Families
RV trip through America with kids: short driving days, wide eyes.
An RV trip through America or Canada with children is the holiday they will still remember later: sleeping on wheels, breakfast with a view of red rocks or a mountain lake, and every few days a new national park to roam around in. The RV is your greatest ally in that — beds, kitchen and toilet travel with you, which saves endless packing and unpacking in hotels.
At the same time, travelling with children calls for a different plan than a trip for adults. Shorter driving days, fixed rest days, campgrounds with room to run and a budget that allows for ice creams, souvenirs and eating out now and then. On this page we bring together the routes, guides and parks that suit a family trip, plus the tips that help you most when planning.
How to plan it
- 1
Keep the driving days short
Aim for three to four hours of driving on a travel day and no more than two travel days in a row. On the map America looks manageable, but an RV is slower than a car and every stop with children takes time. The goal is to arrive with the afternoon to spare: time to swim, cook and explore the campground, instead of rolling in at dusk with an exhausted family.
The trip health in the Kamptribe planner flags drives that are too long, so you spot the one day that needs an extra overnight stop before you book anything.
- 2
Find a rhythm that fits
Alternate a big nature day with a lazy day: a beach, the campground pool, a morning of nothing. Children need predictability, also on the road: meals at set times, an evening ritual at the RV, a chore that is theirs — putting out the chairs, setting the table. Two nights at one campground is often nicer than moving every day, and it saves an hour of tidying and hooking up every morning.
- 3
Choose the RV by sleeping spots, not by length
Count the sleeping spots and the seats with seat belts, and look at how the layout works when everyone is asleep: a bunk bed for the children means you can still sit quietly in the evening without converting a bed. Bigger is not automatically better — a large RV is harder to park, is not allowed on some park roads and feels like a millstone in cities.
For a family of four or five a mid-size model is often the sweet spot; the checklist for first-time RV renters helps with that decision.
- 4
Join the Junior Ranger programme
Almost every American national park has a Junior Ranger programme: children pick up a booklet at the visitor centre, complete activities during the visit and are sworn in by a ranger at the end, badge included. It costs nothing or very little, turns looking around into a mission and builds a collection children take seriously. In Canada, the Parks Canada parks have the similar Xplorers programme. Ask about it on arrival and allow half an hour for it at the visitor centre.
- 5
Budget with children — and plan together
Besides the RV, fuel and campgrounds, allow for the small items that grow with children: ice cream, snacks at every stop, a souvenir per park and a meal out when nobody wants to cook any more. Put them in as separate lines in the Kamptribe budget and nobody gets a shock afterwards.
And let the children help choose: one stop per child that they get to decide, pointing out on the map where you will sleep, a comment on their favourite place. Those who helped plan complain noticeably less on the road.
Routes that fit
- 15 daysUnited States
California loop
Los Angeles → Yosemite → Big Sur → LA
The big first USA roadtrip
Starts in Los Angeles (LAX)
View route → - 10 daysUnited States
National parks sprint
Las Vegas → Zion → Bryce → Grand Canyon
Maximum wow per mile
Starts in Las Vegas (LAS)
View route → - 11 daysUnited States
Florida theme park hop
Orlando → Space Coast → Keys
Rides, rockets and beach days
Starts in Orlando (MCO)
View route → - 14 daysCanada
Vancouver to the Canadian Rockies
Vancouver → Whistler → Jasper → Banff → Calgary
From the Pacific to the glaciers
Starts in Vancouver (YVR)
View route →
Guides that fit
- Toddlers to teens
How many miles a day is realistic in an RV with kids?
How far should we drive each day without wearing everyone out?
Read guide - First-time RV families
Renting an RV for the first time: a family checklist
What do we actually need to sort before we pick up the RV?
Read guide - All ages
Reserving campgrounds in America's national parks
How and when do we reserve campgrounds in the national parks — and what do we do if everything is full?
Read guide - Families with school-age children
Planning an RV trip around the school holidays: which region fits which holiday window?
In which school holiday can we go where with the RV — and what do we need to reserve when?
Read guide
Parks that fit
- United States
Zion National Park
Red canyon walls, a river to wade in and a shuttle that lets the RV stay parked.
View the park - United States
Yosemite National Park
Granite walls, waterfalls and a flat valley you can do with a stroller.
View the park - Canada
Banff National Park
Turquoise lakes, glaciers and an RV trip that is beautiful before you even enter the park.
View the park
Frequently asked questions
From what age is an RV trip fun for children?
From around four to five most of it comes naturally: they can walk short trails, understand the rhythm and enjoy camping. With toddlers and babies it works too, but with even shorter driving days and more double nights. Teenagers mostly appreciate a say in the route and enough time by the water.
How many days do we need at a minimum?
Count two days for arrival and pickup and one for the return, and then keep at least ten days for the trip itself. Two weeks is the comfortable minimum for a first family trip; three weeks makes real rest days possible.
Which school holidays work best?
The summer holidays for the Rockies, Canada and California, the May and autumn half-terms for the Southwest, and the Christmas, February and Easter holidays for Florida. The guide on school holidays sets out per region what does and does not fit.