RVLove Completes 8,500-Mile RV Road Trip Across 14 States

Saying Julie and Marc Bennett love to go RVing seems to be an understatement. The couple recently concluded an 8,500-mile winter RV road trip across 14 states—all in three and a half months.

“Love experiencing and sharing the different kinds of experiences each RV type has to offer. They all have their pros and cons. It’s all part of the learning and, above all, appreciating the freedoms the RV lifestyle offers. So much more to come!” Julie wrote in a LinkedIn update.

The couple sold their Colorado home in 2014, bought a Class A rig, and decided that home can be anywhere and everywhere. Since then, the Bennetts made every day their vacation as they rolled on the road, living the RV life and visiting 48 US states.

Recently, Julie and Marc decided to slow down and cruise around, traveling about 9,000 miles a year in their rig. 

Then again, what used to be 9,000 miles a year turned to 8,500 miles in only three and a half months. This winter, the Bennetts decided to conquer the miles, driving a rented Winnebago Navion across 14 states with Sunny, their mini Goldendoodle.

The couple explored the states to the south of Colorado, taking in the beautiful views of Florida, discovering new places on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, and stopping by various national parks in different states. Two electric bikes served as the Bennetts’ local transport during their excursion.

Julie shared that voyaging in the 25-foot RV made their trip “a little easier” as RV sites are harder to book, especially in Florida during the winter months. Other than the boom in RVing, snowbirds who drive down to the Sunshine State yearly to bask in its warmth and hospitality account for the rise in demand for RV sites.

When asked which among the 14 states they visited was the most memorable, the RVLove founders told Modern Campground that they enjoyed Florida and South Carolina the most. 

“It was just really lovely to be walking around in 80-degree days in the middle of winter,” Julie expressed.

In South Carolina, the RVers rode their electric bikes along the beach and visited different restaurants.

Still, Florida was where Marc and Julie spent most of their trip, vacationing for two and a half months and visiting modern campgrounds. One of them is Sunshine Key RV Resort in Key West where they stayed for two weeks. Another is Camp Margaritaville in Auburndale—a property that checked everything off their list, admiring how “thoughtfully designed” the campground was and how it accommodated every kind of RV. 

For the Bennetts, it’s important to book a spacious site where they can set up their awning. “A bit of space is important for sure,” Marc shared. The other more important factor for the RVing couple rather than amenities is cleanliness. “That shows that the management or the owners of the campground have some pride in the property and really take care of their guests,” said Julie. These factors, together with the service they received from Camp Margaritaville, created an enjoyable experience.

“If we’re raving about it because it really is probably the nicest campground we’ve ever been to,” Julie said.

Even Sunny enjoyed his stay at the property, visiting the dog park around three times a day and making friends along the way.

Another highlight of the couple’s trip was being part of the over 80,000-people crowd at the RV show in Tampa where they saw new RV models and more.

High Fuel Costs and High Demand for RV Sites

Amid high gas prices and the peak time in Florida, the couple managed to keep trip expenses at bay which they credit to a discount fuel card, good fuel economy of their RV, and their Thousand Trails camping membership.

But that’s not all.

“The great thing about RV travel too, is you don’t have to be going out for dinner all the time. You can have most of your meals in the RV and save money that way. This is why we like RV travel over hotel travel,” Julie told Modern Campground.

When it comes to securing sites, the couple said that warmer areas like Florida are where travelers really have to plan, especially those with larger rigs. If all else fails, those booking must be flexible with dates.

The RVLove couple believes that no reservation is impossible, “you just might have to be flexible or persistent or patient, but they’re out there,” and as long as you create a plan.

Julie and Marc’s recent 8,500-mile trip is just the first installation of many trips they plan to take this year. The couple plans to drive to Michigan and they are also looking forward to the Albuquerque Balloon Festival lined up for October in New Mexico.

Featured image from Julie and Marc Bennett (RVLove).