Top travel destinations we're going back to
We’ve been many places, and these select few keep calling us back.
Bucket lists are great, but what about those epic places you’ve already been to?
We think that some (okay, most) places deserve more than a checkmark next to their name, so we’re reflecting on a few of our favorite destinations and planning our return trips to them. After all, who doesn’t love an encore?
We’re firm believers in immersion. While it’s impossible to truly know an area without living there and calling it home, we like to try to go beyond the superficial tourist level and really dig in deep when we love a place. Otherwise, we leave feeling unfulfilled and craving more.
Take us back here, please!
This type of travel isn’t always possible, which is why we have a long list of places we want to return to and explore properly. For now, we’ll start with our top four favorite travel destinations that we will go back to (time and again).
Things to know:
We’ve been blessed to travel extensively around the good old USA, and we’ve found a few favorite places along the way. Based on those experiences, this is our list of our top travel destination in America that we’re definitely going back to!
Travel spots that keep calling us back
As we hit the road full-time in 2025, there are a handful of places that are pulling us back. We might not revisit them all this year, but you can bet your bottom dollar we’ll get to them all in the near future!
Ouray, Colorado
Ouray, CO, is the epitome of “small but mighty.”
The entire town may only encompass a few blocks, and half the roads may be unpaved, but this gem of the San Juan Mountains is a vibrant and thriving community that has an irresistible charm to it.
From the shockingly good eats and warm, welcoming local shops to the frequent community events and stunning scenery, there’s a lot to love about Ouray. No matter how many times we return, we find something new to admire about the town and its people.
We first visited Ouray when we eloped, and it was mostly by chance. We picked a photo of a gorgeous basin that we’d like to exchange vows beside, and it just happened to be nestled in the mountains outside of town. Needless to say, that kicked off our love affair with the area (known as the Switzerland of America), and the passion has only grown since.
It’s hard to top Colorado wildflower season.
Ouray has blessed us with free summer concerts beneath the stars, endless hiking and off-road driving trails to explore, hot coffee and scrumptious dining, and even a few wardrobe additions. We’ve traversed the main street a few dozen times, indulged in top-tier pizza, and felt our breath catch in our throats every time we paused to simply look at our surroundings.
It’s safe to say that–like a couple we met at a local campground–we’ll be returning to Ouray regularly for decades to come. Heck, we may just make it an annual pilgrimage for our anniversary!
Orcas Island, Washington
A while back, Hanna took a work-trade job at a resort on Orcas Island, WA. During that time, she spent her days building fences, harvesting apples, and making cider. She fell in love with the little island off the coast of Washington, and spent the next few years scheming to go back with Riley.
Lo and behold, we returned as a married couple in 2023. We camped at Moran State Park on the island, explored every corner we could get to (the island isn’t very big), and ate a whole bunch of delicious seafood.
A view of the West Sound from Orcas Island.
Orcas Island is quirky–as most island communities are–and that’s precisely what makes it so wonderful (well, that and the mind-blowing scenery).
Here, you can find local artists creating and selling their goods, mouthwatering cuisine, stunning views from atop the island’s mountains, and plenty of outdoor activities to keep you busy. No matter how long you stay, you’ll be clambering for more time when finally boarding the ferry to leave.
Stanley, Idaho
If it’s absolutely bonkers scenery you’re after, Stanley, ID, has to be on your list. While the town itself is even smaller than Ouray, there’s enough to sustain you (including one of the best bakeries you’ll ever visit) as you explore the surrounding Sawtooth Mountains.
What makes Stanley so unique? Simple–the practically infinite backcountry to explore. Whether you choose to spend your days wading in the Salmon River, traversing the endless forest roads, or enjoying a peaceful lake view, one thing is certain–you’ll be in constant awe of the beauty this area offers.
Stanley, ID, is home to some truly jaw-dropping scenery.
We only spent a few days here, and we’ve been longing to go back ever since. From camping on a small lake with jagged peaks rising abruptly just beyond the shore to stopping every five minutes along the twisting road that follows every curve of the gorgeous Salmon River, 48 hours somehow felt like both a blink and an eternity.
Next time, we plan to venture down a few more forest roads and find some breathtaking dispersed camping spots where we can settle in for a while.
