Cruise America Rental company category:Standard
Public rating of the rental company: 4.0/5 (8,016 reviews)
- Trustpilot 4.0/5 8,016 reviews
Public ratings collected on October 28, 2026 from independent review sites.
Hiring a motorhome in Philadelphia means starting your trip in the city where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States were signed, halfway between New York and Washington. Within a few hours' drive you reach the Amish farms of Lancaster County, the Gettysburg battlefield, the forests of the Pocono Mountains or the Victorian houses of Cape May, at the tip of New Jersey. 1 partner company, Cruise America, hands over its motorhomes at 2 depots.
Both are away from the historic centre: one in north-east Philadelphia, the other in Doylestown, in Bucks County.
1 rental partner
Where to pick up your vehicle in Philadelphia?
Road trip ideas
Road trips from Philadelphia
1 Amish Country, Hershey and Gettysburg
- Philadelphia
- Valley Forge
- Lancaster
- Intercourse
- Hershey
- Gettysburg
- Philadelphia
After Valley Forge, where George Washington's army spent the winter of 1777-1778, the road crosses Lancaster County: Amish farms, covered bridges, the markets of Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse. Hershey, a town built around its chocolate factory, comes before Gettysburg, whose national military park tells the story of the 1863 battle and Lincoln's famous address. The drive back to Philadelphia takes about three hours.
- Distance
- about 500 km (310 miles)
- Recommended vehicle
- Compact or standard motorhome
2 Pine Barrens, Cape May and the Delaware beaches
- Philadelphia
- Batsto
- Cape May
- Lewes
- Rehoboth Beach
- Longwood Gardens
- Philadelphia
To the south-east, the pine woods of Wharton State Forest and the historic village of Batsto open up the Pine Barrens, a vast sandy forest in New Jersey. Cape May, with its Victorian mansions and lighthouse, closes the peninsula; a vehicle ferry then crosses Delaware Bay to Lewes. After the beaches of Rehoboth Beach, you head back north through the Brandywine Valley and the conservatories of Longwood Gardens.
- Distance
- about 400 km (250 miles) and a ferry crossing
- Recommended vehicle
- All types of motorhomes
3 The Delaware Valley and the Pocono Mountains
- Philadelphia
- Doylestown
- New Hope
- Easton
- Delaware Water Gap
- Bushkill Falls
- Jim Thorpe
- Philadelphia
From the Doylestown depot, you reach New Hope and its galleries on the Delaware, then Route 32 follows the river north between canal and cliffs as far as Easton. The Delaware Water Gap, a gorge where the river cuts through an Appalachian ridge, opens onto the Pocono Mountains, their lakes and the waterfalls of Bushkill Falls. Jim Thorpe, a former coal town nicknamed the "Switzerland of America", completes the loop.
- Distance
- about 400 km (250 miles)
- Recommended vehicle
- Compact motorhome
Weather and seasons
When to go in Philadelphia?
Best time
May, June, September and October
May to June, September to October
highs 20 to 28 °C, lows 11 to 18 °C
The best months to set off from Philadelphia: mild to warm days, pleasant nights and state park campgrounds open. June brings long sunny days to explore Amish Country, and October paints the forests of the Poconos and the Delaware Valley red and gold.
High season
July and August
July to August
highs 29 to 31 °C, lows 20 to 21 °C
Humid heat, afternoon thunderstorms and July the wettest month of the year: in a Philadelphia summer, the motorhome's air conditioning is precious. It is peak season on the beaches of Cape May and Delaware, where campgrounds and places on the ferry are booked early; the lakes of the Poconos offer a little more coolness.
March, April and November
March to April, November
highs 12 to 18 °C, lows 2 to 7 °C
The transition months are cool and changeable: frost still possible in March, frequent showers in April, cold nights from November. Several campgrounds in the Poconos and on the coast only open in spring or close after autumn: check their dates. In April, Japanese cherry trees blossom in Fairmount Park, along the Schuylkill.
Winter
December to February
December to February
highs 5 to 8 °C, lows -3 to -1 °C
Winter is cold, with nights below freezing and snowfalls that can close the back roads of the Poconos, where people go skiing. Most campgrounds close and a motorhome's pipes are vulnerable to frost: check the equipment provided in the offer conditions, and keep this season for Philadelphia's museums and short trips.
Climate in Philadelphia, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5 °C | -3 °C | 85 mm | 6 h/day |
| Feb | 8 °C | -1 °C | 89 mm | 7 h/day |
| Mar | 12 °C | 2 °C | 111 mm | 8 h/day |
| Apr | 18 °C | 7 °C | 109 mm | 9 h/day |
| May | 22 °C | 12 °C | 122 mm | 9 h/day |
| Jun | 28 °C | 18 °C | 98 mm | 11 h/day |
| Jul | 31 °C | 21 °C | 124 mm | 12 h/day |
| Aug | 29 °C | 20 °C | 112 mm | 11 h/day |
| Sep | 26 °C | 17 °C | 103 mm | 9 h/day |
| Oct | 20 °C | 11 °C | 98 mm | 8 h/day |
| Nov | 13 °C | 4 °C | 79 mm | 8 h/day |
| Dec | 7 °C | -1 °C | 103 mm | 6 h/day |
Averages 2016–2025 computed from Open-Meteo data (ERA5 reanalysis).
Practical tips
Everything to know before hitting the road
Bypass the Schuylkill Expressway
The Schuylkill Expressway, the stretch of I-76 that follows the river into the centre, is one of the most congested highways in the region, with narrow lanes and very short ramps. In a motorhome, leave mid-morning and prefer the Pennsylvania Turnpike, north of the city, or I-95 along the Delaware to avoid the centre.
