The Captain's Route: Trip Planning & Pull-Through Obsession

After our very first Airstream adventure in Kentucky, we knew one thing for sure: if we were going to spend five months on the road for our honeymoon after the wedding, we had to get serious about planning. Spontaneity has its charm, but when you’re pulling a 28-foot Airstream across the country, preparation is everything. So, one of our first purchases was an atlas and a truck GPS—tools that would make sure we only ended up on roads that could safely support the weight we were hauling.

Setting the Ground Rules

As we dove into planning, a few rules became non-negotiable:

1. Never drive more than 300 miles in a day. That was our limit. Any farther, and the long days behind the wheel quickly became exhausting for my husband as I was just a passenger princess

2. Always book pull-through sites with full hookups, whenever possible. No squeezing into tight back-in spots. No half hookups. Just easy parking to keep the stress down.

3. Only move on Mondays or Fridays. After quitting my full-time position to pursue this lifestyle, I worked on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. It wasn't impossible to move if we had to during these days, it just could present other challenges.

   
   

These rules became the foundation of how we traveled. They gave us confidence that we could balance adventure with comfort, especially as we adjusted to life on the road.

Divide & Conquer: Research & Reservations

My husband fully embraced his new role as Chief RV Officer. He became the navigator, planner, and problem-solver all in one. Every route was carefully considered: scenic drives, ideal travel days, and realistic cities to stop for a 300-mile or less trip. GPS apps were cross-referenced with RV forums, state park websites, and maps to ensure we weren’t overlooking anything critical.

My job involved researching campgrounds for the city my husband planned to stop at. Our go-to choice was KOA. They were consistent, reliable, and easy to book, which gave us peace of mind during those early days of RV life. It didn’t take long for us to learn the differences of the campgrounds that KOA had:

• KOA Journey locations were simple overnight stays—perfect for quick stopovers.

• KOA Holiday sites had more amenities, making them great for a few days of rest.

• KOA Resorts Those were the destinations themselves, often with pools, activities, and extra touches that made you want to stay longer.

  
  

Knowing the type of KOA helped us set expectations and plan accordingly.

The Big Picture

Planning five months of travel across the country felt daunting at first, but with our rules in place, our atlas and GPS guiding the way, and KOAs lined up as our home base, we felt ready. The structure gave us the freedom to enjoy the road without the stress of the unknown.

Our honeymoon wasn’t just a trip—it was the beginning of our full-time life on the road. Every map we unfolded and every site we booked brought us one step closer to the adventure of a lifetime.

This was the Airstream at our trial run set up in Corbin, Kentucky

Meghan and Piper

Patrick and Indy