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Cruise America with an Infant- Car Seat Question

Thread starter kayak usa
Start date Aug 23, 2012

Free Member

Aug 23, 2012

Help. We are two new parents new to motorhoming. We were planning to spend 3 weeks touring California USA with our 4 month old infant. As we are from the UK our car seat is set up for attachment with a 3 point seat belt with chest and lap belts. We have just been informed that Cruise America seats ( that are not in cabin- where we are not allowed to put her) have only lap belts. Can anyone out there tell us: 1) whether they know of any British car seat make that you can use with a lap belt only that we can buy before going over 2) Any american car seats that we can buy over there that can be used with a lap belt only.( 3) Any car seat hiring agencies that will allow hire in one town (San Francisco) and drop off in another ( Las Vegas) Having been online the advice seems to be confusing and we really need to be clear on this before confirming our booking Any help/ advice would be greatfully received!!! Thanks Andy

motor roamin

Cruise America should be able to rent you a car seat whilst there......all the car companies do so I see no reason why they should miss a trick to take more money off you :thumb: All the best Rick

unfortunately they have missedthe trick re rental (presume because of litigation) and won't rent or advise!!!

Check out Walmarts website I am sure they will have one that is cheap enough to buy when you get there....they have some good deals :thumb: All the best Rick

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I wouldn't put any child in a lapbelted seat...whether in a child seat or not. there is no upper body support and no matter how tight you strap the seat in it will flip over the top of the belt in a serious accident. I know nowt about babies but if the child weighs 15lbs it will probably weigh 100lbs in a head-on accident.

Sep 1, 2012

We don't think it's possible.... We're currently in a Cruise America RV with our 7 month old. The sales guy assured us the seat behind the passenger had a three point seatbelt belt but that is definitely not the case, and its a sideways facing seat anyway. We have a maxicosi car seat and it fits, rear facing, between the diner seat and table (cushions removed). The lapbelt goes across the seat and the table wedges it in firmly at the back. We went to Walmart and none of the lapbelt only seats fit properly. We changed our intended route so we've done almost no driving rather than abort our holiday altogether but I wouldn't recommend this at all. I don't think there's anyway of getting a rear facing baby seat in one of the Cruise America RVs properly (there is no way of disabling the passenger air bag so it definitely can't go there either). It's a massive shame and we wouldn't have booked the trip if we had known. Try a local RV rental near where you want to go, they will probably be more factual and more helpful (try asking Cruise America for the local dealers contact details. We did this after reading all the terrible Cruise America reviews all over the Internet so we spoke to the people actually providing the vehicle and they answered a couple of queries we had... Although we didn't think to check the seatbelt issue...). Good luck!

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The below is written by Denise Donaldson for Safe Ride News

Traveling in an RV with Children?

Don’t forget child passenger safety.

Often, even parents who normally are careful to use a car seat for their children for every ride imagine that the interior of a recreational vehicle (RV, or motor home) is somehow a magical zone where the laws of physics do not apply. Caregivers need to know that an RV may not be safe for children. Children still need to be buckled up appropriately any time they are riding in a vehicle, and this can be a real challenge in an RV. RVs come in a range of style classes (A, B, C, C+, etc.) and, although these do vary in appropriateness for families, none is ideal.

People reason that bigger vehicles tend to withstand crash forces better, and this may lull some RVers into a false sense of security. However, bigger isn’t actually safer when it comes to RVs. Unlike school buses, which must meet the strict structural standards of several FMVSSs, RVs are not subject to school bus standards, nor do many of the crashworthiness standards governing cars apply. Because of this and design features that may include seams in the sides for things like galley slide-outs, an RV’s size may not translate to superior structural soundness. In addition, although seat belts are sometimes present in the living areas, the anchorages for these are not required to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208. In some cases, the belts are just anchored to a piece of board (which would prove completely useless in a crash). Also, LATCH – both the lower anchors and the top tether anchors – are not required.

Parents also must know that car seats and boosters should never be installed on rearward- or side-facing vehicle seats, further limiting options. And the problem of loose objects causing injury can be a greater concern aboard a traveling motel room. Even “built-in” cabinets have been known to come loose due to the force of a crash.

The video below highlights many of the problems mentioned above: the bench was not structurally sound in a crash and the adult dummy flies to the front of the RV, there are loose parts from the cabinet & table flying around, etc.

An RV is Rarely Ideal for Transporting Children

Caregivers planning an rv trip should consider these safety tips:.

Check the driving compartment for vehicle seats appropriate for installing a car seat or booster. Car seats and boosters MUST be installed on a forward-facing vehicle seat. The vehicle seat can not be side facing. All forward-facing car seats need to use a tether strap, which requires the vehicle to have a tether anchor. All booster seats require the child to wear a shoulder AND lap belt – the child can NOT sit with just a lap belt.
Unlike Class As, the smaller Class B and C RVs are built on a conventional truck/van chassis, so the cockpit shares the structural and safety features of those vehicles.
Consider using a trailer instead of an RV . The car seat has a better chance of being properly installed in the conventional vehicle that is towing the trailer.
If you are towing a passenger vehicle behind the RV, as folks often do for local jaunts around destination areas, consider driving this vehicle separately instead and transporting children in it.
Make sure that EVERYONE stays buckled up while the RV is moving and that there is enough seating to properly accommodate this.

Essential Checklist When RV Camping With Kids

Rv camping with kids checklist.

Lots and lots of snacks. This is the first item on this camping checklist with kids because there’s really no such thing as too many snacks on a family camping trip. Bring a range of options, including some favorites as well as parent-approved healthy snacks.
First-Aid kit. It’s a good idea to have a first-aid kit in case anyone gets scrapes or cuts. Be sure to bring it with you on any daytime adventures away from camp!
Flashlights, headlamps, or lanterns. These can make nighttime bathroom trips much more pleasant (not to mention safer!). Plus, little ones really enjoy having their own light.
Glow-in-the-dark accessories. Along the same lines, a few strategically-placed solar stake lamps or glow-in-the-dark ropes makes navigating the campsite at night safer and easier for the whole family.
Comforts from home. Your list of camping with kids essentials should include a favorite blanket or stuffed animal. This can help comfort your child if he or she gets anxious being away from home.

Safety Tips for RV Camping with Kids

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Traveling With Children in RVs

Aaaahhhh. Summer travel time, which includes family road trips and perhaps traveling with children in RVs. RV camping is a great way for families to get away, enjoy the outdoors with the convenience of your own self-contained space.

From a child passenger safety perspective, the question falls to, are these kids using car seats? And if they are not, should they be?

There are three classes of RVs.

Class A are the largest type and look similar to buses. They are between 15,000 and 30,000 pounds and often have living areas that extend out when parked. This slide-out portion is part of the reason the RV Consumer Group (RVCG) say the Class A RVs have more structural problems. The RVCG believes that close to 50% of Class As will not sustain a collision at 20 miles per hour without serious damage. There is no rear occupant crash testing required for Class A RVs.

Class B is more like a built-out conventional van. They typically weigh between 6,000 and 8,000 pounds so they have to meet federal seat belt standards (FMVSS 208) for the front but not for the rear seat occupants. Class B RVs can require lap belt only seat belts in the back seating if it carries a chassis-mount camper that weigh between 8,500 lbs and 10,000 lbs.

Class C RVs are more like a moving truck. These weigh between 10,000 and 12,000 pounds. And manufacturer build them on a van or truck chassis. But they come with the front cab from the vehicle manufacturer so the cab still has those safety features. Class C also have to meet federal seat belt standards for the front seating positions but not the rear.

Though these rear occupant seat belts are usually bolted to the floor, the concern is that the wooden seat structure on which the passenger or child is sitting will fail. And some rear seat belts in RVs are not even bolted to to the metal frame of the vehicle. Rather they attach to the plywood cabinets. During a crash the seat belts can be pulled out of the wood with the weight and crash energy of the occupant.

Whatever type of RV you rent or buy, remember driving a RV is a lot different than your passenger car. Take some time to safely practice before hitting the open road.

Hit the road with your family to make some memories — rent an RV with RVshare.

When traveling with children in rvs, do they have to be restrained.

All states have car seat laws to keep children properly restrained and safe while driving. RVs are no exception to this law. Laws vary from state to state. You need to follow the state car seat law for each state you are driving in with your RV.

States also have varying laws for seat belt use for adults and older children. There are 22 states that say all occupants must wear a seat belt. And 26 states have seat belt requirements based on the age of the child. You’ll want to look up the law for RV travel specifically for your state and the state’s you’ll be traveling to.

Legally required or not, it is recommended to properly restrain yourself in a seat belt and your child in a child restraint in a forward-facing vehicle seat with a crash rated seat belt.

Many states require proper use for car seats. This means if a child restraint is not installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions on a forward-facing vehicle seat with properly anchored seat belts, it is in effect illegal to transport your child in the vehicle.

Does size equal safety?

People may be lulled into a false sense of security because of the size of an RV and how bigger vehicles tend to withstand crashes better. But bigger is not necessarily safer with RVs.

For instance, the structural soundness of an RV may be questionable in a crash. One reason for this is because of design features like galley slide-outs. Often the rear compartment is built on a wood or aluminum frame. A crash impact or rollover can crush this frame. In Class A RVs, the front seat belts need to meet federal standards. However, the front compartment itself does not have to meet any crash standards and may not be crash tested.

Some RVs do not have an adequate number of seat belts for the number of occupants. Some of those that do have rear occupant seat belts have at best lap-only belts. Sometimes the seat belts are in side-facing or rear-facing seats, which should never be used to install a car seat.

The trouble is, of course, RVs get into crashes too.

RVs pose additional risks of crashes because of blind spots, extended braking distance required and lack of maneuverability. Some of the most common causes of RV crashes are inexperienced drivers — states don’t require special training or permits to drive an RV — and senior drivers — 10 percent of RV drivers are more than 55 years old who may have declining eye sight and slower reflexes.

There is great risk in RV crashes with the lack of proper ways to restrain occupants, especially children, and lack of places to even put a car seat safely facing the correct direction.

If a car seat is restrained in the rear compartment, a big risk is the wooden seat structure it’s belted to and cabinets can come apart during a crash, increasing the risk of injury or death. Then these structures — and kitchen equipment, and mounted TVs, and decorations, and everything else — become projectiles. There is serious injury risk to all the passengers.

Trouble with motion sickness, click here for some tips to ease your discomfort.

So how do you travel safely.

Safety experts discourage transporting children in RVs since it is essentially impossible to do so with optimum safety. If you do plan to be traveling with children in RVs, here are some tips:

1. Properly buckle your children in a car seat every time you are driving. In order to do this:

If you were planning to tow a car, consider driving it instead. This way your children are in their car seats in this vehicle instead of in the RV.
Fifth wheels are large towable trailers that need to connect to heavy-duty trucks with a fifth wheel towing hitch inside the bed of the truck. These trailers are spacious and may include slideouts for more interior space. Parking and maneuvering fifth wheels can be a challenge.
Other trailers include a pop-up campers, a compact trailer with canvas tent-like pop out sides when you raise the top, or travel trailers, hard walled trailers that come in a variety of lengths and may have a storage area for your toys like snow mobiles or a 4-wheeler.
Smaller Class B and C RVs that are built on a regular van/truck chassis must meet the same safety standards as passenger vehicles for the front. They may be likely to have the features needed for car seat installations.
Perhaps they have or can install a custom seat or a captain’s chair in the rear compartment (like the Galleria Class B Motorhomes ) with a seat belt that meets standards. Just like you can’t mix and match car seat parts between models or manufacturers, the manufacturer of the RV must order these parts. Make sure whatever vehicle seat is used, it is facing forward so you can install the car seat properly.
While we don’t typically recommend the front seat for children, in the case of an RV it may end up being the only safe seat belt to use for a child restraint. (Of course it will only work for a rear-facing car seat if there is no airbag or a way to turn off the airbag.)
Remember, even when using proper seat belts, passengers are still at risk of cabinets, kitchen equipment and storage supplies becoming projectiles during a crash or sudden stop.

