Maybe the whole “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” thing is to blame, but Sin City just doesn’t get enough credit for being a great place to own a boat or RV. With so many nearby national parks, desert lakes and opportunities for epic road trips, Las Vegas really is the perfect base camp for adventure. If you’re a Las Vegan who’s fortunate enough to own an RV or boat, you’re going to need to figure out where to store it at some point (unless you’re living in it, in which case, we’re super jealous). There are more than 300 storage facilities in Las Vegas 65 of which offer RV and boat storage. Here’s how to avoid an RV or boat faux paux in Sin City and make self storage a breeze.
HOAs and High Rises
All of your friends might assume that you live inside Caesar’s Palace, but the reality of living in Las Vegas is more likely to involve a cul de sac than a casino. If you’re living in a planned community like Summerlin or Centennial Hills, you’re going to be dealing with
HOA rules. While these can certainly help keep your neighborhood looking well groomed and beautiful, they can be incredibly restrictive for RV and boat owners. HOAs in Las Vegas typically prevent you from parking your RV and boat on the street or in your driveway. Some allow you to only park these vehicles during certain hours while others pretty much won’t even let you bring them anywhere near the community. In communities like Sun City, it’s occasionally possible to get a 72 hour pass which allows you to park your RV or boat in front of your house, but this isn’t something you should count on, and it certainly doesn’t help if you on the other 362 days of the year. If you’re moving into such a community, HOA rules apply to you even if you’re not a homeowner. This doesn’t mean you have to sell your RV or boat. Instead, put it in storage. It’ll still be accessible to you when you need it and it’ll be far from the watchful eyes of the HOA.
If your Las Vegas living situation is pretty much the opposite of a planned community and you’ve chosen to live right in the heart of things, that might mean a high rise apartment either Downtown or on the Strip itself. We’re not going to even mention the fact that parking in Downtown Las Vegas
is basically a joke. Your high rise apartment may have plenty of views but it most likely involves a parking garage with low clearance and parking restrictions. We don’t think that your decision to upgrade your life to a higher floor should result in ditching your RV or boat. Store it instead.
Snowbirds and Storage
Besides being an awesome destination for retirees, Las Vegas is also kind to another population known for seeking out warm weather: snowbirds. If you’re an RV owner looking for a great place to camp out all winter, Las Vegas is a great option thanks to year round sun and incredible RV parks like
Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort which features 46 acres of palm trees, white sand beaches and lagoon style swimming pools or even the
RV Park at Circus Circus which is fun just for the bizarre novelty of camping on Las Vegas Boulevard. If you spend a winter in your RV in Las Vegas and your summer plans involve heading somewhere without your big rig, we suggest seeking out storage as early as late April. Temperatures in Las Vegas start soaring in May, and if you don’t want to be around to find out what 120 degrees in an RV feels like (or what that energy bill looks like), we don’t blame you.
How Heat Affects RV and Boat Storage
That brings us to our next point. You probably already know how to protect your RV or boat against harsh winter temperatures in storage (and if you don’t,
educate yourself). But what about the heat? It’s true that the winter cold is more of a hazard, but you shouldn’t disregard the potential harm that the Las Vegas heat can do to your beloved vehicle. RV and boat storage comes in all shapes and sizes, but when you’re picking out what’s best for you in Las Vegas, it’s important to consider a unit that offers shade as the sun’s rays can really do damage. Many facilities like
Storage West, which has several locations across Las Vegas, offer covered storage for your RV or boat. If you’re storing a smaller vehicle, like an ATV, motorcycle or a classic car, you can all take advantage of their air-cooled storage. And remember, when it comes to storing any vehicle during a hot Las Vegas summer, it’s important to keep it as clean as possible (or at least give it one big thorough cleaning if you won’t be visiting your unit regularly) to avoid that desert dust getting baked on.
