When my husband and I went on a seven week road trip in our new RV at the end of last summer, we had our concerns. The main one among mine was whether I would get enough of so much conviviality – eating, working, sleeping and traveling 24/7 in a 280 square foot space.

Spoiler alert: I didn’t. It turns out that I fell After in love with my partner after traveling with him in our RV from Colorado to Maine and back. We’ve had our fair share of mishaps (more on that below), but our marriage has survived – and thrived anyway.

Along the way, I also fell more in love with my home country. We saw incredible natural wonders on our journey through 23 different states. The experience of witnessing exquisite sunrises and sunsets, hiking in national parks, and riding small towns made me want more.

Likewise, as the girl who swore years ago to never camp in a tent again, I fell in love with the concept of camper van camping. I loved our comfortable house on wheels, not only because it was our place to return to after a day of exploring a new place on foot, but because it allowed us to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time. And since my husband was the only driver, I was able to take in the ever-changing scenery from the comfort of my passenger seat as the BB (“Beige Bettie”) RV was driving.

So in every sense of the word ‘romantic’ – whether in terms of the feeling of love for my spouse or the ’emotional appeal of what is adventurous, mysterious or idealized’ – traveling in a motorhome does it all. did the trick.

Here are a few reasons why I think RV road trips are the most romantic way to travel.

My partner and I are a team

On our multi-week RV trips, my husband Quent and I are the only companions of each other (with the exception of a few stops to visit friends and family along the way. ). It’s the two of us against the world, and for our RV trips to work, we – always – remember to support each other.

In addition, we have divided the tasks. I take the initiative in keeping the interior of the RV clean, and I am the chief navigator and responsible for booking campgrounds (RV Parky is my favorite app for finding campgrounds). Quent takes care of all the driving, installation and teardown of the campgrounds (for example, electrical, water and sewer hook-ups) and any mechanical problems.

The trip couldn’t be done with either of us slacking off on our chores, so it feels good for both of us to help make our adventure a success. Plus, there is something super sexy about a man that will easily empty your black tank, have no problem figuring out why the heat has gone out, and can pull a 32ft motorhome back to a cramped campground in the south of France. first attempt. (Believe me, it’s hot.)

We hone our communication skills

Keeping the lines of communication open is Marriage 101. Indeed, talking about things – all the time – helps us make sure we’re both on the same page and in a good mood throughout our travels. in VR.

There were times when we failed to communicate. For example, once I got angry when I felt Quent rushing me out of a campsite, but I hadn’t let him know that the check-out time was noon, not 11:30 am.

Another time he moved my phone to its fixed slot from the front of the RV to the back without letting me know (silly, but I like things out of place!). Sometimes I forget to put Happy Campers disinfectant in the toilet (it’s the key to a smelling motorhome!).

So when we are camping in our motorhome, we focus on excessive communication: “I moved your phone” and “Are you happy campers in the toilet?” and “Check out is at noon” are just some of the many comments and logistical questions we share throughout the day. This keeps us from a) making mistakes and b) disturbing each other.

We also constantly check in to confirm that we are both having fun on the trip: “Do we really have time for this detour?” or “Have you gone for another hike or do you need to take the time to work?” We always make our needs known and we are open to flexibility in our schedule to prevent any resentment or unhappiness from setting in.

Communication is the key to any partnership, and RV travel offers a lot of possibilities to connect – in so many more ways. (Cue the tunes of Barry White.)

We are often reminded of the importance of forgiveness

There are many characteristics that go into a healthy partnership, including the ability to forgive easily. This can be put to the test every day (sometimes every hour!) On an RV road trip.

As I mentioned, I am in charge of the navigation on the road – making our plans to get from point A to point B. And more than once I have completely messed up the job. I once guided our motorhome down a side road, thinking it would be faster than taking a longer road. Big mistake! The bumpy dirt road meant we were traveling about 15 miles per hour, veering on time.

Another day I took us down a city road riddled with potholes so deep that they knocked our bikes off the rack in the back of the motorhome, smashing a headlight on the Jeep that we towed. (Oops.)

But my mistakes spark in my husband the mantra we often used when our children were young: “It’s okay. Everyone makes mistakes. ”He could have stolen from the grip when I accidentally steered us north for miles as we had to head south, but his patient response -“ Not much. are in no rush – just made me love it even more.

Waking up in new places adds anticipation and mystery

The goal of our RV road trip itineraries has been to visit places we have never been before. (I want to see all the national parks in the mainland US!) We’ve been generally on a stretch of time, needing to end our RV trips by a certain date, so we don’t dwell on the same one too long. in law.

I find it exciting every time we enter a new campground. What will it look like? Who will be our neighbors? And I wake up excited every morning. What will today’s adventures bring?

The places we’ve stayed overnight on our RV trips – from a Walmart parking lot in North Dakota to an upscale RV resort in California to a Kentucky distillery – have been incredibly diverse. . Every place is so different that I wake up to a new sight outside my front door almost every day.

Motorhome travel is travel

Train travel is appealing for a reason. You can sit and let someone else drive while admiring the countryside passing through large windows. Being a passenger in an RV is similar.

While I have to keep an eye on the navigation app, I can peek through the front and side windows of our rig to see the sprawling hay fields pass by. We drove through downtown Chicago and across New York’s Throgs Neck Bridge. We climbed high mountain passes, skirted the Atlantic Ocean, traversed deserts dotted with giant cacti – and I had a view of glory out front the whole way.

Watching the campaign go by makes VR adventures much more travel-related. That said, as romantic as it is to hit the road regularly, not knowing what’s around the corner, settle in a campsite and relax with a glass of wine and a plate of cheese while listening to the music. whispers from neighbors (or the cows next door. mooing!) is also wonderfully heartwarming.

My husband and I have learned that motorhome travel is fine for us. It’s certainly not all sun and rainbows, but solidarity on the road – when it’s just him and me, working as a team, exploring our beautiful country – has brought us closer together. Investing in an RV is one of the best things we could have done for our wedding, and I can’t wait to return to BB le RV soon.

Want to travel in RV? Here is some further reading: