Carpe Aluminum:

Experienced Airstreamers on How to Start Now

For many, the tradition of saving a long bucket list for retirement has shifted. Getting out earlier, bringing the family along, and experiencing life from the road has become entirely possible. Long weekends, strategic time off, and the rise of remote work mean travel is no longer reserved for your later decades. More and more of us are finding freedom in not being tied to one place. Technology now lets us work, bank, email, and even chat with Mom from anywhere. Which raises the question:

Why wait?

We spoke with Airstreamers at different life stages and uncovered some common themes. Spoiler: no one regrets time spent on the road—and some plan to never give it up.

Take the Kids, Make Traditions

Jacob Moon, his wife, their 9-year-old daughter, and their Mini Aussiedoodle love taking their Airstream all over the country. One of their favorite trips is down to Mexico’s Baja peninsula. Jacob has been making the trek from Utah to Baja for more than a decade, traveling in all kinds of vehicles. But over the last couple of winters, the family has taken their self-renovated 1970 Airstream Overlander travel trailer—making the journey more enjoyable than ever.

On their most recent trip, the Moon family spent two weeks in Baja and brought several freezers along so they could return home with fresh fish. “We brought a vacuum sealer and caught a whole bunch of fish, sealing up grouper and snapper—making fresh ceviche on the beach, which is one of our big traditions.”

Jacob works as a nurse but makes time for tons of travel with his family because he wants to adventure as much as possible and make memories that will last a lifetime. With some flexibility and planning, travel at any age is possible and life changing.

“I've gone down to Baja with a few different vehicles and camping setups,” Jacob said. “But I think my favorite is having the Airstream. It’s so nice to have a little home to come back to after a day in the sun and the water. It’s a big comfortable place right on the beach with incredible views—tough to beat that.” 

Start Small Start Now

Marc and Tricia Leach have spent the past decade on the road, learning just about everything there is to know about life on the go. These days, they feel most at home in their beloved Airstream Globetrotter 30RB—but that wasn’t always the case. Over the years, they’ve tried nearly every kind and size of RV, and their biggest piece of advice is simple: start small, start now. “Don’t keep putting your dreams off because of logistics,” Tricia says. “Start where you are.”

Even though the Keep Your Daydream duo has found their ideal setup in the Globetrotter, they recently jumped at the chance to shake things up and log some miles in the sleeker, more compact World Traveler 22RB. After a few weeks exploring Florida in the World Traveler, they were reminded of the joys of traveling light—and how nice it is to tow with an SUV.

Marc and Tricia love reminding people that traveling with an Airstream gives you the freedom to do the journey your way. 

More Freedom Means More Trips

It turns out that when you have the freedom to set your own rules, suddenly more trips feel possible. There are fewer logistics to wrangle and fewer decisions to make. No more booking hotel rooms or navigating Airbnb restrictions. No more leaving pets behind because they can’t board a flight. It’s just you, your family, and your Airstream home on wheels.

Gary, 36, and his partner Nick, 41, are proud Caravel owners. Gary says they’ve both always been drawn to Airstreams, noting their “clean, classic, and timeless” look.

The Caravel fits their lifestyle perfectly. “Aerodynamics were a big factor since we tow with a Rivian (EV),” Gary explains. “We wanted something compact but still premium, and the Caravel hit that sweet spot. The range hood and windows were a big deciding factor.

”Gary and Nick love exploring the West Coast with their husky, Maeby. “We’re planning a California‑to‑Washington trip soon to visit family,” Gary says. “Not having to leave our dog at home while we fly up is a huge bonus.”

So far the two have been very impressed with several features. “The lithium batteries we added have been a game changer—plenty of power without worry,” Gary said. “We also love the backup camera. It's perfect for maneuvering tight spots.” But by far, their favorite feature is the large rear windows. “Waking up by the ocean just feels unreal.”  

Airstreaming Means New Ways To Spend Time

Katherine and Tom are retired and live in Portland, Oregon. They explore the West Coast and Pacific Northwest in their 23-foot International Travel Trailer because it’s the most comfortable way to travel at their own pace and connect with family.

Tom explains that he and Katherine just love to see where the day takes them. “The joke in our family is that we can turn a six-hour trip into a ten-hour trip. It’s just our way of doing things. We might listen to an audiobook, take a detour, do a crossword puzzle with the non-driver calling out the clues and filling in the blanks.” Why rush the drive?

“We enjoy road trips, meaning we enjoy the road, not just the destination,” Tom says. “We love to drive the back way and make stops. If you need to use the restroom or need some lunch, you can pull over and fix a sandwich in the trailer.” Tom explains that they often look ahead and plan a nice place to enjoy a meal. “Katherine will pick a state park or a city park, and we can make a peanut butter and jelly or get out leftovers from the night before.” He says it’s so nice to never have to stop for fast food. “We typically make big batches of meals ahead of our trip that we can reheat. The other night we made hamburger soup and put half of it in a freezable bag to freeze and then thaw as you go.” 

Tom also has a special tradition with his grandsons during the first week of summer vacation. “For that first week—when school has ended but daycare hasn’t begun—I get the kids,” Tom says. For what he calls “Grandpa Camp,” he sets up the International at Champoeg State Park, about thirty minutes south of the city. Each morning, he picks up his two grandsons, spends the day adventuring with them, and drops them off after dinner. “I don’t have them overnight. I’m not that crazy,” Tom laughs.

Throughout the week, they ride bikes, play disc golf, watch woodpeckers, and occasionally wander into the nearby historic town. And of course, they eat well. “Their mom gives them breakfast at home, but sometimes they want a second breakfast,” Tom says. More often than not, that means maple sausage and pancakes.

Tom hopes this tradition will continue for as long as the kids enjoy it. He says that whenever he gets back from a week of Grandpa Camp his friends always say he must be tired after so much activity. “And I say, yes, but my batteries are recharged.”