Camping and nomad life

[b4u2]

I am searching for others that like to camp. I don't care if it's tent, rv, or motorhome. I want to hear your stories. What do you camp with or in? How do you make it fit into your MMM life? Those that are ER or just plain retired and live in motorhomes I want to hear your stories and maybe even meet you on the road someday. Join in this discussion if you will. Also if you have blogs of people that are retired and "camp" I would like to have those so that I can read them.

I'll start. I like to camp and so does my wife. My kids are border line but they get drug with us haha. We started out tent camping and went through a few tents to suit us and our large family. In late 2012 we finally bought a toy hauler travel trailer. We ride a big Harley and go to Sturgis and other rides that we can. My originally idea was to move up slowly but we jumped from a tent to a full blown camper. We love it for many reasons but our own bathroom and shower is a big deal. Sometimes the kids have to sleep in a tent but that's ok. It's how my parents did it because I grew up in a large family as well.

Our retirement goal/dream is a (model/type subject to change as the years go by) rv toy hauler motorhome. We want to travel and stay in places that we can't visit because we have to work right now. My wife gets 2 weeks of vacation and I get 3. We want to travel where it's warm. I can't stand the cold so the sooner I can leave Iowa and not have to be tied here the better. It's a big goal/dream for us.

I want to hear from other like minded people and learn how you are doing it. What you did to get that point. What would you do differently. I want to learn from you.

[lackofstache]

My wife, two kids & I enjoy camping, most of the time. The kids sometimes say they don't wanna, but they usually enjoy it once we're out there. We use a tent & do it as a way to travel/vacation cheaply while still paying down debt & saving up $, so a bit different than your set up. We usually drive, but I go bike camping with friends when I get a free night as well. Once I don't have to work, I imagine we'll car camp & bike tour a bit more than we do now as I would take a night outside in the rain over a $150/night hotel any day.

[Langer83]

To me, camping and the MMM life are a perfect fit. Camping is one of the cheapest hobbies you could have and makes traveling MUCH less expensive. It's also super-enjoyable but at the same time kind of the antithesis of luxury and easy living that MMM sometimes rails against.

My favorite hobby is backpacking. I put together a lightweight/ultralight setup four years ago and have bought basically no new gear since then. I aim to have 10-15 nights/year in the backcountry, largely solo trips in NH's White Mountains. I pretty much exclusively backpack; used to car camp a lot, but now I don't do it at all.

If you want to travel long-term in an RV, then I highly recommend this documentary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg37Cbx-kak

The blogger for Lacking Ambition spent a year living in a tent in NM, which I think sounds like a pretty interesting experience:
http://lackingambition.com/?p=423

There was a cool post a few months ago about retirement in a Sprinter Van, which had some great links in it:
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/fire-in-a-sprinter-van/

[FrugalZony]

I love camping and some of my best travel memories were camping trips on a shoestring budget.
Right now I am in the process of downsizing, so I can RV travel with my SO and pets.
SO now owns a small RV and has been full time RVing for 7 years.
We are planning to upgrade to a slightly bigger one, once I finally sold my house,
the main reason being that it will be eaier to pet-proof.

If it were just us, I'd be fine with a lot less space.
We are planning on heading out together next summer (2016)

[zenzy]

I'm a loner who travels Western US trails in a 1986 4WD VW Camper.  I camp for free on National Forest and BLM land, sometimes after spending hours negotiating rough unpaved roads to get to a nice spot with a spectacular view.  A good supply of food, water, and propane will last me more than two weeks.  I don't live in the VW now, but I once did live in it for 3 months when I had no other home.

Oh by the way, this money angle is so weird... in 1987 I bought a dozen 'Camp Stamps' at a Forest Service office.  They were printed for paying campground fees instead of using cash or checks.  I quickly used half of them and forgot about the rest.  Well, the Camp Stamp program was a big flop, and now any surviving unused stamps are quite rare and valuable to revenue stamp collectors.  I've sold a few of them on eBay for hundreds of dollars each.

[wienerdog]

Another VW Bus adventure:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nua7anYbSsc&list=PL3-CFitnEZXo0tRt7OAzsquQK7KUw79Hx

[ender]

The nice part about Iowa is that there are dozens of nice campgrounds at parks everywhere and a relatively long season for camping (well if you do a camper it's nearly all spring/summer/fall).

