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. Pecan Grove is even closer to the action, within easy walking distance of many of the city’s main attractions.

And there are many great attractions to be found, not least the famous live-music scene. Catch a gig at spots like Elephant Room or 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. Plan a trip to Austin with our city guide.

It’s surprisingly easy to visit the capital with an RV. The monument-filled city has several spots with spaces big enough, including Union Station parking garage, right in the centre. For more pleasing surrounds, 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. Discover the best of DC with our full city guide. 

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.

The Campus Park and Ride RV park is an absolute dream for motorhome owners looking to explore Philly. It isn’t exactly beautiful, nor does it 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.

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.

St. Louis is that rare beast: a city with an RV park within walking distance of its main attractions. St. Louis 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 a laundry room, while being right next to, well, everything.

Stroll less than a mile down the road to City Museum, or 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. Now check out these stunning US spots to visit with your RV during winter.

Yuma is officially 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.

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 hugest of motorhomes, too.

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 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, home to retro cinemas, live music theatres, labyrinthine bookstores, tiki bars and craft breweries. Discover more of Ventura and California's Central Coast with our road-trip guide.

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 city’s theme-park hotels. The city has dozens of parks ranging from basic to all-singing, all-hooked-up resorts. Try Orlando Southwest-Fort Summit KOA, which is within walking distance to 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, whose streets are lined with boutiques and galleries, and where regular boat trips take visitors out onto a chain of lakes. Inspired? We reveal 28 camping and RV hacks that are borderline genius. 

Denver is a gateway city to all sorts of road-trip wonders, from the Rocky Mountains and forested routes to ski resorts including Aspen and Beaver Creek. But you can also park your RV with easy access to the city. 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.

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 of 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, in fact. 

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. Take a bite out of the Big Apple with our guide to the city.

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 stretch of beaches and other top attractions. Paradise Island is a stroll from the sand and seafood restaurants, while Aztec RV Resort is surrounded by canals.

You don’t really need to drive once you’ve found your spot, unless you are 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. Find out what else to do in Fort Lauderdale here.

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. Love this? Check out America's most epic places to relax in your RV.

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 up 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. Dreaming of a trip? Get planning with our full guide to the city.