2. Make sure all other occupants remain properly buckled also.

Unrestrained occupants are a danger to other passengers. Much like all the other interior items that become projectiles in a crash.

Car Seat Options

A car seat requires a structurally sound seat belt in a forward facing vehicle seat. That means no side seats or seats facing the back of the RV. Some forward-facing car seats require the use of a tether strap also. If you have such a car seat, you need to make sure there is an appropriate tether anchor available.

If lap-only seat belts are the only option in the back of an RV, you will not be able to use a booster seat for older children.

A RideSafer Travel Vest may be a viable option for keeping a child properly restrained in an RV. As with most things, the answer to if it will work for you is, it depends.

If there is a structurally sound lap-shoulder belt or structurally sound lap-only belt and a tether anchor in a forward-facing vehicle seat with a high back, the RideSafer should work. (Structurally sound means the seat belt is bolted to the metal frame of the RV, has a at least 6,000 lb system strength and an appropriate tether anchor strength, says RideSafer manufacturer.) If there is a adequate position that has a lap-only belt and there is a way to affix an Energy Absorbing Tether Anchor Loop (EATAL) somewhere that anchors to the RV, the RideSafer should work.

If the seat belts are not structurally sound and options “Good” or “Best” or even “OK” above are not really options for you. You’ll have to make parental choices to do the best you can for your child’s safety. Would a car seat in a not-really-structurally-sound seat belt be better than no car seat and just the seat belt? Maybe. Since there is no actually testing, we can’t say for sure.

We want to know, do you plan to be traveling with children in RVs this summer? Share your comments below.

By Amie Durocher , Creative Director at Safe Ride 4 Kids and certified CPS Tech since 2004

Copyright 2024 Safe Ride 4 Kids. All rights reserved. You may not publish, broadcast, rewrite or redistribute this material without permission. You are welcome to link to Safe Ride 4 Kids or share on social media.

We originally published this post in May 2016. We updated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

72 comments

I am just sick reading up on seat belt safety in a class A motorhome! We have a 4 yr old….where treo safely place his carseat.. ….why aren’t rear seatbelts required to have national safety standards on them!? Make a law and the allow manufacturers to just place the belts basically for ‘decoration’!!

It is rather disheartening.

So considering a vest and eata loop (as there are no anchors in the RV that i have found) to secure my 3 year old in the class c RV. The couch is directly behind the driver’s seat, so I feel like that would be the best option for placing him and would provide the best protection in a crash due to its proximity to the cab. Thoughts?

Hi Jennifer, Ideally when you sit a child in the RV using a child restraint, the child needs to be in a forward facing seat, meaning the seat – or couch as the case may be – needs to be facing toward the windshield. My assumption would be the couch is facing the side. This is not ideal. Are there seat belts available on the couch and if so what are they connected to? If this is the only location to sit a child in the rear compartment, you may consider putting your 3 year old in the RideSafer in the front passenger seat while driving. While also not ideal, it may be the safest option available. You may also want to visit with a local CPS technician in your RV so that person can see inside the RV and consider if there are other options.

Thanks for these tips for traveling with children in an RV. It’s good to know that you should try to have a towable RV so the children can ride properly in the towing vehicle. This sounds especially important if they are very young and you don’t want them to hurt themselves accidentally in a RV.

You don’t throw the kids in the towed vehicle… that’s not what’s being said here.

I believe Taylor said put kids in the towing vehicle, not the towed vehicle. So the vehicle doing the towing.

You clearly didn’t comprehend what Taylor said. Understand what you read before making improper judgment.

We just rented a Mercedes Sprinter RV for touring NZ. How do I find out if there are tether hooks in this RV. Is there a list somewhere of the RV models with tether hooks?

Hi Hollie, There should be information about tether locations in the Mercedes Sprinter owner’s manual .

Reminds me of the response the British manufacturer of the original Mini gave regarding concerns of accident safety in their cars: “We design our cars not to crash”. Class A owners are little better off than pre 60s formula one, whose victims’ best hope was being “thrown clear of the wreckage”.

Thanks so much for this article. We are looking at buying a Class C but have a 6 year old and 3 year old. Both still use a 5 point harness in the car, simply because they each still fit and haven’t complained. I was looking for booster seat options in an RV but now am second guessing our plan. We would really like the Class C lifestyle, but a travel trailer may be better for the next couple of years. The idea of the vest is intriguing but I’m not sure how my 6 year old would react to it and I am not comfortable with my 3 year old riding up front.

You’re welcome. Let us know if you have any questions along the way.

I read a post from an RV forum online where the poster was a certified child safety seat technician. He is also a motorized RV owner and he has more than one child who rides in the RV while traveling as a family. Some of his children ride side facing in a car seat! What I found interesting is that he mentioned that while the ideal circumstances is not always present in an RV motorhome (forward facing seat, bolted to the floor, lap and shoulder belts, and the like), one should still use a car seat. Even if a car seat is installed in a rear or side facing seat, it will still provide additional protection (although slightly less than in an ideally configured seating configuration) for the child than if no car seat is used. Plus there are some higher end car seats that are side impact rated that will provide the full level of protection in a side impact crash (or protect someone in a side facing seat in a front or rear impact crash,and some do exist that are certified for use in rear or side facing seats although you are not likely to find them at Walmart or Target, as they are rare but can be ordered from manufacturers. RVs are also bigger and move slower which is also safer for children and it takes a lot more force to turn one over as they are heavier. This is similar to how buses protect passengers.

The last thing I read is that the state laws vary as opposed to car seats in RVs. It has to do with the weight of the vehicle and how the state classifes RVs as if the child restraint laws apply and to what seats.

We do talk about the various laws etc in the blog above. As for car seats that are allowed to be used in a side or even rear facing vehicle seat, did this person offer examples. Car seats are not crash tested in this configuration and it’s not part of certification so no car seats are allowed to be used in a side or rear facing vehicle seat configuration. I (a CPS technician since 2004) conferred with three instructors of the child passenger safety technician program just to be sure. And all three said there are no seats (cheap or higher end) that allow for such a configuration. We are happy to look at links if you and/or he can provide them.

While a car seat in an RV not using a FMVSS 208 certified seat belt or a front facing vehicle seat, may offer some protection over not using any car seat, none would offer the “full level of protection”. Plus you still have to consider the projectiles involved a RV crash.

Thank you for this article, Aime! I have a 3 and a 5 year old and am looking into getting a class C RV. There are seat belts in the two side-facing chairs behind the driver and passenger seats. Wouldn’t it be safer to use carseats – even if they aren’t crash tested in this configuration? It seems like it would be better than just strapping them in to the seats alone – yet you mention in your first paragraph that this isn’t allowed. Just looking for a bit more information so we know what the best option is moving forward. Thanks again!

Just posting this for others to see what we did in our class A RV (I have pictures too if there is a way to share them). We took the couch out from behind the driver’s seat, bought a 2 seater van bench, bolted it to the frame of the RV, and have 2 forward facing car seats for our 2 young kids.

That’s a brilliant idea. Would love to see some pics

Great idea! Can you share pics?

LOVE THIS IDEA! Weve been stressing out how to do this with our kids, and we have about 3 seats we could use currently!

I know this post was made some time ago, but I would love to see pictures of what you did for your RV seats.

You can send pics to support (at) saferide4kids.com and we will get them posted here.

It might be interesting to do a crash test experiment with dummies in an RV and see exactly how much more protection (compared to no car seat) one has in some non-ideal circumstances. For example:

* Class A RV with a Bench Seat not bolted to the floor * Class A RV with a side facing chair * Class C RV at the Dinette * Class A V in a Rear Facing Seat

In addition, the “User ScottyDL” on RVForum.net (Search for his posts) that I described earlier mentioned that the term to search for seats that perform well in side crashes is “Side Impact Rated”. He mentioned this because if a seat is rated for side impact crashes, that when turned sideways (as in attached to a side facing seat), a child passenger front or rear impact collision will get the correct level of protection from the seat turned that way, at least in theory.

BTW, the seats have changed since I was a kid. I cannot believe I survived the following when I was younger:

* Rode in the front seat while I was still in elementary school (in fact on mountain roads it actually reduced by motion sickness) and my height was far less than 57 inches back then when I did it.

* Riding in cars with lap belts only in the back (also common back then).

* Was out of a booster seat long before I was in middle school.

* Rode in rear facing jump seats as a kid while I was in second grade,

* Rode with a teen driver their first year of licensing to/from school many days (back before graduated licensing was law) while I was in high school.

* Rode on mom’s lap sometimes as a little boy

* Rode in the back of a pickup (before it was banned)

Almost all of us are still alive in our class today at our 20 year high school reunion! Did we just get lucky?

That is an important distinction — “at least in theory.” Car seats are not crash tested for use in a side seat. The impact of a frontal or rear crash may have different crash dynamics on a car seat sitting sideways than a side impact does on a car seat facing the front.

In a sense, yes, we all were lucky that we survived a childhood riding in cars the way many of us adults did. And things have changed that also affect driving safety now compared to then such as the higher number of cars on the road, higher speeds, higher average number of miles driven and cell phones increasing the number of distractions.

Yes, we all got lucky. My cousin did not. She was 7 years old, riding the car with no seat belt on the back. She died

Thank you for all your information yet I am still not sure what to do if the Camper Van we want to use will be safe for our 3 month old. The seating options look like this, driver and passenger seats, and a bench seat in the very back of the 20 footer van that turns into a bed….

Should I be sitting in the back and have the baby in the passenger seat while my partner drives?

Also in our truck none of the seats on either bench have the 2 metal clips where the car seat gets belted onto for extra hold and then use the seat belt.. so is that safe to use for the baby and car seat in the truck?

Hi Martine, Greg emailed you our phone number so he can find out more specifics about the camper to better answer your question. As for using LATCH, it sounds like you are asking to use both LATCH and the seat belt to install the car seat. Only two car seats on the market currently allow you to do that. All other car seats do not allow you to use both LATCH and the seat belt. You need to pick one or the other. Read the car seat manual to see what it specifically says about using LATCH.

So, we have a class c with tethers in the dinette, forward facing. Do I remove all the cushions, lower the table, and then install the car seat? Do I leave the car seat on top of the dinette cushions and have a cushion behind the car seat? I’d think dismantle the dinette down to a bed with no cushions, but I’m not sure. We have a Sunseeker 3270s.

Since it’s not a crash-tested install, we don’t have definite answers to how to install properly in an RV. We would recommend putting the table down to limit what is in front of the child if there is a crash. As for the cushions it’s hard to say. How thick are they? Do they slide off at a sudden stop or are they attached somehow? Can you get a good install with the cushions or do you get a better car seat install without the cushions? Does the RV manufacturer have any recommendations, after all they put in tether anchors?