[forummm]

If you want to travel long-term in an RV, then I highly recommend this documentary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg37Cbx-kak

Good watch. Very mustachian individuals. Seems like they realized it on their own.

[use2betrix]

I travel and do contract work all around the country. I'm usually in each place from a few months to over a year.

Since spring 2013 my fiance, chocolate lab, and I have lived in a 42' Toy Hauler. It has a 12' garage.

While I am looking forward to settling down and getting a house in the next 6-8 years, I definitely don't mind the trailer.

Once I retire some day I'd love to have one again and travel the country. I'd far prefer it over hotels. Keeps my buying in check as well, as I have limited room.

[Bateaux]

Love camping and backpacking.   We have an older 23 foot travel trailer we use a few times a year.  Helps beat the heat with A/C.  I use a hammock most backpacking trips now.
After FIRE we plan to move on a sailboat.  That is camping in a way.  Eventually will sell the boat and buy a Class A motor home.  Hope to live in the motor home till bored or tired.

[Potterquilter]

Just got in from a month in our class c 26' with bicycles on the back. We prefer state and national parks, especially near historic sites. Commercial campgrounds are more expensive, but many prefer them because you have Internet and cable and hookups.  I like to be in the woods near hiking trails and the flora and fauna.

We are looking buying an old Honda Civic type vehicle to tow when we go out for three months next year with a destination of Banff. We moved to Florida from the frigid north and go north for at least part of the summer months.

We know people who full time RV for years at a time.

As far as the mustacian angle, yes it would be cheaper to stay home. We tented until we had retired for several years and were more confident of the money angle. We do not eat in restaurants, and food management was not hard to do. It is easy to stop in a town, park in the back of a grocery parking lot and pick up fresh fruit and vegetables.

The places that are warm in the winter, like Florida and Arizona are extremely crowded in the winter, so as you do your research think about where you might want to spend the coldest months and look into campground availability and pricing. some campgrounds are very close together, whereas we find state and national parks to be the most natural and uncrowded.

We made a concious decision not replace our last dog when he died. Makes travel much easier.

[asauer]

We absolutely love camping and that makes up about 80% of our travelling.  We tent camp with our kids because damn, airline tickets and hotel for 4 ppl!?  No way.  We did invest in a nicer tent b/c we use it 10-15 times per year (Big Agnes Flying Diamond).  I love that our family is outdoors and active almost all the time while we're camping.  We've learned a lot as a family about nature, geology, botany etc.  Also, I think all of us have learned about family teamwork (setting up a tent in a thunderstorm takes teamwork!) and about having fun during mild discomfort.  Most places we stay are State/ National Parks which I have found to have very good facilties, camping spots etc.  Of course there are private campgrouds as well.  If you're thinking of tent camping, here are my recommendations for gear:
1. A higher end tent for long lasting weatherproofing
2. camp stove (our coleman has lasted 8 years with no issues)
3. sleeping bags graded to -40 if you plan to tent camp in fall
4. a nicer cooler (so you're not buying ice every day)
5. a screened canopy- good if it rains or it's buggy.
6. a collapsible 5 gal water jug
7. If you have females in your camping party- buy the p-style.  It is essential for ladies who have to tinkle in nature and don't want to pee on themselves.

[DTaggart]

Hubby and I love camping too, and its a big part of our ER plans.

Right now due to work we only get to go for 1 - 2 weeks a year. Right now we car camp in a tent and find its a very cheap way to travel. Hubby has the National Parks Access Pass due to some service related disability so we get free admission to national parks and 1/2 off most national park campground fees, so that helps a LOT.

We want to expand into backpacking once we FIRE and are talking about doing the PCT and maybe even AT and CDT. We're also thinking about renting out the house for a couple of years and getting a truck camper to travel around.

[NV Teacher]

I recently started reading this blog.  http://rvsueandcrew.net/

It makes me consider some sort of nomadic life after retirement.

[tn3sport]

Began as an SUV and tent camper w/ wife and the kids when they were young.

Got the great idea that if we had a pop-up trailer, we could cut down on packing and unpacking effort by dedicating supplies exclusively to the pop-up and never unpacking them. (Kitchen stuff, sheets, sleeping bags, etc)  It was a good idea that went adrift as the trailer merely allowed us to pack MORE and MORE stuff.  Plus, the popup require maintenance. (sealing leaks, cleaning canvas, replacing tires, plus having to cut and trim grass around it once a week...)

