Should I Get an RV?

Jackson Lake

Get Out There!

If you are anything like me and my family, there is a passion for getting out into the mountains and seeing much of the outdoors. I’m a teacher and a coach, but most importantly a father to three boys. There is a passion for experiencing the outdoors and trying new adventures. There aren’t many better feelings than seeing my kids go from the typical “Are we there yet?” whining to immediately being in awe of the Tetons, or seeing grizzly bears walk by your car; throwing my kids in the icy glacier fed mountain lakes, or playing a pickup whiffle ball game with camping neighbors. All of these lifelong memories are experiences I know my kids will never forget. The real question is what should you do about the sleeping arrangements? 

Get the RV!

Should I camp in a tent or get an RV? I did the whole scouting thing when I was younger.  I did survival camping, and have slept out under the stars on many occasions. As you hit your 30’s, life has a way of changing you. Your body starts to hurt. You still have a desire to go backpacking in the backcountry and feel rugged and wild again, but man sleeping on a lumpy, rocky ground doesn’t exactly make it a memorable experience. All it really does is make  “Dad” angry which in turn ruins the joy for everyone else. Wouldn’t it be nice to wake up in a nice bed, make a fresh cup of coffee, and start your day warm and cozy? Not to mention doing this in the midst of the most breathtaking scenery. We chose to get an RV and have never looked back!  

Good Sleep!

As a kid, we would always meet up with my grandparents when we were younger. I always wondered why my grandparents would spend money to bring a trailer with a bed. It wasn’t until parenthood and a dad bod later that I understood the power of a good night sleep and the connection to a great camping experience. RV mattresses have improved greatly. If the goal of camping is family bonding in the great outdoors, it is essential for parents to be well rested and full of energy for the weekend adventures. Sleeping on a nice mattress with a cross breeze coming through the RV puts me to sleep like a baby whose milk-drunk. We upgraded our mattress from the standard mattress to a Celestial Sleep 10 inch Short Queen Mattress and haven’t slept so well on a camping trip in my entire life. 

Kitchen Cooking!

One of my kid’s favorite experiences is when they get a fresh cookie that Grandma made in the oven of the RV. You might be camping, but most RV’s have great setups with stoves, ovens and microwaves that allow you to still be able to create a great meal or dessert even though you are away from home. Yes, campfires still make the best camping meals, but a fresh cookie from the oven would make camping that much better. 

Staying Dry!

Happy wife, happy life is an important motto to live by. Even more valuable though is keeping the kiddos happy when the rain hits. I remember when I was in college and I went out camping through Estes Park, we made it about halfway back from the top and got caught in the middle of a mountainous downpour. Now sprinting down the trail drenched in our Chaco’s was an incredible memory, but that was pre kids. Yes, most kids love playing in the rain and getting muddy and truly living out their wildest dreams when the storms hit, but once that cold hits, the fun ceases to exist and the whining begins. Camping in the mountains often leads to getting all of your gear and clothes wet and that can oftentimes lead to poor experiences in the eyes of your children. Nothing ruins a kid’s time like having to hold down the sides of the tents while the wind and rain is howling and making everyone cold as can be. RVs give you the chance to hang out and make memories through board games, great discussions, sharing a meal while the rain blows over. As long as you take good care of your RV, it should give you the ability to stay dry and still build memories around the campsite.

Bigger Space!

When I was a kid, some of our best memories were spending the night in our grandparent’s trailer. For us we called it the Bub Club. Looking back it was their way of finding places for all of us grandkids to sleep when we would have a family reunion, but to us it was the greatest of adventures.  If everyone has a good place to stay, people are more likely to stay longer leading to better adventures and more memories. With built-in showers and toilets, wardrobe cabinets and nice kitchens, some families may never want to leave and you might get the itch to make it your permanent living.  Most RVs have great options for sleeping. We have a family of 5 and one of the key things we were looking at was if we had a place for each kid to sleep. We settled on a Jayco Jayflight 264 BHW. This one sleeps up to 10, so when the boys get too squirrely  and need to be separated, each kid can have a bed or bunk and everyone still gets good sleep. RV bunkhouses have many options that maximize the ability to give everyone a good spot to sleep. 

Blissful Work!

It feels sacrilegious to bring up the idea of using technology or working while out camping, but in this day and age, it is a huge blessing to have an RV for exactly this reason. In a world of education where kids are looking at alternative virtual education or people are looking to work remotely, RV’s give you the ability to have an office on wheels. With mobile hotspots and electrical hookups and many RV campgrounds, working is quite feasible. Just imagine working while looking out at a crystal clear lake. Or as a teacher, just imagine grading papers while in the mountains sipping on some coffee. RVs give you the freedom to continue to work, but also live the dream away from home. 

Most Importantly, Do You!

Most importantly, do you! If your goal is to go out into the outdoors and you are wondering the best way possible, choose what works for you. It is your body that will have to sleep on the rocky ground, or toss and turn when the kids are kicking you in the side all night long. Camping should always be about getting out into the wild and building positive memories with your family and friends. Why let the rain and weather ruin that for you? If you have to work, do it from inside or around your camper along a beautiful stream.  For us, spending the money on an RV was a game changer for building lifelong memories as a family. Will there be hiccups? Sure, but at the end of the day, you will at least have a fun camper and can escape to the great outdoors!