Hi, I am new to this site and want to thank you for the great work you are doing. I was right in the midst of securing an RV with a deposit to secure specific dates until I started looking at little closer at the RV industry safety standards for children. I only came upon your site very recently. I have to say that I am utterly shocked and at a loss that, given the multitude of reasons I’ve read so far, that there are isn’t gov’t sanctioned prohibition in place for having kids travel in drive-able RVs (especially the ‘payload’ area). Or, in a worst-case scenario, that child seat safety restraints (seatbelt anchors & tether anchors fastened to vehicle structure, not wood seating, etc) is not required by law in forward-facing configuration. For all these reasons and more (such as projectile potential), Even after-market hardware installation should be certified by an agency within the Ministry of Transportation of any given province or state. I’ve decided to rent a large size passenger Van with all the appropriate safety requirements. Sorry for the long text. Keep up the good work…

Dear Amie! We a family of 5, (3 children at a age of 1,4 and 6) are goingt to travel with a RV from San Francisco to Seattle in the End of May, beginning of June. We are coming from Austria and I have now studied several homepages and legal sites but I am still confused about the legal requirements. I know that it is not perfectly safe or the best way to have them in the rear of the RV. We are renting an 28-30″ RV and as far as I found out there is one seat at the dinette where a top tether anchor is available. This is the seat forward facing. So for me it would be be logical to put my youngest on this seat, with a rear facing child seat. My 2 other kids, age 4, and 6 would then be sitting on the opposite side of the table facing rearward in a child seat (booster seat with harness, behind the driver seat) On all of these seats only lap belts are available. Disadvantage is that my youngest will then face rearward and have no eyecontact with the rest of the family, so my idea was to but him on the rearfacing seat behind the driver seat and the 2 older ones forward facing on the opposite side of the table. Then the older ones could have an eye on my youngest one and I hope all regulations would then be met.. Is this correct? We are travelling through California, Oregon and Washington state.

Hi Reimar, Placing a rear-facing car seat on a rear-facing vehicle seat means the child would be facing the front of the vehicle. This is certainly not ideal. A rear-facing car seat should be on forward-facing vehicle seat so the child can take advantage of the safety benefits of being rear facing. You said the other two children are in booster seats. Booster seats cannot be used with a lap-only belt. If you meant a 5-point harness seat you can install that with a lap-only belt however it still against car seat manufacturer usage to use those seats in a rear-facing vehicle seat.

RVs do not appear to be exempt from California’s, Oregon’s or Washington’s car seat law requirements . Meaning all children legally must be properly restrained. Properly restrained means in a proper child restraint on a forward-facing vehicle seat. You could put one child in the front seat if there is no airbag but even then one child would remain improperly restrained. Will they ticket you if you get pulled over? Hard to say for sure but they could.

Since this is not an ideal situation for the safety of your children, you will have to decide how to do the best you can with what you have once you are in the RV and see what is available.

Hello….I’ve been struggling to find RVs with 2 front facing seat belt configurations.

I’m also struggling to understand why it’s discouraged (I realize it’s not ideal) to have a car seat facing to the rear, in the rear facing seat with proper seat belts. Seems to me that this would be ok (not ideal) in the event of forward impact? The back of the car seat would be against the bench seat and would absorb the impact.

Can you help me understand this better and am I correct with the above?

Hello Troy, We understand RV’s are tough category of vehicle to transport a family with kids in car seats in. I will strive to answer your question about rear facing seats though. If I understand your idea, you are describing a vehicle seat that is facing to the rear and a rear facing child restraint. Are you thinking of A. a “convertible” car seat in the “forward facing” configuration but actually facing the back because of the vehicle seat facing the back or are you describing B. a rear facing only seat like a “carrier” installed facing the back of the vehicle in a vehicle seat also facing the rear? The reason I’m asking is there are 2 different answers depending on the proposed configuration. In scenario A. the answer is “the child restraint has not been tested or certified in that configuration”. It may be safe or it may be very dangerous. We just don’t know because it was not designed or tested that way. In scenario B we have the same answer as A but also the fact that a rear facing only seat would not have a belt path to install it facing the rear in a rear facing vehicle seat adding to the potential for something to very wrong in a crash. I hope this helps.

Thank you for this blog. I am wondering about forward facing vs. rear facing. The recommendation to keep kiddos rear facing in cars has moved up to 2 yrs or longer.

Wanting to take our 18 month old in a Class C.

Side seating on a sofa seems like a bad idea bc the car seat wasn’t meant for sideways.

Install the car seat to face the rear of the RV in the dinette?

Hi Sarah, Right no car seat should not be place on a side facing vehicle seat. Car seats need to be placed on a forward-facing vehicle seat.

So is the dinette the right place? Is the seat belt on the dinette rated for safety? Is it connected to the frame of the RV or just the wood of the dinette? Or do we consider the front passenger seat which does have a safety rated seat belt? But is there a front-passenger airbag? If so, can the airbag be turned off?

Perhaps neither location is the ideal setup for a car seat, in which case you have to choose the best available after answering those questions.

Thank you. I am going to check 1. If forward facing dinette seat’s seat belts are rated for safety and connected to the RV frame. If yes to both,, I think I feel comfortable installing the car seat facing the rear of the RV in the forward facing dinette seat. If no, there’s always next year ;) Thanks again for helping narrow down the right issues to consider.

We bought a Class B 2011 with 2 forward facing buckets with lap belts behind the driver and passenger buckets and bench in the back with 3 lap belts. I worked for months to get a 3 point seat belt in the bucket seats for my grandchildren. I took motor home to Mercedes because van is a sprinter who said they couldn’t do anything. because the sprinter had already been customized in the back. I called Air Stream directly about the 3 point seat belt who said they did not have a solution. and that the van qualified for the same requirements as a bus and the lap belts were satisfactory. Then I went to a van customized shop who said they could not retrofit seat belts without going through safety testing. Then a local mechanic worked with me to buy some seat belts online which he would install but when he received them he could not bolt it the way he thought and couldn’t do it because of liability. So I only let the grandchildren come with us and sit in the lap belt seats when we are just around town vs on the highway. We are selling our RV next weekend to a young family with 2 children so once again I was looking for a solution for them. The safety vest with the anchor belt is an amazing find.. Thank you.

Bett, there is an outfit in Indianapolis that will install bucket seats. shop4seats.com

Hello! Do you have any opinion on converted school buses with van seating installed for kids? Thanks!!

I think we would need more details to form an opinion. Please give Greg a call at 844-421-7233 ext 700 to discuss the configuration.

You could purchase ford transit bench seats or sprinter bench seats and have them bolted to the frame of the bus.

I’m just curious, before my family and I even bother with an even, is this grounds for cps to get involved? I’d hate to do something fun planned for our family and it to go wrong over something we can fix!

Can you be more specific? Is what grounds for getting CPS involved? Traveling with kids in RVs? If they are properly restrained per the legal guidelines for the state(s) you are traveling in then there should be no reason for CPS to get involved.

Me and my husband are taking a trip in our new Class A RV this weekend for the first time and I do not know where to put my 8 month old in his car seat.. He is supposed to be rear facing.. Where is the safest place to put him? Our RV is also a slide out. We also have my 14 year old son and a friend of his going.. I’m not even sure where they should sit. Can you please tell me the safest place to put these kids? Thanks in advance!!

I don’t know the specific layout of your RV so I can’t tell you a spot. But the rear-facing car seat needs to be properly secured rear facing in a forward-facing vehicle seat with a lap-only belt or lap-shoulder belt.

Hi there, my husband and I are looking into renting an RV in a few months to visit some family (OK to ID). Our daughter will be 8 months around the time we are planning to go. I read that it isn’t good for them to sit in their carseat for more than 2 hours at a time. Is this correct?

Our desire was to drive straight through (10 hours) as effectively, safely and cost effective as possible. Do you have any suggestions as to what type of RV to rent and what questions to specifically as these rental companies?

During the drive, would it be safe to take her out periodically to play and feed her? Our main reason to renting and RV was to give her some freedom of movement and not have to stop every few hours for her to play and eat.

Thank you so much for your help!

Hi Kasey, It is true that it is recommended to not have your child in the car seat for extended periods of time. This became an issue because people were leaving their child in the car seat for long periods when they were not driving in the car. What you are proposing is a one time occurrence (well two because you have to drive back) rather than a habitual thing and a long drive in the car rather than letting you child sleep in the car seat at home. It would be ideal to take driving breaks (for baby and parents) to get out and stretch. And since it’s definitely not safe to take your baby out of the car seat to play and eat while driving in the RV, we would say if this is the only reason for renting an RV, it would be safer to travel by car and take several short stops. Plus probably faster and more fuel efficient. Also, you want to make sure the rear-facing car seat is at the correct incline to allow for optimal breathing.

We have read these articles and blogs with great interest because we are considering taking small grandchildren on a trip. One point in some articles appears illogical. The point states that Children’s car seats must be facing forward. Centrifugal first e will cause all vehicle occupants and objects to be propelled forward in a frontal crash. In a forward facing seat, the 1 & 1/2″ wide belts are what prevents you from going forward. In a rear facing seat, the entire seat, including head rest, prevents your body from going forward. Ideally, you would always want your back facing an impending crash., not your front. The caution about never rear facing installation of child seats makes no sense.. As long as there are frame mounted the theta and catches, either is fine. Remember you never gave a baby facing forward and the seat manufactures recommend rear facing for the first 2 to 3 years.

Hello James, You are absolutely correct that in a standard vehicle, in a forward impact, a rear-facing car seat, offers more energy diffusion/support than a forward-facing child seat. I suspect there might be some confusion between forward-facing child restraints and forward-facing vehicle seats. All child restraints are only tested and/or certified for use in forward-facing vehicle seats. In an RV there is often the option to seat occupants (including child restraints) in the back, in a rear-facing bench seating position. Obviously, because it has never been tested or certified this way, putting a child restraint in one of these seating positions would be outside of the child seat manufacturer’s specifications. To your point, it MAY be safer to install a Forward-Facing child restraint on a rear-facing bench seat BUT it is not, and can not, be recommended by anyone in the safety community because it is un-tested and outside all manufacturer installation instructions. We hope this clarifies the point. (and, just to point out, installing a “rear-facing car seat” in a rear-facing vehicle seat would put that child Forward Facing which would be very dangerous)

We have a 2013 Ford Thor four winds class c. There is a sideways jackknife sofa with seatbelts but is simply bolted to the subfloor, not the frame. There is also a dinette with no seatbelts. These options are obviously not going to work for us so we have looked into a professional to fabricate mounts to install a forward facing seat behind the passenger seat that is married to the frame. The few individuals we have contacted do not entertain the idea due to liabilities. Do you have any insight on this process as we are not interested in upgrading our rig just yet. My wife currently drives behind me with our child in the proper safety seat configuration. Traveling is not the same when we can’t all be together on the road.

Unfortunately we do not. I’ve always been told people should go to the manufacturer for that type of retrofitting. Maybe Ford would have some people they can refer you to.

We just signed the paperwork for a Class C RV (Coachman Freelander Q21B) and we have a nine month old and a six-year-old. I didn’t know this would be an issue. Where do we put their carseats?

Hi Vinita, Ideally you would put car seats in a vehicle seat that faces the front of the vehicle in a seat belt that meets federal standards. That is rather unusual in the back of RVs. You do want to make sure whatever seat belt is available is anchored to the vehicle and not just say the wooden table bench. Ideally it would also have a tether anchor available for forward-facing car seat or a RideSafer vest for your older child. You cannot use a booster seat with a lap-only seat belt if that is all that is available. I found specs for a 2017 Coachmen – Freelander 21QB. I don’t know if that’s the same as what you have or not. It does not appear that there are any forward-facing vehicle seats in the back of the RV and the specs do not share where seat belts are located. So I can’t any more specific.

This is a phenomenal forum; thank you for the careful replies to all of the comments! Like many others, we are planning on renting a Class C RV this summer to drive from the west coast of the US to the midwest to visit family. The RV we have reserved is a 2019 23′ forest river forester, in a configuration with two lap belts on the forward-facing seat of the dinette. Our children are 6.5 and 2.5, and are currently in a belt-positioning booster and a rear-facing car seat, respectively. My plan is to turn the younger around so they’re both facing forward for the trip (to watch movies, etc), but would appreciate advice on the best seat configurations for both children. The online owners manual for this RV says that there should be a tether anchor for my younger child’s car seat, but I can’t find information as to whether the seat is bolted to the chassis. Additionally, what do you recommend for my older child? His booster shouldn’t be used with the lap belt, but he’s too big for the 5 point harness that came with the booster. Thank you!