So, we moved back to car/SUV and a tent only and love it.  You take less stuff because you have less room in your car. Therefore, you spend less time prepping and packing. And... its easier to just get up and go.

I have a pop-up sitting in my yard that hasn't been used in a year. It has nearly zero value and not sure what to do with it. I'll likely never use it again. I find tent camping so much better when considered from an an end to end activity.

I also moto-camp, but that's something I do independent of the family. Its a guys getaway thing.

[gt7152b]

I also love camping and so do my kids. My wife, not so much but she makes the best of it during family camping time. I'm all about the low cost and simplicity of tent camping. We tried a pop- up for a couple of years as well. Didn't like the towing, maintenance, and setup time involved with it so we sold it. One day I'd like to have a small camper van for touring around the U.S. but I don't think I could go full time. Main reasons for the van would be the ability to have it heated for long term snowboarding trips and to do stealth camping anywhere in it.

[risky4me]

Wife and I have an older 1986 conversion van, its small and you can take it down narrow trails so we can camp almost anywhere. We are prefer to be  independent of camp grounds as we have a pop-up tent for toilet/showers, table and small gas grill for cooking under the awning. What we like best about it is all our camping stuff is stored in it- we turn on the fridge, put in 5 gal of drinking water and off we go. It is a fuel hog, someday I hope to change to a VW Vanagan.

 It is old, so we have the added excitement wondering if it will break down on us, but it never has yet!
 

[Dee18]

My favorite domestic trip was to Alaska.  I flew there with my then 7 year old daughter, where we were joined by a friend.  I managed to pack all the camping gear for two of us in a couple duffles. My daughter did not like camping so I made the trip 3 or 4 nights camping, then a night in a hotel.  Turned out great.  Alaska had beautiful campgrounds everywhere.  At Denali we laughed because the campsite was as big as our whole property at home.  I had, of course, reserved an economy car, but I overslept the first morning and when I got to the rental agency they did not have one.  They offered me an extended cab brand new pickup for the price of a compact.  Maybe not Mustachian, but it sure was fun for 2 weeks.

[Exhale]

I put together a lightweight/ultralight setup four years ago and have bought basically no new gear since then.

Would you be willing to share you packing list for your setup? Thanks!

[b4u2]

I've met some people in person that travel in a motor home. They let me know about certain places that you can do side work* and camp for free. I will try and keep in touch with these people so I can find out what to do. Sometimes you can find a "resort" and rent spots for months at a time rather than 14 days.

*An example of the jobs given. One guy had to pick up brass shells from a shooting range. Took about 15 hours a week but he got free camping. Another was something with Disney Land I believe.

[AlexK]

This is the last week of work for my wife and I. We will be hitting the road in a truck camper. We have a national park pass but for sleeping we want to do a lot of free camping. That is the rough plan but I'm sure it will evolve as we go. We started a blog in hopes it would help us meet people and make new friends along the way.

[FrugalZony]

This is the last week of work for my wife and I. We will be hitting the road in a truck camper. We have a national park pass but for sleeping we want to do a lot of free camping. That is the rough plan but I'm sure it will evolve as we go. We started a blog in hopes it would help us meet people and make new friends along the way.

Thanks for sharing the blog!
I'll be following along and hopefully we'll run into you guys once we start going on the road ourselves next year!
Safe Travels!

[scrubbyfish]

I feel like my life is one long camping trip now :)    Or, more specifically, glamping. We're in a 450 sq foot cottage on land, walk to lake, etc. Feels perfect to me -all access to quiet and nature, yet vastly simpler than camping, and super comfy. We'll be in a tent for a bit in August.

One adjustment I'm looking at is tent size. Right now we have a 2-3 man tent. This is too heavy/bulky for backpacking trips, but too small for "living in". I think for my kid's childhood I'll be upping it to a tent we can easily stand, sit, walk in -a nylon room/house, essentially- then returning to a true backpacking tent when he's done with me.

The WWOOF program is excellent for nomads (tent, RV, or nothing) who love nature, and campsites have live-in caregivers usually for six months at a time. One unretired caregiver I met had two sites she switched between, both within a short drive of her day job.

[b4u2]

This is the last week of work for my wife and I. We will be hitting the road in a truck camper. We have a national park pass but for sleeping we want to do a lot of free camping. That is the rough plan but I'm sure it will evolve as we go. We started a blog in hopes it would help us meet people and make new friends along the way.

