How did you switch from “Camping” mindset to “RV living”?

[Phoenix PAL]

This probably applies more to sunbirds and snowbirds who always have the option to go home.

Since moving to Phoenix 4 years ago, we have only camped, 4-5 days at a time (duration of our holding tanks), maybe 10 times each summer to escape the heat. We always use Nat’l forest campgrounds at 5000-7000’. We want to be in the pine forest, not an rv park. Also, we spend the whole time outside, just coming in for naps, quick showers and bedtime.

After this last record breaking summer, 143 days above 100, 53 days above 110, we’ve decided that we just need to clear out for 3 months traveling up through the Rockies and visiting friends.

Even as I begin prepping the trailer for full time, it still feels like it’s just going to be a long camping trip with extra comforts (Weboost and unlimited data plans for streaming news and movies, a TV/DVD player, small quiet genset for cloudy days,)

Typically after a 4-5 day trip, we are ready to get back to our creature comforts: long showers and California King mattress.

Maybe it’s the smallish size of our trailer, or the fact that we want to be in actual campgrounds away from town, and therefore we just wont get away from the “camping” feeling.

Has anyone else been tempted just to come home after 3 or 4 weeks?

[Spower]

For that exact reason I sold my previous travel trailer because it felt like camping and not "home". I now have a 2020 Eagle HT 274ckds and live in it full time. It IS home and feels like it. I love it! It is very cozy.

[Kim Gass]

We switched mostly from tent to RV after a 2015 trip in May to Florida where we decided it was insane trying to sleep in a tent when the nighttime temps were 80 degrees. Everyone else in the campground was in an RV. For good reason..

We still side trip camp. The basement of the TT has backpacking camping gear.

For us we are happiest with trips of ten days or more. The most has been eight weeks. But we travel long distances. For short trips of two hours I figure why bother with the TT?

I don't need two homes.. One is enough.

My mindset is different. Camping involves a tent. RV ing involves four hard walls and indoor plumbing and kitchen.

Bigger fifth wheels are "house". One of the first nights we camped a huge fifth wheel parked in the next site. The occupants started vacuuming. I saw them later and remarked that I was sorry they had to vacuum.. That was a poor choice of words on my part. It was their only house.

But for me one house of 3000 square feet is enough.

[Phoenix PAL]

Originally Posted by Spower

For that exact reason I sold my previous travel trailer because it felt like camping and not "home". I now have a 2020 Eagle HT 274ckds and live in it full time. It IS home and feels like it. I love it! It is very cozy.

Yes, we've heard the same from cg hosts after they started hosting, they needed more space. We don't even have a slideout living room. But I'm loathe to buy a huge diesel pickup that I wouldn't need for anything else. We have our German Shepherd in a crate in back of the Armada.

[Phoenix PAL]

Kim, thanks for your great opinion coming from the "small" side. All relatve I guess. The other factor is whether you are settled in with hookups, taking long showers and not having to constantly move the solar panel to maximize sun exposure.

[LuckyDuck]

We live in an area with heat much like Phoenix (72 days over 100* last summer). We try to escape as much as possible, but the longest trips we’ve taken have been about 3 weeks. We prefer more rustic campgrounds, but with full hookups. That takes some real planning, but the amenities make it worth it. Still, after about three weeks on the road, we’ve found we are ready to return to the king bed, more comfortable furniture and quiet neighbors. It might be different if we stayed in one park for three or more weeks — we’ll see.

I think your comfort factor is directly proportional to the size of, and amenities in, your TT. We bought a 26-footer, rear-living model as it seemed the smallest one that still felt spacious enough for multi-week trips. Smaller just would not have been comfortable for more than a few days. A larger rig, say a fiver or similar, would make longer stays easier, but I don’t want to lug my “house“ around. Our model seemed to be the “Goldilocks“ choice.

Everybody has their “sweet spot” for how long they can be away from home. For us, I don’t think we’d ever be happy “full timing” even with a bigger trailer. And especially not without full hookups, hot showers and ample electricity on cloudy days. Good luck!

[Phoenix PAL]

Still, after about three weeks on the road, we’ve found we are ready to return to the king bed, more comfortable furniture and quiet neighbors.

Appreciate the honesty.

That's exactly what I'm afraid of, and then we'd be back confined indoors with the ac.
Planning 2-3 months. But we'll see.
The alternative is abandoning the grandkids in Phoenix and moving back to the PNW.

[CAG]

We have gone from tent to pop-up to trailer to 5th wheel, to coach. When the kids were small we dry camped with tent and sleeping bags. Sleeping under the stars and listening to the elk call was wonderful. When my parents were alive we spent many days in the mountains of NE New Mexico in tents, summer camping and winter hunting. My dad and I hunted north central NM in the snow many years. Camping has been a "thing" with my family for many years. Our kids still camp with us, as do the grand kids and great grand kids but sleeping on the ground for us, went out some years back.



Our entire family is, and has been in Arizona for many years. We escape to various locations in Arizona depending upon the time of year. Sometimes northern AZ, sometimes eastern AZ and sometimes SE AZ but it is not usually over 3 weeks. Plants need watering at home, landscape needs attention and we miss the family, although Covid has screwed up some of that. We hike, off-road, fish, and hunt during our trips. 75 F beats 110 F no matter how you look at it but it is still not really "home".



We have a pretty large house so the Greyhawk is fine for a few weeks but then it is time to get back to a shower with some room, a king bed, and the large screen TV. The RV does, and did get cramped when we traveled. I could not full-time. If you do that and are happy that its fine but it is not our thing. I was an Air Force brat and moving every month or two is something I never liked so I am not doing that in my old age.



So the advice is try different things and see what works for you. You will know when you find it.

[TCNashville]

Originally Posted by Phoenix PAL

Typically after a 4-5 day trip, we are ready to get back to our creature comforts: long showers and California King mattress. Maybe it’s the smallish size of our trailer, or the fact that we want to be in actual campgrounds away from town, and therefore we just wont get away from the “camping” feeling.

Has anyone else been tempted just to come home after 3 or 4 weeks?

I think the size of the unit has a lot to do with it. The larger the unit, the more home like creature comforts are provided. Large showers, big living rooms, etc. 10's of thousands of people full time across the country and never look back. Part of me would love to explore that lifestyle but I like coming home.

Originally Posted by CAG

So the advice is try different things and see what works for you. You will know when you find it.

Great advice here.