Most long-time RVers have made friends on their journeys. They meet some when wintering in the same snowbird park year after year. Others befriend strangers they meet just once in an RV park or campground who they hit it off so well with that they know there and then they don’t want to lose touch with them.
Especially outgoing RVers can end up with friends from one corner of the country to another, even those in far off lands. For many, visits with such people can become wonderful stops on their RV journeys.
What about you? Have you ever made a really good friend (or couple) while RVing? Or maybe you have many such friends. Please answer the poll below and be sure to tell us about your encounter and the friendship that ensued.
Oh, as always, remember that the poll may take a moment to load, so please stand by.
We became great friends with three other couples the first time we tried camping and are still close and frankly, make friends often when we go places…some we stay better connected with than others (okay, my wife does all the hard work, I drive). Funny thing, although we have connected and stayed in the same places as our friends, we haven’t yet actually “done a trip” with them – though we did spend most of the winter last year with one couple. We’ve only been at this a couple years but have VERY good friends out here on the road with us – full and part time.
We met our friends Ed & Eileen at a Camping World Rally in Hutchinson KS 15-20 years ago. We were in line for the evening entertainment and he, seeing my “hero” hat, thanked me for my service. After the entertainment we discovered a mutual attraction to ice cream. Since that time we have RVed together at Daytona Beach,FL at another CW Rally,British Columbia, AZ, and NY. We visited them in NY and stayed in their RV on the beach. They have visited us in MO and we have gotten together several times in AZ, where we Winter at Quartzsite and they live in Prescott.
I answered “no” but it’s more like “not yet” as I’ve only been RVing for six years.
Not to speak of We did most of our camping with friends from town we already knew and with family. Our family trips were sometimes crazy events with maybe 15 family members planning and meeting up at an out of the way CG somewhere between all of us. We could be a loud crowd with all night poker games and so we tried to get the very back area and stayed away from others if possible. Keeps the Complaints down. We have now settled down and the family gatherings are ending with everyone going in different directions so we will meet more folks out in the calm side of the world.
We met our friends Peter and Marion from Berlin, Germany, in 2003 while leaf-peeping in New England. It was our last night in RV park and we gave them our leftover condiments since we were flying back to CA the next day. We visited them in Berlin last summer (2019) and they have stayed with us a couple times over the years. Lovely couple.
In 1986 we drove from CA to NC. My daughter meet a girl her age while swimming( she was tired of her brothers. They still stay in touch to this day 34 years later.
Regarding article on MotorHome mag. Did I read correctly that it will no longer publish next year. Since that printing I have gotten several request to renew. Can you explain any should we renew? Wait and see? ???
We have been rving for 17 years, with 5 1/2 of those years being fulltime. Right off the top of my head I can name 6 couples we have maintained contact with after meeting them on the road. We were not snowbirding but traveling all over. We have met them all several times in different places. This is one of our favorite things about rving. New friends are everywhere!
I was on the board of our RV organization and my wife taught Dulcimer lessons at a few of our Maintenance Sessions. We have made very good friends of members of her classes and we have maintained friends of a few members that were on the board.
We have been camping at the same campground every July for years. Have a son who is handiabled. He talks to everyone and has made friends with a lot of folks. We met the greatest group of people because of him. We are included in the yearly fish fry and are part of the group and have been for about 20 years. We have traveled to see them outside of camping to have dinner and have camped near where they live to visit more with them before our camping is done for the year. Great bunch of people and their families! We are part of it all and hope it continues for years!
This was my first time seeing the term handiabled. Love it. Have a sister that we usually refer to as special needs but your word has much better positive vibe to it. Thanks for improving my vocabulary!
With our first RV (1960 GMC, RollAlong, 6 cylinder, 4-speed) my deceased wife and I were doing our first hookup. Couple next door noticed our fumbling, and came over to “supervise”. 🙂 We kept in touch for many years.
My wife and I work camped for six summers in Grand Teton National Park. It was one of the best experiences of our lives. We met so very many fine people and made good friends who we will cherish forever.
In 2007, a travel partner and I met a couple we had seen in two consecutive campgrounds. We told them about our plans to go to Alaska, and they said they had wanted to go also, but didn’t want to go without another rig! After some discussion about how it would all work, we ended up traveling together for several months! During that time, both rigs had some trouble and we were glad to be able to support each other! We have remained long distance friends – I’m in Texas and they are in Arizona now!
About three years ago for an extended period of time at a resort in Austin. It was a particularly difficult period of my life as I was awaiting a liver transplant and was not in great shape.
I had two dogs. One was being treated for cancer and the was going blind and suffered with diabetes. Just as I thought things couldn’t get worse a winter colder than I ever imagined for Central Texas kicked in.
Neighbors were there to help wrap sewer hoses, help me with other winterizing tasks, and make sure I had decent meals. They checked in on me and took my dogs for walks. I would not have survived without them. They are awesome people. We do stay in touch and I thank God every day for their kindness.
Full time or not RVers are wonderful and helpful travelers. I am so thankful to be part of this awesome community.
Ken
Several years ago we were “trying out” our new travel trailer after giving up our pop up. We were sitting at out site and noticed a couple wandering around their new pop up with a flashlight and the instruction book in hand. Thinking that they might be having trouble getting it set up, I decided to help. My wife and I went over to see if we could help, Boy were we right! This was the first time camping with their pop up and they had forgotten how to set it up. We got them set up and then invited them over to our trailer for a glass of wine. They eagerly accepted. We have become fast friends ever since that night. We go on trips together and they have visited us at our home numerous times. We speak almost weekly with them.
Yes! We noticed a couple drive by in their brand new (paper license) trailer drive by and take a site near us. I walk by later and offered my congratulations to them. They introduced themselves to me & I invited them to our campfire that evening. That was nearly 5 years ago and we call each other NBF’s – “new best friends”. We see each other several times a year and call each other often.
Back in the 1980’s, we were having an after-golf outing at our RV site in Blaine, WA – next thing you know, a neighboring camper wandered over & said, “Seems like you’re all having a lot of fun, I’ve decided to join you!” Of course we welcomed him and soon his wife joined us, too. They were visiting from Terrace, B.C., Canada.
After that, we began meeting them every year (around the 4th of July) in the beautiful Canadian Okanogan country – did that into the early 2000’s, when they had to stop traveling due to illness. Sadly, the wife has passed, but we’re still in touch with the husband – only by phone at this point – but, we treasure those conversations and the wonderful, long-time friendship!
If you consider camping at nascar races, then yes, I’ve become friends with and keep in touch with the people who always park next to us or near us. Some of the people just happen to live a few minutes away and some hours and different states.
We just pulled into Picacho Peak RV Resort and Bingo was on the schedule for the entertainment that night. I wanted to go but my husband didn;t like to play, so I went next door and knocked. The husband was reading in the living room and his wife was up in the bedroom reading. I asked her if she would like to play Bingo and she agreed. So we went. They were from Canada and had been coming down to this resort and SITTING!! My husband and I put a stop to that!! The more we got acquainted the more we “jelled”. We have met many years at a destination and traveled together making dual reservations and have enjoyed each others company. This was back in the 80’s and we still communicate…mostly by Skype now. Very good friends!!!
I’m not sure my vote qualifies as we own a rv lot at a resort, as have our neighbors at the resort who we have become long time friends with. That said, I don’t think we have ever continued a friendship with someone we met at an rv park (or campground) that we only stayed at one night or a couple more. We have met many wonderful people on those one night stands tho.