Why We Chose Not To RV Across America

When we began this Nomad journey, we, like many others who dream of this lifestyle, had no idea of exactly how to get started. Well, this story is about why we chose not to RV across America.

When we began our thoughts about traveling across the United States to live, explore and enjoy all of the states, the RV was the first thing that came to mind. And, something we have come to realize, this is the main solution that people think of when contemplating the same plan.

I would have to say that almost 100% of the people who either ask “How did you do it?” or that say “We talked about doing that.” all followed up with the solution of an RV. When we explain that we did not utilize an RV, many of them look confused. So, I felt it was time to write a post explaining why we did not use an RV and what we actually utilized.

RVs are great modes of transportation when you want to take an entire living quarters with you. Hence the reason most people default to this solution. We, on the other hand, needed more flexibility.

First of all, and this is more specific to our family, both I and our eldest son take phone calls that are work related. And they take place throughout the day, every day. In an RV, there is not much privacy to be had without inconveniencing the rest of the family (asking them to go outside every time we get on a call).

The next items would apply to most who would contemplate an RV. We planned on exploring many out of the way destinations. These may or may not be on approved RV roads (for height and width). We also wanted to have ample space and a “feeling” of a house that was our home. Finally, since I rely on internet for work, the family relies upon it for some of our entertainment and we rely on it for homeschool lessons, the thought of setting up a satellite every time we stopped was not appealing.

So, what did we do? We rented vacation rentals. And we found them exclusively through Home Away. They also own a site called VRBO. We, as many of you know, have an 8′ x 5′ travel trailer we call The Mule. We towed it behind Ebony with all of our belongings. And we rented places that were in the center of much of what we wanted to explore. We were able to negotiate great rates with owners that were amenable to long-term renters. Check out the images below. Each one is from a different house that we lived in over a 3 year period.

Each vacation rental included internet, electricity, water, sewer, cable, trash and more. We paid one amount for our stay and did not have to worry about any other expense other than food and our excursions. We met a lot of great property owners and had our internet, space and feeling of home requirements met.

Something we did not count on that we encountered was that we were able to experience so much variety that we know what we want and do not want in our own home when we buy or build. I learned that I like rain showers and Mama Nomad learned that she enjoys heated floors. Those are just a couple of examples. But we learned so much more.

Anyway, that is why we chose not to RV across America. Choosing to RV is a great decision, in our opinion, for those that have a specific destination that they are going to and are happy with the RV Park accommodations. For those who wander like us, we needed a versatile vehicle and a temporary home base that served our common needs.

If any of you plan on embarking on a Nomad Lifestyle and you have questions, do not hesitate to contact us. Use our contact page or simply place your questions in the comments below and we will be happy to answer your inquiries. Safe Travels.