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From my view out the living room window, I watched as my kids streaked across the playground, up onto the monkey bars, and dissolved into peals of laughter.

It could have been any summer day, but this was a special one. The living room window was in our family's rented motorhome (also know as an RV or recreational vehicle), and I am watching my children take like fish to water to yet another of the family-friendly RV parks on the United State's Eastern seaboard, this time in New York's Niagara Falls area.

This August was our first vacation spent behind the wheel of a motorhome, and what I learned can help anyone thinking about exploring the great outdoors in one of these modified hotels on wheels.

n The first consideration is to determine how long you can travel. The minimum rental period with many RV rental companies is one week, and the daily rate often drops with longer rentals.

With flight considerations, shuttle connections, the need to coordinate your vehicle pick-up and return times, and often a brief motorhome orientation, you'll want your vacation arrangements to allow ample time on both ends of your holiday.

n Do you need a travel agent if you want to take an RV vacation? Not necessarily. But would I recommend one? Absolutely.

A travel agent can help you evaluate possible areas to explore, pair you with a reputable RV rental dealer, lead you to information on tours or excursions available in the area, find answers to questions you may have prior to departure, and assist you should anything arise during the course of your trip.

n The question of where to explore is the next important step.

Renting an RV is much like renting any other vehicle, with one exception. Buying the correct RV miles package is crucial, as additional miles afterwards can be expensive.

Mapping out your route up front is useful on that front, but it also allows advance campground reservations to be made, meaning you're sure to have a place where you can flush tanks and top off your water supplies along the way.

n Depending on your budget, as well as your space and amenity needs, you have the option to choose either a motorised RV (Class A, B or C, indicating various sizes and styles), or a towable RV.

The RV dealer can help you choose based on the area and route you decide to explore.

If you be visiting larger cities, one of the smaller, more nimble motorised models offers easier parking and maneuoverability.

The larger RVs-which can stretch from 25-45 feet in length-offer every creature comfort minus the front lawn, but have more aggressive space requirements.

n Where can you travel with an RV? The choices are wider than you may think. Certainly the United States and Canada have stunning natural scenery and are well equipped to provide RV vacationers with every comfort, but options are also available in every country in Europe. Here are several sites that can help you get started thinking about your first or next motorhome vacation:

For Canada

www.campgrounds.org - Ontario campgrounds

www.ontarioparks.com - Ontario Provincial Parks

For the U.S.

www.nps.gov/parks.html -National Park Service

www.reserveamerica.com - Camping Grounds USA

For Europe

www.campingo.com/campsite.html

For the UK

www.ukparks.com

n How do you know if a motorhome vacation is for you? If you don't mind driving a large vehicle, you enjoy the flexibility and spontaneity that road travel affords, you enjoy being with people, and you don't require big cities and art museums to entertain you, an RV vacation might suit your needs. Ask your travel agent for available brochures, visit the web sites in this article, and start dreaming about exploring the wide, open road.

Cheryl Hayward-Chew, is vice-president for corporate development and travel with Meyer-Franklin Travel and mother of two, is a newly minted RV vacation enthusiast.[[In-content Ad]]

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