Fortune: Nothing Is Quite Easier Than Hitching Up A Trailer And Taking Luxury Travel On The Road

Before the pandemic, the RV industry gained renewed popularity with “Van Life” then took off exponentially as the American highway became a place to work, play, and isolate. International travel is complicated right now, but nothing is quite easier than hitching up a trailer and taking luxury travel on the road. Old-school Airstreams are new again, igniting the imagination of yesteryear and domestic odysseys of today.

Airstream, which recently unveiled its Pottery Barn special edition, set all-time retail records this July and August, and the industry as a whole is predicted to ship 575,000 units in the coming year or so, a 33% increase over 2020. “What we came to realize, which looks pretty obvious in 2020 hindsight, is that there are only so many things you can do to re-create safety during a pandemic. So the industry took off like a rocket,” Wheeler says of the little homes on wheels.

RVs are vestiges of the American way of life, and the nostalgia of an aluminum trailer cruising the country’s historic routes is now more appealing than ever. Jimmy Fallon even converted one into an at-home studio this March. But for some travelers, it became the only option for an adventure. “You scratch airplanes, cruises, and Disney off the list, and RVs check every box,” says Wheeler, who portrays the RV as a roaming pod with a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom, thus eliminating the need for hotels, rental cars, or restaurants. “When you get to where you’re going, you’re socially distanced in this place we call nature. Turns out, it’s a pretty good place to hang out with your family.”

Check out the full article from Fortune here.