Sharing the road with Amish buggies
In Lancaster County, Amish families travel in horse-drawn buggies, marked with an orange triangle, on Route 340, Route 30 and small country roads. Slow down well before catching up with them, overtake with plenty of room and only with good visibility, without using the horn. The car parks of markets and farms are poorly suited to large motorhomes.
A first night outside the city
Philadelphia has hardly any campgrounds within its limits. French Creek State Park, next to Hopewell Furnace historic site to the west, and the Clarksboro KOA, on the New Jersey side, are handy stops for the first or last night. Pennsylvania state parks offer sites with electricity, to be booked online in season.
Driving in Pennsylvania
Traffic drives on the right, and speeds and distances are shown in miles. In Pennsylvania, headlights must be on whenever the windscreen wipers are in use. Turning right on a red light is allowed after a full stop unless a sign says otherwise, which is common in central Philadelphia, where the one-way streets of the grid also call for attention.
What travellers ask
Your questions about a road trip in Philadelphia
Where can I pick up a motorhome in Philadelphia?
Cruise America, our partner company, has two depots: one on Geiger Road, in north-east Philadelphia, the other on North Easton Road in Doylestown, about forty kilometres north of the centre. The first suits trips to Amish Country and the coast, the second the Delaware Valley and the Pocono Mountains. The exact address is in your confirmation.
How much does it cost to hire a motorhome in Philadelphia?
The price depends on the season, the size of the motorhome, the length of hire and the itinerary, especially for a one-way trip. Run a search with your dates and the depot you choose, Philadelphia or Doylestown: you get Cruise America's real prices, mandatory fees included, bookable straight away.
Can I do a one-way trip from Philadelphia?
New York, Washington DC, Pittsburgh and Boston are also departure cities of our partners. Pittsburgh, 414 km away as the crow flies, can be reached in two or three days on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, with its tunnels under the Appalachian ridges, and through the Laurel Highlands. Any one-way fee is included in the displayed price as soon as you enter the return city.
How can I visit Philadelphia during the trip?
The historic heart is best explored on foot: Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Elfreth's Alley and Reading Terminal Market, then the art museum and its steps made famous by Rocky. Parking there is scarce and ill-suited to a motorhome: visit the city before picking up the vehicle or after returning it, staying near the centre.
Verified customer reviews
They rented in Philadelphia with CoolDrive Nomad
4.3
818 reviews
The rental in the US went well. Although I had some trouble reaching people to clarify a few points once on site, there were no issues in the end. The RV on-site was great, spacious, fully equipped, and met our expectations.
V.
United States · Aug 2025
Trustpilot
Everything went well with Cool Drive!
Dionys C.
United States · Aug 2025
Avis Vérifiés
Vehicle compliant with the request. Lack of clarity on the additional insurance taken out.
Jacky L.
United States · Jul 2025
Avis Vérifiés
Frequently asked questions
FAQ — Motorhome and campervan hire in Philadelphia
What licence do I need to drive a motorhome in Pennsylvania?
A valid car driving licence is enough for rental motorhomes, with no special category. If your licence is not written in English, bring an international driving permit, which provides a translation for the police. The rental company sets its own conditions on age and years of driving: check them in the offer before booking.
Can I sleep in a car park in Pennsylvania?
Camping outside designated sites is not allowed in state parks, and many municipalities forbid spending the night in a vehicle on public roads. At rest areas and store car parks, an overnight stop depends on local rules and the manager's agreement: ask on site. Private campgrounds and state parks remain the safe choices.
How do I pay tolls around Philadelphia?
The Pennsylvania Turnpike no longer has toll booths: each passage is recorded by E-ZPass tag or by plate reading, then billed to the vehicle's owner. The New Jersey Turnpike and the bridges over the Delaware, tolled in the direction entering Pennsylvania or Delaware, are also paying. Ask the rental company how these tolls will be charged to you.
How do I get to the depots from Philadelphia airport?
Philadelphia International Airport lies south-west of the city, on the opposite side from both depots. A taxi or ride-hailing car reaches Geiger Road via I-95; Doylestown is a longer ride, or can be reached by SEPTA regional train to the centre and then on the Doylestown line. Tell the rental company your arrival time to arrange the vehicle handover.
When should I book a motorhome in Philadelphia?
With a single rental company and two depots, the number of motorhomes available from Philadelphia is limited. For summer, the American school holiday period, and for autumn weekends, in high demand for the colours of the forests, book several months ahead. In spring, a few weeks are often enough, but the large models go first.
About us
Why start a motorhome trip from Philadelphia
Philadelphia combines the founding history of the United States with a very varied hinterland: in less than three hours' drive, you go from the cobbled streets of Old City to the Amish farms of Lancaster County, the Gettysburg battlefield, the lakes of the Pocono Mountains or the beaches of Cape May. Its position at the heart of the Northeast Corridor also makes it a natural stop between New York and Washington.
Cruise America, our partner company, offers two starting points, in north-east Philadelphia and in Doylestown, which avoid driving through the centre. New York, Washington DC, Pittsburgh and Boston, other departure cities of our partners, open up one-way trips across Pennsylvania or along the Atlantic coast. Late spring and early autumn, mild and bright, are the best seasons for this journey.
Other departure cities
Rent elsewhere in the United States
Route 66 · Chicago → Los Angeles
Return to another city