Hi Nicole, You may need to contact the manufacturer to see if the seat is bolted to the chassis. Is there more than one tether anchor? If there is another tether anchor, you could use a RideSafer vest with the lap belt and tether. You also want to look at the seat back. Will the tether strap go over an actual seat back or does it just go over a cushion? It needs to go over a solid seat back.

Excellent points – I am lucky that the RV rental is in town, so I can go inspect the actual vehicle in advance of buying any additional seats. Thank you!

We are doing a van build. Can we build a box for car seats and bolt the seats with teacher straps in a sideways position? If we got pulled over and it’s not legal do we get a ticket or what is the recourse?

Hi Tiffiani, I recommend you calling to chat with Greg about the box build. No child restraint is crash tested for use in a sideways facing vehicle seat position and would consider that an inappropriate use, which could be illegal in many states.

Hi, great forum. I’m doing a trip with my 7 year old daughter. Rented a class B converted van. Seating options are: 1. Passenger bucket seat up front (which can swivel to rear facing) 2. Side seat in back with no restraints/visible attach points.

Can she ride up front?!? (Going TX, AZ, CA) Does your restraint system work with either feont or rear seat?

The RideSafer can be used in the front seat if need be. When used in the front we do recommend pushing the seat back as far as possible. Like other certified child restraints, the RideSafer can only be used in a forward-facing vehicle seat. You can look up specific state car seat laws here.

Hello – Can you detail any RV options that HAVE seats bolted the frame/chassis with shoulder belts? My boys rear face in convertible car seats. One uses latch (but we could use the belt path he is 2 pounds away from the weight to switch) the other is belt path only. Trying to find which Brand, Class, floorplan, etc has seats bolted to the frame/chassis with shoulder belts is a nightmare online. I don’t even care how many it sleeps I can deal with all that once I get everyone there safely! Help! I have BOYS, I need the outdoors.

Hi Jamie, We are not familiar with all makes and models of RVs. The best thing to do is to visit a dealer who can hopefully point you in the right direction.

Hello, Am I correct: we have rented a RV for next summer and will be travelling in Ontario and Quebec with our by then 8 and 7 year old children. The 8 year old has to be in a car seat in Quebec, but not in Ontario (correct?). So I have been looking for a solution because our RV only has lap-belts (facing forward of sightways) and no anchor point or tether connection. Because we have 2 children, placing 1 in the front seat is no option. So I have to look for harnassed booster seats that can be installed with only a lap belt? If so I have found 2 seats that aren’t too expensive and in which my children will fit (although the 8 year old almost will be to big). Graco® Atlas™ 65 2-in-1 Harness Booster Car Seat in Glacier™ and the Graco tranzitions 3 in 1 harness booster seat. Is my story correct? Many thanks! Susanne (The Netherlands)

Hi Susanne, I’m not up to date with the various car seat laws in Canada to be able to answer that question.

A “harness booster” (also called a combination seat) is used as either a harness seat or a booster seat. As a harness seat it can be installed with a lap-only seat belt (or lap-shoulder or LATCH) and the child is restrained with the harness straps of the seat up to the height/weight specification. As a booster seat the harness straps are removed and the child sits in the seat with a lap-shoulder belt over the child and seat.

To be able to use the “harness booster” with a lap-only belt, you need to use it as a harness car seat (not a booster) so the question is does the 8-year-old fit the specifications for height/weight to still be able to use the harness in the car seat?

I’m researching the proper child restraint in a transit conversion camper van with a swivel passenger seat for a four-year-old. I’m having trouble finding any answers or suggestions for safe cargo van restraint for kiddos.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks, Kae

If it has a normal crash-tested seat belt in the seat, it should accept a forward-facing child restraint or a RideSafer vest. I would really need more information about the vehicle, seat belt configuration and child to be any more detailed. Is this the front passenger seat? Does it have a lap-shoulder belt? What do you mean by “safe cargo van restraint”; a safe restraint for a cargo van, a safe way to restrain cargo in a van?

 Hello Amie,

Thank you for the article and all the advice.

We are in a less-than-ideal situation with our 2015 Mercedes Sprinter, as we only have a front 3-seater bench from the manufacturer and it is our only vehicle at current. We are expecting anytime now.

  The middle bench seat has a full regular waist and shoulder belt + we picked up an Anchor Mounting Kit for ISOFIX Belt Connector that we installed properly for our Uppababy Mesa V2 seat

There is no way to disable the passenger airbag without manually disconnecting it. I have found ways to do this online, but MB strongly discouraged it and talked about it potentially (the person didn’t know for sure) but thought it could affect the whole system (airbags + belts), which we do not want to mess with. When chatting with MB, they talked about there not being an airbag in the centre console of the vehicle. They did say the passenger airbag is wider than the drivers side. The manual does say that a front-facing car seat can be installed (of course not recommended).

We are trying to figure out what’s best in this less-than-ideal situation here. One benefit is we created a barrier between the front and the back so projectiles from inside the vehicle/RV are minimized.

Hi Martin, If I understand correctly, you need to put a rear-facing car seat for your new baby (Congratulations) on a front bench seat which has a passenger airbag that may extends into the middle seating position and you cannot turn off the airbag. Did I understand that correctly?

We would suggest first contacting MB and see if they can tell you how wide the passenger airbag is and how far it deploys into the seating area so you can determine if it will indeed be in front of the middle seat as well as the passenger seat. If it does enter the middle seating position area, there is no way to safely install a rear-facing car seat here. If the middle seating position would be clear if the airbag should deploy, it might be OK to install a rear-facing car seat in the middle, though certainly not ideal.

It also depends on how close the seat is to the dashboard. Will the seat fit in this space?

You stated the manual says a front-facing car seat can be installed but is not recommended. That leads me to believe MB is not OK with installing a rear-facing car seat, which means if you do move forward installing one there, you would be taking on the liability.

Hi, I’ve been reading through some of the comment scenarios and was hoping to get help with my own scenario, you are a CPST is that correct?

I have a 1 year old and a 2.5 year old who rear face in pur passenger SUV and we’ve been looking into renting a class C for a road trip to Montana from AB Canada. From what I’ve found the best case scenario for installing carseats, and what the car seat manufacture allows (front facing seat) is to install both seats, table down, on The front facing dinette seat with cushion for proper recline that has the belts harnessed into the chassis (I’ve found the Thor manufacturer does this, although I’d love to know if there are more manufacturers who do so? I imagine if the dinette is on a slide that the seatbelts won’t likely be tied into the chassis?)

Let me know if I have the correct idea on this or if you know something else for my specific scenario. Thank you so much.

Hi C, Correct, car seat manufacturers only allow installing car seats in a forward-facing vehicle seat. So you cannot install car seats in RV seats on the side or facing the rear the of the RV even though there are often seat belts in these positions. I’m, however, not familiar with various manufacturer brands or styles of RVs to be able to offer a list that would be compatible to properly fitting two rear-facing car seats in forward-facing vehicle seats.

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Home Suppliers Cruise America / Canada Standard Motorhome C25

Cruise America / Canada

Standard Motorhome C25

The Standard Motorhome C25 RV from Cruise America is a good choice if you are travelling with 5 people. This RV has sleeping arrangements with two double beds and one dinette bed, where the dinette can be converted into a small bed. The total length of 25 feet makes this RV a great option for enough comfort for a family RV vacation, but it is still okay to easily maneuver into any kind of campsite.

This RV includes an internal walk-through acces, a toilet, shower, oven/microwave, airconditioning and cruise control

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C19 Compact RV

Our smallest C-Class RV is our aerodynamic and fuel efficient C19. It is narrower and will fit into a regular car parking slot. It’s perfect for a couple with its large double bed over the cab, kitchen at the back and all those other facilities. If you have a young child, the dining table easily drops to make the dinette into another bed.

Specifications
Additional Info

Power Brakes (ABS) Single Rear Tires Solar Panels No Awning Snow Chains - not allowed Personal Kits includes Pillow, Pillow case, Sleeping bag/heavy blanket, sheet, bath towel, wash cloth, dish towel. Provisioning Kit includes Cookware, cooking spoon, spatula, Tea Kettle, Broom, Small Flashlight, Soup spoons, dinner forks, steak knives, coffee cups, colander, cooking fork, mixing bowl, plastic pail, can opener, soup bowls, teaspoons, dinner knives, tumblers, dinner plates, paring knife, carving knife. Camping Chairs are subject to availability. If not available directions on where to buy inexpensive chairs will be provided at the depot. Pets: allowed and no additional charges as long as client cleans up after their pet or a cleaning charge of $250. Child Seat Installation Info Note: Floor plans and specifications are intended as a guide. Each year new vehicles are being purchased by operators from different manufacturers and we cannot guarantee exact specifications and layouts for the vehicle chosen when booked. All measurements are approximates only.

RV Travel With Children

Families going on long trips with small children will often consider a class of vehicle called a Recreational Vehicle or RV for transport, rather than dealing with a cramped smaller car and hotels along the way.

The face value appeal is obvious. RVs allow a certain amount of freedom in destinations, are potentially more comfortable than a car, and make packing easy. Unfortunately, RVs present a unique set of safety challenges for adults traveling with children that may not be readily apparent.

Types of Recreational Vehicles

Recreational vehicles, or RVs, come in three classes (A, B, and C) and are basically driving cabs with the living quarters attached. There may not be a barrier between these spaces or any sort of compartment for the driver and passenger. The Class A vehicle, or traditional motorhome, is what we usually think of when we discuss RVs.

Classes B and C are basically living quarters built on truck frames, and tend to have a more sturdy frame, compartmentalization for the driver and are subject to slightly different design and testing standards. Lastly, there are RVs which can be towed by other vehicles, and these are known as 5th wheel trailers, camping trailers, toy haulers, and travel trailers.

Seat Belts in the Cabins of RVs

Seat belts in passenger cars are subjected to a large number of federal regulations and testing. The seat belts in the cabins of recreational vehicles are not subject to that testing. Most significantly, the seat belts are often not secured to the frame of the vehicle as is required for passenger vehicles. Instead, they are anchored to the floorboard or plywood directly beneath the upholstery. While they may appear secure and tight, in the event of a crash, those seat belts could easily completely detach from their anchorage.

On the off chance that a newer model does in fact have properly tested and anchored seat belts, a host of other issues will prevent a safe installation in the cabin of a recreational vehicle.

Lap only seat belt in an RV

Many of the seat belts are on sideways or rear facing bench seats. Child restraints must be installed on forward facing seats only. Frequently, the only forward facing seatbelt in the cabin is at a table.

This seating area leaves no room for the installation of a rear facing seat, provides no top tether anchor for a forward facing seat, and has far too little room for a child in a forward facing seat to be properly protected in a crash.

In addition, these seat belts are generally lap belts only. This type of belt is unsuitable for children riding in boosters or older children and teens who pass the five-step test .

Recreational Vehicle

Other Seating Types

RVs can also include recliner or easy chair type seats which may have lap/shoulder belts. These seats appear to lock into place, but the vehicle belts are not usually attached to anything other than the seat itself. This type of seat belt may not be allowed by some child restraint manufacturers and the soft, cushiony, and padded seat may also prevent a solid car seat installation.

This couch faces sideways in the RV and folds out to become a sofa bed. The seat belts are simply attached to the wooden frame of the couch and tuck away when not in use. In these seats and the seats at the dining room table, there is inadequate vehicle seat support for adults. It’s easy to imagine a larger child, teenager, or adult hitting their head on the glass window in the event of a crash or even a sharp turn.

