The RV Summer Slowdown: Why Fewer Rigs Are on the Road in 2026 and Why That's Okay

The RV Summer Slowdown is sponsored by RV Roofing Solutions, keeping RVers protected on the road.

Somewhere around the third time Jennifer opened a camping app on a Tuesday and found a same-week site available at a park that’s normally booked out for a season, it hit her: this summer feels different. Quieter. A little slower.

My RV is currently mid-repair on the stove and oven, which means every meal that isn’t a sandwich or leftovers comes out of one very large Instant Pot. We’ve gotten weirdly good at batch cooking for our fam, and I’ve also gotten weirdly good at admitting when I need a slower week. Between work, editing the podcast, and just trying to be present with my family, this has been a summer of resetting more than adventuring, and I know I’m not the only one.

Jennifer has seen fewer rigs on the road and smaller crowds at rallies this season. So this episode, we sat down and talked about the summer slowdown: what’s driving it, why it might be one of the healthiest things RVers do for themselves, and how to actually give yourself permission to do less.

“You don’t owe anyone an adventure — not even on your Instagram reel.” — Jennifer

What This Episode Is About

Jennifer and I get honest about why the roads and campgrounds feel less crowded this year, what the industry numbers actually show, and the comparison trap that convinces so many RVers they’re somehow doing summer wrong. We also open up about burnout behind the scenes of the podcast itself, and we introduce a new resource for families looking for community on the road: the Family RV Association’s Rolling Roots chapter.

Who This Episode Is For

This one’s for you if:

•      You’ve noticed empty campgrounds

•      You feel guilty for wanting a slower season

•      You’re watching fuel prices and wondering if that’s the whole story behind

•      You’re a part-time RVer trying to figure out how your rhythm differs from full-timers

•      You’re traveling with kids and looking for a real community built for families

What You’ll Learn

Why the Roads Feel Emptier This Summer

It’s not just fuel prices, though those are real and vary a lot depending on where you’re fueling up. According to industry data Jennifer shares with us, the RV industry overall is down somewhere between 19 and 26% right now. That means fewer buyers, fewer rigs at rallies, and fewer full campgrounds. If your summer feels quieter, you’re not imagining it, and you’re not alone.

The Comparison Trap

We talk a lot about only having one life to live, and that mindset is a huge part of why so many of us chose this lifestyle in the first place. But somewhere along the way, that can turn a slow roll into a rush and an opportunity into a must-do. Add in a scroll through Instagram reels of everyone else’s highlight reel and it’s easy to start believing you’re doing RV life wrong if your summer looks quiet. It’s not wrong. It might be exactly what you need.

Practical Ways to Slow Down This Summer

A few small shifts we talk through in the episode:

•      Extend your stays instead of hopping sites every few days

•      Plan shorter trips, like a long weekend instead of a week

•      Travel midweek when you can, for lower rates and fewer crowds

•      Lean on batch cooking so mealtime isn’t another thing to manage

•      Measure a good day by how it felt not by how many miles you covered

•      Say no to a meetup or rally without guilt if it’s just too much right now

Part-Time vs. Full-Time: Different Rhythms, Different Burnout

We recently interviewed Meghan and Pete of Our Captain’s Logs, who RV part-time, and their rhythm looks nothing like ours. They plan intentionally around the calendar they already have. Full-timers like us tend to make it up as we go, which sounds freeing until it isn’t. Neither rhythm is wrong, but it helps to know which one you’re actually living instead of measuring yourself against the other.

A New Home Base for Families: The Family RV Association’s Rolling Roots Chapter

If there’s one thing we wanted to make sure made it into this episode, it’s this. The Family RV Association, formerly known as FMCA, has not always had a reputation as the friendliest place for families with kids on the road. Jennifer has felt that firsthand. But she’s working to change it from the inside, and this summer she debuted a brand-new chapter built specifically for families: Rolling Roots.

Rolling Roots is a chapter for anyone traveling with kids or grandkids, whether you’re full-time, part-time, or just heading to rallies a few times a year. It doesn’t matter if your kids are toddlers or teenagers. If you want a community built around family travel instead of retirement travel, this is for you.

Here’s how it works:

•      You do not have to be a member of FRVA to like and follow the Rolling Roots Facebook page and see what the community is about.

•      To participate in chapter activities, you’ll need to join FRVA, which runs $99 a year.

•      Once you’re an FRVA member, joining the Rolling Roots chapter itself is free.

Start by following the Rolling Roots chapter on Facebook to see what it’s about and read more about the mission behind it in New Chapter, Same Mission on learntorv.com. You can also learn more about the Family RV Association and why members join FRVA, or follow @familyrvassociation on Instagram for updates.

Ready to Dive Deeper?

Here’s where to go next:

•      Only RVing part of the year? Read Mastering the Weekend Getaway: RVing Part-Time for tips built for your rhythm.

•      Want to be part of Rolling Roots? Follow the Rolling Roots chapter and read New Chapter, Same Mission.

•      Looking for something fun and low-key this summer? Join the 2026 Great American RV Scavenger Hunt, which you can do at your own pace, wherever you are.

Where to Listen and How to Connect

Catch this episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and everywhere else podcasts are streamed.

Join our free Learn To RV: The Community on Facebook, follow @LearnToRV on Instagram, and explore more at learntorv.com.

If you’re ready to go deeper into the community, the Campfire Crew is waiting for you on Patreon — early access, bonus content, and the first seven days are free. Or just drop us a tip at Buy Me a Coffee. ☕

You Don’t Owe Anyone an Adventure

Here’s where I’ve landed after this one: a full summer that fills you up and a full summer that empties you out can look identical from the outside. Only you know which one you’re living. Whether that means extending a stay, skipping a rally, or just admitting out loud that you need a boring week, that’s allowed.

You don’t owe anyone an explanation for staying put, and you don’t owe anyone an adventure, not even on your Instagram reel.

Share this one with the RVer in your life who needs permission to slow down. Subscribe, share learntorvthepodcast.com, and leave a review. The road is better when we travel together.

This Episode Is Sponsored by RV Roofing Solutions

Slowing down doesn’t mean slowing down on roof maintenance. RV Roofing Solutions is a nationwide mobile company with professional installers who come to you, fitting a maintenance-free system you simply wash twice a year. Give them a call at 888-847-7010 or visit rvroofingsolutions.com.

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