Link for the blog? Think I missed it because someone else said thanks for posting it. "confused"

Think I found it now.

Here is one that I read occasionally https://strollingamok.wordpress.com/about/

I might have to update the OP with links for other readres but here is another blog.
http://winnieviews.blogspot.com/p/about-us.html

http://wheelingit.us/about/

[slugsworth]

I do a good amount of backpacking, a little car camping, and a bit of bicycle touring. I also tend toward the ultralight backpacking. Backpacking is usually extremely mustachian one you are happy with your gear.

Bicycle touring tends to be pretty inexpensive. . .   I was really impressed with some of the biker camping sites which typically are a lot nicer than the rv/car call sites and are usually 1/4 the price.

[Arktinkerer]

I do a good amount of backpacking, a little car camping, and a bit of bicycle touring. I also tend toward the ultralight backpacking. Backpacking is usually extremely mustachian one you are happy with your gear.

Bicycle touring tends to be pretty inexpensive. . .   I was really impressed with some of the biker camping sites which typically are a lot nicer than the rv/car call sites and are usually 1/4 the price.

Hiker/bicycle sites in Calif state parks are around $6/night or less.  A great deal when compared to regular tent sites at $35 - $45/night and RV sites with hook ups at much more than that ($50 - $60/night plus the cost of hook ups). I'm planning to focus more on backpacking and bike touring next year once my sister moves in with me and can pet sit. For now it's the tent with the wet and muddy dog :-)!

Are bike sites open to motorcycles?  Doesn't really require any more space or amenities for a motorcycle over a bicycle.

[Bob W]

Since you are in Iowa and just north of heaven in the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas I'll share a few totally secret camp sites with you that you will love ----No one else read please  --

Mother Natures Camp Retreat and Camp Ground in Central Missouri near lake of the ozarks---  You can pull your camper right up to the river and most weekdays there is no one there but you.   They have hook ups up the hill but not on the rivers edge.  You can google it.

Missouri State Park at Lake of the Ozarks --- Rated number 1 or 2 state park in the nation for camping ---  Again pull your camper right up to the lakeside with hook ups.    Bonus for both these sites is an abundance of curvy paved roads nearby.   There is a bike fest in September at the Lake with 5-10K bikes.

A personal favorite is gravel bar RVing on the Current River just below the confluence of the Jacks Fork and Current Rivers Near Eminence MO.   I've seen solo RVs on the large gravel bars.   You'll need to talk with a local to see which gravel road gets you to this piece of Heaven.

I have some more in my pocket but I don't know you or the interlopers who ignored my request not to read this.

Have fun!  Sounds like a great life!

[scrubbyfish]

Not in Calif state parks - no motorized vehicles at all in the hiker/biker sites and you usually to walk or bike in with your stuff.

Nice quiet sites?!? YUM! Do these tend to be quiet in terms of humans, too, or just motors? i.e., Do you hear a difference in parties/loud alcohol talking, etc, over the motor-permitted sites?

[squakbx]

I have been reading vandweller's blogs for a couple of years now.  I like the concept but would never be able to do it.
Most of the vandwellers talk about joining gyms like Planet Fitness so they can shower.  PF is very inexpensive.
I also enjoy Blonde Coyote's blog.  She use to live out of her small SUV but now she has a very small trailer.
I think you would enjoy her blog.

[slugsworth]

In WA/OR the hiker biker sites DO tend to be much quieter. . . along the Oregon coast I found that you often just hear the sounds of the Ocean and are camping in an area of trees. . .it is pretty epic.

http://www.oregon.gov/oprd/BIKE/Pages/hiker_biker.aspx

Washington doesn't have such a good complete listing that I've found. I've never seen a place in which motorcycles were allowed.

[scrubbyfish]

In WA/OR the hiker biker sites DO tend to be much quieter. . . along the Oregon coast I found that you often just hear the sounds of the Ocean and are camping in an area of trees. . .it is pretty epic.

Wow, great to know, thanks!! Motor sounds kill the experience for me, so this is exciting!

[Outlier]

My wife and I just started camping last year. We asked our families if they had old camping stuff they didn't want and got a decent tent site going with old stuff and $200 worth of gear. We just go to places where family can visit and have fun or we can go hike a bit.