Recreational Vehicle seat belt on a couch — these belts are NOT bolted to the vehicle’s floor

There is a front passenger seat next to the driver which can be an appropriate place for a child restraint; it has a lap/shoulder belt and a suitable forward facing vehicle seat. However, the belt may not lock for installation of car seats and it’s unlikely to have a tether anchor for a forward facing child.

The passenger seat is the best option for a forward facing child passenger in an RV. If there is no passenger airbag, it might also be suitable for a rear facing car seat. If you have more than one child in the vehicle, you’d be left with making tough decisions, so the best option is to travel in another vehicle.

Legality of Transporting Children in an RV

The majority of states in in the United States require proper use for child restraints. For RV travel, this means the following: when a seat is not installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions on a forward facing vehicle seat that has properly anchored seat belts it is de facto illegal to transport your child in the vehicle.

And even if it were legal, it remains unsafe. Because of this significant safety risk with installing car seats in RVs, CSFTL advocates against RVs for family travel.

Other Safety Concerns

The inside of an RV has everything from cabinets, food, and appliances to the kitchen sink. While there are some versions of these vehicles with most larger parts bolted to the frame, that isn’t always the case.

Cabinets can open when the vehicle makes a turn, and everything inside can get jostled and tossed about. In the event of a crash, there’s a good chance that all of these heavy objects can shatter or fly around. If these objects strike the occupants, severe injuries or even worse could result. Travelling inside an RV presents a significant risk of being injured by a projectile.

One exception would be for a Class B or C vehicle, and generally only for the driver and front passenger. Those particular seats are in front of the vehicle, usually in a well of sorts or with a partial wall on either side. That setup can work as a somewhat effective barrier or compartment.

Safe Options for Recreational Vehicle Travel

Travel trailers are a safer option — children can ride safely in the tow vehicle

Preferred alternatives to Class A, B or C vehicles are the travel trailer and 5th wheel RVs. These types of RVs are towed by a vehicle, so passengers ride in the vehicle instead of in the RV itself.

Trucks or larger SUVs can make the perfect vehicle for towing such large items and can provide plenty of safe seating positions for families with children in child restraints. While precautions must be taken to ensure that the RV is being towed properly, these are generally considered the safer option for traveling with children. Camping trailers are smaller, compact “pop up” versions of travel trailers, and are folded down during travel. Toy haulers are similar to 5th wheel and travel trailers, with extended space and ramps for all terrain vehicles and similar smaller recreational vehicles.

Many families, my own family included, have used or are curious about using RVs for family travel. Who doesn’t dream of a long road trip, camping, and adventure on the road? By choosing the appropriate vehicle for your family, or perhaps making arrangements to follow behind or travel separately, everyone can enjoy a trip to the great outdoors.

Manufacturers’ Statement

In September, 2016, the Manufacturers Alliance for Child Passenger Safety (MACPS) published a new statement that definitively discourages the use of motorized RVs for the transport of children . Because of many of the concerns outlined here (seat belts, seat structure and lack of federal testing in RVs) MACPS also recommends parents “choose a non-motorized tow-able RV, so that children can be restrained properly in the passenger vehicle that is towing the RV.” (You can read the entire statement here ). MACPS is an organization made up of representatives from child restraint manufacturers; in a usually competitive industry they work together to clarify issues in child passenger safety, and everyone in child passenger safety benefits from the time and resources they have collectively dedicated to disseminating essential information. At CSFTL we are very thankful they have taken the time to clarify their position on Recreational Vehicles!

Originally written by Laurel, edits maintained by CSFTL.

Privacy Overview

RVing with Kids: How Our Family Started

We didn’t start the year planning to get into RVing with kids. But this year has been full of surprises, including this one.

Both my husband’s parents and my parents live on the east coast of the United States – across the country from where we are in California. While we usually see them a few times a year, COVID-19 has obviously complicated that. It’s been disappointing for everyone that we haven’t been able to spend time together. One set of grandparents hadn’t even met our newest baby at over 5 months old!

As all of our parents are in high-risk categories, we definitely didn’t feel comfortable flying or even driving a car and stopping at hotels/restaurants. So we started considering RVing with kids.

We had a few concerns before getting started (including putting car seats in RVs – more on how we resolved that coming soon), but one of the biggest factors was cost. While in my mind, RVing with kids was an economical option, it turns out it can add up quite quickly.

RVing with Kids: Cost to Rent

Since we’re a family of 7, we needed an RV that was not only big enough to sleep all of us, but that also had enough seats and seat belts for everyone. We needed to make sure it would be possible to RV with a baby. This limited the companies from which we could rent, as well as the number of vehicles that were available.

After doing some back-of-the-envelope calculations, we found that it would be somewhere in the range of $16,000-17,000 to rent an RV that was big enough for our family for about 5 weeks. Holy cow! We were shocked. Since RVing with kids and (or without kids) has become increasingly popular this summer, the rates also reflected that. We were not thrilled.

Why We Chose to Buy When RVing with Kids

As we were looking around at different rental options, we noticed a “ Buy An RV ” tap on the Cruise America website, so we clicked through out of curiosity. We’d peeked at some other used RVs before but there were a few issues:

Inventory. It was almost impossible to find an RV in the size we needed in our area.
Cost. Private sale RVs were quite pricey – about 150% of what we found with the Cruise America used RV.
Age. The RVs being sold privately were almost all really old. While some people might not mind some work, we didn’t want to deal with a bunch of maintenance (our family only owns one car for a reason!).

We were surprised when we saw the Cruise America stats. The price was significantly more reasonable than private RVs that were much older. The one we found was a Class C 2016 Thor Majestic 28A with about 127k miles on it. It was listed for $34k. However, they did not have time to repaint and add in the manufacturer’s stickers, so they reduced the price by $3k. Eventually, we got a discount to $29k, which felt pretty reasonable compared to the rental cost. (Adding in the extended warranty cost a bit more.) This also compared well to the Kelley Blue Book value of $44k. Between that and the wait list/demand for the vehicles, we felt confident in purchasing it, as well as in our ability to resell it in the not-so-distant future.

Also, at the time, there was one available in Arizona. We considered having one of us fly there, check it out, drive it back home to the Bay Area in California, quarantine, then start driving out to grandparents. But that seemed like a giant hassle.

Considering a Used Cruise America RV

After seeing that, we decided to call our local Cruise America lot to see if they happened to have anything available. They didn’t, and also had a 2-month long waitlist. But we continued chatting, and connected with the salesman.

After a couple days of talking to him, he agreed to pull one of the current RVs off the lot to sell to us. It was one that they would’ve pulled in a few months, after a summer of rental time. But he agreed to pull it off a bit early. (This meant it also had slightly lower mileage than other used RV sales – they tended to be in a tight range of 130k-135k, but ours was about 127k.) So we went to check it out.

Concerns And Benefits When Buying a Rental RV with Kids

Honestly, I was VERY hesitant about purchasing a used RV that had been a rental. What if it was gross? What if there were other things wrong that we wouldn’t find out about until after driving it off the lot? I’d heard about terrible things customers had done to rental vehicles, so I was incredibly wary.

No one was more surprised than me that my fears were totally assuaged after researching, talking to the sales manager, and seeing it for ourselves.

Care. Since Cruise America owns a whole fleet of vehicles that are all the same, they get regular and efficient maintenance.
While people may take some rental vehicles out for a joy ride, that seemed pretty unlikely with a large RV.
Cleanliness and upgrades. Cruise America takes great care of their rigs after each rental. They also put in a few upgrades (flooring, seat covers, etc.) that we didn’t see in private purchase RVs. This was in much better condition than many of the older used ones we saw. They also do a FULL clean and sanitize everything prior to sale.
Reviews. We read dozens and dozens of reviews from people who had purchased used Cruise America RVs. They were overwhelmingly positive when discussing both the value and the condition/quality of the rigs.
Extended warranty. This last one was the clincher. While there is a basic warranty that comes with the vehicle, you can purchase an extended warranty that’s good for an additional 100k miles or 5 years. This warranty covers most anything of concern, and really put my fears to rest. From what we’ve read, Cruise America is also super easy about honoring the warranty and taking care of any issues.

Safety Considerations When RVing with Kids

The final and most important consideration when RVing with kids was the safety aspect. We read a LOT of mixed reviews regarding safety when putting kids in a motorized RV. Some people did it and felt fine, some people used car seats, some people had older children, and some people would never ever consider putting kids in a motorized RV. It was difficult to sort out all the information to find laws and recommendations from experts, especially when putting an infant in an RV.

So I did a lot of digging into what features our RV needed to have in order to safely house kids and to put a car seat in an RV. Since I knew the specific model, I also researched what modifications were a possibility/necessity, and what restraints may or may not work. To do that, I did a LOT of Googling on RV car seat laws and also spoke to several Child Passenger Safety Technicians.

CPSTs are highly trained not only in vehicle and child restraint safety. They’re also very knowledgeable when it comes to seat configurations and requirements. Because I’m anal, I didn’t want to just talk to one, but instead talked to 3 different ones, in 3 different states. Stay tuned for the next post where I’ll go into detail about those safety considerations when RVing with kids!

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24 responses.

This is great! Looking forward to hearing the rest of your journey. We’ve also looked into RVing due to my husband’s allergies (which make picking a random roadside place to eat challenging), but the $150-200/night rental, plus mileage and gas, plus an actual campsite to park it make it seem cost prohibitive (and a nuisance when I could just stay in a reasonable hotel at that point).

For sure! I was really surprised by how much an RV rental was. This is an upfront cost, but feels more reasonable long-term, and allows a lot more trips.

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[…] My oldest daughter is turning EIGHT today! Eight somehow seems so much older than seven, doesn’t it? It’s like they’re suddenly an older kid and in upper elementary. She’s always been a bit of an old soul, though, so I’m delighted to see how she blossoms at this age. I wanted to make the day special and fun with a birthday gift for an 8 year old girl, especially since we’re not at home to celebrate. […]

[…] comes to road trip entertainment for toddlers. They’ve been a lifesaver as we’ve spent an extended time in our RV! Here are all of my favorites that are tried and true, and worth the space in our […]

[…] been hiking with kids for nearly a decade now, but have been very consistent with it while RVing around the US. We were a bit out of practice at first and aimed for 1.5-2 mile hikes with kids. After a few […]

[…] never say never, because unusual times call for unusual measures. (Read all about how our family started RVing with kids!) Much to my astonishment, I became a first time RV buyer! Who would’ve guessed? (Certainly […]

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[…] it’s certainly possible to boondock in a car, our family has only done dry camping in our RV. Below I’ll share some dispersed camping tips to make sure you have a successful […]

[…] wrote extensively about why we decided to join full time RV life right here. In short, we have parents with significant health risks who live across the country […]

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[…] a slightly weightier shoe, they are very comfortable to walk in. My husband broke his toe on our extended RV trip, and he wore these hiking sandals for men almost exclusively for a few weeks. They provided enough […]

[…] exploring outdoors so much in our RV this year, we’ve found a lot of incredible hiking. But Sedona was unique and really special […]

[…] met our youngest baby, and mine had only seen her for a few days after she was born. The biggest reason we bought our RV is so we could safely quarantine to see […]

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7 Best Class C RVs for Traveling With Car Seats (With Videos)

October 24, 2021 by Charlotte Phillips

Last updated on December 18th, 2023 at 09:45 am

All of our reviews are based on exhaustive research, industry experience and whenever possible, hands-on testing. When you make a purchase using one of our chosen links we’ll receive a small percentage of the proceeds. This supports the site and keeps Jeffsetter running. You can read more here .

Traveling with the whole family can make for a vacation of a lifetime. Bringing along the kids on a camping adventure can be a wonderful experience, but what do you do when your kids still need car seats?

