5 Reasons to RV This Summer

A family with three kids and a dog in an RV?  For months?  Across the US?  Are you kidding me?  These thoughts ran through my mind when my husband shared his newest idea.  I THOUGHT it was something that only retired people were able to enjoy.  I soon discovered there were MANY families traveling. They sold everything to live on the road.  In an RV.  With kids.  And they liked it!  I was intrigued, and soon this became our family’s dream.  Though we never managed to sell everything we owned and we no longer live in our RV, we still take any opportunity to explore.

Most people cannot sell everything they own and hit the open road, however, I recommend that families try RVing for just one week.  7 days in an RV will change the way you view life, family, and vacations.  Believe me — the memories are worth it!

5 Reasons to RV This Summer

Teamwork.  RV travel is work.  Before we leave, there are components that must be inspected.  Everything inside must be secured.  If one person is responsible for this task, it is impossible to leave in a timely manner.  Our family can get through “taking down camp” in 45 minutes.  This is only because we work together as a team.  This experience allows all members of the family to be valuable to the team.  The skills learned from being a member of a team will last a lifetime.

Remember upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all.

~ Alexander the Great

Comfort.  One thing we disliked about traditional travel (plane or car + hotel room) was the lack of comfort.  With one child who doesn’t like change, a weekend sleeping in an unfamiliar place made for a miserable experience.  When we travel with an RV, there is no unfamiliar bed to sleep in at night.  Instead of using a filthy gas station bathroom, a small private one is available.  We can continue to eat healthy and organic.  RV travel allows us to take the “comforts of home” with us.

Relaxation. RVing, like homeschooling, is a lifestyle.  When you are on the road you simply let go of time constraints.  You worry less about societal pressures, agendas, and schedules. Instead of driving fast, you slow down.  You take the time to just “BE” in the moment.  As you embrace the lifestyle, you find true relaxation.  RVing becomes as natural as breathing.

The mark of a successful man is one that has spent an entire day on the bank of a river without feeling guilty about it.

~ Unknown

Bonding.  Nothing bonds a family like travel.  RV travel, especially if you spend extended periods of time, will cause bonding to occur like nothing else.  We learned quickly that sibling fighting was going to make our lives miserable.  Mom and Dad couldn’t stay mad at each other.  Most issues that could be ignored in a 2500 sq. ft. house must be dealt with in a 245 sq. ft. house on wheels.  There’s no place to “run.”  There’s nowhere to “hide.”  Once you get past the initial shock of being that close with one another for that long, being together is enjoyable.  After 2 months, we found that our conflicts and issues had ceased.  Yes, even on moving day.  Our family bond is stronger because of our travel days.

Exploration. The best reason to RV:  to explore the majestic creation we call home!  There are 58 National Parks to explore.  Places like Yellowstone, Glacier, and Yosemite need more than one day to experience all they offer.  There are over 35,000 miles of 2-lane American roads found in the Road Trip USA books.  Even in your own state, there are probably enough places to explore that you can stay busy for 7-14 days.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

– Mark Twain

I hope you enjoyed these reasons to RV with your family.   Next month I plan to share how we lived and traveled across the United States with our fifth wheel RV .  What questions would you like me to answer?