Last weekend we rented a Class C RV through out side and drive four hours east to the coast of South Carolina to stay at Carolina Pines RV Resort (See full resort reviews here). It was such an explosion!
We chose to rent through Outdoorsy because David had heard good things about it. It works similar to AirBNB. We entered our dates and specifications and saw what was available in our region. One model we were interested in was located within 10 miles of us and was available for our appointments. We booked it easily through the website and were able to contact the owner details through that.
You need a valid driver’s license to rent, but no special permits or certifications are required. Unlike rentals, there are no specific check-in or check-out times; we communicated with the owner about what we liked and easily calculated pick up and drop off times. They were really easy and flexible, which was great because we weren’t sure what to expect.
We picked up the RV on a Wednesday afternoon. We spent about 30 minutes going through the systems and how to use the device with the owner. It doesn’t feel rushed, but it’s still a bit crazy to be handed the keys to a large car so easily. David drove it cautiously at first, quickly becoming comfortable.
We took it home, backed it up into our driveway, let the kids run outside squealing to explore it, then started filling it up with our stuff. It’s neat to be able to take clothes out and put them in a drawer instead of packing a suitcase.
On Thursday morning we loaded our food and ourselves into the RV and headed east! Since the aim was to see how this would work for our family in “real life”, the girls and I did our schoolwork while David drove. I’m not sure if I was expecting to feel like a floating living room, but it’s less conducive to learning than I thought. David drove smoothly, but it was bumpier and noisier than I expected, and the books slid around the table. It was doable, but within an hour the girls moved on to relax and listen to their audiobooks and I sat up in the front next to David, which felt like a smooth and comfortable ride. than.
We once stopped in an abandoned parking lot to stretch our dog’s legs and make lunch. It’s great to be able to make your own lunch with your own food right in the car. A few hours later, we arrived at Carolina Pines!
I picked up our golf cart and followed the escort golf cart to our place. David hooked up the black drain and plugged us all in for about 15 minutes. We give a slide and that’s it; We are ready to explore!
We took Finley to the dog park and let her run before putting her in the RV crate and heading to the resort’s huge clubhouse/common area. The kids are hungover and they’re about to be surprised by a visit from Mema and Grandpa, who happen to be in their RV just 20 minutes away.
I order some snacks from the snack bar and we explore the large lawn area, surrounded by rocking chairs, fire pits, video games area, bowling alley and amenities other in the area. When Mema and Grandma arrived, the kids squealed! After a snack, we headed back to our seats to chat and show them our setup.
The kids took off on bicycles and walkie talkie (for easy keeping in touch) to look for the giant jumping pillow. We toured the RV with David’s parents, chatted for a while, laughed at our rookie state of forgetting coals, no pans and misplaced golf cart keys, and generally just enjoyed the session. beautiful evening. When they took off, I was cooking burgers in a pot on the stove because of the aforementioned “wow” noises. All went well and after some bonfire time we all slept through the night.
The next morning, we woke up to a drizzle and the promise of a heavy downpour coming. David and I got up and took Finley to the dog park where she exercised for about 45 minutes in the pouring rain. We came back when the sky started to open up, probably around 8:15. The kids are still sleeping, so we set up a place to work, make tea and pour over my coffee favorite electric kettle and cozied in for the morning.
I’m sure the kids could hear us moving around but they stayed asleep or at least relaxed in bed until 10:00. It was still raining heavily, so I made breakfast while they listened to audiobooks.
The rain was supposed to last until early afternoon, so after breakfast (brunch?), we hit the road to the apartment complex on a golf cart ride in the rain. We bought the kids credits to play video games and they had a ball while David and I played around in the gym. We return to our site to make lunch, throw together slow cooker ziti for dinner, and for the rain to finally disappear.
We spent the afternoon at the dog park, the playground (where the kids met their friends), had a bath, and then had dinner. That evening we went back to the main common area to play bowling and video games, it was so much fun. We all acted like kids and had a blast!
We were so excited on Saturday because it was supposed to be gorgeous, and rightfully so! Sunny at age 60+ throughout the day; We are ready to spend time outside. Mornings are filled with dog parks, children’s Gaga Ball tournaments, a trip to the gym, hot dogs and smores by the campfire.
In the afternoon we play putt putt, which is free and very fun. The kids took part in the kids trivia, we had a dance party in the outdoor common area, we played bingo, we played tram golf, we came back for more. little bowling, then end the night with more marshmallows by the campfire. The kids loved it all; how can they not? It’s resort life and the place is geared towards families.
On Sunday, the rain returned and time passed quickly, so after a long walk to pick up the kids, we packed up and headed home. Returning an RV is easy because our landlords are flexible with their timing. We returned it, cleaned it up, by 5:00.
Overall, the weekend is a fun time and serves its purpose well. RVing is something we’re considering doing more of, as we want to go to some National Parks, get off the beaten track and then live at a resort like this once in a while.
After the weekend, we thought we might be more 5th Wheel users, as it would allow for a bit more kitchen space, a separate bedroom for the kids, and a smoother ride, because everyone will be in the truck. We are continuing to talk about it!
