Hellobee

When we moved off of Kauai in Hawaii, we got ourselves a gently used 1984 Toyota Warrior Winnebago (that we named Summer) to drive around the mainland of the United States. My then-husband, 1.5 year old daughter, and I packed up everything we owned, placed them into the cupboards of a 24’ van, and set off from San Diego. We had to learn what “rv black water” was, how to fill up the gas tank for our stove, and how to keep ourselves warm in what was essentially a large tin can.

Our old school camper van, Summer.

Once, on the eve of my 39^th birthday, my then-husband figured out how to warm our rig in Oregon by placing tea lights on an upturned terra cotta vase hanging from the ceiling (something he watched on YouTube) and then, at 2am, I opened up the curtain of our bedroom area to find that our entire rig was covered in smoke.

I quickly woke my husband up, went to make sure our daughter was okay in her makeshift crib, then aired out all the windows, causing her to wake up and cry in the wee morning hours, much to the dismay of the fellow campers around us.

Vanliving proved to be quite the adventure – different from what Instagrammers will show in that pretty little square – because along the way, we learned unexpected lessons:

• People automatically assumed we had no money, given that our rig was an old school giant house on wheels rather than the sleek Sprinter vans that passed beside us on the highways.
• The people we met who were most friendly to us were those who had almost nothing and lived out of tents at campgrounds (which were much more expensive than we initially realized).
• Once your toddler goes to sleep, there isn’t much you’ll be doing, because you don’t really want to move your rig and wake up your babe, since it’s also your house!

Not only did I discover how to read maps (and legends) like never before, I also happily discovered how beautiful parts of the country were, places that we might not normally have ever visited. We picked blueberries in California, then blackberries throughout the summer anywhere we stopped in Oregon, and gasped when we came upon Crater Lake. We meandered through gorgeous paths in Utah, where everywhere we looked was breathtakingly beautiful. And, we ended up moving to Austin, Texas, reconnecting with friends I hadn’t seen in over 10 years.

I didn’t know that there are KOA campgrounds throughout the U.S., which are designed to be fun for families. Many have pools and other kid-friendly features, like bouncy platforms or playgrounds.

At a KOA campground.

Here are a few highlights of places I’d absolutely recommend on a road trip:

Crater Lake, Oregon

You can first stop by Ashland in the southern part of Oregon, known for its Oregon Shakespeare Festival. There’s also a lovely and leafy expansive public park, called Lithia Park, filled with trails, kids play areas, duck ponds, and a rose garden. When we were there, there were whole packs of school kids with classical instruments on the grass, playing beautiful music with their teachers guiding them. The Ashland Co-Op supermarket is a perfect place for stocking up on healthy snacks (it’s a granola-y version of Whole Foods) and people-watching.

The nearby Emigrant Lake campgrounds just outside of downtown border incredible lakes, and our daughter loved hanging out by the water, picking rocks that her father would then smash into two to find gorgeous geodes inside.

Visiting Ashland, Oregon during the peak of summer

Head 2 hours to the more central part of Oregon, so that you can take in Crater Lake, which is unbelievably gorgeous. The deep blue color is astounding! And, we were even more grateful for it after our nighttime smoke-out scare in our rig.

The lake is the deepest in the U.S. and features two small islands: Wizard Island and Phantom Ship. There are so many elements to explore and, at the time, I was on crutches and a boot from foot surgery, so we didn’t do any hikes, but there are plenty of paths to peruse.

Sand Point, Idaho

Driving between Montana and Sand Point, Idaho.

Coming from Hawaii, I was surprised at how beautiful Sand Point, Idaho is, with its clear waters that, even when frigid, Wilder still loved playing in. Sand Point is located in northern Idaho, beside Lake Pend Oreille (“Ponderay”). Up in the mountains, there are ski slopes and terrain parks at Schweitzer Mountain Resort.

There are lots of cafes and restaurants dotting this quiet tourist town, which in the winter gets huge snowfall. In fact, it was because it got so cold come winter that we headed out in our van to warmer temps in the southwestern part of the U.S.!

I especially loved bringing Wilder about 45 minutes outside of town to Kooenai Wildlife Refuge, which even has a waterfall!

Wilder Love playing at Kootenai in Idaho.


The Kooenai fields.

White Fish, Montana

Similar to how Sand Point is a ski resort town in the winter, White Fish is a similar kind of getaway. It’s located in the Rocky Mountains of northwest Montana, and as you’re driving there from Idaho, you’ll pass by plenty of lakes and rivers that you can easily stop at for rests.

Driving between White Fish, MT and Sand Point, Idaho.

The town is adorable, filled with quaint shops and yummy restaurants along Central Avenue. It was here that our daughter had her first ice cream cone! There are lots of playscapes in parks with friendly families ready to chat if you choose to stay here longer.

Arches National Park, Utah

Utah is absolutely beautiful!

Simply put, Utah is beautiful. Everywhere. Provo, Moab, pretty much wherever! This was a big surprise to me and I’d happily return to Utah anytime.

Arches National Park is north of Moab and is known for more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches, red-hued and remarkable. You can drive through the national park, and stop where you want to hike around and definitely take photos.

All the unexpected fall beauty of Utah.

We stopped in Provo overnight to rest up before Arches, and chose to hop in an Uber early in the morning for mommy-and-me time at a local park in Provo that had various hues of orange leaves falling around us. An older couple, walking along the path, asked if they could stop to help us take our picture, because they thought the time my daughter and I were sharing was so sweet.

Austin, Texas

Walking along Congress with my daughter.

Austin was so great that after we arrived, we stayed for a year and a half. There are websites designed for families to find free and fun activities every weekend, which is where I found everything from a Gerald & Piggy play a la Mo Willems, to an Easter egg hung on the Capitol, to meeting Sesame Street characters at the LBJ Presidential Museum.

Of course, if it’s summer, you should head to Zilker Park and the frigid natural waters there — you can even spot fish beneath your feet. Be sure kids have a floatie or know how to swim, as it’s at minimum 4 feet deep for the most part.

Diving into Zilker Park during the heights of summer.

Definitely go to The Thinkery, an explorative museum for kids that are fantastic for children of any age. There are specially designed indoor play areas for infants, cooking classes, a whole musical water area, reading time with sweet guide dogs, and even a playscape on the premises and a park across the way. New restaurants are popping up around The Thinkery that are delicious and on Sundays, there’s an incredible farmers market at the old airport hangar with myriad vendors, a balloon-making clown and even a pop-up petting zoo — definitely visit the vendor who’s carving up the ribs and pastrami. Best BBQ in town, far superior to Franklin’s without the wait!

Want to see our VW vanliving adventure throughout Kauai, too?