North Cascades National Park, WA
It may be remote, but the journey to North Cascades National Park in Washington is worth the drive. With soaring peaks, unbelievable turquoise lakes, and old-growth forests that will leave you in awe, it is a one-of-a-kind landscape that draws you in and doesn’t let you go.
We spent a few days in North Cascades National Park in 2023, shortly after we purchased our first truck camper. We had grand plans for exploration, but made a few mistakes. We didn’t schedule enough time there, we weren’t familiar enough with our camper, and we didn’t plan our itinerary thoroughly enough to make the most of our visit.
PNW vibes, turquoise lakes, and epic mountains - what more could you ask for?
Adding to our own oversights, we experienced some troubles with our power system and internet, making delivering on work deadlines and keeping essential things powered (you know, like phones and the refrigerator). Ultimately, these issues (and the subsequent stress) were a wet blanket on our mood and our ability to hang out in the park longer.
We left feeling unfulfilled–like we didn’t get to fully experience the gorgeous landscape and unique experience it had to offer. We’ve made a pact to go back and right those wrongs, and we can’t wait to leave with nothing but smiles when we do!
Don’t get us wrong; this list could be a lot longer. We left plenty of fantastic bucket list spots off that we may dedicate a follow-up blog to–including places like Whitefish, MT, Sandpoint, ID, Death Valley National Park, and Mount Rainier National Park.
While we may not get to revisit these top four favorite places to visit in the USA this year, we have no doubt that we’ll return to them in the near future. When we do, we’ll be sure to share our experiences with you, give you insider insights into must-do activities and must-see sites, and collect GPS data on all of it!
If you made it this far, thanks for reading. We hope you’ll continue to follow along on our adventure blog, YouTube channel, Instagram, and so on. We love sharing our adventures with you and learning from you in return. Please feel free to drop a comment below and connect with us and our growing little community of travel enthusiasts and full-time RVers!
- Riley + Hanna
Our path to full-time travel
What leads someone to full-time RVing? Check out our journey to the nomadic lifestyle here.
When it comes to people living unorthodox lifestyles–particularly full-time RVers, van lifers, and other nomadic folks–we can’t get enough. It’s amazing to see how people achieve the life they love, navigate the unique challenges of the road, and otherwise embrace full-time travel in a world of sticks and bricks.
As we draw inspiration from them, we thought sharing our own journey to this point might be a fun exercise. We wouldn’t necessarily call our path to full-time travel inspirational, but there’s no harm in laying it out for you to see!
Things to know:
We have a long history of traveling together. From tents to truck campers, we’ve traversed many miles and months on the road, and it has all led us here—to becoming full-time nomads.
From road trippers to full-time RVers
Like many who choose to travel full-time, our interest in the nomadic lifestyle started small. We didn’t jump straight from beach vacations and hotels to living in a camper; instead, the build to this moment was gradual.
The best way to document our journey is to give you a timeline from the early days of traveling together to now. It’s been quite the ride, so buckle up and enjoy!
Cold noses, warm hearts
Before we officially started dating, Riley dragged Hanna on a tent camping adventure in North Carolina. Little did we know that it would set the tone for our future together.
The year was 2016, and we had just reconnected after going our separate ways in college. Riley had been going to western NC with his family since childhood, and as a young adult, he still felt drawn to the area.
Rather than rental houses and hotels, he did what any broke college kid would do–bought a tent from K-Mart (yes, K-Mart) and traveled on the cheap.
After reuniting with Hanna, he had the grand idea to drag her on one of his ventures up I-75. So, we went and spent several nights in the mountains, sleeping as far apart in that little tent as possible.
We’ve been adventure buddies since day one.
We distinctly remember waking up with cold, wet noses from sleeping against opposite sides of the tent, the damp fabric walls pressed up against our faces. Neither of us was willing to break the ice and cross the line into something deeper than friendship.
In hindsight, it’s a hilarious and endearing story, and there’s no question that those adventurous college kids set us on a path for full-time travel today.
Shortly after this and similar trips, Hanna returned the favor. She convinced Riley to get on a plane (for the first time in his adult life) and go to Estes Park, CO. It was his first taste of the West, and he never looked back.
We had no clue what we were getting ourselves into when we flew to Colorado in the winter.
Big sky country and restlessness
By the time Riley got accepted into grad school, we were dating. So, when he decided to take his talents to the University of Montana, we had some decisions to make.
