The best RV rentals in Texas

With dozens of beautiful parks across the state, it can be tricky to plan the perfect itinerary for your Texas RV rental. Anybody looking to splash in the surf and soak up the sun should head to Texas' barrier islands like South Padre Island and Galveston Island. If you'd prefer to escape civilization altogether, you can't beat West Texas with its sublime mountains, canyons, and deserts.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park is one of the most popular parks in Texas, boasting the state's highest mountains and an array of rare flora and fauna. Hikers searching for a challenge will want to walk to the "Top of Texas" along the Guadalupe Peak Trail, which leads you up over 8,751 feet to the highest point in the state. If you'd prefer to relax, take a short stroll and spot rare bird species like Cooper's hawks, canyon towhees, and northern mockingbirds. Just watch for rattlesnakes along the trails! The Guadalupe Mountains are also superb for stargazing, and RVers can find two rural campgrounds high up in the mountains where you can appreciate the clear night sky. El Paso is also only two hours from the park, in case you'd prefer a day trip.

Texas' other national park, Big Bend National Park, is also well worth exploring if you're in West Texas. Perched on the Mexican border, Big Bend is known for its stark canyons carved by the Rio Grande and for being an important archeological site. During your visit, hike up mountains, along rivers, and through canyons on over 150 miles of trails, or catch you and your crew dinner fishing along the Rio Grande. If you get a chance, stop off at The Fossil Discovery Exhibit and see locally unearthed fossils dating back roughly 130 million years. Thinking about camping at Big Bend? The Rio Grande Village RV Park provides sites with full-hookups within the park's boundaries.

If you're searching for an idyllic park along the Texan coastline, head for Padre Island National Seashore. Covering 70 miles of coastal lagoons, prairies, and pristine beaches just south of Corpus Christi, Padre Island is the perfect spot to top up your tan. One of the best ways to experience the park is by kayaking or canoeing along the Laguna Madre. Alternatively, comb the beaches for beautiful shells and spot some of the 380 bird species that frequent the area. There are several year-round campgrounds open to RVs on Padre Island. You'll also be just 30 miles from Corpus Christi and some of the best RV campgrounds in Texas.

With several major interstates that run through seemingly endless untouched landscapes and some of the best cities in the country, Texas is excellent for RVs. I-20 snakes across the state from El Paso through Dallas, perfect for anybody looking to drive across the state. Another great route is down I-35, which runs through Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio. From San Antonio, take the I-10 to Houston or the I-37 towards Corpus Christi. And with more miles of road than any other state, you won't have any trouble planning a unique road trip for you and your crew.

One of the most popular historical attractions in the US, The Alamo is a must-see on your Texas road trip. This 18th-century Spanish mission-turned-fortress served as the site of The Battle of the Alamo, a pivotal point in the Texas Revolution. Visitors can take a guided or self-guided tour of The Alamo, watch dramatic reenactments, and stand where folk heroes like James Bowie and Davy Crockett once stood. The Alamo is located at the heart of downtown San Antonio and is just a stone's throw from top-rated campgrounds, including the San Antonio/ Alamo KOA and Traveler's World RV Resort.

Campers looking for an out-of-this-world experience their whole family will love should tour Space Center Houston. The official visitor's center for the NASA Johnson Space Center, this museum is home to over 400 artifacts and exhibits from spacesuits to shuttles to moonrocks. Ensure you head to Independence Plaza and step aboard the NASA 905 shuttle carrier aircraft, the only plane-mounted space shuttle in the world that the public can tour. Despite its city location, you won't have trouble finding a peaceful campground near Space Center Houston, with bayside campgrounds like Marina Bay RV Resort and Tropical Gardens RV Park and Resort less than 15 miles away.

Learn about Texan cowboy culture at the Fort Worth Stockyards. While touring this historic neighborhood, you'll feel like you've stepped back into the Wild West, with original wooden corrals, homesteads, and a stockyard dating back to the mid-1800s. Be sure to catch the twice-daily cattle drive down main street and stick around for a gunfighting show. Feeling peckish? Grab lunch or dinner at one of the many western-themed restaurants in the area. Situated just north of downtown Fort Worth, park up overnight at the Dallas/ Arlington KOA or Treetops RV Resort.