RVing is only the most budget-friendly way to travel compared to air travel, it’s the healthiest too! There are many proven health benefits to time outdoors but it doesn’t stop there. Discover these surprisingly healthy perks of RV travel.
Benefits of RV Traveling
Here are the top five health perks of RVing.
1. You get to enjoy lots of outdoor activities.
For many RVers, camping means hiking, biking, kayaking, and more — which are all great ways to get your heart rate up at the exact same time as you push those stress levels way, way down.
Although traveling by car or airplane can also take you to outdoorsy destinations, RV camping makes it much easier to bring all your adventure gear along with you… and besides, the best camping spots are usually the ones out there in the wild, inspiring you to get outside and explore!
2. You can make your own healthy meals at home.
Eating out is fun every once in a while, but if you’re eating every single meal from the hotel restaurant’s buffet, your health — and your waistline — may suffer.
RVing makes it simple to create the delicious, healthy home-cooked meals you enjoy at home no matter where the road takes you. You’ll also be able to shop for fresh food close to where it’s grown, visiting local farmers markets in each new destination. Need some ideas? Here’s our post on some of the tastiest meals to whip up in your rig — and here’s some advice for how to store all those fresh foods in such a small kitchen.
Stress Management
Health isn’t just about eating right and working out. Here’s how RVing offers mental and physical health benefits.
3. You’ll meet amazing people along the way.
Strong friendships aren’t just nice to have — they’re essential to human health. In fact, some studies show that loneliness is as bad for us as smoking. Yikes!
But RVers are constantly meeting amazing new people, whether it’s fellow campers you invite over to enjoy the fire or locals at a new destination. Camping clubs and communities can bind campers together into systems larger than themselves, which offers ample opportunity for both making RV friends and being of service to the greater good — a healthy sense of purpose.
4. You won’t be in an airport.
Okay, we know this sounds flippant… but seriously, can you think of something more people have touched than an airport restroom faucet?
When you travel in an RV, you minimize your exposure to germs and pathogens since you’re staying in your own space for the majority of the time. Furthermore, you know exactly when the toilet was last scrubbed and the sheets were last changed, which you likely can’t say about even the best hotel room. But the best part of RV travel over air travel is that the journey is just as fun, and you get to make it what you want it to be. By not being at the mercy of others or dealing with delayed flights, you get to also enjoy the journey with fun stops and vistas along the way.
5. You’ll get a chance to unplug.
It seems like we spend every waking hour in front of a screen anymore. Heck, you’re reading this post on a screen right this very moment!
But camping gives us a great excuse to put the phone down, shut the laptop, and go outside for a spell. Because after all, there’s a whole lot to see and do at every stop along the journey! Rather than zonking out in front of a movie or three for a long plane ride, you’ll spend your time in your motorhome watching the beautiful scenery unfold around you. And maybe enjoying along the way some benefits from activities like forest bathing.
Here at RVshare we are on a mission to get your outdoors and enjoying these benefits all while staying in budget and including all of your family members. We hope these surprisingly health perks inspire you to start planning your next RV trip!
More resources:
Results from a 2024 Survey on How Outdoors Benefit Mental Health
