Whether it’s a tiny camper van with a kitchen squeezed into the trunk or a motorhome bigger than a blue whale, RVs are the perfect way to experience some of the USA’s most beautiful and underexplored places. But national parks and rugged, remote beaches aren’t the only spots these wheels can take you. An RV can also be a convenient – and relatively cheap – way to visit some of the country’s most exciting cities. Here are some of the best RV-friendly cities around the US.

The home of all things hip is refreshingly RV-friendly, with several well-equipped campgrounds within easy reach of the city. Austin Lone Star RV Resort, for example, is just five miles (8km) from downtown Austin – accessible via a short drive or half-hour bus journey – yet the tree-shaded spots feel wonderfully rural. 

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Austin is not short on great attractions, not least the famous live-music scene. Catch a gig at spots like Elephant Room and Antone’s Nightclub, or just follow your ears to the nearest bar. You could also duck into Franklin Barbecue to try what many claim is the best brisket in Texas (and therefore the world?). When it’s hot (which it often is, especially in the sweltering summers), join kayakers and stand-up paddle boarders on Lady Bird Lake, or swim in the deliciously cool waters at Barton Springs.

It’s surprisingly easy to visit the capital with an RV. The monument-filled city has several spots with large enough spaces, including Union Station parking garage, right in the centre. For more pleasing surroundings, and if you want to park up somewhere for more than a night or two, Cherry Hill Park in College Park, Maryland has full hook-up sites, a pool and – crucially – a cheap shuttle-bus service into the city.

You’ll save a small fortune compared to sleeping in one of the city’s elegant hotels, and you might find it hard to spend much at all. You can dine on fried chicken and pho from DC's many food trucks, wander around free-to-visit Smithsonian museums, and stroll between the (also free-to-visit) presidential monuments on the National Mall. If all the money you’ve saved is weighing you down, you could splash out on one of the city’s Michelin-starred restaurants.

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RVs can park overnight at the McCormick Place convention centre in Chicago, with in and out privileges. There are no hook-ups but, to spend a couple of days exploring the Windy City, the location can hardly be beaten. The centre is close to Grant Park and the Lakeshore Trail, and within easy walking distance of the city’s ‘L’ trains, which will take you pretty much anywhere.

Grant Park is the beating green heart of Chicago, especially the Millennium Park portion – it's home to ‘The Bean’ (the gleaming, legume-shaped sculpture officially called ‘Cloud Gate’) and the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, which hosts free concerts in summer. There’s style and elegance everywhere, from the skyscrapers to the bars lining the Riverwalk, so all you really need to do is wander around. And maybe eat some deep-dish pizza.

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The Campus Park and Ride RV park is an absolute dream for motorhome owners looking to explore Philly. It isn’t exactly beautiful, but it doesn't need to be. This is a practical park with paved sites, full hook-up facilities, showers and restrooms and a dump station. More importantly, it has a 24-hour shuttle that takes you into the city and links up with the metro system.

With your home on wheels safely parked up you can spend days and nights in the city, exploring American Revolution sites like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall (where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed), and, obviously, running up and down the Rocky steps outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art. How else are you going to justify eating Philly cheesesteaks for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

It’s a key stop on one of the country’s most iconic road trips, the Pacific Coast Highway, so it makes sense that San Francisco is a relatively RV-friendly city. You can stay at Candlestick RV Park, which has regular, reliable shuttles to the city (around 20 minutes). Or motor right on into town and park up at Lot 39, which allows day parking.

Then, you’re free to explore one of the world’s best cities, with its beguiling mix of history and modern culture, old-school charm and slick attractions. Eating should be high on your list, whether it’s chowder in a bread bowl at Fisherman’s Wharf or ramen in the hip Japantown neighbourhood.

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Alaska is a dream for RVers, largely because of its vast areas of wonderful, awe-inspiring wilderness. But don’t overlook its cities, not least because many are RV-accessible. Anchorage, in particular, has plenty of spots where you can stay overnight for free, including the car park at Cabela’s, which also has a dumping station. Or book a spot at Creekwood Inn, from which you can walk to the downtown area.

The city itself is charming in a contagiously laid-back way. Wander between art galleries and museums, learn about Indigenous culture at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, and pop into just about any bar to hear some local live music. It’s also a gateway city for Denali National Park, a six-million-acre wilderness with wolves, alpine forests and glaciers.

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St Louis is that rare beast: a city with an RV park within walking distance of its main attractions. DraftKings at Casino Queen RV park isn’t particularly pretty, but that doesn’t really matter when you’ve brought your hotel with you. And it has everything you’re likely to need, from electric hook-ups to laundry facilities, while being right next to, well, everything.

Just across the river you'll find the City Museum, or you could ride to the top of the impressive Gateway Arch, the country’s tallest manmade monument. There’s also a trolley system that jaunts around the city, making it easy to visit its retro theatres and riverfront restaurants, or perhaps catch a baseball game or take a tour at Busch Stadium. If in doubt, seek out a brewery to try some of the city’s famed craft brews.

Yuma is known as the sunniest place on Earth, which is reason enough to consider it one of the country's best RV cities in our book – no having to huddle inside playing board games, and no chilly early-hours dashes to the toilets (if your motorhome is on the smaller side). On top of the year-round sunshine, the Sonoran Desert city has several RV resorts in central locations.

