Nomads of the Past: Embracing the Freedom of Vintage RV Living

The RV park industry is growing rapidly as RV living has risen dramatically in popularity in the last few years. It could be something to do with a response to the pandemic and lockdowns—people wanting to feel free to move and travel whenever, wherever. Or it’s a response to the rising cost of living and people needing to reduce or re-evaluate what they spend their money on.

Whatever the reason, living full time in an RV is big right now. You get freedom from a normal, staid life, the chance to explore different parks and move around the country, and the opportunity to be part of a thriving community.

But for many people, living the RV life doesn’t mean staying in an ultra-modern RV. A huge number of new generation RVers have opted to live the nomad life old-school and have chosen vintage RVs over the latest models. If you want to do the same, there are plenty of reasons to go vintage.

Advantages Of Vintage RVs

For an RV to be vintage, it should be 25 years old or older. Purists will also often say that the design of the RV should clearly reflect the general aesthetic of the period. However,  whether it’s refurbished or original, the benefits are much the same:

1. They’re Often Cheaper

The first reason is the cost of the vehicle. A major part of downsizing is spending less on your home, and you’ll often get that when you opt for an older RV. Of course, it’s important to do your due diligence on any RV before you buy it and ensure that you won’t end up spending a fortune on getting it up to scratch for your lifestyle. It needs to be safe to drive and have a decent living area so that you are comfortable and secure.

2. They’re a Must if You Love DIY

It’s true, you’re highly unlikely to be able to buy a vintage RV that doesn’t need some fixing up. If you love DIY projects, then you’ll really love going the vintage route. Being able to do your own repairs and refurbishments will also help you to save even more money on your new vintage purchase.

3. They Give Each Road Trip an Element of Charm

Finally, there’s the charm and general atmosphere that comes with a vintage RV. You simply don’t get the same quaint feeling from a modern vehicle. It’s much easier to give an older RV some flair and personality because they already come with the nostalgia of times gone past. And isn’t that what you’re after—the feeling of a simpler life—when you switch to nomadic living in an RV?

Reasons to Go Full-Time into the Nomadic Life

It is quite a change to go from having an RV for holidays to actually living in one all the time. You have to consider the size of your living space and the fact that you’ll probably have to get rid of a lot of your modern luxuries and conveniences. However, there are so many upsides to making the switch, such as:

1. You Can Go Where the Weather is Better

How often do you wish you could get away from the freezing cold for a few weeks or escape the intense heat of the summer? When you live in an RV, you can move on to wherever the weather is a bit better—or a lot better!

If you wanted to, you could wake up every morning to a new view and different weather. This also means you get to see more of the country. You can also travel outside of the country and visit our neighbors at any point.

2. You’re Almost Forced to Spend More Time Outdoors

Regardless of whether you’ve got a vintage VW bus, teardrop Airstream trailer, or old-school Winnebago,  you’ll still have less living space than you do in a tiny apartment in the middle of New York City. If you want to stretch your legs and move around, you have to literally go outside of your home. Your interior might not be tall enough to stand up in.

Most of the time, your living room and your dining room are outdoors too. When you arrive at a campsite, you put out your camping chairs and table, and that’s where you spend a lot of your relaxation time.

3. Your Lifestyle Becomes Minimalistic

Due to the fact that you have limited space, by necessity, you end up with limited possessions. Storage is at a premium in an RV, meaning you simply cannot hold on to items that you don’t use. This means there’s no room for clothes you never wear, kitchen appliances you only use once, or accessories you don’t need.

It can be extremely liberating to downsize your belongings and only keep what’s important to you. You’ll also find that you’re forced to examine what’s important to you.

4. You Get to Meet New People

When you’re traveling from campsite to campsite all the time, your neighbors keep changing. Additionally, when you’re spending more time sitting outside next to your RV rather than inside watching TV, you’ll find that you strike up conversations with people a lot more easily.

You’ll soon find that those who are drawn to the nomadic lifestyle of living in an RV are an interesting and eclectic mix of people. Sharing stories of your travels and adventures with strangers will become a normal part of your everyday life.

5. You Spend More Time with The People You Love

RV living means close quarters. It also means that you don’t have roots – fewer friends who you and those you’re living with can go to regularly. These two facts mean that you’ll be spending a lot more time in the company of your traveling companions.

It’s a great way to bond and become closer to one another because there are far fewer distractions from the busy modern world coming at you.

Vintage RV Living Gives You True Freedom

It can seem like a dream to be able to stay in incredible campsites and travel wherever and whenever you want to. But that’s exactly what RV living offers. Of course, it’s not without its challenges, but if you want to make it work, you’ll find that there are plenty of benefits.