RV / Motor Home Hall of Fame
Location: Elkhart, IN (21565 Executive Parkway)
When to visit: Mon-Sat 9am-5pm; Sunday 10am-3pm (Winter hours may be shorter)
Cost: $12 adults, $9 kids
Time needed: 30-60 minutes
Website: www.rvmhhalloffame.org
I once spent an entire summer cruising around the U.S., living and traveling in a conversion van. That was a lot of fun, but it was a very bare-bones means of nomadic living. Having to find a Walmart or McDonald’s or rest stop every time I needed to use the bathroom got old fast.
Secretly, I’ve always hoped that someday I could purchase an actual RV, with an actual bathroom and sink and television and a bunch of other fancy amenities onboard. Partaking in road trips would be much more fun if I had a basic level of leisure.
So naturally I was drooling as I walked through the RV Hall of Fame (officially the “RV / Motorhome Hall of Fame and Museum”) in Elkhart, Indiana. This place has exhibits about the history of RV life, plus brand-new RVs and vintage models you can walk around inside and explore.
Smartly located just off Route 80, the site is easy to reach whether you’re in a compact car or you have a giant motorhome dragging a truck behind you.
Sights Inside the RV Hall of Fame
That Coachmen is a ride similar to what my grandparents used to have in the ’80s. I’d love to have one of those.
Most of the RVs, both new and classic, are open for visitors to walk through. Taking long car trips can be tough because there’s not a lot of room for road trip necessities. That’s why massive RVs feel so much more comfortable!
Here’s one of the brand-new RVs on display. The modern campers are so impressive, but I can’t imagine ever buying one because they are incredibly expensive. You have to pay for this kind of luxury!
The Hall of Fame also has some standard museum exhibits on camping and RV history.
Who’s your favorite RV industry pioneer? If, like most folks, you can’t name anybody who was a pioneer in this field, the museum will introduce you to several important figures in the motorhome world.
Logistics for Visiting for the Museum
As of this writing, a single adult ticket for the RV Hall of Fame and Museum costs $12. Children age 6 and up are charged $9, while kids 5 and under are free. Seniors pay $10 each.
The museum is open 9 to 5 every day except Sunday, when it’s open 10 am to 3 pm. Those are the summer hours, from April to October. During the other five months (November to March), the museum is closed entirely on Sundays.
Good news for RV owners on the move: You can park overnight in the lot at the RV Hall of Fame, so you won’t have to sleep in a hotel parking lot! However, there are no hookups of any kind at the museum.
The RV / Motorhome Hall of Fame and Museum is only a short detour from U.S. Route 20, which happens to be the longest road in America! I consider the RV Hall of Fame to be one of the coolest places to visit in the state of Indiana!