Yuma is known for its transportation history, which you can learn about at Colorado River State Historic Park, home to an old army supply depot, antique wagons and other vehicles. And don’t miss the fascinating Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park, a notorious 19th-century prison that’s now a museum.

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Think of Las Vegas and big, flashy, fancy casino hotels probably spring to mind. You’d be right, of course, but Sin City is also surprisingly brilliant for the RV crowd. The adults-only Las Vegas RV Resort is a comfy, full-amenity site that’s miraculously just a 15-minute drive (or taxi ride – no one really walks anywhere here) from The Strip. It has sites to fit even the biggest motorhomes too.

Las Vegas RV Resort is also around 10 minutes away from Downtown Vegas, which was the original heart of the city and is now a hip, less flashy place to hang out with cocktail bars and cultural sites like the Mob Museum and Neon Museum. Aside from having all this city living on your RV step, you’re enticingly close to one of the world’s most spectacular road-tripping treasures, the Grand Canyon. Take the four-hour drive and stop at the equally dwarfing Hoover Dam en route.

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Ventura’s coastline has several RV resorts and places to park up for a picnic (or a surf). And one of the coolest places to stay in this laid-back surf city is Waypoint Ventura, which is steps from the downtown and beachfront and has spaces for people bringing their own hotels on wheels. The only proviso is that the trailer has to fit the vintage vibe. Those parking up here can take advantage of hot showers on-site, complimentary coffee each morning and free s’mores by the fire pit each evening.

There are also free-to-use bikes available to check out from reception, so you can pedal the short distance to Ventura Pier and the beach to surf (or watch the surfers). It’s all pretty walkable, though, including the compact downtown area, retro cinemas, live music theatres, labyrinthine bookstores, tiki bars and craft breweries.

Orlando is so RV-friendly that even Walt Disney World has a resort where you can park up for a few nights – a relatively affordable option compared to some of the theme-park hotels. The city has dozens of parks ranging from basic to high-end and all-hooked-up. Try Orlando Southwest KOA, which is within walking distance of restaurants and offers a free shuttle to the parks.

There’s plenty to explore beyond the big theme parks too. Head to Lake Eola Park, a leafy spot that has a surprising number of speakeasy-themed bars nearby. Or spend a day exploring upscale Winter Park and its streets lined with boutiques and galleries, where regular boat trips take visitors out onto a chain of lakes. 

Denver is a gateway city to all sorts of road-trip wonders, from the rugged Rocky Mountains to ski resorts like Aspen and Beaver Creek. But you can also park your RV within easy reach of the city. Applewood RV Resort (formerly Prospect RV Park) is the closest, in the suburb of Wheat Ridge, with an on-site bus to take you into the city. Or sleep at scenic Clear Creek RV Park, a 20-minute drive from downtown and close to hiking and biking trails along the creek.

While in town, check out the art scene. You'll find sweeping collections at the Denver Art Museum and bold, bright murals all around the city – especially in River North or RiNo, which has an alley of murals stretching several blocks. This district is also home to some of the city’s famed craft breweries. For dinner, one of the nicest places to be is Larimer Street, a pedestrianised stretch roofed with strings of twinkly lights.

It’s a city where parking spaces – and any kind of space, frankly – are at a premium, so it’s especially surprising that you can stay overnight in an RV while having easy access to all the Big Apple’s attractions. Liberty Harbor RV Resort, actually in New Jersey, is the closest park to the city – just a 15-minute ferry ride away.

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That means you get to save some cash to blow in the big city, whether that means shopping on Fifth Avenue, grabbing great seats for a Broadway musical or eating in a fancy-pants restaurant. There are plenty of free things to do, of course, from strolling around Central Park to seeking out the West Village brownstone apartment where Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw lived.

If other cities are RV-friendly, Fort Lauderdale is an RV enthusiast. With its balmy winters and proximity to the Everglades, it’s long been a top choice for snowbirds escaping cooler northern climes. There are several parks within walking distance of the city’s beaches and other top attractions. Paradise Island is a short stroll from the sand and a host of seafood restaurants, while Aztec RV Resort is surrounded by canals.

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You don’t really need to drive once you’ve found your spot, unless you're heading to the swampy, endlessly green Everglades. Hop on one of the water taxis, whose skippers point out canal-side celebrity homes between stops at popular seafood restaurants and the Las Olas Boulevard shopping district. Or hire a bike and pedal along the seafront to Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, filled with tropical plants and native wildlife. 

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This laid-back OC city has a suitably relaxed attitude when it comes to RVers, with two campgrounds in the heart of the action. Campland on the Bay (the bay being Mission Bay) is close to restaurants and within a few miles of the city’s urban attractions. There’s also a shuttle to the evening farmers' market at Ocean Beach every Wednesday, so you really needn’t drive once you’ve found your spot. Sister site Mission Bay RV Resort also occupies a prime waterside spot around De Anza Cove.

San Diego is an outdoorsy city, so one of the best ways to explore is by bike. Both resorts happen to have easy access to the 12-mile (19km) Mission Bay bike path, which loops around the shoreline and links together a string of waterfront parks. You could also continue to Balboa Park, home to San Diego Zoo, art galleries and miles of hiking trails that weave through forested areas and past lush botanical gardens.

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