Meet the Hambrick family. Monet is an architect & interior designer recruiter by day and travel blogger by night. James is a business development account manager. Together they have two children, Jordyn, 4, and Kennedy, 2.
The family recently took an amazing road trip in an RV. They shared with us their experience and how to plan road trips like this.
Travel Noire: How did the idea to take a trip via RV come about? Where did you go? How long?
The Hambricks: We have always wanted to go on a trip in an RV. We flew to Las Vegas and then drove to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and back to Las Vegas. The trip lasted eight nights.
TN: How did you plan for this?
The Hambricks: We chose the dates based on my eldest daughter’s school schedule. We knew we wanted to explore some National Parks and the Grand Canyon. The parks are also less crowded this time of year, and the weather hasn’t gotten too cold yet. We based the other parks visited on proximity as we didn’t want to drive too far each day.
Most of the parks we explored on our own but Antelope Canyon requires a tour and they sell out far in advance. Our trip cost $4,900 including our round-trip flights from Fort Lauderdale to Las Vegas, the RV rental, insurance, roadside assistance, RV parks, gas, National Park entrance fees, food and tours. We cooked most days and only ate at a restaurant once, on Thanksgiving Day in the Grand Canyon.
TN: How easy or hard was it to manage in an RV with young children?
The Hambricks: It was quite easy. Our RV had four beds, one Queen size bed, a full-size bunk, and then the dining room table and couch convert to beds. The RV has a shower and I was able to fit in there to easily bathe with one of my girls.
It was much more convenient than a road trip in a car since we always had a clean bathroom to use and could easily stop at a rest stop or idle in a parking lot to make some sandwiches, eat at the table, and then get back on the road. Our RV also had a stove, oven, microwave, fridge and a freezer.
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TN: Would you recommend an RV trip for other families? Why or why not?
The Hambricks: Yes, it is such a unique experience that every family should experience at least once. The RV parks were filled with other families so our girls always had other kids to play with. We met more people than we usually do on trips. We got to enjoy the stars at night, make s’mores, and sit by the campfire; things we’ve never done on other trips.
TN: Can you offer any advice for those wanting to plan a similar trip? What should we know?
The Hambricks: You don’t have to own an RV to take an RV trip, you can rent one on Outdoorsy.com which is like Airbnb for RVs.
While you can show up to an RV park without a reservation, I highly recommend booking your accommodations ahead of time. Service can be hard to come by in certain areas, so you don’t want to be stuck with no cell service to even find a nearby park.
You’ll also want to know where you can refill your propane tank along with your route. If you’re traveling during the colder months, it will be quite a chilly night for you if you run out. Only special locations can refill RV propane tanks so you don’t want to be stuck on a cold night without propane.
TN: Where can we find you on social media?
The Hambricks: You can find us on our website or on Instagram @thetravelingchild.