For the first year, he lived in Missoula, MT, while Hanna took up residence near Denver, CO. The long-term thing was difficult, but we both enjoyed experiencing the American West in full for the first time.
After the year apart, Hanna joined Riley in Montana, and we started planning our next steps together.
Our time in Montana only cemented our love for the West.
We weren’t ready to buy a home, and we didn’t really know where we wanted to be, so we did something radical–we bought a Jeep Wrangler, threw a rooftop tent on it, and decided to move into it indefinitely after Riley graduated.
While that didn’t last long–only about two months–it was our first taste of the lifestyle we could attain with a little effort, planning, and commitment.
Tearin’ it up in Tennessee
Our foray into adventure travel may have been brief, but it was just the beginning of our interest in overlanding and extended periods of life on the road. So, we tucked that experience in our back pocket, knowing full well that we would return to it in a more sustainable way in the future.
In the meantime, we decided to bide our time by moving to Tennessee and scratching our adventure itch in a different way–trail riding in Jeeps. This move coincided with Riley’s venture into aftermarket part design and manufacturing, so we bought a Jeep Gladiator as an R&D and marketing vehicle.
Our first stay in Tennessee was filled with days like this.
Equipped with a beastly new truck, we ran with a crew that enjoyed rock crawling, giving us our first exposure to the more extreme side of off-roading. While we still preferred camping (as evidenced by our refusal to ditch the rooftop tent), we enjoyed this new hobby for a year–especially when 2020 hit and we needed a way to stay sane while the whole world felt cooped up.
There and back again (to Montana)
Despite our good run in Tennessee, we craved the West. So, we packed up and headed back to Montana. Riley was still making Jeep parts, so we continued to find trails–this time with an emphasis on the camping at the end of the road.
Montana is a different ballgame from Tennessee in terms of remoteness, so we found ourselves pushing the limits of our backcountry experience. Here, we learned how to be a bit more self-reliant, plan for the worst, and be at home in the great, empty spaces.
You could say 2021 was the biggest shift from where we were to where we are now. Off-roading and camping evolved from hobbies into lifestyles. We knew then that we wanted to build our lives around this form of adventure.
When we got married in September of 2021, this passion for adventure travel was on full display. Instead of a traditional wedding and honeymoon, we lived in our Jeep Gladiator for three months.
Our elopement in Ouray, CO, was out of a fairytale (thanks, Tori of Come to Bliss)
We started in Montana, worked our way down to Ouray, CO, and then spent time in Utah before returning home. Along the way, we camped, explored trails, and eloped in the San Juan Mountains. It was the perfect way to start our marriage.
Even nomads get lost
Married life changed things for us–or so we thought.
Concerned by the trajectory of the world and wanting our new relationship stability to be reflected in our joint life, we decided we wanted to buy a house. Talk about poor timing.
In the post-pandemic market, prices started to soar. Unfortunately, we had already moved out of our apartment in Montana and headed back east in an attempt to find the perfect place to call home.
What followed was two years of biding time in Florida and escaping for a handful of months each year to retain our sanity. While it wasn’t the best use of our time or money–Florida is a long way from the western destinations we love–we made do and counted our blessings.
It didn’t take long for us to realize that the housing market wasn’t conducive to us buying and that we needed to come up with a different plan. Naturally, we went back to what we knew–pushing the limits of how long we could stay on the road at a time.
This prompted us to buy a Scout Camper Kenai–our foray into campers. While minimalist, this setup allowed us to live on the road for around four straight months, traversing from Florida to Washington, and then venturing throughout America.
Our Scout Camper Kenai took us to some unbelievable locations.
In the brief time we had the Scout, we covered over 20,000 miles, explored new places together, and even had the opportunity to represent Scout at Overland Expo East. It was a phenomenal camper, a wonderful experience, and a rewarding opportunity to get to know some rad folks in the industry.
Alas, all good things come to an end.
Returning to Tennessee and scheming for full-time travel
If you’re sensing a theme here, you catch on fast–we have a tendency to return to places we love, especially when we’re figuring out our next steps.
This second (and current) stint in Tennessee fits the bill. After two years in Florida where we paid rent despite being gone nearly half the time, we decided to commit to being in one place for an entire year–something that has been strangely difficult for us.
