It is finally summer time, and vacation normally comes with the season. A place to stay is a vital decision in having a wonderful vacation. The two most known ways of vacationing are RV camping and getting a hotel room. There are pros and cons to both. Hopefully, this list of the most common pros and cons will help you make an efficient decision on what method is best for you this summer vacation.

Prices differ, depending on location. However, the ratio difference is about the same difference for each location. In Pigeon Forge TN, the price as of now for a campsite at River Plantation Campground ranges from $35.00 to $38.00 a night for the cheapest site for summer. The Inn at Christmas Place has a price of around 139.00 per night for the cheapest room as of right now for the summer. Based on this research, RV camping is relatively cheaper than a hotel when it comes to the cost of staying per night. The difference between $35.00 and $139.00 is a long stretch, which is an important aspect when considering whether or not to stay at a hotel or a campsite. This price is a pro for camping, and a con for hotel rooms.

Even though the price per night is cheaper for a campsite instead of a hotel room, there is another factor to be considered. In order to RV camp, you must have an RV. If you do not have one already, that is an additional cost. A camper can be costly, depending on what accommodations you are looking for in a camper. Also, a camper requires a yearly tax and most would want insurance which also requires additional money. A hotel room does not require insurance, and you don’t have to worry about traveling with an RV to your location and back home. These aspects are a pro for hotel rooms, and a con for camping.

In a hotel room, nothing is your own (besides your clothing and luggage). In a camper, everything belongs to you. For example, you can bring your own lawn chairs and sit out in the sun or shade. Also, the campsite is perfect for children and adults alike to go bike riding or walking without the danger of traffic that is most common with hotels. RVs come with a kitchen, so you can cook a meal rather than going out to eat; a common pro that comes with RVs and a limitation on hotel rooms since most do not come with kitchens. With the outside area of your campsite, you can easily cook out steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. This is not possible in a hotel room. In a way, camping can be more private or homely than a hotel room.

A hotel room does not include having to unpack and pack up like an RV. For example, there is a lot of additional packing that comes with RVs such as food. In hotel rooms, you normally go out and don’t bother with packing so much food. RVs also require hooking up your sewage system, TV, water, electric, etc. In a hotel, accommodations are already met for you. Most RVs come with a patio; when it rains, the patio has to be positioned a certain way so that it does not collapse. This would not be a problem with a hotel room because you would not have one. RVs can be hard to haul if you are not experienced in hauling something bulky, such as a trailer.

The last pro and con I will list is the ability to have a campfire. An average hotel room does not give you a place for a nice campfire, which means s’mores is out of the question. This con to a hotel room is a good pro for RV camping, if s’mores and campfire are your thing.

I have listed the best known pros and cons of both hotel rooms and RV camping. This article should help you on your quest of planning a perfect vacation this summer. This article was not made to praise one and down the other. Hotel rooms and RV campers are both good ways of vacationing, and there are pros and cons to both. However, these specific pros and cons are important in planning a method that is in your best interest. This list is made only to help you decide whether or not you would like to camp or stay in a hotel room this summer based on your own preferences of vacationing.