RVing as a Solo Female

RVing as a Solo Female

written by Nancy Carter of Making My Own Lane

RVing as a Solo Female

I’ve been single for a long time. Since 2006 to be exact.

I raised my two daughters on my own, with a lot of help and support from friends and family, from the time they were 8 and 11. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to make enough to do it on my own.

I think that is one of my biggest blessings. Many people need two incomes to do what I have been able to do with one.

I’ve lived frugally, but I do like nice things. You learn how to maximize what you have to make it work for you.

I have tried dating, but it never seems to work out. And I’ve become OK with that.

But, I won’t let it hold me back from doing the things I want to do, including traveling full-time, exploring the USA, in my RV.

When I first meet people, and we talk about where we are from and where we are going, a common conversation among RVers, many are surprised, and curious, when they find out I am doing this alone as a solo female RVer.

Really, I’m not alone. I travel with two dogs who are great companions. I don’t think I would do this without a dog for companionship.


The Pros of Being a Solo Female RVer

1. I get to do what I want, go where I want to go, eat what I want to eat.

2. I like my alone time. I have always been able to find things to do to keep me entertained, whether it’s spending time with friends and family, reading or working on a hobby.

There never seems to be enough time in a day to do everything that I want to do.

3. I’m very independent. I do love spending time with people, and I love being in a relationship, but I like having my own space. Some people, like me, just like to be on their own. 


The Cons of Being a Solo Female RVer

1. You have to figure a lot of stuff out on your own.

2. I may have to pay for things that a partner would have been able to help me with. But, and that’s a big but, not all partners are any more mechanically inclined than I am. So many of the repairs and maintenance items I pay for would have been things we paid for anyway.

However, having someone to help with the basic maintenance or travel-day things would certainly be nice. As the saying goes, many hands make light work.

3. RV equipment can be heavy. Moving around tow dollies, composting toilets, portable washing machines and gazebos is not always easy. I try to look for items that weigh under 30 pounds, both to keep the weight down in my RV and to make it easier for me to move things around myself.

4. It can be isolating, although I have heard about people that travel as a couple who still get that feeling of isolation and loneliness.

5. You don’t have a “built-in” support system. Sometimes I think it would be nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of and share experiences with.

6. Sometimes I have to spend money to do things with a group that I might feel comfortable doing it with just a partner, for safety reasons.


Making Decisions as a Solo Female RVer.

There are some decisions that I make that make what I do less risky. Making decisions this way may mean that I don’t get to see or do some things.

Or, I will find a group that I can do these things with that makes what I want to do less risky, just because I am with a group of people. These are probably paid activities, like a bike tour of a city, or a hiking trip where if I get hurt, I won’t be alone.

I may make decisions to stay at certain campgrounds because they are “gated”, or they offer activities through the campground where I can join up with others right there.

Safety and convenience are the two main factors for me when it comes to deciding where to stay and what to do.


Safety as a Solo Female RVer.

Over the years, I have learned not only to trust my intuition, but to lean into it, whether it makes sense to me or not.

If I feel something is wrong, or that I need to do something differently, or not rush into a decision, I trust that intuition.

There are many times in this life I have to push past my comfort zone to do things that are necessary. Sometimes doing things that really scare me a lot. But that is different from the feeling of being unsafe somewhere.

This would include not feeling comfortable in a campground. I haven’t had this happen yet, and hopefully it never does, but if it does, I will leave and find someplace else to spend the night.

When I get to a new campground, before I hook up at all, I like to take the dogs for a walk and check out the vibe of the campground. Is it clean and well taken care of? Are the neighbors friendly? Where is the office or the nearest camp host?

That’s not to say I love every campground I have stayed in. In fact, when I first started this RV life, I basically hated (yes, that’s a strong word) almost every campground when I first got there. Somehow, magically, the next day the campground was fine.

In fact, I now love some of the campgrounds that I really disliked.

I don’t know if I have lowered my standards, or my mindset has become more positive, or I’ve just come to appreciate the beauty of each individual place.

As I am sitting here writing this, I am in one of the most beautiful sites I have ever had, with my back window view of a quiet part of a beautiful golf course, and probably an amazing sunset tonight.

And this is my home for the next three weeks. But, I really disliked this place when I stayed here last year after I sold my house, before I started to travel.

I think that moving from a 3,000 square foot house to a 200 square foot house, without having the opportunity to travel first, was not necessarily the best way to start this lifestyle.

