Top 5 Podcasts for RVers

There is something here for everyone, whether you’re retired full-timers, a young couple working on the road, or just a weekend warrior with a couple of kids in tow. And the beauty of these podcasts is that even if you’re not in the same demographic as the hosts, much of the information they present is applicable to everyone with an RV.

Have a listen and see if you agree!

1. The RV Miles Podcast

   

   This podcast quickly gained an amazing following and for good reason. Jason and Abby Epperson are full-timers, traveling the US in their converted school bus with their 3 boys, and they just know how to put together a great, informative podcast that grabs your attention and keeps you coming back for the useful tips and the friendly conversation.(Full disclosure – we have sponsored this podcast in the past! Listen to episode 42 and onward to hear a great, heartfelt, and first-hand plug for Boondockers Welcome!)

   Their episodes always feature a segment on RV related news, and then a couple of segments discussing topics of interest to any RVer, not just full-time families. Examples include an episode all about state parks, one on RV driving tips, and another on weather safety. And they end every episode with a fun little brain-teaser and encourage their listeners to send in their answers to win swag like T-shirts and bumper stickers.

   I just love Jason and Abby’s lighthearted and easy-to-listen-to rapport with each other. Their show never feels scripted, but I also never feel like I’m waiting for them to stop bantering and get to the good stuff. They both have a theatre background, and their ease with ad-libbing in front of an audience definitely shines through.

2. The RV Atlas

   

   This is another podcast by a couple with 3 boys, but Jeremy and Stephanie Puglisi aren’t full-timers, instead they’ve been out camping for more than 1,000 nights over the last 8 years on everything from weekend excursions to month-long family road trips all across the US.Stephanie and Jeremy have the same easy rapport with each other that I so enjoy in the RV Miles podcast. They’re always on-topic but never feel stiff, and since they’ve got over 200 episodes under their belt, they’ve covered an incredibly wide range of topics.

   These include great episodes on Becoming a Weekend Warrior, an interview with Mark Spilsbury from Go Power on Solar Power 101, and one dedicated to Cast Iron Cooking, plus many more great topics that they’ve covered in almost three years of podcasting. They often have great interviews with industry experts to add to their own vast amounts of experience that they share. I’m still making my way through their catalog of past episodes, and I’m learning new stuff every day.

3. Girl Camper Podcast

   

   This podcast is hosted by an amazing woman, Janine Petit, whose husband is supportive and wonderful, but not a camper, so she struck out on her own! She endeavors to be an ambassador for girl campers everywhere, giving them the know-how and confidence to RV solo or with girlfriends or kids along for the ride.As a woman who chose a career in a very male-dominated industry (I’m a computer engineer), I really appreciate the support for women in areas of their life where it’s sometimes too easy to either let the men handle things or to just walk away from an adventure because it seems too intimidating. And Janine’s podcast is just the right balance between information that’s not dumbed down yet easily understandable, and encouragement to know that anyone can become an RVer, no matter how green you are to begin with.

   Janine’s back catalog of podcasts will keep you busy for a long while. Great episodes range from interviews with industry experts like one with Mark Polk of RV Education 101 on weight distributing hitches, to an episode on tips on buying a used RV, to one on obstacles specific to girl campers. And of course, don’t miss the episode where she interviewed Boondockers Welcome’s co-founder Marianne Edwards! Janine is a great interviewer and easy to listen to, I definitely recommend her podcast whether you’re a girl, woman, man, or otherwise!

4. The RV Podcast

   

   Mike Wendlend and his “lifelong traveling companion and bride” Jennifer have a weekly podcast that has been around now for over 4 years. Mike had an illustrious career as a journalist, and certainly puts the skills of his trade to good use in his retirement (if you can call it that) with this informative show. The couple have a sticks-and-bricks home in Michigan, but are on the road for 3 weeks out of every month, so they’re certainly practicing what they preach!Mike and Jennifer travel in a Class C motorhome and devote a good amount of attention to boondocking and finding places to camp away from the crowds, especially spots you can go to in a smaller rig. One of their regular guests, “Campskunk”, fulltimes in his Roadtrek and often spends a month at a time off the grid in the National Forest. They often talk about alternatives to campgrounds, and have mentioned Boondockers Welcome a few times – we’re always happy for the shout-out!

   The podcast has a more radio-show feel to it, with pre-recorded intros to their regular segments, and “roving reporters” who contribute while on their own travels. They regularly play voicemails or read emails from listeners and answer their questions, and every episode features an interview with someone of real interest to RVers.

   A particular interesting interview of theirs was with the solo RVer who was rescued after being stranded in the national forest for 5 days after making a wrong turn. Past interviews have included a chat with Kimberly Travaglino, the founder of Fulltime Families and author of the book How to Hit the Road, Making Your Family’s Full-time RV Dreams a Reality, and a sit-down with Amy Burkert of gopetfriendly.com, an amazing resource to help you find pet-friendly campgrounds and veterinarians while on the road. And we of course can’t forget to recommend the episode where he interviewed our very own Marianne from Boondockers Welcome!

5. The RV Entrepreneur

   Share:

   

   Heath and Alyssa Padgett fill a niche that none of the other podcasts on this list do – they are a young full-timing couple who are building their lives, marriage and business on the road, and devote their entire podcast to helping other nomadic entrepreneurs do the same.They started their RVing adventure by taking a year-long road trip where Heath worked an hourly job in all 50 states and Alyssa recorded it, producing a documentary called “Hourly America”. At the end of it, they were so in love with the RV lifestyle, they decided they wanted to keep doing it for as long as they could, so they found ways to make ends meet while living on the road. Heath now has a startup called CampgroundBooking.com that he runs, and Alyssa published a best-selling book called A Beginner’s Guide to Living in an RV.

   The podcast itself is super easy to listen to. Heath is young and hip and speaks eloquently and succinctly, and interviews guests using questions that really get into the meat of the most pertinent information that guest has to offer. Alyssa doesn’t appear in every episode, but often guest-stars when they want to discuss some of their own experiences or challenges.

   A lot of the information in their episodes are more entrepreneur-focused than RVer specific (such as “how to get your first 1000 email subscribers“), but topics like how to protect your identity and business when on the road and how to set up your business and handle taxes as an RV entrepreneur aren’t being covered by anyone else and are invaluable to people trying to run companies while on the road full time. There also just happens to be an episode with an interview with Marianne and myself about finding free camping with Boondockers Welcome, if you’re interested in hearing our actual voices instead of just seeing our words in print.

Those are my 5 top picks for RV-related podcasts, but I know there are others out there. If you have a favorite that I’ve missed, or want to add your own recommendation for one of these five podcasters, add a comment and let us know what you’re listening to when on the road!