Tennessee is the perfect place for this phase of life, as it has loads of hiking and outdoor activities to keep our adventurous spirit satiated, a healthy helping of great food in nearby Chattanooga, and a reasonable cost of living compared to much of the country (especially western states).
In 2024, we committed to staying still (for us) and buckling down to advance our business and plan our next step thoroughly. While we flirted with home ownership again, the path forward for us soon became clear–we needed to embrace a full-time travel lifestyle now, or we would always have those lingering “what ifs.”
Round two in Tennessee has been pretty great!
From around August onward, we focused our efforts on determining what full-time RV setup would be best for us, calculating our budget, putting together a loose timeline, and frantically trying to get all our ducks in a row to kick off 2025 on the road.
While we haven’t quite made that goal–our camper is still in production at the time of writing this–we are a few weeks from being fully nomadic for the first time in our lives. Given the investment of time and money in this endeavor, it feels like the first time we’ll be embracing the travel lifestyle without the option of “falling back” on the security of an apartment or home base.
Our journey to this point seems chaotic, and it has certainly been filled with twists and turns. Looking back, however, it all makes sense. From the highs of finding new campsites to the lows of uncertainty, every inspiration and setback has played a part in leading us to this decision.
We’re excited about what this year (and the years to come) has in store, and we hope you’ll follow along as we learn by doing. Life is a big adventure, and we feel incredibly blessed to be on it together.
Feel free to drop a comment below or otherwise engage with our growing little community of wild spirits. We’re happy to have you, stoked to share our story with you, and hope to learn a lot from you as we head off into the unknown!
- Riley + Hanna
Why we didn’t buy a travel trailer
Travel trailers are a great option for full-time adventurers, but we chose to go a different route. Here’s why we didn’t buy a travel trailer.
Making the decision to become full-time nomads in 2025 was something Hanna and I took very seriously. While we have plenty of travel experience together, there’s a big difference between a few weeks or a couple of months and 365 days of life on the road. So, we wanted to make sure we chose the perfect (okay, there’s no such thing) camper for us.
We weighed a lot of factors during the decision-making process, and while travel trailers definitely have some compelling advantages over other RVs, we ultimately determined that it wasn’t the right route for us. If you find yourself in a similar situation, maybe our thoughts on travel trailers and why we ultimately didn’t buy one will be helpful to you!
Things to know:
Travel trailers offer a lot of advantages for full-time travels. From a built-in base camp to loads of living and storage space, the benefits are undeniable. So, why didn’t we choose to buy one?
Note: By the time you read this, we might already have a camper. Our intent is not to mislead you, we simply wrote these blogs well in advance!
A travel trailer wasn’t right for us - here’s why
For those of you who love travel trailers or don’t have the same priorities as us, keep in mind that this is our story. We actually love the idea of travel trailers and came awfully close to buying a few different models. At the end of the day, our opinions are heavily influenced by our lifestyle and preferences, so filter everything we say through your own experience!
Our history of go-anywhere travel has heavily influenced our camper search.
What we like about travel trailers
This blog may be about why we aren’t buying a travel trailer, but I think it’s important to acknowledge their strengths and admit that we were almost convinced to buy one. They have some real benefits, and they are a great choice for a lot of people. In fact, I’m sure that we would have been perfectly happy if we had decided to get one!
Loads of living space, making it phenomenal for full-timers, remote workers, and those seeking a homey environment.
Practically endless brands, models, sizes, floorplans, and features to choose from, allowing you to find a unit that is perfect for you and your family.
Endless potential for customization, both internally and externally. You can add solar panels, renovate the interior, and otherwise outfit your travel trailer to suit your needs.
Plenty of support for DIY projects, problem solving, and warranty work thanks to their popularity and widely-accepted use.
Easy to use as a base camp because you can set up your “home” and have your tow vehicle free to go exploring.
I’m sure there are many other reasons to consider a travel trailer, making them even more compelling for a large portion of the population that is interested in part-time or full-time travel. That said, we determined that it wasn’t the right route for us, and this is why.
We don’t want to tow a trailer (I know, I know…)
We know that many fellow travelers have no issue towing their campers. From tiny teardrop campers to massive fifth-wheels, many adventurers tow their homes behind them with no issue. We deeply admire those people (hats off to you if you’re one of them), but while we have a bit of experience towing trailers, it’s not something that either of us enjoys.
