One thing we’ve figured out up here is that folks Outdoorsy in many different ways. And since our mission is to help you restore your connection with the outdoors (and each other) — we thought it fitting to chat about the different recreating styles we see in our community.
That’s why we took some time to connect with our RVing crew to see about the different travel types that make you tick. Though we’re united here by the common thread of camping and RVing, we found that people seek diverse things in the outdoors.
All in all, we boiled it down to six different personas that seem to capture how people travel with us. So let’s dig in to explore the different ways people Outdoorsy and the types of trips common for each.
The Outdoor Sports Adventurer
You’re the person who’s always seeking the tallest mountain to climb, the coolest trail to tackle, the wildest river to roll down, and so much more.
You RV to reach new summits. When you rent a rig or plan vacations, you figure out ways to make sure you’ve got the adventure gear you need to make the most out of the places you go.
That’s why we see outdoor sports adventurers adding on things like mountain bikes, kayaks, and more when they rent RVs with us.
Places you go
Outdoor sports adventurers can be found in many parts of the wild — but here are a few of the top spots we see these renters head to:
- National and State Parks — These spots are playgrounds for outdoor sports adventurers because they offer the full menu of options. Be it things like mountain climbing in The Tetons, mountain biking in Utah’s Mighty Five, or mountain hiking through The Smokies, our national treasures are natural habitats for travelers like you.
- Waterways — RVing can open your access to camping right by the water. For example, these 5 campgrounds let you park your RV right alongside whitewater rafting destinations.
Recreational areas like Minnesota’s Boundary Waters abound throughout the U.S. and feature campsites that give you easy access to floats along pristine waters. - Winter sports destinations — We put together this list of the best RV/campervan-friendly ski resorts in the U.S. because we found that our outdoor sports adventurers were using RVs to create their own ski-in/ski-out ‘condos’ at the foot of the mountain.
Be it snow skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, and more — we’ve seen it all when it comes to how you take on winter adventures in the outdoors. - Mountain biking campgrounds — Much like ski-in/ski-out camp spots, these six campgrounds let you ride on right from your front door.
Rigs you rent
Our outdoor adventurers will find no lack of adventure-ready rigs for rent on Outdoorsy. Here are some of the most common ones we see on the road:
- The 4×4 Mercedes-Benz — These boss rigs contain everything you need in a nimble package and can get you wherever you want to go.
- Off-road camping trailers — For towing behind off-road capable rigs that’ll take you to parts unknown.
RVing Foodies
Traveling folk seek experiences, and we found that our RVing crew craves culinary experiences more than most.
If you find yourself Yelping every stop on the road, checking out campfire recipes, stocking diverse food choices in your RV fridge, or thinking about things like Dutch Oven Cooking — chances are good that you’re an RVing foodie.
Places you go
RVing usually means you’re bringing the kitchen with you, so you can literally get your foodie on anywhere you park it.
And RVing also opens the door to hit up all kinds of new restaurants on the road trip. Here are some of the spots we commonly see RVing foodies gravitate to:
- Cities — Urban locales feature a diversity of food options. These 11 cities are tops for their RV friendliness and gastronomic offerings.
- Public lands — When you camp on dispersed public lands like BLM (Bureau of Land Management) campgrounds you can park your RV right beside beautiful natural features. You’ll also usually have scads of space to spread out with your grill, outdoor kitchen, and campfire cookers to create your own wild-west style kitchen.
Rigs you rent
RVs come with kitchens of all types and stripes and we see our foodies rent them all. Here are some of the top styles:
- RVs with outdoor kitchens — Outdoorsy is packed with RVs for rent that feature outdoor kitchens that’ll allow you to spread out and cook for the whole family. Outdoor kitchens are most commonly found on travel trailers and fifth-wheels longer than 25 feet.
- RVs with lux kitchens — Master Chef in the house? RVs such as larger Class As and big fifth-wheels often feature kitchens that have things like prep islands, dishwashers, full-size fridges, and more to help you cook in style.
