A Complete Guide to 7 Days of Western US Truck Camper Road Tripping with Two Kids

This time last year, we had just wrapped up a week-long truck camper road trip through the American Western wilderness with the kids. Saying goodbye to the largest camper we'd driven for a week, we all breathed a sigh of relief. Camper travel is honestly... exhausting! A hassle! But also absolutely awesome!

Our route started from Denver, looped through the West, then continued down to California's Highway 1 for another loop — over two weeks in total. After that, we took the kids back to Denver for school.

This was our first destination, about a six-hour drive from Denver. Despite having seen countless travel guides and photos online, I was still blown away when we actually arrived! Absolutely magnificent! Beneath our feet was sand as fine as flour, shaped by nature over millions of years, rolling endlessly to the horizon. Vast and remote, the wind sweeping across the plateau whipped up sand right into our faces. We trudged up and down the dunes, our steps sinking deep, with rolling mountain ranges visible in the distance. The entire landscape belonged to us alone, save for the occasional group of visitors who stopped briefly. For kids, this is the kind of place they could play at all day without getting bored. No entrance fee, no charges — nature's gift is truly generous. But we had to keep moving. We needed to reach camp before dark, and there were still three or four hours of driving ahead. The canyon landmark we'd originally planned to visit, which was close to the white sands, was completely out of the question now.

Driving through the open Western desert, there were always strong crosswinds, and the road was covered with skid marks from vehicles ahead. Our massive rig would shudder in the wind from time to time, and Dad had to grip the steering wheel with full concentration. The kids' seating area had a small table that converted into a bed at night when folded down with the seats — bedding and all. Behind that was the bathroom, and at the rear window was another large bed. Next to the table was the kitchen area, complete with a sink and fridge, and all manner of utensils and knives. Honestly, the biggest issue was having nowhere to put luggage... especially with a big family and lots of suitcases. Stuffing bags under the beds and then digging through them to find things was no easy task.

Long story short, we arrived at camp at 9 PM that first night. The check-in office had long since closed, and there was an envelope with my name on it in a bag by the door. I opened it like a treasure map: inside was a campsite map, our site number, and instructions to find a wooden box at the middle of the third pillar of the cabin near the entrance, enter a code, and retrieve the key to the public restrooms. In the absolute silence, we looked up and were all stunned — the Milky Way blazed across the sky, countless stars spread across the pitch-black dome. Even our two-year-old gasped: “So pretty!” Under that sky, the family split up to shower at the public bathhouse (which was actually quite clean), then climbed into the camper. Outside, the wind howled, occasionally shaking the entire rig. But inside, the bedding was warm, and the kids slept soundly.

In the morning, we were woken by sunlight streaming through the skylight. After a quick breakfast of bread and milk, we hit the road. That day's drive was about 200 kilometers, and with the camper plus stops along the way, it was no easy feat. Our goal was the westernmost point of the coastline, then a detour to the Pink Lake, before heading straight to the next campsite. The kids were beside themselves when they saw the ocean — honestly, so was I. We changed into swimsuits in the camper, slapped on some sunscreen, and charged toward the sea!
The beach was mostly locals, with the standard setup being a small surfboard under the arm — adults and kids alike out there surfing. Dad watched with envy, declaring that once we got back to Denver, he'd buy a used surfboard and hit the beach every day!

Next up was the Pink Lake, one of the highlights of the trip! In reality, though, it was February with low winter water levels, and there was only a small dry patch of pink, with crystallized salt along the shore. If we'd come during the wet season, the entire lake would have been a vast expanse of pink. There was a sign stuck in the lake that read “Pink Lake” — regardless, at least we could see some pink. The kids scraped off a bit of the pink salt and tasted it, and we chatted about why the lake water would be that color. Although the Pink Lake was a bit of a letdown, the most wonderful surprise of the day was a seaside cliff we stumbled upon by pure chance. As luck would have it, we caught the sunset. It wasn't far from camp either, so we stayed and played until dusk — though the wind was strong enough that I worried the two kids might get blown away...

That night's campsite had the bathroom a fair distance from our spot again. But it was still pretty clean. On the way back from showering with the kids, I even got lost once, circling around several times before finding our camper. While the camper definitely had its inconveniences, after a long day on the road, setting up a small table and chairs by the door to chat and eat as a family felt warmer and more fun than staying in a hotel or rental.