This didn’t immediately rule out travel trailers for us because there are legitimate advantages to them that almost convinced us that it would be worth the sacrifice (more on that later). At the end of the day, though, we didn’t want to be tethered to a trailer and deal with the stress that often accompanies it. Not wanting to tow something around the country was factor number one in deterring us from purchasing a travel trailer.
We like to get off the beaten path
Our travel history consists largely of venturing farther into the backcountry than most RVs and campers can go. We’ve used Jeeps, rooftop tents, and overland-style truck campers to push ourselves into off-grid situations and try to escape the crowds. We love a good campground now and then, but we definitely prefer the boondocking in nature style of travel.
One of our favorite off-grid campsites that we frequently return to.
There are a handful of travel trailers designed to facilitate backcountry camping. Some are built with off-road suspension, feature high-quality fit and finish, and use durable build materials. Unfortunately, those campers tend to be very expensive. At the end of the day, you’re still pulling a trailer down a potentially dangerous road with limited pull-offs and turnarounds. That sounds like a recipe for disaster to us, and it wasn’t a risk we wanted to take.
The price (and quality) vary wildly
One of the most compelling aspects of travel trailers is that you can find something in your budget. Whether you have $10k or $150k, there is a camper out there for you. This is a huge advantage over RVs and other campers. It’s also something that made us hesitant.
Price and quality do not always go hand-in-hand. Sometimes, you can score an amazing product at a budget-friendly price, but those instances are few and far between. When it comes to travel trailers, it was extremely tempting for us to opt for a more budget-friendly camper, then allocate the savings toward other things.
The more campers we toured and the more research we did, however, the more we were unsure. Very few (if any) of the travel trailers on dealer lots inspired confidence. Most felt like they would suffer from quality issues if we dragged them down a rocky road. The higher quality options put some of those concerns to rest, but at much higher prices. All of this left a feeling of uncertainty in our guts that we just couldn’t shake.
Something stinks (it’s the black tank)
There are some advantages to traditional camper bathrooms that utilize a black tank. The residential feel of the bathroom is nice, the need to empty it only on occasion is arguably an advantage, and it’s the most common approach to when ya gotta go on the road. That said, we’ve never been interested in a black tank.
As people who like to go camping in the great outdoors, we don’t love the idea of being beckoned back to civilization by the need to dump our black tank. Sure, we’ll have freshwater and greywater tanks, but those aren’t quite as dire as a black tank. You can limit greywater use and refill your fresh water just about anywhere.
If you look closely, you can probably spot our bathroom tent. No shame!
The added maintenance is also not glamorous or appealing. We realize it’s not a big deal, but we would much rather use an alternative method–such as a dry-flush toilet–than mess with a black tank. Personal preference? Yep! A factor in our camper purchase? You betcha!
Home sweet home
While the plan is to travel full-time, we don’t know what the future holds. If we settle down and buy a house, it might be difficult to store a travel trailer on the property. These campers can be long, and without a suitable place to store them, you’re left paying for a spot in a storage yard. It may not be terribly expensive, but it is still an additional line on the balance sheet that we would rather avoid if the situation arises.
When we are traveling, we are confident that we will want to venture to more remote locations. If we want to go to some of our favorite spots located off of trails, what are we supposed to do with the camper–pay for a spot at a campground while we go sleep in a tent for a night or two? It creates logistical problems for us when we want to embrace the more exploratory side of adventure.
Don’t buy a travel trailer (if you’re us)
There are so many reasons to opt for a travel trailer as a full-time traveler or part-time camper. Many of the benefits of travel trailers really spoke to us. Because it will be our home for at least a year, a camper with adequate space to live, work, and relax is extremely important. The ability to leave the camper behind and take the truck into town or on a day trip is also really appealing. Even the financial side of the equation makes a compelling argument.
At the end of the day, though, we determined that a travel trailer just wasn’t right for us. It’s not because they aren’t great–they truly are, and many people are more than happy using them–but our lifestyle and priorities steered us in a different direction. We can’t wait to share with you exactly what camper we bought.
We’re hitting the road full-time in 2025, and we’d love for you to come along for the ride. Whether you follow our antics on social media, catch up with us on YouTube, or connect with us in the comments, we’re so glad you’re here. We can’t wait to share our journey with you and to continue growing and learning from this amazing community of fellow travelers!
- Riley + Hanna