RVs, or recreational vehicles, are enclosed pieces of equipment usable both as vehicles and living space. They are intended for everything from camping and vacations to full time living. In the latter case, they are generally kept in special parks. RVs can be rented in most major cities, for those who want to experience RV use without the expense and hassle of maintaining their own.
There are several different classes of vehicle which have been called RVs. In the UK and Australia, they are also called caravans or camper vans. The first and simplest type is the truck camper, in which a shell is attached to a pickup truck bed. This sort is cheap and easily acquired, but lacks the comforts of larger RVs. The folding trailer is a special tow-behind trailer with sides that collapse for storage. It is also called a pop-up. Travel trailers are a variation of this with rigid sides, meant to be towed by larger vehicles. One style popular in the 1950s and 1960s is the teardrop trailer, named for its distinctive aerodynamic shape. While not usually thought of as RVs, mobile homes, intended for minimal moving and requiring a special vehicle to tow them, are sometimes given the name.
Motorhomes, however, are what we most commonly think of when we hear the term "RV." These vehicles come in three classes - A, B, and C. The Class A type are constructed on a commercial truck chassis or bus chassis. Class B are camper vans, built using a modified conventional van body. Class C are the sort built on a truck chassis, having an attacked cab section. These are also called mini-motor homes. Winnebago is a common, iconic brand of motorhome, and these latter vehicles are sometimes called Minnie Winnies.
Minimal RVs generally contain a sleeping area, table and food preparation and storage areas. Many of these areas convert for other uses such as socialization, in order to save space. More elaborate RVs can add full bathrooms, refrigerators, bedrooms, satellite TV, awnings, etc. All of these areas are still very compact, even in large vehicles. Many RV drivers stay at RV parks, which provide electric, water, and sewer hookups. Very nice RV parks can also include swimming pools and recreational facilities, like a resort. Public campgrounds maintain some facilities for RVs, but they can be minimal. Each campground is different, so if you intend to RV camp at one, it is advised that you check with the operators first to see what they offer.
Some of the advantages of RV living are that moving items in and out of hotel rooms and campsites is reduced, the requirement of renting multiple rooms is removed, the beds are familiar, and one can prepare food in the RV. This makes RVing somewhat cheaper than vacationing in hotels, where one is obliged to eat in restaurants. RVs are more weather tight and offer better organization of living space than a tent. Disadvantages include poor gas mileage, the necessity of doing one's own cleaning, and the effort of towing large RVs. The initial expense of a motorhome can also be quite high - several thousand dollars and up. This is worthy of consideration if the aim of owning an RV is to reduce expenses.
Recreational Vehicles first originated in the 1920s, when campers added vehicle bodies to their existing camping cottages. RV camping clubs also originated from that time, in a group called the Tin Can Tourists. In the 1930s, RVs used air-craft style construction. Among the conveniences available were beds, dinettes, electricity and water. The increasing popularity of RVs brought campgrounds with better facilities, and after WWII, the industry flourished. The motorhome came about in the 1950s and 60s, as Americans demanded better amenities in their homes and their traveling homes. Some of the newest RVs are actually buses, powered by turbo diesel engines. These machines can rival luxury apartments in their amenities.
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