“Livin’ in a van, down by the river” has never sounded better, TBH.
Thanks to that very long hiatus from reality caused by COVID-19, traditional living has totally morphed. The world has learned that it can function almost entirely online, and when people were forced to stay home instead of hopping into the rat race every day, they realized that their day-to-day burnout was something they didn’t want to return to. While some people followed their hearts by becoming entrepreneurs in their passions, others took up hobbies and created a more healthy life balance. Some people focused more on their families and realized they didn’t want to wait until retirement to see the world. Thus, the trend of RV living took the world by storm.
Now that social media influencers are officially a lucrative and fulfilling career, parents and families have started to realize that living in your van isn’t a poor man’s dream; it’s simply *the dream.* While it may not be possible for all of us to ditch the daily grind, there’s still plenty to learn from these wayfarers about the art of unplugging and being more adventurous.
The following 10 families are thriving on the road and showing us how to do it, too.
01
The Mom Trotter
With 1.9 million followers on TikTok, The Mom Trotter — aka Kay Akpan — is one of the most recognizable RV influencers on the platform. In 2020, she, her husband Sylvester (Sly for short), and their son Aiden (or A) made the leap to leave their regular life, sell their California home, and hit the road in an RV.
The nomadic family beautifully documents their adventures all over the world while also sharing incredibly insightful information on things like paying off debt and world schooling.
02
Less Junk, More Journey
If you’ve been considering RV life at all, you’ve probably come across Less Junk, More Journey. Having lived and traveled full-time in their RV for nine impressive years now, they were one of the first RV families to grow a mainstream following.
The account follows the adventures of Marissa and Nathan Moss and their two adorable children, daughter Hensley and son JJ (Judah James). And if there’s one thing you can always count on from this crew, it’s that they keep it real. They share the ups and downs of life on the road and make you feel like a friend along for the ride.
03
The Wanderpreneurs
Meet “The Wanderpreneurs,” husband-and-wife Aaron and Lauren Grijalva and their kids, son Casen and daughter Calista. The family officially made the decision to travel full-time back in 2018, sold 90% of their belongings, and took off. They started documenting their journey while in the planning stages, and followers have been able to watch them travel the country in their RV, the world on excursions abroad, and even buy property in Baja, Mexico, to serve as a home base for their travels.
04
The Restless Russells
Another full-time RV family of four (well, five if you count the family pup, which we do!), the “Restless Russells” account was created by husband-and-wife team Michelle and Justin Russell. Come here for the dreamy travel reels; stay for their hilarious sense of humor! Plus, the couple is always open to offer advice to other would-be travelers, and they often post helpful reviews of parks they stay at along the way.
05
Mali Mish
Like Less Junk, More Journey, this full-time travel family falls under the banner of OGs — they’ve been living on the road since 2008 and have traveled 49 U.S. states along with 49 countries across five continents.
If you need proof that people don’t need all the “stuff” and can adapt to much smaller spaces, look no further! Although the family started in an Airstream when there were just three of them, they’ve now grown to a family of five who live and travel full-time in a Sprinter van.
06
TrynSomethingNew
TrynSomethingNew is a family of five — Sandi, Jimi, and kids Nixie, Sky, and Ryder — living in a toy hauler. Always down to try something exciting and spontaneous, this crew keeps things interesting! They’re fun, vibrant, and honestly, just kind of badass. You’ll love tagging along on their wild excursions, but you’ll be equally riveted by their informative videos about the realities of an RV travel lifestyle.
07
Essentially Streaming
Tanner and Nallely have been full-time on the road for seven years. Inspired by a camping trip back in 2016, they decided to take the leap and live in an RV, where they could visit all the national parks they wanted. They purchased their own airstream and have been traveling ever since. The pair have 23k followers on IG and share their journey as they continue to visit National Parks. They’ve reached 36 out of 63!
08
The Lovers Passport
It’s possible you’ve stumbled across Giselle and Stephen already — they’ve got 840k followers on IG and just under 400k on TikTok. Known as “The Lovers Passport,” this pair went viral for their mobile travels... not in an RV but a 4Runner! They share all their tips and tricks on traveling as minimally as possible while still having the modern conveniences of a full-size bed, electricity, water, and WiFi. Their epic travel pics aren’t so bad, either.
09
Getse RV Living
This family of four has been living on the road for five years! Getse and her husband travel with their two sons, who are 3 and 6, and their dog. They decided to live nomadically when Getse’s husband started his Journeyman Apprenticeship, which required him to move every three to six months anywhere in the state of California. For that reason, it made it easier for this family to spend more quality time.
Just because your home is on wheels doesn’t mean you have to be in a new state every month — this family remains in Cali for the most part, and it is still a more affordable and flexible option than settling in one spot.
10
Destin8tion
Des and Nate have been living in their RV since 2019 with their son, Maxton. Inspired by Nate’s career, which requires him to work up and down the East Coast of the United States, they decided to take the leap and live in an RV full-time. They now homeschool and travel wherever Nate works as a site operation manager, while Des was able to monetize her social media accounts.
11
The Adventure Detour
Meet Scott, Van, and their Daughter, Sissy. Like most people choosing to RV full-time, this family was ready for a lifestyle with more quality time and less debt. They started their RV journey in 2015 and have loved it ever since. They’ve been featured on RV-focused podcasts and even in RV Travel Magazine, and even recently added a new addition to the family: a pup named Oliver.
12
Our RV Life
Mark and Carlos travel in their super-luxe motorhome with their two dogs, Dulce and Pepper. They've been on the road full-time for around two years and have even hosted Carlos' niece for two months before driving her back home. Spending the summer with your "guncles" on the road? Sign me up.
While they share tips and tricks, they gained their 382k followers by simply sharing their lives!
13
Create Your Best Life Today
Jason and Vikki live and run their own business on the road with their two kids. They homeschool their children, but because they still work full-time, they share great tips and advice on how to work while living on the road. They also share tons of reels on the best gadgets and technology for having electricity and WiFi, even off-grid!
So, if you’re wondering if you need to be an influencer to live a travel lifestyle, the answer is no. This couple proves that as long as the job is remote and you have WiFi, you can work from anywhere.
14
Dodd Squad RV Life
A nomadic lifestyle can feel glamorous, but let’s be honest — RV life is hard work. This couple stands out for their sass and humor when it comes to the stinky and corky sides of living in a mobile home. They have just over 63k followers and often share funny reels of their experiences, whether it’s dealing with RV maintenance or weird encounters at a campsite.
Whether you have kids, pets, a full-time job or get paid to travel, mobile living can be adjusted to pretty much everyone’s needs. As long as you’re willing to do the dirty work, living on your own terms is just within arms reach.
