Compare campervans, motorhomes and RVs to rent in Tennessee, listed by private owners and local rental businesses. See prices, photos and reviews for RV rental in the USA, then book online with insurance included.
Tennessee spans the whole width of the South, from Nashville’s honky-tonks to the Great Smoky Mountains in the east and Memphis and the Mississippi in the west. Enter your Tennessee pickup details on the search page and you’ll see insured RVs, motorhomes and camper vans listed by owners and local operators near you.
Every vehicle is listed by its owner — private owners and local rental businesses — and booked through our partner Outdoorsy, with insurance and payment protection on every booking.
RV, Motorhome and Camper Van Rental in Tennessee
The choice runs from compact camper vans that suit downtown Nashville easily to full-size Class A motorhomes with a kitchen, bathroom and slide-outs. A camper van is the easier choice for anything touching Lower Broadway or Music Row; a larger motorhome is fine on I-40, which runs the full width of the state and links Nashville to both Memphis and the Smokies. Tennessee is genuinely long east to west, about 440 miles, so plan driving days accordingly if the trip spans the whole state.
Rental cost depends mainly on vehicle class, season and rental length — a camper van is consistently the cheaper option, a Class A or large travel trailer the most expensive, and per-night rates usually drop the longer you book. Summer and fall weekends toward the Smokies push demand and prices up; enter your dates above for a live quote rather than a generic average.
Pickup cities in Tennessee
- Nashville — the only major pickup point in the state, roughly central and well placed for both directions.
Best road trips in Tennessee
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park — about 245 miles east of Nashville, roughly 3.5 hours via I-40. The most-visited national park in the country, waterfalls and genuinely good wildlife viewing; allow several days.
- Memphis — about 210 miles west of Nashville, roughly 3 hours. Beale Street, Graceland and the birthplace of the blues, on the Mississippi River.
- The full Tennessee crossing — combining Nashville, Memphis and the Smokies covers the state’s roughly 400-mile width along I-40, a genuine week-plus trip rather than a weekend.
- Chattanooga — about 135 miles southeast of Nashville, roughly 2 hours. Lookout Mountain and an easy stop en route to the Smokies or North Georgia.
- The Cumberland Plateau — starts within an hour or two of Nashville depending on direction. Waterfalls and gorges at Fall Creek Falls and similar state parks, a quieter alternative to the Smokies.
Driving around Tennessee
I-40 is the state’s spine and handles the bulk of long-distance travel, generally straightforward outside Nashville’s own rush-hour congestion. The Smoky Mountains bring winding, sometimes steep roads and can see snow at higher elevations in winter, occasionally closing sections; summer brings its own congestion into Gatlinburg and the park itself, one of the most-visited in the country. Humidity is significant across the state in summer.
When to travel
Fall (October) is a standout season for the Smokies’ foliage, and also one of the busiest and priciest. Spring and early summer are similarly popular before the height of summer heat and crowds. Winter camping in the mountains is limited by snow at higher elevations; Nashville and Memphis themselves stay accessible year-round.
RV rental near you — other locations
Atlanta · North Carolina · or search any USA location on the main RV rental search page.
RV rental Tennessee — FAQs
How far is the Great Smoky Mountains from Nashville?
About 245 miles, roughly 3.5 hours via I-40. It’s the state’s most popular road trip destination from Nashville.
Where can I pick up an RV in Tennessee?
Owners and operators list vehicles across the Nashville metro. Widening your search radius shows the full spread of vehicles near you.
Do I need to pay to park in the Great Smoky Mountains?
Yes. Entry to the park is free, but a parking tag is required for any vehicle parked longer than 15 minutes: $5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year. Buy it on Recreation.gov, at visitor centres or from machines at trailheads. A tag does not guarantee a space, and big RVs struggle at busy lots, so arrive early. See the NPS fees page.
What are the RV camping options in the Great Smoky Mountains?
Advance reservations are required for the park's frontcountry campgrounds, via Recreation.gov. Hookups are very limited: only some sites at Look Rock offer electric and water, while Cades Cove, Elkmont and Smokemont have outlets for medical equipment only. Dump stations are at Cades Cove, Cosby, Deep Creek, Look Rock and Smokemont. Check site lengths when you book. See the Smokies camping page.