Summer Road Trip Diary: Chapter 1 Choosing Our Van & Mapping the Dream Route
Our Summer Highlight: The Trip That Marked a New Chapter
For the longest time, my husband and I had talked about it…. “One day, let’s take an RV road trip.”
It was one of those bucket list dreams we kept putting off—waiting for the “right time.” But this summer, I was determined to make it happen. Our youngest daughter was starting college, and the house was suddenly quieter. The timing couldn’t have been more symbolic.
This trip became more than just a vacation, it was our official welcome into the empty nesting stage of life.
We wanted something meaningful. Something that blended nature, freedom, and a little discomfort in the best kind of way.
An RV road trip through the American Southwest felt like the perfect way to mark this new beginning.
🛠 Tools We Used to Plan This Trip
Before diving into the details, here are the tools and apps that helped us plan every step of our Southwest RV adventure:
Roadtrippers – My absolute favorite app for planning road trips. It helped us map the route, calculate mileage, and discover hidden gems.
Roadsurfer – The rental company we chose for our camper van (more on that below).
AllTrails – Used to find hiking trails near our campgrounds.
Googlemaps - Used for all my offline maps. - Downloaded all the National Parks Maps offline to have in case I lost signal.
Where to Begin?
We knew we wanted to explore the rugged beauty of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Colorado, so we decided to fly into Las Vegas and end our journey in Rocky Mountain National Park returning the van in Denver, Colorado.
That meant we’d need a rental company that offered one-way RV rentals—which, we quickly learned, narrowed the options significantly. From there, the real planning began: mapping the route, searching for the right camper van, and figuring out what life on the road might look like.
Planning Our Route: Why I Always Start with Roadtrippers
Before we even booked the van, I opened the Roadtrippers app—because that’s how every road trip of ours begins now.
The first time I used Roadtrippers was while planning a trip to Glacier National Park. I was overwhelmed trying to piece everything together—entrances, viewpoints, gas stops, nearby trails, and campgrounds—and someone recommended Roadtrippers. It changed everything.
I planned our route, calculated the mileage between each stop, and even found places I never would’ve known to search for. Since then, I’ve used it for every major road trip, including my first Arizona–Utah loop, and it’s become a non-negotiable part of my travel toolkit.
This time? Same ritual.
I opened Roadtrippers and plugged in:
Las Vegas ➡️ Valley of Fire ➡️ Zion ➡️ Bryce ➡️ Monument Valley ➡️ Moab ➡️ Colorado ➡️ Denver.
I added scenic stops, state parks, roadside diners, coffee shops, dump stations—you name it. Suddenly, the trip didn’t feel overwhelming; it felt exciting and doable.
If you're a visual planner like me and love discovering hidden gems, scenic drives, and offbeat attractions, Roadtrippers is a game changer.
(I use the Plus version so I can add unlimited stops. You can use my code BTR5QTP for $5 off.)
The Great RV Search
Next up: finding the right RV.
At first, we considered renting directly from RV owners through Outdoorsy and RVshare. But most of those required round-trip returns, which didn’t work for our one-way itinerary.
So we looked into rental companies:
Cruise America – Widely available but bulky and outdated interiors.
Escape Campervans – Super cute, but most didn’t have bathrooms.
Indie Campers – Clean and modern, but I didn’t find anything comparable to the van layout I had in mind.
El Monte RV – Also worth browsing, but nothing quite fit.
For a moment, we even considered 24-foot RVs. My husband liked the idea—they looked spacious and more comfortable. But I was worried about limitations—would we fit in National Park campgrounds? Would it be stressful to drive or park in tight spaces?
And let’s not forget: we once rented a 19-foot van on a Florida Keys trip. My husband is 6'4", and he had to sleep curled up like a shrimp or with our legs crossed like a capital “X.” He made it very clear: "This time, we’re finding a van I can actually stretch out in."
What We Wanted in a Camper Van (And Found!)