Many RVs have enough space for a family of five , but does this include adequate and safe seats for your infants and toddlers? You may be feeling nervous about renting or purchasing an RV with your youngest family members in mind.

Thankfully, there are Class C RVs with car seats and young passengers as priorities- we’ve compiled a list of some of the best options on the market today. We’ve created a video of our favorites or you can keep reading:

What To Look For In A Class C RV For Car Seats?

If you’re searching for a Class C RV for car seats, there might not be a clear picture painted for you of where to even begin. However, that’s why I’m here to tell you some of the main things worth considering before making a final purchase. Let’s get started!

There are many rules for car seat safety for children in moving vehicles . The type of RV you purchase should be in line with these safety rules. While you may not know what to consider right away, your car seat style should influence the types of seats you look for in an RV. Having the ability to securely latch your child in their car seat can be more difficult than you think in a Class C RV.

While the front two seats are always well-equipped for two adults, the chairs may not be a great choice as they are technically the “front” seats of the moving vehicle. So, finding an RV with proper backseat options for your car seat or booster seat is easier said than done. You may be dissatisfied with many RV bench seating options or may find yourself struggling to find proper safety belts throughout.

You can always have your child in the passenger seat in the main, upfront cab. These seats often have the most safety features involved and can be swiveled or moved and locked into whatever position you need. However, make sure the Class C rig you’re considering has the ability to hold a rear-facing car seat (should your child be at that age), or even a booster seat if that’s the safest seat in the RV.

Seatbelt Style

Speaking of various seat styles onboard a Class C rig, you should keep an eye out for various seatbelt styles onboard an RV as well. Some may just be lap belts; others may be incapable of adjusting for your child’s car seat.

If an RV features bench seating while the rig is in motion, you may feel like there’s no secure option for your infant. On the other hand, some RVs may offer a solid and stable individual seat for your car seat or booster (or even your dog crate).

No matter what, there’s no doubt in my mind there’s an RV out there for car seats and infants. After all, many families RV with the entire family involved, not just their bigger children! Finding an option that works for you may take time, but it’s possible.

How Many Seats Available

Not only should you consider what seat works for your booster seat or car seat, but you also need to ensure there are enough seats for everyone else. Generally, two seats are present in Class Cs; two captain chairs in the cab. But what other options are there?

There are always more seats in a Class C (but more seats than in any Class B RV) , but you should ensure there are seatbelts available for these seats and for every non-infant person onboard your RV. Class C RVs are not the biggest rigs available on the market, so you may find some seats lacking. Plus, some may only be positioned in slide-outs, potentially leading to questions about the overall safety and stability of the seats.

However, most states don’t require everyone to have a seatbelt in a Class C RV, making the idea of “seats” up for debate. But on the other hand, RVers traveling with many small children may want each of them to have a proper seat and seatbelt. This is important to keep in mind.

Other Safety Features

If you’re concerned for your child’s safety while your RV is in motion, you may be wondering what other safety features are possible in a Class C RV. Whether you plan on boondocking and going off-road , or simply want to take it easy, there are some things to keep in mind.

Are you looking for an RV with a backup cam or a security system ? Maybe you are hoping to have locking cabinets to keep your kids out of certain areas. Some of these things can be installed after you have purchased your RV, while others can be added by the RV manufacturer.

A huge safety feature to consider before making your final purchase is whether or not you can turn off the passenger seat airbag. If you plan on installing your infant’s car seat in the front cab passenger seat, having an airbag on is a huge no-no.

However, some Class Cs will have the option to adjust the airbags as needed, especially the passenger side one. Thinking ahead and considering what’s safe for the whole family takes more time than you may have thought!

Layout And Room For Everyone

While a Class C may not be the largest RV on the market today, choosing a roomy and spacious option is easier than you may expect. Finding an RV with room for the whole family is possible- it may just take some time.

Class C RVs have many versatile layouts and floor plans, and some RV manufacturers pride themselves on their countless design choices. Finding an RV with a spacious master suite or perhaps even a luxurious bathroom is possible .

Always remember the above cab bunk area is designed for sleeping- this should help when you’re considering how many beds are likely to be needed. These cab bunks are perfect for a child or teen, and many have privacy screens so they can have their own little sleeping area.

Some Class Cs will even have bunk beds, or master bedrooms with the ability to close the door. This can be useful if you plan on traveling with an infant or toddler- keeping the door closed while you sleep may help your other guests from being disturbed should your baby cry.

Good Brands Of Class C RVs For Car Seats

If you’re shopping for an RV for the first time, especially a Class C RV for car seats, you may be curious about what some good brands may be. While shopping, remember to think about whether you’re looking for a gas or diesel RV- this will greatly affect your decision and brand choice .

Let’s take a look at some of my top picks (all of which have families and safety in mind)!

Jayco has been talked about among RVers for some time, especially RVers bringing the entire family along. This brand seems to often focus on durability, advertising specialist sturdy RV frames. They use a lot of custom woodworking, and make Class C RVs to last a lifetime!

Coachmen is another classic RV brand with a focus on family-friendly layouts. They use their space wisely more often than not and are a well-known brand. Their overall interior design may be simple, but it’s durable enough for kiddos of any age.

You’ve heard of Winnebago by now, right? Known for their affordability and overall customer service, Winnebago keeps wowing RVers with their innovations, usually for a good price. They know the importance of bringing the whole family along for the ride, including infants!

Forest River

Forest River is well regarded in the RV world and has been for decades. They make a great variety of rigs, from fifth wheels to Class C’s, so definitely keep them on your shortlist! They have many layouts, and countless RV brands under their iconic brand.

You may not have heard of Thor brand motorhomes yet, but they are getting popular! Known for being budget-friendly like Winnebago, Thor is proving to be another reliable brand in the RV world. They make many family-friendly rigs, including those with car seats in mind.

7 Best Class C RVs For Car Seats

Now you know some of the nitty-gritty when it comes to shopping for a Class C perfect for your family, it’s time to take a look at some of the best Class C RVs for car seats on the market today.

Keep in mind some of these rigs may need to be toured in order to ensure you have the proper safety features for your child’s car seat. I highly recommend contacting the RV’s manufacturer or taking the time to do a 360-degree online video tour of the rig, if possible.

Best Overall: Coachmen Freelander

The Coachmen Freelander is a very popular RV for families, including those with car seat needs. With seven floorplans to choose from, I like having a wide range of choices and exploring multiple layout options to see what suits me best. The Freelander mantra is to provide more factory-installed features than anyone else, unparalleled value, and reliable design and quality at an affordable price. This Class C RV has won me over with its blend of beauty, function, and value matched with impressive quality too.

In terms of the interior, this rig has U-shape and J-lounge dinettes which offer roomier seating and larger converted bed areas. Each of the floorplans offers true residential-size queen or king beds in the master suite, which means my partner and I don’t have to sacrifice comfort when we take to the road with friends! I like to think of myself as a bit of an RV chef – it’s hard to get out of the kitchen when I’m in the mood to cook up a storm! Therefore, I love the floorplans with a large residential-sized fridge and pantry as I can make goodies and store them away effortlessly.

There are even more perks to this rig, including larger fresh water tank capacities of around 50 gallons, optional tank heaters, and LED strip lighting both inside and outside along the awning. This brings such warmth to the outside of the rig and helps with the overall camper aesthetic . The multiple large access storage compartments are super handy too, as it means an average of 70 square feet of storage is gained, across many floorplans!

While the interior design doesn’t particularly catch my eye, having a reliable and well-built rig is more important for me, as it means the bones of the rig are strong and durable. As for car seat opportunities in this Class C RV, it really depends on the floorplan, but the Freelander 31MB has a standard single child tether at the dinette which can help solve the problem for some!

Most Spacious: Thor Four Winds

The Thor Four Winds is a special Class C RV, with an astonishing twelve floor plans to choose from. This is a budget-friendly Class C, capable of fitting a family of five and then some- these are just some of the reasons why the Four Winds model takes the cake! I see this rig everywhere, and it’s not hard to see why.

Twelve different floor plans mean any RVer can find an ideal layout. The overall length of the Four Winds ranges from 24′ 1″ to 32′ 4″, making this rig great for new RVers wanting smaller rigs and pros able to handle over 30 feet over RV! I find this Class C easy to drive and effortless to love, with impressive living amenities, and some floorplans even including washer and dryer prep!

This is a game-changer for full-timers and since there are bunk beds and various seating options available, it’s not hard for the whole family to get comfortable. The 31WV is the biggest floorplan of the Four Winds, and with a seat belt capacity of seven and a general range of seating opportunities, it can handle a big family or travel group.

Every model has residential easy-to-clean vinyl flooring, great for traveling with small kids and pets . I love that Thor Motorcoach has even thought about rainy days in this RV, as there’s an entertainment system to provide smiles when the skies are gray outside. Every Four Winds model has a cab-over bunk sleeping area, and some floor plans come with bunk beds, so it’s easy for the whole family to take an afternoon nap if need be!

Four Winds living arrangements vary from jack-knife sofas to Murphy bed sofa conversions and theater seating. Each layout has a TV and a wireless phone charger with a USB plug at the dinette tabletop which I think is super convenient as it means I can work and stay connected from the table. The whole family can gather around the Dream Dinette, laugh and tell stories about the best part of the day’s adventure, and convert the dinette into a bed when everyone’s ready to hit the hay!

All in all, Thor has taken what families want and need out of an RV and boiled it down into an affordable and durable rig for years to come. There are safety features you need for a car seat and enough space for everyone to boot!

Most Safety Features: Jayco Melbourne

I think it’s near impossible to go wrong with the purchase of a sturdy and reliable Jayco RV, which is why the Jayco Melbourne remains popular year after year. While it’s on the more compact side for Class C RVs, this rig is still great for small families or travel groups alike. Having a reliable diesel engine isn’t where the perks stop. From two twin beds to walk-around master suites, this compact Jayco will have a floor plan to suit a wide range of RVers.

There are dinettes and different bathroom options, including ones with a separate shower and toilet which I find is a huge bonus when multiple individuals come along for RV adventures! The interior is also nothing to scoff at; stylish and elegant, it’s an RV that makes it easy to forget I’m camping. Jayco installs stress-tested seatbelts in every designated seating location which I love, as it shows safety is a high priority for the company, and they understand the needs for child safety too.

Jayco has designed their overhead bunks to hold 750 lbs which is 250 lbs more than any other RV. In a Jayco overhead bunk, two adults can comfortably rest and relax, or I can jump up and read my niece a book before she goes to sleep knowing I won’t come flying through onto the floor!

Jayco is a fantastic brand for many reasons: warranty, resale, and advanced handling technologies. JRide, which offers a powerful blend of precise handling and renowned stability, is Jayco’s special chassis addition not found on any other Class C. These important additions make me feel confident that every RV trip will be comfortable, without the need for expensive aftermarket upgrades.

Jayco’s warranty is the best in the RV business. The two-year limited warranty is twice as long as the industry standard, keeping me covered for two full camping seasons. Jayco recognizes the importance of having a rig that remains in your family as children grow.

Best For The Adventurous Family: Winnebago Ekko

The Winnebago Ekko is far more than meets the eye and is a Class B/Class C hybrid, for lack of a better term. They’ve reinvented the RV wheel yet again, and this Class C can take me anywhere- even including a car seat! Combining the efficiency of a camper van and the capacity of a Class C coach, the Ekko is bursting with features from the massive heated pass-through garage to the large living, sleeping, and cooking space , the Ekko is sure to become a favorite family adventure vehicle.

The 3.5L EcoBoost V6 delivers 310 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque, while the 31-gallon fuel tank greatly extends the Ekko’s range, so I can chow down plenty of miles between destinations. Standard safety features include adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping system, pre-collision braking, driver alert, and more, plus the Winnebago-added blind spot monitoring system which is great for heightened road safety.

