Road Trip to Idaho: An Unforgettable Summer Campervan Trip

When my daughter was just a few months old, I joked that I would only feel comfortable camping if we could bring our whole house with us. Then we found a way to do just that. We rented an Airstream trailer and planned a trip down the coastline to California, towing everything and the kitchen sink behind us. 

Even though my daughter is older now, I still love camping with all the amenities. So with summer in full swing, we looked into renting a camper again — this time landing on a Roadsurfer campervan. 

Our Idaho road trip itinerary 

We decided on Priest Lake, Idaho, as our destination, somewhere we’ve always wanted to visit. But it always felt too far to drive in a car, and too close to fly (plus, flying to a camping destination didn’t seem fitting). In a campervan, getting there is half the fun. 

First stop: Kettle Falls, Washington 

We knew the first night of our trip would have to be in Washington, but we wanted to rack up as much mileage as we could. So we set our sights on Kettle Falls as our first stop, navigating through North Cascades National Park’s splendid scenery along the way. We caught views of Diablo Lake, admired countless roadside waterfalls, and drove slowly through the adorable historic town of Winthrop, immersing my young daughter in Washington’s fascinating geography and history as we passed milepost after milepost. 

The only downside to taking the longer (but arguably more beautiful) route was that I worried we’d arrive too late to our North Lake RV Park campsite to check in. But we made it with daylight to spare. My daughter’s first order of business: the playground. She got her wiggles out after a long day on the road while we unpacked. 

We followed a quiet forest trail lined with blooming wildflowers down to the beach to catch the setting sun, before heading back for dinner by the campfire. 

In the morning, it was time to hit the road again, after a morning coffee for me and a romp on the playground for my daughter. We explored more of Washington on our drive to Idaho, stopping at Crystal Falls in the Colville National Forest to admire the view.

Destination: Priest Lake, Idaho 

Priest Lake is one of the three largest lakes in the Idaho Panhandle, stretching 19 miles long and more than 300 feet deep. We booked two nights at the Outlet campground on the southwest side of the lake. We caught glimpses of the shimmering lake between the forest trees as we backed into our campsite. We unpacked our camping chairs and relaxed, taking in the stunning view. 

Since we didn't have anywhere else to be, I declared the next day at Priest Lake a “no driving day.” The campervan stayed parked, and we relied on its fully charged battery and water tank to keep us energized and hydrated for our stay. Relaxing at the campsite and enjoying the slow summer day was a welcomed pace for my road-weary family. 

Two young kids at the campsite next to ours offered to share their sidewalk chalk and my daughter got to work drawing creatures, obstacle courses and hopscotch games with them on the paved path.

We didn’t spot any fish near the shore, though the world’s largest Mackinaw trout was caught in the lake in 1963. Just for fun, my husband and daughter tried their hand at fishing, spending an afternoon casting their lines and watching for nibbles. I was content to float around the lake in the cool, refreshing water. 

Even after two nights at Priest Lake, I was reluctant to leave. The slow pace, warm sunshine and cool water are everything I look for in a summer day. It took a visit with friends in Bonners Ferry to pull us away from this beautiful spot. We stayed a night at a charming RV park by Blue Lake before making our way back to Washington. 

The way back: Leavenworth, Washington 

We took a different route home, stopping first in Spokane for wood-fired pizza and a fantastic play stop at the Ice Age Floods Playground. My daughter could’ve stayed all day! 

We had to get back on the road, driving along the Columbia River to make it to our final stop at an RV resort in Leavenworth. There, we enjoyed more time outside in nature, admiring the view of the rushing Icicle River and reflecting on our week in the campervan. 

The campervan interior 

We rented Roadsurfer’s Liberty Lodge, a fully outfitted campervan that seats and sleeps up to four people (and, in our case, one golden retriever). Compared to long hours spent driving in a car or truck, our time in the campervan was definitely more comfortable. 

My husband drove, and I sat up front with him, with our daughter sitting behind us in her car seat. The table in front of her seat offered a space for coloring books and activities. When the camper van was parked, my husband and I could turn our seats around to sit at the table with our daughter (and even play a nightly game of “Go Fish.”) 

The countertop in the middle of the campervan housed a propane cooktop with two burners, and a sink. Across the narrow hallway, there was a bathroom with a toilet and a standing shower. Toward the back of the van, there was a fixed bed that folded down easily, with thick cushions on the frame. The manual pop-up top — with an entrance over the dining table and a ladder stored above the cockpit — housed the second bed, with a thinner mattress cushion and zippable windows with screens. (If you ask my daughter about her favorite part of van life, she’ll gleefully tell you it was living in the fort on top.)

There was plenty of storage space under the bed, and we kept our luggage, camping chairs and bulkier items there for the week. Along the top and bottom of the campervan, there were shelves and cabinets, where we stashed away our toiletries, first aid kit and snacks. 

It was a simple set-up with everything we needed, but Roadsurfer offers several other campervan models:

• Couple Condo: The smaller Couple Condo is designed with two travelers in mind, making it ideal for a parents getaway or a solo parent adventure with an older kid. It includes two twin beds (that can convert into a double bed), a kitchen, dining area and bathroom.
• Horizon Hopper: This campervan seats up to four travelers and has off-road capabilities. It comes with a portable induction stove, an extendable countertop and a bathroom. Like the other Roadsurfer campervans, it also has an outdoor shower.
• Family Freedom: The larger Family Freedom model seats and sleeps up to five people, with a spacious interior and an alcove roof. The fridge is a little larger and the kitchen includes a microwave. 

