Lately I’ve been making plans to purchase a little camper trailer, fix it up, and take off on road trips throughout North America, up to Yellowstone National Park, across Canada, and dropping down to the east coast of the USA. And I’d love to tour the Southwest, there is so much to see right here in the USA!
I’ve had a few really great road trips in the past. Years ago, Matt and I drove upstate New York through Connecticut, Rhode Island, Cape Cod, and all the way to Boston on a fall foliage tour. Another time we drove in a loop through Arizona, from Tucson to Scottsdale to Prescott and Sedona. And there’s always the quintessential coastal California road trip from San Diego to San Francisco, I’ve done that a few times and it’s the ultimate scenic road trip.
There’s a life to be lived towing a trailer or driving a RV and parking it on campsites across the country, and I’m learning there are so many communities and forums with people who share their RV/trailer experiences. I can’t wait to dive into that lifestyle someday soon! I have a secret obsession with trailer renovations, it seems like such a fun challenge and an opportunity to get creative with teensy tiny spaces, right?
I spied the work of Cedar + Suede in an Australian magazine that I picked up on my recent trip and was impressed with the three camper renovations they’ve done so far! Check them out, the most recent is the Bumblebee…
Also Dolly the Van (camper)
And Vonnie the Van (camper).
Tour a beautifully done 1980s camper renovation by All Things With Purpose, I love the black and white palette!
Here’s another fantastic DIY renovation by The DIY Mommy!
Tour this Isla Airstream renovation by The Modern Caravan. (Pink velvet!)
The wallpaper in this Airstream renovation by Bonnie Christine is so fantastic, as are the decorative touches.
Ashley and Mike of Joyfully Growing have some tips about renovating RVs with style!
A lot of these trailer renovations are happening now on Instagram, here are a few notables to watch if trailer life and renovation is your thang!
Any other trailer/RV/camper renovations you’re following? Let me know I’d love to follow along too!
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Ashley (@DomesticImperfection) and her husband just recently renovated an RV. It looks fabulous! Below is her link.
https://www.domesticimperfection.com/rv-remodel-before-after/
cool thanks I’ll check it out Judy!
Mine sure has a long way to go, but my bf and I are renovating a 1946 Spartan Manor if it interests you! Look for the hashtag #RubysRevival
will do thanks Sarah!
These are great!
Check out Camitidbits. She, her husband and 4 kiddos are living in an RV they recently renovated while they build their dream home in Utah. It was a mess when they bought it but what they’ve done is amazing.
cool thanks Gina!
Kevin & Mandy are at 188sqft on instagram. They upgraded and renovated last year to a bigger trailer but they live full time on the road with 4 animals! I’m not sure I could that but I would like to roam around for awhile! Retirement dreams!
Thanks for sharing!! It IS a dream!
This post came at the perfect time to feed our itch. My husband and I have been talking about buying and renovating an RV for family road trips. (We’ve never driven an RV before-ha!) We did pick my sister’s friend’s brain who recently renovated and did an amazing National parks tour with their two dogs. Her IG account is stunning! @glamping.like.a.hoss
I have the same dream! I did not see one on your list that I thought was really good.
http://proverbs31girl.com/my-500-camper-remodel-that-i-did-all-by-myself/
Her wallpaper is another good one.
I’d like to know more about the financial side of this. How much is spent on gas, parking, upkeep and maintenance?
We bought an Airstream about a year ago. Prior to buying, we did a TON of research. We’d wanted one for a long time and when my husband had to relocate for his job four months before the rest of the family, we bought one. And…he lived in it in our best friend’s backyard. An invite to the Airstream for cocktails was coveted.
Anyhoo, things we learned were that it is very expensive to renovate one. We have a second home in Park City, and there is a guy in Heber City close by who runs a serious Airstream renovation business called Vintage Airstream Restoration and Repair. He explained to us how detailed the restorations are with framework, electrical, plumbing, etc. It is not for the faint of heart. And, it is super pricey. And, you have no warranty.
So, we bought a 22-foot new Airstream Sport, and we love it! One thing to consider when purchasing one of these trailers is length. 22 feet is about the longest Airstream you can get that can park in tent areas of national parks. We have camped extensively in a bunch of national parks in tents. We love the quiet of that and that generator use is restricted to a couple of hours in the morning and evening for RVs in those areas. So, even though we bought an RV, we want to be in the tent area. I mean, you’re in the national park to enjoy the outdoors, not to be holed up in your camper. If you have a long trailer, you have to park it with all the other RVs in the hook up area. Those areas are usually lacking trees and are very noisy. Just one thought.
Another thought is what kind of vehicle you need to pull something larger. We wanted to be able to pull ours with my Mercedes SUV and 22 feet is the max. My car is a diesel so it pulls it with no problem, but a lot of people don’t consider that aspect.
So, if you’ve never had an RV before, those are some things to consider! Happy searching!
You have a great idea and some great inspiration. A coupe of things to consider: weight – both of the trailer and the contents you want to travel with. A lot of the inspiration photos use materials that will add significant weight to the trailer (wood, tiles, etc.). All that will come into play when you need to move it. I am sure you have been caught behind someone towing a trailer with a vehicle that just barely works and they cannot go uphill with ease. That feels very frustrating for the people towing as well as those behind. We are travelling with our fifth wheel right now (heading into Northern California tomorrow). It feels good to be part of traffic flow and not a problem. We also have an old fifth wheel we are renovating out at our “farm”. It won’t be going anywhere so we feel free to use materials we would not otherwise choose. Looking forward to starting that project when w get home
Check out Birch and Pine on Instragram. They do lovely work, restoring Airstream trailers. They show a lot of the process, too, which is fascinating.
https://www.instagram.com/birchandpine/
I’m at the tail end of renovating my travel trailer “The Fox Den”. It’s an offshoot of my rental business Heirloom Fox. Can’t wait to share her with others.
I always had charm for trailer living but in our country, this is not in fashion and I really feel bad about it. I do check pinterest and web to stay updated with the trailers. The above pics on DIY trailers are amazing and are done perfectly. In such a small space, we can almost have everything!
Hi, these are beautiful and inspirational.
I have a travel trailer in good shape ; I need some Reno work done too. I’m on the East Coast ; and previously would of loved to of done the work myself. Disabled now ; and wondered if anyone knew a good jumping off point for renovations I’d like / need done to make her more accessible to me / living style / and needs i have due to disabilty.
Again , thanks for sharing. Any feedback as to Reno. Help greatly appreciated on East Coast / VA. Thank you
Happy Holidays.
Ang’