I love that this EKKO lets me camp pretty much anywhere, with three solar panels bringing 455 watts to the table, along with a second alternator for charging batteries while I’m driving, I know power isn’t an issue anymore! The standard lithium-ion batteries provide further energy independence and the reliability I need when I’m camping off the grid.

The 50-gallon freshwater tank plus proportionate waste tanks make extended stays possible, and mean I don’t need to stress too much about heading to the campground to dump waste – it’ll take days to fill up! A full galley equipped with energy-efficient appliances and a dry/wet bath with a pivoting wall separating the shower area, makes families feel right at home anywhere.

And thanks to the dinette seating with three-point seat belts and child seat tether anchors, finding a safe place to sit while the rig is in motion is easy. There’s even added sleeping capacity and penthouse views with the optional pop-top which I think I’d go for to increase space just a little bit more.

Most Homely: Tiffin Wayfarer

While Tiffin may not have made our top brands list for Class C RVs, they have one fantastic Class C: the Tiffin Wayfarer . This stylish and well-built rig is perfect for an adventurous couple with an infant, especially if those hoping to travel with all the comforts of home.

Designed inside and out with every need in mind, this diesel Class C features a spacious interior, industry-standard safety features, and high-performance handling with its Mercedes-Benz chassis. I’ve owned quite a few Mercedes in the past and time after time they prove themselves to be a trustworthy and reliable brand.

RVing for me is all about spending as much time connecting with nature as I can, and that’s what the Wayfarer is all about. It’s been ingeniously engineered with ample storage to bring gear along for any journey. There are four stylish floor plans found on this 25-foot rig, from twin beds to Murphy beds. Similarly, there are four elegant interior design options to choose from too, giving the interior a sleek, fresh, and personal touch. You can take a look at one of the floorplans in the detailed tour video below:

I always worry about moisture in my rig and try to keep mold and mildew at bay as much as possible, but luckily I don’t have to worry too much about issues like these with the Tiffin, as the interior is safe behind Tiffin’s one-piece, moisture resistant molded fiberglass roof cap.

Not only is this rig safe for the whole family- it’s luxurious too. It has an instant hot water heater, two large house batteries, ducted heat and cooling, heated holding tanks, and a shower with a skylight. Handcrafted cabinetry is an upgrade which is a little frustrating as many other rigs have this as standard! But I think it’s worth a little extra cash for those who will be spending considerable time inside the Tiffin as it ignites the homeliness and warmth of this RV.

Tiffin offers the most warranties out of any of these brands for its Wayfarer, including an exclusive owner’s club. The warranties cover the overall rig, paint delamination for three years, two separate chassis warranties, and one year of reliable roadside assistance. The Tiffin is a rig I can feel safe in with my partner and my dog on board too.

Best Class C RV With Latch System: Thor Quantum

The Thor Motorcoach Four Winds has already taken a place in our list of best Class C RVs for traveling with car seats, but there’s another Thor that’s also a fantastic option. The Thor Quantum is a bit of an initial investment, but with lengths starting at just 24′ 1″, it’s a great all-rounder, with seat belt capacity of either 6 or 7 depending on the floorplan, and a tether or latch system for a child seat too.

Impressively, there are nine floorplan options with the Thor Quantum, each one being spacious and airy with the WS31 being the largest and most expensive layout. It’s a mighty 32′ 4″ in length, 11′ 2″ in height, and has a GVWR of 14,500 lbs, making it a beast to drive on the open road! These figures may be a bit too intimidating at first, but I always say practice makes perfect, and after a few trips of driving a new vehicle, my confidence usually skyrockets!

I like my RV to be ready to handle year-round climates and a range of terrains as I want the freedom of camping wherever my wheels can take me! The premium one-piece cross-flex exterior roofing provides extra support and protection, and the deadbolt lock on the entry door enhances the overall security of the Quantum.

There are a few additional features that really stand out to me with the Quantum such as the power awning with LED lighting, slide-out room topper awning, roof ladder, and exterior grab handle, as together they all transform this RV into a convenient, robust, vehicle, ideal for full-time living or short vacations. The kitchen also catches my eye as it has all the essentials as well as a 2V ceiling vent in the kitchen to prevent cooking smells in the RV every day, and a pantry cabinet perfect to stock all of my baking equipment and ingredients!

Along with a single child latch in the dinette, there are also multiple passenger seatbelts throughout this rig. This allows families to be safe when moving from location to location, and I can rest easy upfront with cruise control on, knowing everyone on board is safe and secure.

Safest RV For Car Seat: Entegra Coach Odyssey

With such a variety of RVs available today, it can be hard to sort through them all and find the best option for the whole family. The Entegra Coach Odyssey is an epic Class C RV, with enhanced safety, and kid-friendly floorplan options, all on a reliable Ford E-450 chassis boosted by a 7.3L V8, 325 horsepower engine with 450 ft-lb of torque.

With a fire extinguisher, carbon monoxide, and smoke alarms, along with 2-point seatbelts in all designated seating areas in the RV, Entegra don’t mess around with safety! This is a classy-looking rig, with a modern interior fit for the entire family to have some fun. There are seven floorplan options with the rig, and each one features an awning , exterior TV, functional bathroom area, well-equipped kitchen, and plenty of empty floor space so everyone can move around freely without bumping into each other!

There are several features with the Entegra that really get my attention, but some are only available as optional extras, meaning the overall cost is bumped up significantly! However, I do think the automatic hydraulic leveling jacks, 200W solar panel setup, AC, and folding windshield are all worthwhile investments, especially for full-time travel.

I travel through all four seasons, and this means being ready to face scorching heat in summer and soggy, cold days when winter hits. Therefore, it’s essential for me to take winterization seriously, and get my rig in the best shape to tackle colder temperatures. This is made easier with the Entegra as there’s a specific winterization drain system, ideal for making my life far more convenient!

These rigs have a hefty price tag, but for such a luxury coach, it’s hard to disagree with the pricing! Little ones can stay safe and secure, I can sleep happily in a queen or king bed, and there’s a great warranty for peace of mind too. Entegra Coach offers a 2-year limited warranty with a 3-year structural warranty for the roof, walls, and floors, so I feel supported no matter where I am on the road.

Final Thoughts

Finding a Class C RV with infants and toddlers in mind may seem like a daunting task at first. However, with some research and important answers to questions, you’ll no doubt find a Class C RV to work perfectly for you and your family!

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Types and equipment of motorhomes for rent in the USA and Canada

Are you wondering what the campers in the USA look like in the Cruise America rental company? How are they equipped? How much does it cost to rent additional equipment? What is hidden under the American motorhome markings in the USA? Do the campers look exactly like in the photos?

First, I will provide an explanation of the shortcuts you'll notice in both this article and others about renting a motorhome in the USA.

RV - recreational vehicle , that is simply a motorhome in American style
C - Cab Over or alcove

Cruise America rentals : “All the models that can be rented from Cruise America are built for rental. Although we cannot guarantee that their equipment is one hundred percent indestructible, we make every effort to ensure that elements such as lockers are safe, materials - durable, curtains properly secured and thick to keep out light, and mattresses and vinyl floors are easy to care for. We are constantly striving to make our vehicles better and better. Together with the design team of one of the largest manufacturers of such vehicles on the American market, we are working to ensure that our motorhomes are modern and up-to-date ”.

All campers are equipped with a fridge and freezer. They all have a cooker with hotplates and a microwave, as well as storage cabinets in the kitchen area. Each motorhome has a shower, sink and flush toilet. Waste water from the bathroom and kitchen is discharged into two tanks, unless the motorhome is connected to the campground sewage system.

All vehicles offered by Cruise America and Cruise Canada have power steering and brakes and an automatic gearbox.

If you are traveling as a pair and do not care about maximum amenities, and your priority is mobility, economy and easy parking, choose the C19 or T17 model. And if you're traveling with the whole family, the C25 is the best choice. For larger groups going on a longer journey, we recommend the C30 model, which provides the largest amount of space.

A common question that arises is whether in the US motorhomes actually look like in the pictures - they look almost identical. They are covered in the same way and it is impossible to rent a motorhome without a sticker.

Models of motorhomes for rent from Cruise America and Cruise Canada

If you are traveling as a pair and do not care about maximum amenities, and your priority is mobility, economy and easy parking, choose the C19 or T17 model. If you are traveling with the whole family, the C25 or C30 will be the best choice. For larger groups going on a longer journey, we recommend the C30 model, which provides the largest amount of space.

Cruise America: “ With over 45 years of experience in the motorhome rental and manufacturing sector, we know very well what our customers need to make their vacation in a motorhome enjoyable. Currently, we produce 4 types of motorhomes, so you can easily choose the right model depending on the number of people, duration of the trip and individual needs. "

Model Cruise America C19 - Compact RV

If you travel as a couple or a couple with a small child - this C19 model will be perfect for you. It is the smallest of the C vehicles and the most economical. Its biggest advantage is that it is narrow and will fit in any parking space.

There is a large double bed above the driver's cabin. The vehicle is equipped with a kitchen at the rear of the motorhome and all other amenities. If you have a small child, the table can be easily folded and transformed into another bed.

This model can accommodate up to 3 people.
Length: 20'2 "/ 6.15 m
More photos: https://www.cruiseamerica.com/rv-rentals/our-vehicles/compact-rv

Model Cruise America C21 - Compact Plus RV

This is a novelty in the Cruise America fleet. In addition to the double bed in the alcove, it also has the option of transforming the table and sofa in the rear part of the motorhome into a large bed.

If you want to go on a motorhome trip on the west coast of the USA, this motorhome is currently available in 5 locations. And also in two locations on the east coast. At Cruise Canada , campers are not yet available.

This model can sleep up to 4 people.
Length: 20.5 '/ 6.55 m
More photos: https://www.cruiseamerica.com/rv-rentals/our-vehicles/compact-plus-rv

Model Cruise America C25 - Standard RV

This is a medium size model. The arrangement of the beds is very similar to the Comfort Plus motorhome, i.e. one double bed in an alcove and one double bed in the back of the motorhome, but this vehicle is longer. This motorhome is perfect for two couples or a family of four - just like in the C19 model, you can also transform the table into another bed here.

This model can sleep up to 5 people.
Length: 24'-25 '/ 7.3 - 7.6 m
More photos: https://www.cruiseamerica.com/rv-rentals/our-vehicles/standard-rv

Model Cruise America C30 - Large RV

The C30 is the largest motorhome in the Cruise America fleet. It is distinguished by a large, separate bedroom at the back with a 150 cm wide bed. There is also a double bed above the driver's cabin, and two more places to sleep: a couch on one side of the motorhome and another couch with a folding table. The Cruise America C30 model also has a shower separate from the toilet with a washbasin.

This model can sleep up to 7 people.
Length: 29'-30 '/ 8.8 - 9.1 m
more photos: https://www.cruiseamerica.com/rv-rentals/our-vehicles/large-rv

Cruise America and Cruise Canada motorhome equipment

All vehicles are stocked with the following equipment (included in the trip preparation fee):

110 volt adapter,
7.6 m long clean water hose,
6 m long sewage hose,
7.6 m electric cable,
Motorhome Tenant's Guide,
KOA camping guide,
Local camping guide (if available)
and a supply of toilet paper and matches.

Additionally, you can also purchase additional options, payable locally (unless it's a special offer):

Personal kit : cost: $ 60 per person (includes for each person: pillow, pillowcase, bed sheet, sleeping bag / duvet, small towel, bath towel, dish cloth).
Vehicle kit : cost: $ 110 per vehicle (includes: cookware, large cooking spoon, kitchen spatula, kettle, broom, flashlight, cutlery, coffee mugs, colander, large fork, bowl, plastic bucket, can opener, deep plates, teaspoons, glasses, flat plates, cutting knife)

TIP: Vehicle kit and Personal Kit are included if you pre-book Unlimited Mileage Plus with CampRest.

