getting there.
For today’s poll, we’re curious: If gas prices stay high—or climb even more—will it affect your summer RVing plans?
Fuel prices have been anything but predictable lately. Earlier this year, the national average was sitting closer to the low-$3 range per gallon, but recent spikes have pushed prices closer to $3.80–$4.00 in many areas, with some states well above that. And with global events affecting oil supply, experts say prices could continue to fluctuate—or rise—heading into peak travel season. (Here’s the latest.)
For some of you, that absolutely matters. RVs aren’t exactly fuel misers, so every bump at the pump adds up quickly. Longer trips, cross-country plans, or frequent moves between campgrounds can suddenly feel a lot more expensive.
Others take a different approach. Maybe you’ll still travel, but adjust how you do it—shorter trips, slower travel, staying longer in one place, or choosing destinations closer to home. The RV lifestyle is flexible, and many of you have already learned how to adapt when costs shift.
And then there are those of you who say it won’t change a thing. Travel is too important, and if anything, you’ll just budget around it. For many RVers, the experience—the places, the freedom, the time away—is worth the extra cost.
So what about you? If gas prices stay high—or go even higher—will it change your summer RV plans, or are you hitting the road no matter what? Go ahead and vote in today’s poll and please leave a comment with your thoughts below. Thank you.
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- Do you swim in campground pools?
- What would you fear stumbling upon most in the wild—a bear, rattlesnake or alligator?
- What’s your preferred length of stay at a typical campsite?
RVT1253b
Yes it already has us changing ours. We will do some of the things as stated in your story in this issue. We are changing locations and staying longer while traveling. Hoping to cut our mileage down by at least a third.
We are part-time RVers and we travel when we can. I’m not happy with the gas prices but they will not affect our plans for this summer. So far we have a 3 week trip planned and will take several shorter trips.
No, I have a full tank of Diesel and that will last us until fall. We have three trips planned and two are already booked. None are more than 90 miles from home.
It won’t affect the two, two week trips we already have planned and reserved.
It may make us rethink any spur of the moment trips though.
My cousin said parts of Australia has run out of fuel She thinks there are people panicking, but if they need it to work you can’t blame them. Where available prices are high. We have to hope that American is one of the largest oil producers like we’ve been told. Without oil we could have shortages and higher prices
worst than during the pandemic.
I voted No for two reasons: 1 We escaped Washington State a few months ago and fuel prices are lower than we’ve paid for years. 2 We are by no means wealthy but we do have more dollars than traveling years left.
Agree Gary. We did the same with CA a few years ago. Crazy high prices due to the *****s voters elect as well as voting in an additional .40 cents a gallon tax on top of the already high fuel tax. We paid $1.99 in OK on our trip west in January. Higher now, but no worse than prices prior to 2024.
In a way it has, and it hasn’t. We took a 8,100, 2 month out west the end of last year. This year we had already decided to try and stay in as many state parks in our home state (Florida) this year as possible. We have already hit 4 state parks so far this year.
Heading out tomorrow on a previously planned trip. Gas here is @ $6.15 for regular. It’ll hurt a bit.
This winter season will culminate with replacing our stationary traditional travel trailer with an RV tiny home in the same long-term southern RV park site. While really no more expensive than a luxury 5’er, it shoots our summer travel budget. This summer will be a staycation – but having said that, we live in a summer tourist destination area. Not like it is a hardship.
Just the other day DW & I were watching one of our travel recordings from July 2022. On the recording I mentioned that the price per gallon of diesel we paid, with my Open Roads card, was just under $5/gal in South Dakota. That’s about $.70 higher than the current Open Roads price/gal in the same area. We were traveling then and will do so now.
Won’t affect our travel plans at all. Fuel is a small part of our expenses (13-14 mpg diesel improvement over previous 7 mpg. gas motorhome). Drive sensibly and enjoy the scenery.
Besides, this fuel price bump is temporary. There’s good reasons to expect lower prices by summer.
This does confirm that we should Drill Baby Drill and build some new refineries.
We are 3-season RVers–fall, snowbird, spring. Too many out-of-state RVers fill our Colorado mountain cgs. and boondocking sites in summer, so we seldom use our RV except as guest quarters next to the house for summer grandkid visits. New version of summer camping for kids–electric lights, USB outlets, 4″-thick twin beds, running water, toilet, air conditioning–really roughing it! No need for good TV reception in the RV because they never look up from their “devices”.
Fuel price increase was a major reason for canceling plans for trip to GA and to not consider travel to GA this year.
We’re off the road due to health but if we were still active the high price of fuel would not keep us home.
We mostly RV within 100-150 miles, so fuel is not our biggest expense. Also, I am 72 and only have so many trips left so I will not let the current fuel situation interfere with our RVing.
Current prices won’t stop us. We haven’t decided what a cut-off price would be. If the possibility of gas shortages and difficulty of obtaining fuel thousands of miles from home becomes an issue, that might force us to change our plans. If necessary, we will adapt to destinations 4-6 hours from home.
We are in Florida right now and heading back to up state ny in a couple weeks. The pain at the pump will hurt but we are not going to set home, I will be 76 this month, we will travel has much has we can and enjoy life now when we can.
We are not changing our plans in the least. Our attitude is instead of miles per gallon that our 2017 LTV Serenity Now! gets, its SMILES per gallon (plus she gets better mileage than my Rubicon…). Making memories always trumps sitting at home everytime.
Carpe Diem!
Actually the prices around the country are cheaper than California at its lowest, so it’s still a good deal. (Once out of California)
Yes, we’ve cancelled our summer trip. For someone who said he’d end all wars on Day 1, he sure loves to start wars.
This war feels different tho and I don’t like paying the price for a distraction from his Epstein ties,
Unfortunately again he Lied and that’s OK they say OH well 3 more years fingers crossed 🤞🏻
As a child, I learned budgeting for gas was just part of planning a trip. I was taught early on to look for the best price as we drove along, and we saved money by not eating out for most meals, even though we took car trips.
These days, we’re blessed to not need to pinch pennies as much as our folks, but we still watch them. We seldom eat out, although as much for choice of food for picky tummies as cost. Many of our destinations are out in more remote areas, we pay whatever price for gas when we find it.
Our trips are often destination-based, so we drive to a base campsite and explore from there.
As a Winter Texan this year, price of Diesel won’t stop us $4:39-$4:79
Yes, it already has! We canceled our 1st prescheduled trip (our normal spring shake down). Hopefully the prices drop by May, or we’ll cancel another. 😢
I already changed plans or ideas. On Monday, March 16th, I took the fiver from Yuma AZ. to Quartzite, AZ. Approximately 80 miles. The intentions were to stay thru Friday morning. Then hook up, tow to Casa Grande, AZ. and stay thru today, Monday March 23. After looking at the prices for diesel fuel which increased approximately $2.00 a gallon in 3 weeks, I made the command decision just to tow back to the lot in Yuma. I originally wanted to go to Casa Grande for the High Limits Sprint Car races on Saturday night. Well to add to the fuel agony, the stupid fairgrounds had a ‘ticket acquisition’ fee above the basic ticket price. Nope, doesn’t work for this old guy. Screw them!
For those of you cancelling trips because of fuel prices, you shouldn’t just let your RV sit. Just like people RVs need regular exercise, otherwise more things will break and go bad because of lubricants settling, etc. If fuel costs are really too much, just take shorter trips. And if your governor has suspended fuel taxes, be prepared for even more repair costs because that will mean less money to maintain the highways, more potholes.