The classic trailers are for more than just Instagramming.
But, like a slice of avocado toast or a $900 pair of sneakers, Airstream trailers aren't just for photographing—and you can have a whole lot of fun with them. And they can accommodate anything from a weekend getaway to a six-month escape from the hellscape that is our modern world. Some people, like Jonathan and Ashley Longnecker, have turned the aesthetic into a lifestyle by living in a 1972 Airstream full-time as a family of six. We asked the blogging Airstream experts how to navigate the world of traveling via trailer to best prepare for an off-the-grid trip of our own. And don't worry—you don’t have to buy and renovate one to make this dream trip come true. Do some Googling to find a rental near you, and make sure you have (or rent) a car with a standard hitch receiver and a tow capacity that at least meets or exceeds the gross weight of your Airstream. The rest is up to you.
Stay calm
Don’t go into a trailer trip with stress. You’re supposed to be living it up out on the open road, remember? “Have lots of patience and grace. Driving, parking, hooking up, and living in an RV comes with tons of things to learn and get used to,” Jonathan says. “You’ve heard of getting your sea legs on a boat? It’ll take [up to] several months to get your “road legs” in an RV.”Pack light
The Longneckers recommend making a list of what you want to pack, then cutting it in half. Get more out of what you do bring by sticking to items that serve multiple purposes. “Instead of having a pizza cutter, we use a big knife that can also be used for cutting any veggies or fruit,” says Longnecker. “We have a just 2 measuring cups instead of a stack of 4 or 6 . We have enough dishes for one meal, forcing us to wash after every meal, which keeps things clean and tidy in the kitchen.” Organize your gear by using packing cubes. And skip fluffy towels. “We opted for Turkish towels, which take up very little room, roll up very small, and dry super fast.”Don't crash it
You’re towing thousands of extra pounds, so you’ll want to use extra caution while towing your picturesque temporary home. Drive slowly and watch out for reversing. “In general, driving forward is pretty easy. It’s the backing up that gets tricky,” Longnecker says. “You have to turn the wheel the opposite of what you would think, and the longer the trailer, the longer it takes to respond so you really have to get a feel for where it will end up.” Practice in a parking lot first and have a travel buddy spot you. Airstreams are designed to follow curves well because of their axle placement, but still mind your turns. “Take your turns wide—otherwise the trailer will hop a curb or worse hit something you didn’t intend,” Longnecker says.Consider off-roading
Those iconic, older models are built like tanks. They’re capable of going beyond your standard campsite if you’re looking for more adventure. “We downsized to this Airstream so that we could take it off grid and down some of the craziest roads that most RVers won’t attempt,” Longnecker says. “We crave wide open spaces that give us the ultimate backyard. We have ended up with some of the best hiking places right outside our door.”See more at: Condé Nast
