Full Time RV Living: An Interview with Bionca Smith

Welcome, Bionca and Carter Smith! Thanks for sharing your RV story with Camping World.

Q. Tell us a little about your various full-time rolling homes? How have you made it feel like home wherever you roam? 

A. We have a Campervan and a Travel Trailer. We make it feel like home, by always camping where campfires are allowed. A fire pit is must have at any campground since we cook meals outside on it.

Bionca and Carter cook over a fire almost everywhere they go.

Q. Describe your travel style in five words or less?! 

A. Fun, educational, engaging, spontaneous, and inspiring.

A few lightning questions…

Q. Favorite snack, meal, or beverage to have on your travels?

Seaweed, Street Tacos, and Coconut Water

Q. Three pieces of gear (or any random items, really) you always have in the RV?

Headlamps, Solar Panels, and Shea Butter

Q. First thing you do when you arrive in a new place?

Rush out the door to explore or get some rest and explore the next day. We usually locate the locals to find cool spots that aren’t crowded.

Bionca and Carter take a wildlife boat tour.

Q. Describe the intimidation of moving into an RV for the first time? How did you overcome that fear?

The only thing we had to adjust to was learning how to live full-time in a campervan. We had everything we needed inside, but the challenge was finding services in various cities and a routine to accommodate our goals. Once we moved into the trailer, it felt like moving into a mansion. Learning how to haul it was the scariest part.

Q. You travel with a furry family member, Chili! What’s it like traveling with a pet on the road?

A. Traveling with our pup Chili is very rewarding! He’s the perfect road dog and he’s actually a souvenir! We adopted him at an animal shelter during our travels. He’s low maintenance, very chill, cuddly, and he alerts us when we’re camping if something feels off.

Chili serves as a protector and souvenir from their travels.

Q. What about RVing has defied expectations for you?

A. RVing full-time comes with a lot of upkeep, but the flexibility pays off when you’re spending time with your family or hosting your friends. This lifestyle gets addicting and I wonder if I’ll ever want to live in a house again. The fact that we can clean up and not have to pack or move furniture to move somewhere different is a freedom I wish I discovered sooner.

Bionca and Carter roam with their home.

Q. What is an RV memory you’ll be telling around the campfire for years to come?

A. When our campervan broke down in a beautiful desert, and no one was around, and we didn’t have a cell signal. I was parked on an incline and had to put the van in neutral and slowly roll back until we reached signal again. Then we met a cowboy that fixed our van.

Q. Has RVing given you a fresh perspective on anything—friends, community, learning?

A. Yes, RVing has made me realize how traveling and camping build connections and long-lasting bonds with new friends vs living next to people for years and never knowing them.

Live oaks draped in Spanish moss provide shade and a dreamy natural canopy for your RV.

Q. We hear Carter has a knack for drawing! Tell us some of the hobbies you and Carter enjoy on the road?

A. Motivational speaking at seminars, gaming, roller skating, and attending music festivals.

Carter takes a sketchbook to the botanical gardens and enjoys a lazy afternoon watching the scenery.

Q. What’s your favorite quote, lyric, or mantra that keeps you sane, or gives you inspiration on your travels?

A. “You have everything you need to succeed within you now.” – Bionca

Thanks for your time and stories, Bionca and Carter. See you on the road!