It's cheap and everything fits in a 4 door sedan. I'm planning to put a towing package on the car and get a small trailer soon. It's got plenty of value for hauling things camping and just being useful general utility.

[kpd905]

There is a pretty good Youtube Channel called Where's My Office Now, where they talk about living in their van: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCypgXj6E4hlzMKiHla0SGVA

They just finished interviewing a bunch of different people living the nomad lifestyle, and the interviews will be posted (hopefully) soon as "Season 2" on their channel.  They should be pretty good.

[Cookie78]

I'm definitely up for the nomadic/camping type of life for a few years after FIRE.

I've only ever really camped in a tent before, and I am not interested in RVs or large setups at all. However, during the a long term camping part of my plan I am considering a van or something similar. Thanks for posting that YouTube channel kpd905!

For the first few years I want to spend the summers with my family (pseudo-camping) and winters with my boyfriend (house). After that I'd like to spend a few years touring around a little more and maybe try to visit all of the national parks in the US and Canada and many state/provincial parks. After that I'd like to drive from Alaska to Argentina over about 2 years. Each of these stages will likely be with different setups: first tent/cabin, then likely van, then landcruiser with rooftop tent.

[FrugalZony]

There's tons of blogs out there for RVers

Spartana, you are probably referring to http://sprinterlife.com/
I believe they have upgraded from the Sprinter since having their child, but still an interesting read

There's countless other blogs.
I follow a few with people who travel with pets, which is what I am planning on.

[kpd905]

There's countless other blogs.
I follow a few with people who travel with pets, which is what I am planning on.

Care to share the other blogs you follow?  I can't get enough of this stuff.

[FrugalZony]

Sure, here are some I check out once in a while, this is by no means a complete list, just a few I have checked out over the last few months

http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/
http://rvsueandcrew.net/
http://thebayfieldbunch.com/
http://www.technomadia.com/
http://tinteepeelogcabin.blogspot.com/
http://wheelingit.us/
http://avintagerollingstone.blogspot.com/
http://www.thegoodluckduck.com/

There are a few in other languages that I have on my list too
I have not had a lot of time lately, so not much up to date with most of them right now, but I tend to refer to them whenever I have specific topics I research.
Like travelling with pets, tow cars, full time rv health insurance etc.

I'll transform my own blog to a more travel related blog, once I have the energy to do it, right now I am way behind due to heavy workloads

[Bearded Man]

I love camping so much I would do it full time at least for a while traveling the country if it wasn't for my gf and the cats.

I tent camp, but sometimes car camp when I'm by myself. It's amazing, you can almost have your own place and live out of a car and a tent, making trips to the store every couple weeks for supplies if needed. My gf has noted that I am most happy when camping and all my stress seems to melt away. It's the one place I  actually smile in pictures I've noticed...

You're just left alone, no one to bother you, no people noise, and just down to the basic needs, food water and shelter. So simple.

I actually am starting to think that an RV on a plot of land is the ideal place to live for couples with no kids or single people who are older and not in the party stage of their lives. It has everything you need, you can build a carport for it for cheap, and pay little in taxes. You can also move it when circumstances change, just buy another plot of land and move. It is also very cheap to get into, at 10K for a good used 5th wheel. I'd def. do the 5th wheel so as to not be forced to get expensive repairs on a motor home and be trapped. Plus this way you only need one vehicle with a motor to drive around town, and it's a lot cheaper to drive when you don't take your home with you.

[scrubbyfish]

I actually am starting to think that an RV on a plot of land is the ideal place to live for couples with no kids or single people who are older and not in the party stage of their lives. It has everything you need, you can build a carport for it for cheap, and pay little in taxes. You can also move it when circumstances change, just buy another plot of land and move. It is also very cheap to get into, at 10K for a good used 5th wheel.

Yep. RV or, my preference, "tiny house". The catch is local laws. Many of us are finding we're not permitted to park a tiny house or RV on our preferred plots of land, including those we own outright. In some cases, it's regional bylaws, in some cases developer stipulations. I looked into this in my area, and was very discouraged to find I can't do that, period. I can starting an area about a 90 minute drive west, but not closer. So, the option to move around as desired is limited.

[MakingSenseofCents]

Love this thread. We just bought a Class C RV this month. We camp and travel a lot, and this just seemed like a much more comfortable option for us. We plan on RVing for a few months this year and we can't wait!

