Dreaming of Leaving Your Job? Insights from 6 Work Campers on Life on the Move

Over the past decade, Kathy White, aged 66, has called numerous locations such as New York's Hudson Valley and Kentucky home, all thanks to her 30-foot Itasca Sunstar motorhome.

Following the passing of White's husband, traditional vacations were financially out of reach. Instead, she embraced living in her RV, exploring the country, and taking seasonal jobs, which allowed her to support herself while fulfilling her passion for adventure.

Despite the jobs not being highly paid, mainly organizing activities and managing park duties, White feels as though she's always on holiday.

White is part of a growing group of Americans who live nomadically, funding their travels through temporary work. This 'work camping' lifestyle, spanning across various demographics, attracts retirees exchanging labor for RV spots, social media-savvy Gen Z, and pre-retirees eager to fulfill their travel aspirations.

While the lifestyle promotes liberty, it presents logistical complications and can rival the cost of traditional living arrangements, often referred to by workampers as 'sticks and bricks.'

For Laurie and Matt DuShane, living a 'tiny life' and exploring America was a long-held aspiration. They purchased an RV in 2020, initially intending it for brief getaways. However, Matt’s health issues led to a more permanent RV lifestyle when they decided to pursue work camping across states from Montana to California.

Their debut in seasonal work included duties like paperwork and guest assistance at a Yellowstone-adjacent campsite. Laurie fondly recalls the view from her office, Electric Peak, marking a stark contrast from their former lives in Blissfield, Michigan.

The Struggles of an Avowed Workamping Lifestyle

Challenges abound as jobs have fallen through last minute and an RV breakdown once stranded them in a hotel. Despite feeling distant from family, Laurie expresses resilience, continuously seeking ways to adapt and thrive amidst various obstacles.

Finding New Shores in Later Years

For work campers in their golden years, the journey often involves volunteering for a camping spot. The Gills, Patty and Shane, who sold their Texas residence, have embraced this by traveling extensively in their RV, supported largely by Shane's military pension and some social media income.

The couple fluctuates between temporary jobs and leisure travel. Patty enjoys immersing herself in new locales and widening her social circle through workamping.

Remote Work as a Gateway to Freedom

Post-pandemic, remote work opportunities have enabled people to explore the RV life without binding themselves to low-wage seasonal work. Victoria Childers, along with Lamont Landrum Jr., illustrate this transformation. Their transition was buoyed by Childers’ remote position, before taking on seasonal gigs alongside Landrum.

Despite uncertain retirement prospects, the couple revels in the liberty to explore extraordinary locations for extended stays on a modest budget.

During downtime, they indulge in adventures like hiking and off-roading, seeking joy beyond their work commitments.

Dave Hatton, transitioning from teaching to photography, illustrates another avenue. To capture landscapes economically, he's adopted a mobile lifestyle residing in a compact trailer and vending his art at regional events.

Though intrigued by the prospect of expanding his travels, Hatton, constrained by his wife's stationary employment, continues to blend his newfound career with family commitments.

Looking for Permanent Roots

White remarks on the necessity to eventually settle, perhaps in one or a couple of favored spots, balancing seasonal climates to fit her lifestyle — a quest yet unresolved.