Am I too old for this? Too young?

The stereotype is that behind the wheel of every RV is a white-haired retiree, but the average age for buyers is actually 49. The RV setup works particularly well for young families. "You have a bathroom, so you don't have to stop every 15 minutes," says Donna Wiss, 34, of Littleton, Colo. She rented an RV with her husband and two kids for a trip to Wyoming last summer. "It was easy to do naps and feedings with the baby. We tented the previous summer, but RVing is so much nicer and cleaner."

When do we eat?

Most RVs come equipped with small sinks, refrigerators, stoves, and microwaves, but it's best to keep the cooking simple. For dinner, make use of the campsite barbecue grill. Have disinfectant wipes handy for cleaning up after meals.

What else do we need to bring?

Plenty of charcoal, for one. But that, food, paper towels, and other necessities can be bought on the road. Agencies rent kitchen packs for about $85, with plates, pots, pans, cooking utensils, a broom, and a flashlight, and personal kits (around $35 each) with pillows, blankets, sheets, and towels. Or bring your own towels and sleeping bags, and invest in a set of campsite cooking gear.

Where should we go? 

Many RV-rental hubs give free transfers from nearby airports, and they're close to major recreation areas. The spectacular views of Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park are 90 miles outside of Washington, D.C. Or fly into Spokane, Wash., for access to Coeur d'Alene and the woods of Idaho and Montana. Pick up an RV near California's Oakland International to explore Lake Tahoe, the Monterey coast, or Napa's wine country. It's also possible to see Mickey Mouse by RV: Ft. Wilderness, a campsite inside Disney World, has RV spots with water and electricity hookups from $38 a night.