[Jon_Snow]

I am going to be "tenting it" for the next couple of weeks...is it considered camping if it is done on one's own land?

[Cookie78]

I am going to be "tenting it" for the next couple of weeks...is it considered camping if it is done on one's own land?

Absolutely!

[Adventure Chick]

Fellow camper here!

My boyfriend and I are big into surfing, so anytime the waves are good we drive three hours south of us and camp where the waves are better.

We have a 3 person tent and a blow up mattress (side note - anyone know of a good mattress? All of ours are crap!!!). Packed into a small Hyundai Elantra with surfboards on the roof. We rigged the Hyundai to camp in as well but it's so uncomfortable I've scrapped that idea.

He's doing his PhD at the moment but we're both into living out of a van for a year after he's done to travel around in. Depending how that goes, we want to do a trip from Noth to South America.

I grew up near Yosemite and like your kids had to sleep outside when the older folk's got the RV/Camper trailer! Hahaha.

[DecD]

I love camping.

Used to camp with the Girl Scouts as a kid, then went some in college/after.  Took a break when we had kids- the thought of camping with kids was intimidating.

Then child #1 joined Cub Scouts, so when the kids were 6 and 2 we started camping again.  It went great, even the first trip.  Both kids loved it, in a we-would-camp-every-weekend-if-we-could kind of a way.  They never want to come home.

We tent camp.  We have a Big Bertha 6-man tent, which is perfect for our family of four.  We have the "vestibule" to go with it, basically a porch, which is great for when it rains and when we bring the dog (he sleeps in the porch). We tend to be wussy and bring along air mattresses, but hey, car camping.  We cook over campfires and over our Coleman stove. 

We've been camping several times a year- spring break, Feb. and November Cub scout campouts, and a few weekends with friends as well.  Our last trip was in June, which I thought was pushing it from a heat perspective (Texas!) but was actually awesome.  We're on hold for now though- probably until late Sept. when it cools down. 

I have no plans to live in an RV- I'm not interested at this time.  But I do plan to take long (month-long or more) camping trips with the kids to the national parks.  Definitely when FIRE, but maybe starting sooner if I can convince my company to let me take a month unpaid leave next summer or the summer after.  And my spouse is interested in building a teardrop someday post FIRE when he has time to do it.

We'd planned to start with Big Bend next spring break, but I think we'll give it one more year because the little guy is still only 4.  We're going to hit a pair of state parks instead for a week next March.  I'm already excited.

So- tent camping for the next few years.  But I'd like to work up to backpacking when the boys are older, and I'd like to hike the John Muir trail someday.  Very good reasons to FIRE!

[kpd905]

We rigged the Hyundai to camp in as well but it's so uncomfortable I've scrapped that idea.

What did you do for this?  Try to sleep in the trunk/backseats?  We have an Elantra too.

[paddedhat]

Yep. RV or, my preference, "tiny house". The catch is local laws. Many of us are finding we're not permitted to park a tiny house or RV on our preferred plots of land, including those we own outright. In some cases, it's regional bylaws, in some cases developer stipulations. So, the option to move around as desired is limited.

The wife and I are currently on the road with our older motorhome, dragging our Honda. We are basically full time at the moment, having spent about six weeks at home since the start of the year. I copied and highlighted this great piece of info. since it's not only critical to understand, but important to comprehend the scope of the problem, when locating land where you can set up an RV for long term living.  I occasionally follow other forums that gravitate to the homesteader,  tiny house, "do your own thing" crowd. It's amazing to see how many members on those forums assume that they have a right to dwell in whatever they chose to (old RV, school bus, tiny house, etc) on land they bought. or they are aflame with righteous indignation when they locate a piece of ground, and stop in the town hall to announce their grand plan, and get politely told to show themselves the door.  It's also amazing to see how many totally middle of absolute nowhere places, in the states, have well written and enforced laws, regulations, zoning requirements etc... that specifically prohibit doing so.
 
The problem is not the member here, who has financial stability and a desire to build a nice tiny house, or buy a five acre patch, put septic, power and water in, then discretely park a nice fifth wheel in woods, for a low cost way of life. The township, fifty miles from anything, that bans this idea, is the place where the down and out, barely getting by type, shows up. They just bought a half acre lot in a failed vacation development from the 1960s, and they got it for $400 on Ebay. They have a forty year old travel trailer that they can barely drag down the road, and they are going to live happily ever after. The fact that getting water, sewer and power to the lot might run $40K isn't an issue, they have $200 to their name and hope to make it till the next check arrives. There is no shortage of places like this in the desert, or in Appalachia, where you can live for pennies, but most local governments work hard at preventing new ones.

