Over the past year we’ve driven roughly 15,000 miles in our RV (RV life for the win!), plus many more miles in our towed car. In total, we’ve covered well over 30,000 miles and have loved every minute of it.
During this time on the road we’ve visited an incredible variety of places, including:
- The Pacific Northwest — Wes cycled 1,000 miles from Port Angeles, Washington to San Francisco while I drove the RV with our two dogs. We explored Mount Rainier, Olympic National Park, Kalaloch and Ruby Beach, the Hoh Rainforest, La Push Beach, and more. It felt like the trip of a lifetime.
- Utah (many times) — Arches National Park, Canyonlands, Moab, and numerous other wonders.
- Colorado (many times) — Rocky Mountain National Park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument, and more.
- Home base in Missouri.
- Mississippi.
- Arizona — Saguaro National Park, Tucson, Sedona, and other desert highlights.
- California — continuing the Pacific Northwest route down to Los Angeles and stopping along many beaches.
- Wyoming — Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
And many more destinations beyond those listed.
Photos from our RV life this year
We bought our first Class C motorhome and sold our house in Missouri a little over a year ago. At the time we thought RVing would be an occasional travel tool, but it quickly became our full-time lifestyle.
We started with a smaller motorhome and, by early 2016, decided to upgrade. We had originally planned to keep a traditional house somewhere, but after living on the road we fell in love with the lifestyle. To be more comfortable and to tow a vehicle, we upgraded to a 2016 Winnebago Brave, a 33-foot Class A motorhome. Yes, we upgraded to a much larger RV.
People often react with surprise or sympathy when we say that we live full-time in an RV, but we genuinely love it and wouldn’t trade it for a conventional home. RV life has given us freedom, daily adventures, and the chance to see so much of the country while still working and living out of the same cozy space.
If you’re interested in learning more about full-time RVing, here are some related topics that many readers find useful: becoming an RV family, earning income while traveling, the real costs of RVing, common RV questions, and beginner tips. These topics cover practical advice on traveling with kids and pets, monetizing your time on the road, budgeting for life in an RV, and common day-to-day concerns.
How RV life changed us
Our lives have shifted in dramatic and wonderful ways. At first we assumed we’d sometimes stay in hotels or rent Airbnbs if life in a small space felt too cramped. Surprisingly, that hasn’t happened — we’ve adapted and truly enjoy living in the RV. We’ve met incredible people, formed lasting friendships with fellow RVers, explored countless parks and towns, and watched our dogs thrive alongside us. The experience has been freeing and deeply rewarding.
We cleared out our storage unit
In July 2016 we emptied our storage unit. We were paying $185 a month to keep boxes of photo albums and leftover items, which felt wasteful. The unit’s location was inconvenient and it made little sense to pay for long-term storage of things we rarely used. We rented a U-Haul and moved everything into Wes’s parents’ attic, and we also gifted them some of the furniture we no longer needed.
Downsizing has been liberating
Selling our house forced us to pare down dramatically. Initially deciding what to let go of was hard, but it quickly became easier. Living with fewer possessions has made us more intentional with purchases, reduced waste, and helped us save money. We now carry only what we need and prefer the simplicity of it.
Working while traveling works
One concern about full-time RVing was how it might affect my work and income. In practice, being on the road hasn’t hurt my business — in many ways it has helped. Working while traveling is energizing and motivating. I aim to work ahead to prepare for areas with poor internet, which is a common challenge on the road. For connectivity, I rely on a Verizon MiFi Jetpack and use AT&T on our phones so we have coverage across more areas; many RVers use a similar setup.
Our plans for the future
People often ask when we’ll buy a house again. Right now that isn’t in our plans — we keep finding places we love and saying, “That would be a great place to buy a house,” then reminding ourselves we’re not ready to settle. For now we plan to continue RVing for several more years, try full-time sailing, and eventually spend extended time living in other countries.
For the remainder of 2016 our RV itinerary included the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, Moab and Bryce Canyon in Utah, Zion National Park, and several Southern California destinations like San Diego, Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, and Mojave National Preserve, plus nearby attractions. We also put a deposit down to convert our Jeep Wrangler Rubicon into an overland vehicle so we can park the RV and use the Jeep to access more remote trails and locations. That setup gives us flexibility to reach places our RV can’t.
Are you interested in RV life? Why or why not?