Spring has come to Houston, and you know what that means. Time for a road trip! Yes, most Wanderlust posts on the best travel deals pertain to flights or hotel getaways, but let's consider something else this week: RVs. If you see them as a nuisance, just listen to novelist Ann Patchett, on her trusty Winnebago:

I believe the Winnebago has set me free. It has made me swim and eat pancakes with strangers and turn down obscure roads with no worry about where I have to be and when.

Why not set yourself free? Now's the time: rental rates for RVs at Cruise America, American Dream Vacations, Cypress RV Rental and Smith RV Rentals aren't as low now as they were during the winter, but they'll be a whole lot more expensive come June.

For example, Smith's mid-season rates range from $150 to $210 a day, or $800 to $1,100 a week. Lower prices will get you a 23-foot model capable of sleeping up to six people. If your family's large, you're traveling a long way or you just feel like splurging, opt for the 31-foot model with a slide-out.

Yes, RVs are greedy at the gas pump. But with low pre-summer prices and the drop in price of gas, now's the time to hit the road.