The last few years have seen a surge in RV travel, as more and more people chose to explore the country in private vehicles that can conveniently also serve as hotel room — and restaurant! No RV? No problem: rental companies or peer-to-peer sharing outfits like CruiseAmerica and RVShare are happy to help you try before you buy. There’s also no need to settle for a boring RV park or campground. An annual membership to Harvest Hosts lets you ‘boondock’ at non-traditional locations like an alpaca farm run by nuns, an award-winning winery, or even a dinosaur museum. Ready to road trip? Here are five of our favorite destinations that are perfect for visiting behind the wheel of an RV.
Yakima Valley, Washington
Roll out the (beer) barrel: 75% of the nation's hops are grown in Yakima Valley. It’s also home to Washington state’s first AVA (American Viticultural Area), and the region contains more than one hundred wineries, breweries and cideries. (If you want craft spirits, steampunk-themed Distillarium does those, too.) Park the RV and let The Little Hopper do the driving on a tour of the area’s best. The valley has a rich non-alcohol-related agricultural heritage as well, with an abundance of orchards that produce many of the nation’s apples and cherries. Stop into Chukar Cherries for chocolate-covered confections, or make a stop at Krueger Pepper Gardens for a bounty of organic produce. If you don’t feel like cooking in the RV, Bern’s Tavern in historic Prosser is one of the oldest bars in the state, and serves a mean burger. Pizza enthusiasts won’t want to miss wood-fired pies served at HopTown in Wapato.
Beyond food and drink, the Yakima Valley is also a hub for outdoor enthusiasts (including hot air balloonists) and artists. Fly fishers will want to step into the trout-filled waters next to Canyon River Ranch, which also has one of the nation’s best outfitting shops. Creatives have made the tiny village of Tieton an arts hub, jammed with collectives and small galleries and boutiques. Be sure to check out the installation by sound-sculpturalist Trimpin at Mighty Tieton, occupying a former fruit warehouse.
Glendale, Arizona
Sun-lovers can’t get enough of Arizona, especially when much of the country may be dealing with snow. Already covered the Grand Canyon? Then Glendale is the perfect place to park and explore its attractions, as well as those of Phoenix and Scottsdale, both of which are just minutes away. The Sonoran Desert city is a sports paradise (and the home of the most recent Super Bowl), offering more than a dozen golf courses, spring training games for baseball aficionados, and a multitude of other tournaments both pro and amateur. Adventurous types may want to hop on an ATV and explore the surrounding desert, while cyclists and hikers will find beauty and excitement in the region’s many parks and wilderness areas.
If leisurely is more your style, Glendale has plenty of less strenuous activities, as well. Hit it lucky in a casino, explore the shops in the historic downtown, or take in the mix of retail, restaurants and entertainment venues in the Westgate District. Don’t skip the state’s favorite snack and order a Sonoran Dog, which comes wrapped in bacon and topped with tomatoes, beans, onions and mayo.
Talkeetna, Alaska
There’s quirky, and then there’s Talkeetna. This eccentric little village a few hours from Anchorage served as the inspiration for the '90s comedy Northern Exposure, and little has changed in the last 30 years. In this small (pop. 1,000) village in the Susitna River Valley, the mayor is a cat, patrolling the two blocks of Talkeetna’s historic downtown and luring visitors into his home in the local general store.
Talkeetna is the gateway to Denali and its stunning national park, which draws crowds of visitors from around the world during the warm summer months for hiking, rafting, fishing and other outdoor adventure. But winter actually offers the best opportunity to see Denali’s mammoth, usually cloud-covered, peak. Show up in March for a good chance of seeing both the mountain and the aurora borealis. If you decide to spend a few nights away from your RV (you can drive up from the Lower 48, or rent one when you arrive), the staff at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge will even give you a wake-up call when the northern lights begin to dance in the sky. For tasty food and outstanding beer, stop in at the Denali Brewpub.
Escalante, Utah
Utah is an RV wonderland, offering opportunities to visit no less than five magnificent national parks (Bryce Canyon, Zion, Canyonlands, Arches and Capitol Reef) as well as countless state parks and national monuments. Scenic Route 12 in the south-central part of the state stretches across 122 twisty miles of breathtaking scenery and provides convenient access to Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
But in the small town of Escalante, you may never want to leave the RV park. Stay with us: Yonder Escalante is the glampground experience the world has been waiting for. Set on 20 acres of a former drive-in movie theater, the rustic-chic RV park and campground shows movies each weekend — which are watched from vintage cars — and has a spa-like bathhouse with zen outdoor showers, a luxe gathering area with firepits and comfy couches, and a resort-worthy pool for cooling off after a day of hiking. Dinner and drinks are handled: Yonder’s General Store offers cocktail fixings and prepared meal kits: just toss your steaks on the fire (wood is included with each RV slot rental) and enjoy the stars.
Beaches of South Walton, Florida
Located on the shores of northwestern Florida’s Emerald Coast, the beach communities of South Walton offer a welcome respite from the bustling high-rises of nearby Destin. There are 16 distinct beach neighborhoods strung out over 26 miles, all offering their own unique architecture and energy. In the hamlet of Seaside — made famous by The Truman Show — visitors will get a New Englandesque, ‘are we on Cape Cod, darling?’ vibe, while funky Grayton Beach is pure ‘Old Florida.’ (Pro tip: Don’t miss a bite and a brew at Grayton Beer Company.) Every community has wide, white sand beaches and yes, the water really is emerald.
The area’s four state parks and 15,000-acre Point Washington State Forest are a nature lover’s dream, and the rare coastal dune lakes (combining fresh and salt water) can be found on only four other places on the planet. Park your ‘rig’ at Topsail Preserve State Park, which has 25-foot dunes, a swimming pool, and a shuttle that will take you straight to the beach.
