RVing a good way to vacation even in the current economy.

While the daily news continues to discuss the lagging economy and we’ve seen RV companies being impacted by slow sales, using the RV to travel is still a good deal, even with high gas prices.

With gas prices well over $4 a gallon around the country, hauling an RV gives you a moment to consider another means of travel. But once you start adding in your meals on the road, hotel rooms and airfare if you’re flying, taking your RV is still an economical and practical means for travel.

According to the biannual Campfire Canvass survey conducted by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) found that despite high fuel prices, 82 percent of RV owners say RV vacations cost less than other types of vacations and they still plan to use their RVs.

According to the latest survey, 76 percent of RV owners intend to use their RVs at least as much this spring and summer as last year, but some changes were noted. Fifty-eight percent of those who said their travel plans would be affected said they would travel closer to home and 35 percent said they’d travel fewer miles. Another 34 percent of RVers said they’d stay longer in one destination.

My family is following suit. We are staying closer to home this summer and we are staying in one place longer. But we aren’t suffering for the choices. We still get to travel and still enjoy family time, just maybe closer to home. But it gives us a chance to discover things we may not have otherwise paid attention to in our own “backyard.”

However, there are those who aren’t changing plans. The study found that one-third of RV owners say fuel costs won't affect their travel plans. We also fit this group for our one long vacation. We’re still planning a trip to West Virginia to white water raft in August – before our oldest heads out to college. We’re looking forward to the adventure, but I’m not sure we would do it if we didn’t have our travel trailer.

Eating “at home” in the RV saves money, and renting a space for about $35 a night beats the price of a hotel room, which when I checked were around $110 a night. Even at the 10 to 12 mpg we get in the truck while hauling the camper, we’re saving money. And if gas prices are really a concern, there are always popup campers, which because of the light weight don’t have as great of an impact on the gas mileage.

So, if you’ve considered an RV, but think now’s not the time, you might want to think again. This might be just the right time to make your best deal since some RV companies are giving incentives for those in the market for a new RV in today’s economy.

And while the immediate picture may not be bright, the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association believes that the appeal for RVs will continue since “the basic demand for RVs is deeply rooted in family values, the enduring appeal of the natural environment and people’s desire to instill in the next generation their cherished traditions.”