The pandemic changed how we live, work and play. One byproduct of that has been an explosion in the popularity of RV-ing! This year some 67 million of us will take an RV road trip, and that includes our own Stephanie Hart. She recently headed south to Louisiana to find out how RV camping is evolving to meet the demands of today’s road warriors.

STEPHANIE HART: I’m about an hour outside New Orleans and I’m going RV-ing at Sun Outdoors- a luxury RV resort. I am all in! Some of my goals: Escape the daily grind, connect with friends, and explore nature.

Sun Outdoors is loaded with resort-style amenities that propel the RV experience to the next level. I didn’t know RV camping could be this luxurious.
There’s also a lazy River! Consider my “out of office” message officially activated.

RV camping has certainly evolved over the last few years to satisfy all types of wanderlust. And new, emerging RV technology is fueling our desire to explore farther. Couple that with the pandemic forever changing our daily routines and it’s no wonder RVing is the in-thing these days.

An RV Industry study shows 40-percent of people who bought RVs in 2022 purchased them to work from the road.

RVing Adventure 1

MONIKA GERACI: Even if you are still going to an office– maybe you have that flexibility that you are working remotely on Mondays– and Fridays and you can take that long weekend and do your Zoom from a camp ground such as this one that has great Wi-Fi, beautiful views and you can still be working while also spending time with family or friends.

STEPHANIE HART: And thanks to advances in solar technology, the workday can easily be spent off the grid. Solar panels can power some, if not all of your RV’s electrical needs, like air conditioning.

This IBEX Little Horn Garage by Forest River earned its reputation for accessing remote places. And its new independent suspension enhances the adventure.

BRANDON ROGERS: It gives you a better tow, it gives you less bucking, it keeps all– both tires on the ground.

RVing Adventure 2

STEPHANIE HART: A larger RV, like this luxury 5th wheel Eagle by Jayco, also works for boondocking since it’s prepped for solar. An overlanding package is also available. As you can see, it’s elegant and modern inside.

This pro tablet controls all of the basic functions of the RV. And the best part is it pairs to an app on your cell phone. So, if you’re at the beach all day you can adjust whatever you want, when you want; things like leveling, the temperature, and the slide outs

RVing is all about exploring, so we drove out of the resort to experience some nearby Creole charm. Louisiana is well-known for its gators. Turns out these bigger guys are always hungry. Yikes! The smaller gators on the other hand, actually crave some TLC and like to pose for photos. Go figure!

RVing Adventure 3

After all of that excitement, we headed back to the resort and I test drove an all electric RV.

As part of my RVing adventure, I’m behind the wheel of the Winnebago ERV2. It’s really smooth on the road, it has great visibility, and it’s easy to maneuver.
It felt a lot like an Expedition. This Ford E Transit prototype is designed for people who work from the road. Winnebago hopes to improve its range in the next generation, but the house battery is already substantial.

DUANE CYRUS: The ion blade technology is a battery developed by Lithionics, a company that Winnebago actually just purchased. What’s great about that is: 15,000 watt hours, so extended run time…7 days of boondocking without a problem.

STEPHANIE HART: Whether you satisfy your adventurous spirit or just wind down at a posh resort like this one, RV-ing equals freedom.
And one of the best things about being here is also doing absolutely nothing, unplugging from the world, and relaxing. And it certainly helps being in a heated pool at a swim-up bar overlooking a beautiful lake.