In search of the next big adventure

Join in the fun with this family of RVers via their inspiring Instagram travel blog

Marie-Michelle Roy lives an exciting life exploring the outdoors with her husband Maxime and their two children, Eliam and Mila.

The family has a fantastic Instagram travel blog by the name of Big RV, Big Adventures, and if you follow it you can keep up with their travels and the memories they make along the way. 

We asked Marie-Michelle about the challenges and perks of the RV lifestyle, and she was happy to give us a peek into her world.

- Photo courtesy Big RV, Big Adventures

Can you please tell us a bit about your family?

Maxime and I have been together for six years and we have two children: Eliam, four years and Mila, two years. We are travel, camping and outdoor enthusiasts! We both work full-time, but have atypical work schedules, so we have more time off than the average person. We started travelling by RV shortly after our son was born. The purchase of our first travel-trailer was a bit on a whim, but we have never regretted it for a second. We have become true RV and travel enthusiasts—but beyond that, we have completely rethought our priorities. We now live a more intentional lifestyle, we want to collect memories not things and our goal is to have as many adventures as possible as a family. 

Do you live on the road full-time, or just take periodic trips?

We are not living in our RV full-time right now, but we’ll be starting in January, when we leave for a six-month tour of the United States. Over the past few years, (because I was on maternity leave twice), we have done extended trips in Florida, Ontario and Quebec in addition to dozens of short stays in Quebec, Ontario and the eastern United States. We are happy that the pandemic is behind us and that we can travel again and we are looking forward to discovering new places!

- Photo courtesy Big RV, Big Adventures

How long have you been enjoying the RV lifestyle?

We've been enjoying the RV lifestyle for four years now and have no intention of stopping. We are grateful to have visited so many wonderful places in the past. Our goal is to check all the states and provinces and visit every National Park in the U.S. We also still have several trips in mind, including Western Canada, which we had to postpone because of the pandemic, and Alaska.

What type of RV do you currently have, and what makes it ideal for your travel needs?

We currently have a 40-foot-long fifth wheel, which is actually our fourth RV. We started four years ago with a 21-foot travel trailer. A few months later, we were already in love with the RV lifestyle and we changed it for a 33-foot travel trailer. Two years later, we bought our first fifth wheel, for more comfort and a better towing experience. 

This year we bought our dream fifth wheel, a Montana High Country 351BH. This RV is our home away from home. It has all the amenities  you would find in a house, which is great for extended trips. It’s the perfect RV for our adventures, as it offers us all the living space we need, the kids have queen size bunk beds to grow into, it has the ability to have a washer/dryer combo (which we will be purchasing soon) and a huge outdoor storage area to bring all of our outdoor stuff. 

- Photo courtesy Big RV, Big Adventures

What has been the most exciting trip you have been on so far?

Our most exciting trip so far was the month we spent visiting Florida. We love being on the road and had a great time driving the 2,500 kilometres to Florida. It was the first time I had been that far in the U.S. and also my first visit to Disney World, which was our first stop. Then we stayed in Miami for a week, and went all the way down to Key West where we had an incredible time. We came back by Sarasota on the west coast and discovered the most beautiful beach. The food was good, the weather was nice, we did tons of activities and we wished we could have stayed longer. This trip really made us want to visit even further and slowly the idea of taking a few months off to tour the U.S. started to take place in our heads.

What do you have planned for RV holidays this year?

This year for our summer vacation we decided to go to the east coast, to Virginia Beach. The kids love the beach and we were craving heat. We planned to make a stop in Washington D.C. on our way there and a few stops on the way back to check out the states we haven't visited yet. We will also make a stop at Lake George RV Park, as this place is a real paradise for kids.

Do you have any advice or tips for our RVing readers?

The advice I like to give people is this: Start where you can. Don’t wait for the perfect time or until you find the perfect RV, once you get on the road you’ll figure out what you really want and need. You don't need a 40-foot RV to go on the road, spend time with your family and enjoy the outdoors. A small RV will give you just as much happiness as a big one and will also allow you to make memories. Create your opportunities and take them when they come.