When we hit the road a little over two years ago, we were chasing freedom—open highways, new horizons, and the chance to live life on our own terms. And truth be told, full-time RV life has given us all of that. We’ve crossed states, explored hidden gems, met incredible people, and created a life filled with adventure.
But as the miles have added up, so have a few surprises—things we didn’t realize we would miss until we no longer had them. Full-time travel is amazing, but it isn’t perfect. In the spirit of honesty (and for anyone considering this lifestyle), here are a few of the things we’ve learned along the way… and the things we sometimes wish we still had.
1. A Home for Our Things — Not Just a Storage Unit
Before we went full-time, we sold, donated, and stored more things than we ever imagined. At the time, it felt liberating. Minimalism, mobility, freedom—everything the RV life promised. But over time, we’ve realized that having a home for your belongings means more than just a climate-controlled unit somewhere hours away.
It means access. It means connection. It means being able to touch the things that tell your story—photos, heirlooms, holiday decorations, tools, hobbies, keepsakes. When those things sit in storage year after year, they don’t feel like part of your life anymore.
We sometimes miss having a small home base where our things actually live with us, not in a place we rarely see.
2. Somewhere to Stretch Our Legs
RVers joke that their front yard changes every week, and that’s true. But the flip side is that sometimes you don’t have a yard at all.
There are days when we crave a simple walk around our neighborhood—one we know, one that feels familiar. A place where you step outside just to breathe, stretch, move, and not worry about campground rules, traffic, or changing scenery. We love new places, but new can be exhausting when it’s constant.
Having a home base doesn’t mean giving up the lifestyle… it means giving ourselves a little consistency to recharge before the next journey.
3. A Real Community of “Regulars”
Full-time RV life brings incredible friendships—people you meet at campgrounds, rallies, trails, and random chance encounters. But those friendships often come with a built-in expiration date. Eventually, you each pull away in different directions.
Sometimes, we miss the kind of community that comes with staying in one place:
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A doctor who knows your history
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A veterinarian your pets trust
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A groomer who knows your dog’s quirks
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A mechanic you rely on
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Neighbors you wave to every morning
When your zip code changes every few weeks, these “normal life” things become surprisingly difficult. Instead of having trusted go-tos, we’re always starting fresh. Most days it’s fine—part of the adventure even—but sometimes we long for the comfort of familiar faces and consistent care.
4. What These “Regrets” Have Taught Us
If anything, these feelings haven’t pushed us away from RV life—they’ve helped us understand how to make it sustainable. Two years in, we’re learning that full-time travel doesn’t have to be all or nothing. There’s room for balance.
Maybe that looks like:
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A small home base or seasonal lot
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A tiny home or casita where our things (and we) can rest
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Slowing down travel so places feel more like temporary neighborhoods
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Building deeper connections in repeat destinations
We’re not giving up the road. We just recognize that even nomads need roots—maybe smaller ones, maybe different ones, but roots all the same.
5. Looking Ahead: Maybe Part-Time RV Life in the Future
As we look down the road, we can see ourselves eventually shifting into a part-time RV lifestyle—something that gives us the best of both worlds. We imagine having a home base where our things live with us again, where we can build community and consistency, and then hitting the road for shorter adventures that last a few months at a time.
A smaller RV, a cozy home to return to, and the ability to travel without feeling like everything is constantly in motion—that balance is starting to feel more appealing as the years go on. We still love exploring, but we can also see the comfort and joy in having a place that feels like home waiting for us when the trip is over.
I like the idea of you having a home base if it means you will be nearby!
We are still scoping out what seems to be the best fit for us. We have narrowed down some areas we have enjoyed most in our travels,
Finding our own place was exactly about this—realizing that we still love the road, the freedom, and the wild unpredictability of it, but we also missed having a spot that felt like ours, where our things weren’t boxed up in another state and where we could catch our breath without constantly resetting. The miles gave us magic, but they also showed us how much we value a neighborhood we know, a routine that doesn’t move, and a community that doesn’t disappear with the next checkout time. We haven’t given up the adventure—we’ve just claimed a home base that lets us enjoy it without burning out, a place where our story can live with us instead of sitting in storage.
Yes! we are only a little over two years in but the stability a home town provides is desirable. We are so glad to have people like you to meet up with along our travels to make this life worth it for now.
This is greatly appreciated! I love watching your adventures, and I admire the RV life. I love that you found your balance, and I’m excited for your next chapter!
Thank you for the support! it was so nice meeting you in Florida and we love following your travels as well>