Did you know your RV can actually be part of your make-this-year-better plan? It can be, and should!

"A lot of things can get in the way of getting away, but the benefits of travel affect all areas of life," says award-winning travel photographic artist Wilko Van de Kamp, whose book The Freedom Project documents his world-wide adventures as inspiration for readers to travel. "Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer."

We spoke with industry insiders and health experts to hear how the RVing lifestyle benefits your health by letting you experience true rest on the open road. You won’t be the only beneficiary!

Engage the world around you

It’s not called a recreational vehicle for nothing. One of the best parts of the RV lifestyle is the easy access to nature.

Dan Wulfman, president of Western Driving Adventures, has been organizing RV vacations for city-dwellers with high incomes, busy schedules and children for over 15 years. He sees a common response following each of these vacations, which he describes as a “gateway introduction” for kids to the great outdoors.

“People talk about how strongly they connect with their children compared to other vacations they’ve taken,” he says. “A forced break from technology is frightening to the kids, but it’s what they talk about the most after a trip. Activities like horseback riding and hiking [stimulate] new parts of their brains. They have time on their hands and beautiful places around them.”

"When you’re out RVing, it isn’t likely you’ll want to sit around all day,” says exercise specialist Stefany Adinaro, co-founder of TheFitRV.com. “Travel motivates you to explore your surroundings, so you’ll be moving around and engaging in more activities than when you aren’t traveling. Activity and movement, by their very nature, are good for your health."

Jeff Wilson, TV host of Real Rail Adventures, and his family of four spend 75+ nights each summer traveling in their truck camper. He notices that his kids come back from the great outdoors with a newfound sense of both awe and respect. “Exposing kids to nature as we do gives them a sense of stewardship,” he says. “The kids learn a lot about how fragile and precious nature is. We feel strongly that camping keeps you close to the ground, making for more authentic, eye-opening experiences than typical travels.”

Grow closer to your loved ones

RVing is a great way to recuperate, but your personal relationships can benefit from it as well.

“One of the best parts of RVing and camping is the effect it has on the family,” says Mark Bebb, director of UK-based RV dealership Salop Leisure. “Being out in nature together seems to have a restorative effect on the family dynamic.”

Research backs this up. A recent UK Camping and Caravanning Club survey found that RVing as a family helps make families closer:

• 80% of children surveyed said they feel less stressed when they camp with their parents
• 75% of children surveyed said their parents shout less while camping as a family
• 76% of children surveyed said that their parents hugged each other and their kids more than at home

Less stress, fewer outbursts and more affection? Pack your family into your RV and reap the benefits today!

Give your (whole) self a break

By definition, the word “rest” means to “cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength.” It goes without saying, then, that an RV can help you achieve this goal.

“True rest is more than just pulling over for a cat nap,” says Janet Groene, travel writer at SoloWomanRV.blogspot.com and author of Living Abroad Your RV. “Rest involves body, mind, attitude and eyesight.”

Here’s the bonus: RVing keeps your mind and body healthy, too!

"We hear all the time how important it is to keep our brains active as we age,” Adinaro mentions. “A great way to do that is to present [the brain] with new experiences. RV travel, which puts you in all sorts of new settings, does just that."

So how can you optimize your wellbeing in 2019? Wulfman offers a simple explanation: Let your RV take you there. “We hear over and over again that, in spite of a busy schedule of activities, being active in the outdoors makes for a very restful, recuperative vacation.”

So what are you waiting for? Visit your local Fraserway RV dealership today!