Taking the Kids on a pop up camper Trip — Thought It’d Be Rough, But She Says It Was Amazing?

In the first month of summer vacation, our two kids quickly shifted into “complete slacker” mode — irregular sleep schedules, refusing to go outside, unable to put down their screens, and the siblings bickering endlessly every day. I was constantly playing referee and had a headache... My husband and I talked it over: this couldn’t go on. Let’s take them on a trip! But where? Every popular family travel destination in summer is packed with crowds!

Our whole family is super laid-back — so laid-back that we once even missed a flight. Those packed, down-to-the-minute travel itineraries just don’t suit us; they make us feel like we’re being chased by time. So we put our heads together and decided to go big! We’d take our pop up camper — our “old buddy” — out of state for the first time, heading southwest with Utah as our main destination for in-depth exploration, and a “go wherever the road takes us” approach along the way.

We bought the pop up camper three years ago, and usually we’d just take it to nearby campgrounds for weekends. This time, driving so far had a bit of a “roaming the open road” feel to it. We looked up some travel guides online and started stocking up on supplies and packing — spontaneous as always, but with serious execution skills.

The advantage of a pop up camper road trip is that transportation and accommodation are rolled into one. You save all the waiting time that comes with changing hotels, catching flights and trains, minimizing the drain on your mood and your schedule. You can also venture deep into remote small towns, with more off-the-beaten-path and flexible options, all while avoiding the crowds.

Before setting out, we gave the “old buddy” a thorough maintenance check. My husband was the primary driver, and I was the “co-pilot” — when he got tired, I’d take over. Highway rest areas, scenic parking lots, and campgrounds along the way... all served as our pit stops. Our “go-with-the-flow travel” itinerary was planned like this: we’d follow the general direction with GPS navigation, usually deciding the next day’s plan the night before. If we read online that a certain spot was too crowded, we’d skip it, or go during off-peak hours.

The reason this trip had such high satisfaction from the whole family was mainly because there were so few people — the experience felt great.

In the first phase, we were slowly finding our rhythm. After a few days on the road, my husband decided he preferred driving at night: for one thing, road conditions were better with no traffic and faster speeds; for another, the kids would be asleep, and when they woke up, we’d already be at a new destination — no feeling of exhaustion, and they could play to their hearts’ content during the day. Passing through Santa Cruz Beach, the sun was just setting — it was so beautiful and so pleasant! The kids said they really wanted to live there!

So, we adjusted our plans on the spot and immediately switched to beach camping mode. We drove the pop up camper to the beach parking lot, set up the awning, brought out the camping table and chairs, and ordered takeout. The kids waded in the waves and dug in the sand. That night, the whole family fell asleep to the sea breeze and the sound of waves... Even I, who usually sleep poorly, slept especially soundly that night. We’d been to California before, but this time felt particularly different — maybe it was the “instant gratification” that amplified the happiness.

By the second phase, the pop up camper road trip was really hitting its stride. We never expected that our “spontaneous” approach would lead us to so many unexpected surprises — New Mexico really has some great spots! Of course, the most popular destinations like Santa Fe and Taos were still packed with tourists, so we didn’t bother joining the crowds. In my opinion, White Sands National Park is absolutely the most underrated travel destination in New Mexico. The snow-white gypsum dunes stretch endlessly, turning the desert pure white and making the sky look crystal clear.

We arrived at White Sands in the early evening, just as the main wave of visitors was leaving. The entire park had only our family of four and a handful of scattered tourists. Without the noise and bustle, it felt like stepping into a white world frozen in time. We rented two e-bikes and leisurely cruised around the park. I accidentally took a wrong turn, but the kids didn’t blame me. My daughter said, “Mom, it’s okay — getting lost in such a beautiful place is its own kind of fun!” That night, we parked the pop up camper at a nearby national park campground. The next morning, before the crowds arrived, we were among the first to enter the park and saw those stunning white dunes glittering in the morning light.

The next morning, we drove the pop up camper to the edge of a small town and randomly found a burrito shop — it was full of locals eating. The burritos were so big that one was enough for two people. The kids, who are usually picky eaters at home, couldn’t stop eating.

Along the way, we also met all kinds of people: heavily-loaded backpackers, a family living on the road, and retired folks traveling in pop up campers just like us. We shared fruit with each other, exchanged travel info, and those brief, relaxed conversations let us see how much they genuinely loved life.

On the 10th day, we finally reached the most important destination of our trip — Utah! The two weeks we spent in Utah were even better, mainly because the weather was cooler, the routes we took had fewer people, and every local we met was genuine and warm. I’d actually been here a few times before, but I’d always gone to places like the Grand Canyon and Zion — the “overly popular” spots. This time, we specifically sought out the hidden gems, and it was absolutely worth it! Our TP07 is equipped with an XPS insulation layer, so even on the hottest days, it’s nice and comfortable inside. At night, when the mountain air cools down, we sleep incredibly well.

Lying in bed in the pop up camper one night, our daughter said she missed Denver, and our son chimed in. That was all it took to stir up homesickness in the whole family. So, anxious to get back, we hurried all the way home and made it in three days!

During this 28-day trip, what surprised me most was that our parent-child relationship actually improved! Neither kid asked for their screens once. The siblings looked out for each other, played together, and had no time to bicker. And we parents supported each other, working as a team — the whole family grew closer! Even after the trip ended, those beautiful memories we made together still come up in conversation from time to time. My husband said we should really cherish this time when the kids still depend on and need us — these days of a family of four “fending for themselves on the open road” might become fewer and fewer. Before long, the kids will probably prefer traveling with their own friends. But having this unique travel memory from their childhood — that’s a pretty wonderful thing!

Some people say to live life like a poem. pop up camper travel turns the poem and the horizon into everyday life. Step outside and there’s the scenery; step inside and you’re home. What moves is the route; what flows is love.