Together Kevin & Laura Are VeganRV! And They’ve Been Traveling Around North America In Their Winnebago For Over 4 Years
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GAFFL
3rd Dec | 4 min read

Kevin and Laura have been living full-time in their Winnebago motorhome since September of 2016. They love showing people how to be vegan anywhere! They’ve been from Florida to the Canadian Maritimes to the desert southwest to Alaska to Baja, Mexico, and back. You can follow their adventures more closely by following VeganRV on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. You can also connect with them on GAFFL!

Why We Started Traveling Around In An RV

We decided to get an RV after a trip to Yellowstone. It was March and we went snowmobiling through the park where we saw bison, Old Faithful, and the other hydrothermal features. 

(Kevin at Yellowstone National Park)

We had been considering international travel but then decided that maybe we should spend some time exploring our own country. We bought an RV less than a month later. And 6 months later we were living in it full-time.

Currently, we have no plans to stop. We may get a home base for part of the year but we have no interest in living in one place all of the time. 

Benefits of RV Life

RVing can be fairly cheap or quite expensive. It really depends on your lifestyle and requirements. We are not particularly frugal. 

One advantage of traveling in an RV for us is that we drive around our own kitchen. So we don’t have to rely on there being suitable restaurants with vegan options in the places we visit. 

Another timely advantage is that our unit is self-contained so we have complete control over our environment as we travel. It’s the best way to social distance while still being able to travel.

Should You Buy Or Rent?

We bought our RV used. Like cars, RV prices can range quite a bit. You can get a $10,000 towable or a Prevost for $1,000,000+.

Personally, we think that you are better off buying a used RV. You won’t take the depreciation hit, for one. And because RVs are fairly complicated, even new ones will usually have problems requiring warranty work. This means your new RV can be in the shop for months at a time. If you buy your RV used, the previous owners have usually worked out all of those problems.

If you can afford it, renting different types of RVs might be a good idea before you take the plunge and buy one. Renting can be expensive though You can also get a good idea of what you might like from visiting large RV dealerships, going to RV shows, and watching RVers on YouTube.

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Our Winnebago

Our Winnebago

Our RV is a 2003 Winnebago Adventurer 35u motorhome. We found it listed on eBay and bought it from a private seller. You’ll get the best deal buying used from a private party. Take along a knowledgeable friend or, better yet, hire an RV inspector before you close the deal. All RVs have their quirks so we don’t have any particular kind to recommend.

Places We’ve Visited

(Beach camping at Playa Santispac, Baja California Sur, Mexico)

We’ve taken our motorhome to 37 U.S. states, 7 Canadian provinces, and all the way down the Baja Peninsula of Mexico. And we haven’t even scratched the surface. 

boondocking on public lands in Kanab, UT

RVing is definitely easier west of the Mississippi River. We love the northeast but the parks are often older and harder to navigate in a larger RV. The Alaska trip was spectacular and should be on the bucket list of any RVer.


There’s still so much we haven’t seen! On our list: Glacier National Park, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and New York’s Finger Lakes. 

Normally we only stay in one place for a couple of weeks. But this year with the pandemic, we have spent months in each place. We like to camp on public lands and the stay limit there is usually two weeks. 

Typical Costs Associated With RV Travel

The costs of RV travel can vary widely depending on how you travel. The more often you move, the more fuel you will use. If you always stay in RV parks, those average about $30-40/night. Some parks have a monthly rate that will save you quite a bit of money.

Repairs can be expensive. Things are breaking all the time so the more comfortable you are fixing things yourself, the more money you will save. You can find how to fix almost anything by searching online. Someone has likely been there before!

Being Vegan On The Road Doesn’t Have To Be A Challenge

RVing while vegan is not a challenge at all! You can cook whatever you want wherever you go! Check out the videos below for some inspiration!



A Tip About Public Campground Facilities During COVID

Many campgrounds have closed their shared facilities during the pandemic. So first of all, don’t count on them being available. We’ve been avoiding using campground facilities whenever the campground is busy. They just don’t have the staff to be able to clean thoroughly after each use.

Advice For New RV-ers

Drive slower than you would a car. Know your height and check your route beforehand for low clearances. Google satellite view is great for previewing gas stations to see if you will be able to fit. Try to be flexible with your schedule so that you can do more of the things you enjoy and peace out if you’re not enjoying a spot.

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Comments

  • GAFFL
    George Smith
    November 8, 2020 at 11:44 PM

    Kevin and Laura are awesome people. We've enjoyed their company on several occasions.