Top 3 Reasons To Go Off Grid Camping With Your Family

Everyone knows RV’ing is great for families, for retirees, couples, and soloists alike. Its popularity has exploded during the pandemic as people seek ways to socially distance and spend time outdoors.

The simultaneous boom in off-road camping doesn’t get as much press but it is also gaining interest from a wide swath of Americans.

While traditionally the purview of young adventure seekers, today we see young families, and older couples also venturing into off-road adventure. So, what are the biggest advantages for a family between RVing and going off grid? We’re here to tell you.

Keep Your Children Engaged

While Traveling

As a family full-time RVing we spend a lot of time in the truck. Despite our best efforts to keep them engaged with mind expanding activities, we all know it always comes down to screen time. It’s all they want and -- let’s be honest -- it’s the easiest way to keep the little ones quiet.

Now, take an off-road camper backcountry at a 30 -degree tilt and over 18” boulders and instead of the beeping of Minecraft all you’ll hear from the back seat are excited shrieks of “Oh my god” and “Keep going!”

At Your Destination

Of course, kids love the bumps of driving off road, but what about once you get to your destination? When staying in RV parks the first thing the kids ask for is the WIFI password. Compare that with our 4-day adventure off the grid with the Opus OP4 when, for the first time, the kids didn’t even ask about electronics. They became excited little rock-movers, clearing the trail when necessary and building the campfire ring. Once in the wilderness it was about climbing that next boulder or exploring the riverbed for obsidian and quartz. To their imaginative minds every rock is a gem and every bird is a condor. 

The best thing about it is that while the kids are roughing it out in the wilderness, Mom and Dad have a kitchen, power, comfy beds, indoor heating, and practically all the amenities of much larger rigs. It’s truly glamping at its best.

Spend More Time With Your Family

When we RV at mainstream campsites the kids are out and about making friends with anyone within minutes. It’s wonderful but doesn’t always make for ideal bonding time for the family. When you go off grid, it’s just you with them and those times are precious. We know kids grow up fast and getting out of your comfort zone with them by trail-running to more secluded campsites is something as parents we’ll remember forever.

Inspire A Sense of Awe

Let’s face it, we’re all creatures of habits. If we don’t step into something new every once in a while, we might forget just how fun, how capable, and how adventurous we really are. Sure, RVing is a bit different from regular sticks ‘n bricks life, but many of us still cling to daily routines without introspection and without change. Going off the grid is a great way to shake things up. We never thought we’d love RVing and here we are in month 5 of full-time RV life, loving every day. Likewise, we thought for sure we weren’t cut out for backcountry camping, yet we found it to be a thrill and a joy. We discovered something completely different and are so much richer for it. We encourage everyone to consider an off-road camping adventure; you never know what you’ll discover.

Keep up with the Wallace family's adventures at @chasingcartwright.