Meet Other RVers Like You on the Road
When you think about traveling in an RV, do you wonder how you’ll meet other RVers? You would love to meet other working age RVers with a similar mindset but how? What can appear as a solitary life from the outside can be very social given the right circumstances. Thankfully, there are many resources today to help us connect on the road.
Meet at the Digital Playgrounds
If you are looking to meet other RVers who share your same interests, follow them where you and they hang out online. Many RVers document and share their travels through digital outlets and social media. If you start searching, you’ll find many RVers have blogs or YouTube channels. Reading blogs and watching YouTube videos lets you get a glimpse into their life. If you’re still in the preparing phase, this can give you valuable insight into what it’s like to live a life on the road. Commenting on posts or videos may also lead to a connection with the author or another commenter.
Facebook Groups
Facebook has no shortage of groups focused around the RVing lifestyle. You can choose to go broad and find groups that cover RVing in general or full-timing specifically. Or you can go niche and find ones for your specific brand of RV or style of travel. There are ones about camping in each state or just boondocking! Of course, my favorite Facebook group to meet other RVers like me (active, adventurous, and working-age) is the Xscapers Facebook group!
Join a group, review the pinned post or description for the rules, and start reading! It’s ok to lurk a little and get a feel for the group. If it’s not your scene, you can always leave. But if you’re ready to start mingling, be sure to jump in some conversations and start a post of your own. Share a win as you progress towards traveling or share a tip that others can use. If you become an active participant, you’ll find you start recognizing other names and faces in the group. Many RV friendships have started this way before ever meeting in person.
Instagram can be traveling gold. You can meet other RVers, find new spots to go, and be generally inspired. Who doesn’t love to look at pretty photos of awesome places or cool RVs with even cooler people? I thought so. Scrolling through your feed can become addictive and with Instagram stories, you can become immersed in someone’s journey.
Start by following an RVing account, may I suggest Xscapers, and Instagram will start suggesting other accounts for you to follow. You can also follow some of those bloggers and YouTubers you searched out and your new Facebook friends. You’ll be able to start filling your feed with pretty scenes and RVs in no time. Do you want more people to follow? Start searching hashtags like #Xscapers, #LiveFreedomDriven, #RVLife, #VanLife and #HomeisWhereYouParkIt. Instagram allows you to follow hashtags now, so you can catch the posts this way or you can choose to follow accounts you find using the hashtag.
Once you start following a handful of accounts, start participating by commenting on photos you find interesting. It’s best to make a thoughtful comment unless you know the person. “Nice photo!” can easily be mistaken for a bot. Creating connections on Instagram can pay off in real life. Watch the locations of photos or use the “places” search to see if anyone has posted in your area. When you find someone near you, reach out and see if they would like to meet up. No, you’re not a stalker. We all do this and it’s completely normal in #RVlife. I have met a lot of good RVing friends by one of us reaching out when we’re near each other.
If you’ve already been following each other on Instagram or connected through a Facebook group, it can make meeting in person a little easier. You already feel like you know one another through photos or online discussions and you can skip the awkward small talk. For any introverts, this is a big benefit.
Meet Other RVers in Person
Getting the chance meet other RVers while traveling through chance encounters or planned get-togethers can be a highlight of a nomadic life. It’s a great feeling to meet others who like to travel, RVs, and understand the desire to do it before they hit traditional retirement. When you get to share experiences with someone else who understands what it’s like to work on the road or raise a family while traveling, it can make you feel like part of a community.
Reaching out to others digitally is a great start and will allow you to meet people all year long. Although you will find a higher concentration of RVers in the south during the winter. This can make meet-ups easier and more frequent. It never hurts to ask if someone would like to meet-up for a drink or hike. They may want to meet others just as much as you.
Campgrounds and Local Spots
If you’re at a campground, park, or even a popular off-grid camping area, you may find your neighbors are sharing your vibe. Look around to spot any stickers like Xscapers, blogs, or events that may give you insight to who’s nearby. You can try to catch them while they’re outside or leave a note saying you saw their sticker and are an Xscaper/nomad/burner, too. These souvenirs can also be great ice breakers and spark a conversation. Walking the dog easily allows you to meet other RVers when you’re camping as most people will say hello as you walk by and you can always chat with other dog owners.
And don’t discount some of the local hotspots in town. Breweries are popular with the RV crowd and you may run across some full-timers while having a pint. And there are confirmed instances of Xscapers meeting each other on the trail while mountain biking. If you hike near national parks or boondocking areas, there’s a good chance you’ll run across another RVer. A random conversation can spark a friendship.
Convergences and Rallies
If you’d like to meet a bunch of people at once or dive right in to your RVing experience, there’s no better place to be than a convergence or rally. Depending on the size and your personality, it may feel a little overwhelming to attend some of these get-togethers, but there is no better place to meet a group of like-minded people at once. Everyone is an RVer and traveler and you won’t have to explain your life to anyone!
You’ll find rallies and gatherings for RV clubs, chapters of RV clubs, brand owners groups, and other interests. You just need to decide which one interests you. If you are looking for an event focused on working-age RVers, Xscapers convergences hold the top slot. The convergences are designed with the working-age crowd in mind with many events held in the afternoon or evening to accommodate working attendees and those homeschooling. You can read more about Xscapers convergences in the article “Why You Should Attend an Xscapers Convergence.”
During a convergence or rally, don’t be afraid to walk up to someone and introduce yourself. Everyone is there for the same reasons. Many gatherings will have events where you can mingle or break off into smaller groups and socialize with other attendees. You’ll often see fires happening at night and it’s common to bounce around from one to another to talk with each group. With a little effort and openness, you can meet your tribe.
Festivals, Etc
Although not strictly for RVers, you’ll find there are many music-loving and general fun-loving RVers attending festivals all over the U.S. from World of Bluegrass to Burning Man. It can be worth it to put a call out for others attending a festival in your favorite Facebook groups or on Instagram. If the festival has a camping area, you’re sure to meet other RVers there. Look around and see who you connect with, nomads are drawn to each other.
Conclusion
No matter how you meet other RVers, once you meet a few, your circle will start to grow exponentially. After you’ve met, RVers will often introduce you to their friends and other RVers they know. Sometimes, it’s a recommendation online or a heads up that you’re all in the same area. When you’re able to meet-up again in person and get introduced to more friends, that makes it even more special. Any way it happens, it will allow you to meet and know more people on the road.
Taking the first steps before you even leave your home can give you a head start to building your RVing friends community. Will you join Facebook groups full of RVers or start following people on Instagram? You can start to create connections now making the transition easier when you do hit the road. And why not plan to attend your first convergence or rally soon? We’re all waiting for you to say hello!
Author
Kerensa Durr
Kerensa & her husband Brandon hit the road in January of 2014 and haven’t looked back. After years of moving for jobs, they decided to go where they wanted and take the jobs with them. They left with their two dogs and cat in a motorhome to explore the country after an extensive research and planning period. With years under their belt enjoying the freedom of exploring the US by RV, they decided to help others learn the ropes of full-timing with what became Roadmap to Full-Time RVing and join the Escapees team as a Director of Marketing.
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Great post Kerensa! I will definitely send people here as a reference. You’ve explained the options very well. Thank you.
Thanks, Cheryl! I appreciate that. We “met” you guys through a few of these ways. 🙂