You can rent a generator for the C19, C25 and C30 models at the rental shop. The fee is $ 8 per night or $ 3.5 per hour of use.
You can also rent camping chairs for $ 11 for the entire rental period (subject to availability).

TIP: If you pre-book the Unlimited Mileage Plus package with CampRest, the price includes unlimited use of the generator for a US motorhome trip.

Other additional options, such as camping tables, are only available in certain locations and cannot be booked in advance. Cruise America does not rent equipment such as GPS devices, child seats, bicycles or bicycle carriers. When traveling in the USA in a motorhome, you need to have your own.

Child seats - USA in a motorhome

Laws in the United States include:

Children under 1 year of age or weighing less than 20 pounds (approx. 9 kg) must travel in a rearward-facing baby seat.
In California, children under 2 years of age must travel in a baby seat. The seat must be rearward facing when traveling in residential areas.
Children over 1 year (or over 2 in California) up to 4 years old or weighing less than 40 pounds (approx. 18 kg) must be transported in a child seat and fastened with a seat belt.
Children 4 to 8 years of age or weighing less than 60 pounds (approx. 27 kg) or taller than 57 inches (approx. 145 cm) must use a Booster Seat, which is secured with a seat belt.

Laws vary by state. For specific laws in the states you will travel through, please see: https://www.iihs.org/topics/child-safety#restraint-use

Only 1 child or infant seat can be installed in Cruise America motorhomes. Additionally, you can also install washers. Cruise America does not rent baby seats or pads. Please note that you must have child seats with you. All Cruise America vehicles have 2 straps for the child seat. Please refer to the installation instructions for the seat.

Cruise America Rentals - USA in a motorhome

Cruise America began operating in 1972. For over 40 years it was superbly managed by its owners - the Smalley family, and now we have decided to hand over the reins to people whom we have been treating as family for a long time, i.e. our employees. When we started the next stage of our journey, we made sure that our traditional motorhome rental business and the high quality of services associated with our brand remain in the first place.

This proves that we know motorhomes at Cruise America and we know how the market works; we know what is important in a motorhome and we know what we want to offer our customers. We hope that on the following pages we have managed to provide the most important information about this sector, as well as everything you need to know about motorhome rentals and traveling in a truly American style. Cruise America and its sister company, Cruise Canada , can help you plan a family vacation that suits your needs. We hope that by browsing this catalog you will find out that such a vacation guarantees amazing experiences and emotions.

Costs in a camper over the USA - Cruise Canada and Cruise America

Do you want to rent a motorhome in the USA ? Write to us. We are currently the official and only representative of Cruise America and Cruise Canada in Poland. If you want us to evaluate your individual motorhome trip around the USA or Canada and you want to know the costs - write to us at: [email protected] . Remember that we guarantee lower prices than when booking directly with Cruise America RV Rental. Soon you will be able to check them in person on our website: www.usakamperem.pl

A motorhome trip around the USA - sample routes

You can now download the tourbook from our e-book store and start planning your vacation: 16 US and Canada RV Tours

We are the only official representative of Cruise America and Cruise Canada in Poland. From 2020, you can easily and safely book a motorhome in the USA or Canada. We know when and where it is best to rent a motorhome. We will answer all your questions and doubts by e-mail or telephone.

New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania by motorhome - US tour ready + COSTS! – image 1

IMAGES

RV rental USA: Renting a Cruise America RV from the UK • Passport Stamps
Car Seats (Safety 1st and Chicco Keyfit 30) and Booster Chairs (Graco) on a Cruise America RV
What car seats do I require for children when hiring an RV in the USA
Who's Ready for an Adventure
How to Install Two Large Convertible Car Seats (Safety 1st and Graco) on a Cruise America RV
A Peek Inside a Cruise America RV Rental

VIDEO

A tour of our Cruise America RV
Motorhome Cruise America RV (parte8)
Motorhome Cruise America RV (parte10)
Cruise America rv Camper 🏕 #cruise#america#rv#camper
HOW Many Seatbelts in a Cruise America RV?! // 2023
Our new Cruise America RV

COMMENTS

What Car Seats do I Require for Children when Hiring ...
Your child car seat must meet NHTSA Federal Safety Standards. No matter what vehicle you drive, all child seats in the US must comply with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)'s regulations. These standards relate to 3 things: specifications of the child seat, recommendations for age and size of your child and safe ...
RV Rental FAQs
Child safety seats should be used where applicable. the installation and use of these seats should follow the recommendation of the child seat manufacturer. Overhead areas designed only for sleeping should not be occupied while the vehicle is in motion. The vehicle should be properly secured prior to travel.
Renters Resources
Driving a Cruise America RV is easier than most people thing. Before you get going, learn the dos and don'ts of RV driving. Rules of the Road. RV Driver's License. To drive a Cruise America C Class RV, you must possess a valid driver's license, a major credit card, and be 21 years old.
Car Seats (Safety 1st and Chicco Keyfit 30) and Booster ...
We spent more than an hour figuring out how to install child car seats (one front-facing, the other rear-facing) on a Cruise America RV. It wasn't easy to f...
Summer Vacation RV Tips with Your Kids
Allow for downtime and relaxation to prevent burnout and keep everyone happy and refreshed. Safety First: Prioritize safety during your RV adventure by securing items that could shift or fall during travel, using proper car seats and seat belts for kids, and practicing fire safety protocols while cooking and camping.
RV Seat Belt Laws in Every US State & Canada
Alaska: Fasten your seat belts, everyone. All passengers in the vehicle must wear a seat belt when the RV is in motion. Arizona: In Arizona, people in the front seat need to wear seat belts. Those under 15 in the back seat must also buckle up. Arkansas: Front seat passengers must buckle up, according to Arkansas law.
The RV Safety Tips You Need To Know For Your First Trip
Practice, Practice, Practice. Don't let the first time you're parking your RV be when you pull up to the campsite. Find a big empty parking lot and practice essentials such as backing in, turning, and using your side mirrors, so you know where your blind spots will be. Practice driving and parking before you set off for the big road trip.
Cruise America with an Infant- Car Seat Question
Aug 23, 2012. #1. Help. We are two new parents new to motorhoming. We were planning to spend 3 weeks touring California USA with our 4 month old infant. As we are from the UK our car seat is set up for attachment with a 3 point seat belt with chest and lap belts. We have just been informed that Cruise America seats ( that are not in cabin ...
Traveling in RVs with Children
Caregivers need to know that an RV may not be safe for children. Children still need to be buckled up appropriately any time they are riding in a vehicle, and this can be a real challenge in an RV. RVs come in a range of style classes (A, B, C, C+, etc.) and, although these do vary in appropriateness for families, none is ideal.
Essential Checklist When RV Camping With Kids
This is the first item on this camping checklist with kids because there's really no such thing as too many snacks on a family camping trip. Bring a range of options, including some favorites as well as parent-approved healthy snacks. First-Aid kit. It's a good idea to have a first-aid kit in case anyone gets scrapes or cuts.
RV with Kids: Which Car Seats Our Family Uses
9 Year Old RV Car Seat. Restraint: Ride Safer travel vest. RV Position: forward-facing dinette seat with built-in anchor point. Notes and considerations: We knew we needed to put our oldest child in one of the two forward-facing seats with the anchor points, as our two heaviest children needed to go there.
RV with 6 month old and 2 year old
CRUISE AMERICA AND EL MONTE RV - Please plan to bring your own car seats and cribs/cots - your babes will be more comfortable in a familiar seat/bed. MOTURIS & CAMPING WORLD RV do provide child seats at $39 per rental plus tax. THESE MUST BE RESERVED IN ADVANCE." Hmmm, this from El Monte RV: "Seatbelts. All Drivers seats and Front passengers ...
Car Seats in RV
Class B RVs can require lap belt only seat belts in the back seating if it carries a chassis-mount camper that weigh between 8,500 lbs and 10,000 lbs. Class C RVs are more like a moving truck. These weigh between 10,000 and 12,000 pounds. And manufacturer build them on a van or truck chassis.
Car Seats in RVs: Safety Considerations
Which Seats & Configuration We Chose for Our Car Seats in an RV. Keep reading here to see which child restraints and seat configuration we normally use in our family vehicle, as well as which car seats in RV we chose! IF YOU LIKED THIS POST ABOUT CAR SEATS IN RVS, YOU MIGHT LIKE THESE POSTS TOO: 4 Kids, 43 Countries, 20 Must Have Travel Essentials
Baby car seats in RV
On January 1, 2017, a new law came into force in California, which meant that children under the age of 2 should be seated in a rear-facing seat. Since it is not possible to install a rear-facing car seat in the motorhomes, we cannot allow driving in motorhomes with children under 2 years.
The Standard Motorhome C25 RV from Cruise America
Standard Motorhome C25. The Standard Motorhome C25 RV from Cruise America is a good choice if you are travelling with 5 people. This RV has sleeping arrangements with two double beds and one dinette bed, where the dinette can be converted into a small bed. The total length of 25 feet makes this RV a great option for enough comfort for a family ...
C30 Large RV
C30 Large RV. The C30 vehicle is the largest motorhome on our fleet. Its special feature is the large separate bedroom at the rear with its 5ft wide bed! There is also a double bed over the cab, a convertible sofa-bed and a convertible dinette bed. The shower is separate from the toilet/basin as well in the C30. Matterport 3D Showcase.
C19 Compact RV
Child Seats : Dual child seat tethers located side by side on the back of the forward facing dinette seat. Can be fitted with child/booster seats but not available for rental, to be supplied by customer. Alternatively, customers can buy inexpensive baby/child seats in Walmart. Water Tank : Fresh Water Tank: 76 L (20.5 gallons) Waste Water Tank :
RV Travel With Children
Travel trailers are a safer option — children can ride safely in the tow vehicle. Preferred alternatives to Class A, B or C vehicles are the travel trailer and 5th wheel RVs. These types of RVs are towed by a vehicle, so passengers ride in the vehicle instead of in the RV itself. Trucks or larger SUVs can make the perfect vehicle for towing ...
RVing with Kids: How Our Family Started
Care. Since Cruise America owns a whole fleet of vehicles that are all the same, they get regular and efficient maintenance. While people may take some rental vehicles out for a joy ride, that seemed pretty unlikely with a large RV. Cleanliness and upgrades. Cruise America takes great care of their rigs after each rental.
7 Best Class C RVs for Traveling With Car Seats (With Videos)
Best Class C RV With Latch System: Thor Quantum. The Thor Motorcoach Four Winds has already taken a place in our list of best Class C RVs for traveling with car seats, but there's another Thor that's also a fantastic option. The Thor Quantum is a bit of an initial investment, but with lengths starting at just 24′ 1″, it's a great all ...
Types and equipment of motorhomes for rent in the USA and Canada
Children over 1 year (or over 2 in California) up to 4 years old or weighing less than 40 pounds (approx. 18 kg) must be transported in a child seat and fastened with a seat belt. Children 4 to 8 years of age or weighing less than 60 pounds (approx. 27 kg) or taller than 57 inches (approx. 145 cm) must use a Booster Seat, which is secured with ...
RV rentals with small children : r/GoRVing
RV rentals with small children. Hello all! My family are looking to make about a 3500 mile round road trip this summer through some national parks for 2 weeks. I was looking at drivable RV rentals. I have 2 dogs 20lbs and 40lbs. And 2 children 2 & 4 years old. I was looking at rentals from cruise America vs local dealerships vs rvshare.