Recreational vehicle ownership has been a longtime characteristic of retirees touring the country and enjoying the finer things in life. This doesn’t seem to hold true anymore. Now more and more millennials are being drawn to the idea that RV living could be just the right fit for them. They are single-handedly revamping the RV industry as we know it, and RV manufacturers are now designing their price points and their trailer sizes with the millennial in mind. For $7,000 to $10,000 starter RVs can give campers a bed, small toilet, and a small kitchen on board– the bare necessities. As you add on more and more luxuries, such as standing showers and solar panels, that’s when things naturally start to get more expensive. Some RVs and trailers are now even coming equipped with their own personal Wi-Fi, which younger campers have shockingly valued almost as important as toilet paper. It’s only natural that most working-class citizens would still need some sort of tether to the technological world, especially since about 50% of Americans today do their work remotely. Now RV manufacturers are making it easier than ever to bring the office on the road with you while providing a cozy space to enjoy at the same time.
When the tiny home craze first hit, it seemed like everyone wanted a piece of the action, and who could blame them? Tiny homes are completely customizable and pretty cost-effective. It comes as no surprise that millennials began to see Airstream trailers as the same type of opportunity. While an Airstream isn’t always the most cost-effective buy, more and more young people are finding used Airstreams and completely gutting them to start over from scratch. This do-it-yourself experience provides an outlet for creativity while giving younger generations a place of their own in the RV industry.
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So, what led to this millennial RV craze? It seems as though millennials are unlike their predecessors in the sense that they don’t want to spend their hard-earned money on fancy clothes and nice watches. Instead, they wish to spend their earnings on experiences. RVing is perfect for these individuals because it allows them to experience freedom in the way they choose to travel while maintaining the little luxuries of home. RVs today have targeted the millennial demographic and have worked hard to cater to the needs of the modern day 20 to 30-year-olds. They’ve done this by providing the “glamping” experience that is sought after by millennials. Bathrooms, showers, and flat-screen TVs are all luxuries that RV manufacturers are now considering standard.
The RV industry expects to see 10 million recreational vehicles on the road this year, driven largely in part by millennial owners. While retirees still make up the RV population majority, millennials are not too far behind. As John Muir said, “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home.” While it seems the RV lifestyle is one that baby boomers have known about and enjoyed for some time, millennials are now catching wind of all the simple pleasures that recreational camping can provide, causing the trend to spread like wildfire.
Be sure to check out these great RV installations done by our Infinity customers:
Jason Smeed aka EasyStreamer on Airforums.com
Lauren Jade Lately “A Pretty Perfect Floor With Infinity LWV”
Celine at Aquahaus “Making an Airstream a Real Home…From the Floor Up”
