Instead Of Flying, Many Minnesota Families Hit The Road In RVs
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - One year since the start of the pandemic, there are still a lot of questions about traveling. So as families finalize their spring break plans, many are choosing to forgo flying in favor of hitting the road.
TSA reports that people are flying about half the amount in March of 2021 compared to March of 2019, before the pandemic began. Meanwhile, traveling by RV hit an all-time high for Americans in 2020, with little signs of slowing down.
Last year, Jason Sprayberry lost $20,000 worth of canceled RV rentals in his side-business as customers were unsure about any travel in the new pandemic. Fast forward a year, and he's quit his day job and now manages four times the number of rentals, trying to keep up with demand.
"Everyone who had Disney vacations booked or Caribbean excursions, they scrapped those plans," said Sprayberry. "They had to find an alternative."
Sprayberry, of RVThereYet.com and CamptasticRentals.com, says 80% of his customers in the last year have been new to RV trips.
Travel experts say benefits of RV trips include saving money on hotel stays, pretty views, and a flexible schedule. The cons, on the other hand, are high gas prices and a lack of privacy and space with travel guests.
But for families who did travel by RV, they say they would do it again.
"We've found now this isn't just the alternative but maybe the new norm," said Sprayberry.
He says all of the RVs are sanitized and sit for a few days in between rentals. He recommends for families who are thinking of an RV trip for the summer to look at securing a rental and any campground sites as soon as possible