[b4u2]

Just got back from three days of camping. We had all five kids with us in our 21 foot toy hauler. It was hot and crowded this weekend. No one wanted to stay in the tent but we made it work. They took turns sleeping on the floor each night. We spent a day at a water park. The KOA also had a nice little beach and the kids made full use of it after the water park.

I like to look at what other campers have, especially toy hauler rvs, and talk with them about traveling. Met one guy in a Thor Outlaw toy hauler. Learned he recently retired after 35 years in the work force. He bought a small rv first and went to the east coast. He sat on a beach for three weeks to see if travel and rv life was for him. He decided he liked it, sold the little rv, and bought the big rv. He's traveled east and west and loves it. He took us on a tour of his rv so we got to see one that was truly lived in full time and it was awesome!

[lizzzi]

Posting to follow.

[KBecks2]

We have tent camped / car camped for about 4 years now, and I love it.

Our setup includes -- Honda Odyssey minivan,  Eureka 8 person tent (no way it would fit 8, but it fits 5 of us well with a little room for clothing / luggage),  2 coolers, camp chairs, a 2 burner propane stove, water jugs, 5 gallon buckets, and a very cool camp kitchen that my husband built from plans online.

Grubby Two Camp Kitchen:   http://www.blueskykitchen.com/Grubby_Two.html

We have found a few state parks that we really enjoy, and in the next few years we will work on longer camp trips (maybe 5 days or 7 days at a time), and also out of state (but nearby) camping -- possibly Kentucky and Mammoth Cave area. 

I am not sure about RVing,  we see camp hosts and wonder if that is a job we would like -- but really I think I would just like to camp for the max limit of the state park -- I thnk it's 21 days.  But we could try a week, then 10 days then up from there.  I also like vacation rental houses, and staying in a home when we travel farther.

We would like to get to some big national parks. I am curious about RV rental vs. ownership as an option too.

[FrugalZony]

Yep. RV or, my preference, "tiny house". The catch is local laws. Many of us are finding we're not permitted to park a tiny house or RV on our preferred plots of land, including those we own outright. In some cases, it's regional bylaws, in some cases developer stipulations. So, the option to move around as desired is limited.

The wife and I are currently on the road with our older motorhome, dragging our Honda. We are basically full time at the moment, having spent about six weeks at home since the start of the year. I copied and highlighted this great piece of info. since it's not only critical to understand, but important to comprehend the scope of the problem, when locating land where you can set up an RV for long term living.  I occasionally follow other forums that gravitate to the homesteader,  tiny house, "do your own thing" crowd. It's amazing to see how many members on those forums assume that they have a right to dwell in whatever they chose to (old RV, school bus, tiny house, etc) on land they bought. or they are aflame with righteous indignation when they locate a piece of ground, and stop in the town hall to announce their grand plan, and get politely told to show themselves the door.  It's also amazing to see how many totally middle of absolute nowhere places, in the states, have well written and enforced laws, regulations, zoning requirements etc... that specifically prohibit doing so.
 
The problem is not the member here, who has financial stability and a desire to build a nice tiny house, or buy a five acre patch, put septic, power and water in, then discretely park a nice fifth wheel in woods, for a low cost way of life. The township, fifty miles from anything, that bans this idea, is the place where the down and out, barely getting by type, shows up. They just bought a half acre lot in a failed vacation development from the 1960s, and they got it for $400 on Ebay. They have a forty year old travel trailer that they can barely drag down the road, and they are going to live happily ever after. The fact that getting water, sewer and power to the lot might run $40K isn't an issue, they have $200 to their name and hope to make it till the next check arrives. There is no shortage of places like this in the desert, or in Appalachia, where you can live for pennies, but most local governments work hard at preventing new ones.

Interesting. I once read about a guy, who had this exact issue. So he submitted plans for a 3 bedroom two bathroom house with a detached garage, which got approved.
He then proceeded to start contruction on the garage first and moved into the garage...
He now has a tiny house with a garage door and says he'll build the 3/2 eventually when he has the money....
I guess you have to get creative to get around some of these ridiculous zoning laws...