These two photos give you a better look at the camper's interior. The curtain-covered area is the cab. In the cabinet by the door, there's a ladder. At night, you close the curtain, set up the ladder, and there's another 1.5-meter-wide bed on the upper level (above the cab). The one we drove was the TP07W wide-body version, and the sleeping area was just right for our family of four — two adults and two kids — and surprisingly roomier than expected.

Our destination was Monterey, and along the way we'd pass a magical shell beach. A stretch of several kilometers of sand, entirely made up of finely crushed white shells. It turned out to be just as amazing as it sounds. The kids couldn't believe that what looked like a fine white sand beach was actually all shells! And looking closely, there were crushed shells of every shape. Once again, there was no one else but us.

We played until sunset again. Dad carried the two kids and urged me to hurry — we still had seventy kilometers to drive in pitch darkness. Finally, we spotted the lights and sign for the campsite. Dad, going by experience, wanted to drive ahead to find the main entrance, but the map told us to turn left into the campground. So I navigated: “Left! Go left!” And then I felt the whole rig tilt, and when I hit the gas, it was just the sound of spinning tires. Instant panic! I got out and looked — sure enough, the left front wheel had sunk into a soft sand pit. There was no way to get out.

We made an immediate decision: Dad would stay and try to figure something out, Grandma would look after the two kids, and I'd go find help. The campground turned out to be a massive resort. With the help of some kind college students, I jogged all the way to the resort office. Just as my legs were about to give out, I found a staff member who was about to get off work. We all went back to the truck together. Other campers who had come out one by also joined Dad in trying to push the rig while someone hit the gas. No luck... Everyone was chiming in with suggestions, and I called the camper rental company. They told me roadside assistance wouldn't be available until daytime, but the operator mentioned there should be tow hooks underneath the chassis. So the whole group got down on the ground searching. Even after finding them, there was no vehicle with enough power or a proper tow rope...
Finally, a guy in a Jeep pulled up, grabbed a bundle of straps from his trunk, and together they found the tow hook. He hopped in the Jeep, floored it, and our massive rig was pulled right out of the sand pit! Everyone there — adults and kids alike — cheered and clapped. I finally let out a breath. Honestly, I'd already given up, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios: What if we can't get out? How do we recharge and refill water? Do we sleep tilted all night? What about the kids?

All in all, experiencing a camper trip with kids firsthand is an incredibly rare and worthwhile experience. With truck camper travel becoming increasingly popular in the US, and campsites plentiful and convenient, I highly recommend it on that front. But as for comfort and romance — it's definitely not what you'd imagine. It'll make you realize that life isn't easy, and that your own hands-on problem-solving skills are stronger than you thought.

So if you choose to travel by camper, here are my recommendations:

Book your campsites in advance

Naturally, booking campsites requires having your itinerary planned out. I recommend going through it with a map and travel guides, sorting out each route segment by segment, and don't forget to factor in distances and drive times. The basic principle: look for laundry facilities, playgrounds, and ideally private bathrooms.

Always budget extra time for fun

Especially with kids — the beach, sand, and playgrounds can swallow up time before you know it. It's all too easy to end up having a blast but then panicking about the drive.

Kids are actually more adaptable than adults

Since they're in the vehicle the whole time, there's less to worry about than you'd think. Just rent proper car seats, let them sleep when they need to, and have fruit and snacks ready.

The camper's kitchen and bathroom are generally quite convenient

But make sure to communicate thoroughly with the staff when picking up the rig, otherwise you'll be clueless about how to handle waste water and electrical hookups, and you'll arrive at camp totally lost (though other campers are usually very happy to help).

Adults must divide responsibilities clearly

For example, Mom handles the kitchen, Dad handles driving and packing up. Bring the kids good books and toys — coloring books, audiobooks, and the like.

And the rest? Just enjoy the trip. Because compared to the scenery along the way, these minor hardships are absolutely worth it.

People always ask me: “The kids are so young — what's the point of taking them out there?” The greatest meaning is simply being with you. Every day spent with their parents is happy and beautiful for them.

For kids, a trip is just a trip — not for learning facts or broadening horizons. The journey itself is something special. And along the way, children accumulate their understanding of the world, little by little.

These beautiful sights we saw together, the little surprises and hiccups we experienced together, the different way of life we felt together — to me, that is the entire meaning of travel.