Here’s what we were searching for:
✅ Bathroom with shower + toilet
✅ Under 22 feet
✅ Bed that fits someone 6'4"
✅ One-way rental option
✅ Comfortable, modern, and beginner-friendly
✅ Easy to drive and park in state/national parks
🚐 Discovering Roadsurfer: The Perfect Fit
After days of researching and comparing specs, I finally found what we needed: Roadsurfer.
Their Couple Condo model—a Winnebago Travato—checked every box:
✔️ Bathroom with a toilet and shower
✔️ Compact size (under 22 feet)
✔️ A bed long enough for tall people (hallelujah!)
✔️ One-way rentals between cities
✔️ Clean, modern design
✔️ Super helpful tutorial videos for beginners
✔️ Easy booking and great customer service
We picked up the van in Las Vegas, and it was such a seamless process. I felt confident thanks to the pre-trip videos, and my husband was excited to see that the bed actually fit him.
This van truly felt like our little home on wheels.
To Buy or Not to Buy?
We’ve been tossing around the idea of buying a camper van for a while now. This trip was a bit of a test run.
And here’s what we realized:
💛 We love van life.
💡 But we’re not sure we need to own one, at least not yet.
Renting from Roadsurfer gave us the freedom without the commitment—and at this moment we’ve decided that renting for future adventures might be the perfect balance, and Roadsurfer made the experience so much easier.
🛎 Van Pickup Tips: What We Learned
Before our pickup, Roadsurfer sent us a few short videos through their app. They cover everything from how to work the electrical hookups to dumping greywater. Tip: Definitely watch them, they made us feel so much more prepared.
We scheduled our pickup for 4:00 p.m. We weren’t leaving town until the next day, but we wanted time to get familiar with the van. Since the rental lot is about 30 minutes from the Strip, we took an Uber there.
The lot was full of Roadsurfer vans and RVs. Our van was ready and waiting. Kimberly, one of their staff, walked me through everything and answered all my questions.
✨ Pro tip: Roadsurfer keeps a little shelf with leftover essentials from previous renters—things like toilet paper, soap, and random supplies. We grabbed a few basics to start.
🚨 Lesson learned: If you plan to stay at a hotel the night of your pickup (like we did), make sure your hotel allows RV parking. Ours didn’t, so we had to valet the van. It cost us a small fortune. Definitely something to check in advance.
🏕 First Stop: Valley of Fire Magic
We stocked up on groceries, left Las Vegas behind, and headed straight to Valley of Fire State Park—a place we’d always talked about visiting.
Before reaching our campground, we stretched our legs and explored a couple of short hikes along the way, including the Valley of Fire Scenic Byway and the Elephant Rock Loop Trail. Both offered the kind of jaw-dropping red rock views that make you feel like you’ve stepped onto another planet.
Our first campground:
Pulling into the campground felt better than hitting the jackpot in Vegas.
Our site was perfect—close enough to the bathrooms to be convenient, but far enough from neighbors to feel peaceful. We had electric and water hookups, and the site was backed by dramatic rock formations that lit up with the golden hues of sunset.
And let me just say: our first night in the van was a total win.
🌅 We watched the sunset from the red rocks right behind our site
☕ Woke up to the softest, quietest sunrise with coffee in hand
🚿 Clean restrooms + generous space between campsites
🌵 Peaceful, private, and absolutely stunning
From that very first night, we knew, this wasn’t just a vacation.
It was a reset. A new rhythm.
And honestly, a new kind of freedom.
🔜 Next Up: Chapter Two
Learning the Ropes + Exploring Zion National Park
We quickly found that RV life has a learning curve, hookups, tanks, first-night nerves, and a few rookie mistakes we’ll never forget. But by the time we reached Zion, we were getting the hang of it.
In the next chapter, we’ll take you inside our first full travel days:
✅ What we got right
✅ What we’d absolutely do differently
✅ And how our visit to Zion National Park reminded us why we started this journey in the first place
👉 Be sure to follow along on Instagram @grateful4living_lifecoach or subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss Chapter Two!