I felt kind of trapped. What did I get myself into? And why did I ever think that would be a good idea?

The more I live this life, having some travel behind me and preparing for another trip now, the better it seems to get. The campsites, the opportunities, the great people I get to meet and become friends with, and the places I look forward to visiting.

That being said, here are some of the systems I have set up for security purposes as I travel.

You may not agree with me. You may think I am not taking my safety seriously enough, or you may think I am a bit overboard.

Either way, and whether you are traveling solo or with someone else, you ultimately have to do what makes you feel safe.


8 Safety Tips for Solo Female RVers

    1. I have security cameras, both inside and out, and an alarm system in my RV.

    2. I sleep with my keys close by, in case I need to jump into the front seat and go. I would rather rip off my electrical and water hookups and leave them behind rather than having to get out of my RV and jump into another vehicle if I had to leave in a hurry.

    3. I feel that there is some safety in having a motor in my home.
    4. I share my trip agenda with my close family, so they know where I am supposed to be.
    5. I share my location with them on Find My Phone, or I drop a pin on Google maps and share that with them, or both.
    6. I keep my emergency contacts on my phone, and I enter the information about the campground I am staying at, with the phone number, when I travel. As long as someone accesses the emergency contacts on my phone, which they can do without knowing how to unlock the phone, they would be able to contact people if I needed emergency help and I couldn't help myself.
    7. My family also knows how to get into my RV to help my dogs if I were not able to do that, and they have copies of any important papers and documents that they might need.
    8. I try to travel only three to four hours a day. I like to get where I’m going by 1:00, not only so I have time to enjoy the rest of the day, but also because I think it will be easier during the day to find help on the road, if I need it.

      Convenience

      As a solo RV female traveler, I make many decisions based on convenience. The convenience of making a travel day as simple as possible. The convenience of avoiding repairs.

      For example, when I was making up my wish list of what I wanted in an RV, I chose a motorhome. A Class C RV that I knew I would be able to drive myself.

      I didn’t want to deal with towing a travel trailer or a 5th-wheel by myself.

      I also didn’t want to have to worry about slides, even though all that extra space and storage would have been so nice.

      I also knew that I didn’t want to have to make payments on a new rig, so I bought a used 2005 model. No payments and standard maintenance, so far.

      This year I have added a car into the mix. Again, convenience.

      Deciding to spend my winters in Florida means that my daughters and friends, and Disney, are close by, and it’s easier to stay in one area and have a car to get around.

      However, when I travel this year, I am not taking the car. I know that with the way I have planned this year’s trip, it will be more convenient for me to not have a car.

      Next year, when I travel to the Southwest, I plan on bringing the car. I will book campsites where I either stay longer and use the car to travel for day trips or I will book pull through sites, so I don’t have to constantly hook up and unhook up a tow vehicle. Convenience.

      If I were traveling with a partner, yes, I may have made different decisions. But being a solo female traveler, I make the decisions that make my life as easy and as convenient as possible for me.

      Everyone and every situation is different. You do what works for you. I really think that many of the decisions that I make alone are decisions that all RV travelers have to make. Full-time, part-time, weekenders, traveling with a partner or traveling solo. Again, sometimes it would be nice to have someone to share decisions and experiences with.


      The Biggest Take-Away on Being a Solo Female RVer

      Don't wait for that perfect moment in time to start traveling.  Wherever you are in your life, now is the time to start.

      Because life is short, and if you wait for that perfect time or the perfect circumstances, it may never come.

      You may never have enough money, or time, but work with what you have, take the chance, and give yourself time to explore this lifestyle.

      You may find that is isn't for you at all. But if you are here, reading this, you have probably thought about what it would be like. And if you don't try, you will never know.

      Start out on shorter weekend trips. Rent an RV for a week. Buy a smaller rig that you feel you can handle. Just do it, and let me know how it goes!


      If you have any comments, suggestions or questions about solo RV travel, click here.

      Thanks for joining me as I explore more in this full-time RV life.

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      Hi there! I'm Nancy.

      In 2023, I ditched my heels for hiking boots, sold my house, and decided to travel the US full time in my 2005 Lazy Daze Class C RV.

      I love to share the places I travel to and what it's like to live in an RV full-time.

      If you have ever thought about hitting the road and traveling in an RV, either in your free time or full time, you are in the right place!

      Follow along for weekly blog posts about my adventures as I travel the US with my two dogs, Rufus and Willie, and my cat, Katie.