Nature Lover
These campers seek out secluded locales where they can spot new species and listen to nature.
Boondocking (i.e. RVing without hookups) is common in this crowd because it allows you to camp with nothing but nature by your side.
Places you go
Rigs you rent
- Campervans like this Winnebago Revel bring the comforts of home deep into the wild.
- Off-road micro-campers that can be pulled by mid-size trucks and SUVs.
Family Gatherer
One of the best reasons to go RVing is to bring the family closer together. If you’re the type of person who craves family time, wants to unplug together, and seeks affordable family activities, you probably fit our family-gatherer crowd.
Family gatherers understand that RVs literally put you in the driver’s seat of getting your family together on epic adventures.
Places you go
RVs open the road for family trips to places like haunted towns, sporting events, hunting/fishing trips, and so much more. Here are a couple more examples of family-friendly RV ideas
- KOA Campgrounds — KOAs are geared toward families and often feature things like game rooms, mini-golf, playgrounds, pools, picnic areas, and more. You can even have a rented RV delivered right to a KOA campsite.
- RV as guest house — For those of you who love having extended family at home but worry about space issues, using a rented RV to create a guest house in your backyard can be the perfect way to get everyone gathered up.
Rigs you rent
- RVs with a bunkhouse — Kids love bunkbeds. That’s why many larger travel trailers, fifth-wheels, and even some motorhomes feature this family-friendly amenity.
- Fifth-wheel campers — Fifth-wheel campers often put the master bedroom (and sometimes even a separate master bath) at the front of the rig with a kid’s bedroom at the back. They also usually feature spacious kitchen/living areas and multiple slide-outs.
These features combine to make them the ideal family rig.
Nervous about driving something so big? You can have a fifth wheel delivered and set up right at camp.
Winery/Brewery Hopper
If you’re one who cheers to adventure with a glass of your favorite beverage, you might fall into this group. RVing puts you on the path to the plethora of wonderful breweries, vineyards, and distilleries on tap around the country.
Harvest Hosts is your dream come true because it’s a network of 7,000+ unique locations like farms, breweries, distilleries, vineyards, and more that invite RVers to stay overnight.
Places you go
RVing winery+brewery hoppers are bound to find imbibing just about anywhere they roll thanks to the exploding popularity of craft beverages.
Here are 10 super cool Harvest Host stops according to the blog Today is Someday.
Rigs you rent
While any RV can be a chariot for exploring these spots, we find that campervans and Class C’s seem to be the most popular rental for this group. That’s probably because they can usually fit in a brewery/distillery parking spot so you can safely imbibe.
- This RAM Promaster Campervan is ready to help you raise a glass to new adventure while tackling the tight spots that might get thrown at it.
- This Class C is spacious enough to enjoy the journey and nimble enough to fit where you need it to.
Wellness Seeker
You understand the healing power of nature and that’s why you get out in it. You unplug in the woods and find moments of Zen in the wilderness.
Nature is your inspiration. It’s where you find creativity, relaxation, and joy.
We might find you on the road painting outside, doing Yoga by a quiet beach, or taking a silent retreat on a nature trail. You live to make the outdoors part of your wellness routine.
Places you go
- National Forests — These vast public lands feature expansive areas for all things nature healing.
- Practicing forest bathing in a place like the Appalachian Trail.
- Meditating on a secluded Oregan beach.
Rigs you rent
Any type of rig could work for this, but our personal favs are teardrops and campervans because they encourage you to spend more time in nature and less time in the rig.
No matter how you Outdoorsy, you’ve got a community out there who gets how you roll. And we’ve got rigs for rent that fit every RVing style imaginable. Once you discover your Outdoorsy type, it’s time to start planning out that next RVing vacation to match you.
Find your match online at Outdoorsy.com — we have easy-to-use search filters for every flavor of camping.