Campervan packing tips 

The apple does not fall far from the tree, I thought as my daughter exclaimed, “I want to pack all the things in our house!” While I put a limit on the number of stuffed animals and toys she brought along, I wanted to make sure we all had the comforts of home on this trip. 

• Clothing: I packed a separate duffel bag for each of us with outfits for the week. Wrapping individual outfits together makes it easy to grab what you need for the day before stowing the bag away again. (Did I do this? No. Please learn from my mistakes.)
• Easy-prep food: I packed easy meals like yogurt with granola, pasta salad, sandwich ingredients, and campfire-ready food like hot dogs, and marshmallows for s’mores.
• Cooler: The campervan fridge is small, so we used it just for food and kept bottles of water, juice and cold brew coffee in the cooler with ice.
• Cash: Some campsites prefer cash over card and even offer a discount if you pay with cash. We also needed quarters for laundry (which took me back to the days of living in a small Greenlake apartment with coin-operated washers and dryers).
• Pillows and bedding: We were more comfortable traveling with our own pillows, but we added two bedding packs to our Roadsurfer rental to ensure we had sheets that fit the two beds. Roadsurfer bedding packs each include a comforter, a fitted sheet and two pillows.
• Car seat: We could’ve rented a car seat through Roadsurfer, but our travel one was less bulky and gave our daughter more room in her seat.
• Camping essentials: The Ten Essentials come with us on any hiking or camping trip, including a first aid kit, plenty of water, sunscreen, lanterns and matches. Camping by lakes and rivers meant we needed plenty of bug spray. We also packed roasting sticks for marshmallows (which I consider essential).
• Children’s activities: We limited tablet use even during long stretches of driving, opting for coloring books and activity books instead. At the campsites, sidewalk chalk was a favorite.
• Recreational items: We stayed at three different lakes on our trip, so I packed beach toys, floaties and fishing gear.
• Phone, tablet and chargers
• Toiletries
• RV-safe toilet paper
• Paper towels
• Dish soap and sponges
• Laundry detergent 

Our Roadsurfer rental included a few essentials, which made packing easier. 

• A kitchen kit: This included cups, mugs, bowls, plates, silverware, pots and pans, a French press, a can opener, and more cooking essentials. It’s all conveniently stored in a clear storage bin.
• Camping chairs: Two were included, and I packed a smaller one of our own for my daughter. We used these every night around the campfire.
• Camping table: This folds and is easily stored. Since all our campsites had picnic tables, we ended up not using it.
• Windshield and window covers
• Floor mat 

There was more storage than I expected in the campervan, but I wish I had taken more time at the very beginning of our trip to organize everything. It would’ve made it easier to find what we needed (and make sure we had everything) at each campsite and on the road. 

More tips for families 

Every camping trip I’ve taken with my family, I’ve learned something new (often through making a few mistakes). Here’s my best advice for preparing for a campervan trip of your own: 

• Queue up a campervan tutorial: Search YouTube for your specific campervan model to see how it operates and what you can expect inside the van.
• Check car seat compatibility for kids: If you have kids in car seats or booster seats, double-check that the campervan model you’re interested in is compatible. The Liberty Lodge was best for our car seat, as the two seats behind the cockpit have lap and shoulder belts. The Family Freedom model is recommended for booster seats, as it only has lap belts, and the Couple Condo is not car seat compatible.
• Decide how far (and long) you want to drive: Decide how much you want to drive in a day, and tack on extra time for stops on your road trip. We were ambitious, and our first day with the campervan was mostly on the road. We had two nights at our main destination, which I think is the minimum for really enjoying your time — it gave us one whole day with no driving. If you are planning a long weekend, you can stick closer to home with these itineraries.
• Know your campsite types: Campsites range from rustic to fully equipped, and having a campervan gives you flexibility. You’ll certainly benefit from having electricity, water and sewer systems, but you can also go without for a couple of days. We started our trip at a campsite with full hookups, so we could fill the water tank and make sure the battery was fully charged. Then we were set for a standard campsite in a national forest, though we were conservative with our water usage. Our third stop had full hookups again, and a laundry room that came in handy.
• Purchase local firewood: Plan on purchasing firewood at or near your campsite. This helps prevent the spread of invasive insects and diseases that can harm forests. Also be sure to check for burn bans and campfire rules specific to the campsite.
• Pack activity books: My daughter’s seat in the campervan was at the table, meaning I could set out coloring and activity books for her. My one regret when we stopped at a red light for the first time: not securing the cup of crayons. Use a suction cup or tape a ziplock bag to the table to keep crayons and other items secured.
• Plan for play stops: Being confined in the campervan for long stretches is a lot to ask of any kid. We planned playground stops for our 3-year-old to get the wiggles out.
• Be flexible: On any road trip, there are bound to be extra stops, things you forgot to pack and other surprises. Staying flexible makes the trip more enjoyable for the whole family — and you may wind up stumbling upon your favorite part of the trip (or just a fantastic slice of pie from a roadside diner).

Editor’s note: The campervan rental for this trip was provided by Roadsurfer, but all opinions expressed here belong to the writer.