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A few times this year I’ve gotten an RVing question I didn’t expect: Why do people stop full-time RVing?
The question scared me because I heard it twice in one week—the exact week Heath and I decided that after our tour in Canada, we were selling our RV for real and settling down in one place. (Did some drop a bug in our RV? Can they read our minds?!)
If you’ve followed our story at all, you’ve probably heard by now that we are expecting a daughter this spring. But even before we knew her due date, we were searching for a place to settle down for a while. That meant no more RV.
We’ve seen a lot of people start and stop RVing in our past five years, something that scared me since being an RVer has consumed so much of my identity for years.
So I wanted to look at a few of the reasons why RVers sell their rigs in search of something new.
For some people, like Nikki and Jason of Gone With the Wynns, they trade adventures on land for adventures on the high seas.
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(Fortunately, amid their gorgeous photos of islands and fresh food, they occasionally post photos of sharks and storms and remind me why I am not cut out for sailing!)
For others, like Brooke and Buddy of Trailing Away, they sold their Winnebago so they could explore abroad with nothing but their backpacks. Now they travel by planes and trains:
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Others desire a home base, like the Snows who kept their van and moved into an apartment in favor of part-time adventures. (Also, when I saw their post-RV apartment a few years ago, Heath and I looked at each other and said THAT is the perfect post travel loft!)
Cees and Madison took time away from their RV to travel abroad, living in Bali and Iceland and all over, and even bought a cabin in California—but they haven’t nipped the RVing bug yet. They are currently renovating a school bus that will be their next home.
And then there are the difficult decisions that halt RV life.
A family member falls ill and requires care. A business plan doesn’t pan out and a full-time job is required. The money runs out and traveling full-time just doesn’t make sense anymore.
Or the RVing season of life just ends as planned, like Hudson and Emily who after completing their goal to RV through 49/50 states, sold their RV and moved to Mexico for six months. (Look at their Instagram if you’d like to be extremely jealous of their warm winter and gorgeous beach photos. I know I am.)
And some people simply decide they don’t like RVing at all, and that’s okay.
Most of us don’t intend to RV forever—cause that would mean committing to dying in your RV and that’s weird.
RVing is a season of life that will take us on adventures and create lifelong memories.
I think my favorite thing about the transition from RV life to the next chapter is seeing how RVing is a gateway to something more.
Most people don’t just jump into a sailboat or sell everything to live out of a backpack or move to a foreign country. It’s a huge risk! I like to think of RVing as the perfect stepping stone to bigger adventures.
RVing is easy and comfortable, especially in America where campgrounds are plentiful, there’s always a Walmart around if you need anything, and you’re in control of how adventurous you want to be. Boondocking in the desert for a few weeks? Posting up at a beachside campground for a month? It’s your call. For many, it’s the first taste of total freedom and adventure.
I know for me, RVing has been the best possible way to open my eyes to what is possible and boost my confidence. Before RVing, I didn’t know what I was capable of. I didn’t have the guts to start my own business or the skillset to run it. I didn’t know anything about full-time travel and how to make it work.
But I learned how to be flexible and adapt. I learned how to research and became a much better learner as I soaked up information about freelance work, how to motivate yourself, and how to transition to being an entrepreneur. I became more laid back, worrying less about the little stuff and focusing on the big picture.
RVing has made me the best version of myself, and as Heath and I transition into the next phase of life, that’s how I will look back on our time as RVers. It forced me to grow, made me stronger, and showed me a world of possibilities.
I will miss RVing and I’m certain at some point in life, Heath and I will find ourselves back on the road with our family. Maybe not full-time, but who knows? Life is full of surprises.
Onto the next adventure!
What about you? What circumstances or big dreams would make you want to stop RVing?
