Village Welcome, friends! We’re coming up on 6 years of full-time RVing. Some things turned out exactly like we expected. Some didn’t. So we sat down at home (while our rig was in the shop, of course) to talk about what we got wrong, what changed, and whether we’d do it all again.

Our Version of Full-Time Is a Little Different

Most full-time RVers we know sold everything: the house, the furniture, the whole yard sale. Some are retired. Some are road-schooling kids. We’re neither.

• We kept our house. One of us was a little more conservative about jumping all in, and that home base has saved us more than once.
• We still run our family business. Our kids work with us, and as long as we have internet, we can do our parts from the road. Jimmy works on the business now instead of in it.
• The kids were grown. That made the timing feel right.

Why We Started

It started about 20 years ago with a used pop-up, a cheap test to see if our family would actually enjoy camping. We did. From there it was a travel trailer, then one with slides, then a fifth wheel, a toy hauler, and finally the rig we live in now.

Our “why” is different for each of us. Lisa didn’t travel much growing up and wanted to see new places and keep meeting people around the campfire. Jimmy was an Army kid, born in Germany and moving every few years. He’s always had the itch to move, and RV life finally let him scratch it.

What We Got Wrong About Full-Time RVing

1. Over-planning

Lisa used to have the whole year mapped out. Then one day we rolled into Florida during snowbird season and heard the scariest words in RV life: “Uh-oh. We’re not supposed to be here until tomorrow.” Late on a Friday afternoon, in peak season, with no spot. She found us one (a great one, actually), but we learned a lesson.

Truck breakdowns, camper repairs, hitting a deer: something will throw you off. Rescheduling a whole year of reservations is a nightmare. Now we lock in only the hard dates, like shows, meetups and events, and leave the rest loose. Our motto: bob and weave.

2. Underestimating internet

We assumed we’d be fine with phone hotspots and campground Wi-Fi. Wrong. We spent a lot of time uploading videos from coffee shops. Today we use a T-Mobile home internet setup with Starlink as a backup, and even that can be hit or miss.

The Hardest Parts Nobody Mentions

• Weather. We’ve had hail, sleet, snow and a “24% chance of rain” that turned into near-tornado conditions at Goosenecks State Park. One July 4th weekend was over 100° every day, at a campground that charged extra for going over a set amount of electricity.
• Life doesn’t wait for your plans. We’ve had to leave a trip out West to get home for a grandbaby who arrived early. Family emergencies, staffing problems back home, repairs mid-trip: you have to be ready to step away and rejoin later.
• Repairs follow you. In a house, the repair guy comes next week. In an RV, you might be 500 miles away by next week.
• Packages get tricky. Our trick: ship things two stops ahead and call the campground first to ask if they’ll hold it.

What’s Changed in 6 Years of Full-Time RVing

• Internet got way better, thank goodness.
• Fuel prices went through the roof. We break that down in RV Fuel Prices Are Out of Control.
• Family changed. We have grandkids now, and we want to be home for birthdays and holidays. So instead of one six-month loop, we take shorter two-to-three-month trips.

We’ve watched a lot of full-time families come off the road when their kids hit the prom-and-driver’s-license years. That’s not failure. Life changes, so your RV life changes too.

The Best Part? The People (and a Few Places)

When we talk about what we love most, we always come back to the people. Friends we met around campfires have become family. We’d never have met them without full-time RV life.

The places aren’t bad either: Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, Glacier, Niagara Falls, the Florida Keys, and Lisa’s all-time favorite, Goosenecks State Park in Utah. It’s so dark and quiet there you can almost hear your own heartbeat, and the Milky Way feels close enough to touch.

And here’s a bonus lesson: in 400 square feet, you learn to get along. Slam a door and something falls off the wall, and the neighbors hear everything.

Would We Do Full-Time RVing Again?

Lisa: “Yes, 100%. I’d keep the house and go full-time again.” She’d do a few things differently, but only because the road taught her what to change.

Jimmy: “Definitely. I’ll go until I can’t drive anymore.”

How much longer full-time? Lisa thinks the next chapter might be summers at home and winters somewhere warm. Jimmy got that on camera, so we’ll see who’s right.

Thinking about full-time RVing yourself? Read Is Full-Time RV Living Still Worth It in 2026? next.

Your Turn

If you’ve been full-time for a few years, what would you do differently? And tell us your must-see RV destination. We’re always looking for the next stop.
— Jimmy & Lisa, FindUsCamping