Hey there! We are Jack and Victoria Huizinga. On this blog, I (Victoria) do all the writing, and Jack does all the behind-the-scenes stuff like taking my crazy idea for a minivan camper and making it come to life.
Join us on Instagram to see pictures of our latest adventures!
Jack and I have been married for 30 years and have three children who have all grown and flown. Well, one still lives with us, but only because he likes saving up for his own trips. He gladly takes care of our home and dogs while we are out adventuring in exchange for cheap room and board.
What You Will Find On The Parents Flew The Nest
Vehicle To Camper Conversion Tips
We converted the family van into a weekend camper.
Why a minivan camper? It is inexpensive on gas, can be parked anywhere, sleeps two, and when you are not traveling, it can be converted back into a regular day-to-day vehicle in under 30 minutes.
Our son totaled the minivan a year or so after creating this build; thankfully, he and the other driver were okay. We decided to replace the minivan with a car for our son to drive to college, and moved on to camping in the back of a truck with a topper on top.
We still think a minivan camper is a sweet setup for a couple looking for something to use on weekends, or for one individual to use either for weekends or longer trips.
This is the truck topper camper setup my husband created for the two of us, complete with a hand pump sink. During the day, this build makes into a couch with a table.
Sadly, we used it for just one trip, and then the truck engine gave up! The next truck we bought had an eight-foot bed, not a six-foot bed like the one we made this for.
Slide-In Truck Camper Tips
We thought we would get another topper and create another build for our new-to-us F-250, but while looking for toppers, I found a sweet deal on an early 2000s NorthStar Truck camper.
We drove out to see it and bought it. We LOVE it and here are all the reasons why.
We still own it, but that doesn’t mean we won’t switch up our rig in the years to come. It all depends on what life throws at us and what we can find for a good deal.
In fact, while Jack was a travel nurse for a year down in North Carolina, we lived in our 2016 27-foot Jayco trailer, that was once our way of camping with our kids and bought another used topper off Facebook Market place and created a super simple bed platform with drawers build in one day so that we could explore on Jack’s days off without moving the trailer (we find trailers combersome for fast travel).
Packing And Planning Tips
We are always learning new ways to pack more efficiently, as well as methods for planning trips, whether on the fly or in advance.
Here is one article I have written that will help you stop overpacking: Books That Will Help You Pack Like A Minimalist
And here is another in which I spill all my secrets for finding awe-inspiring places to explore.
RV Camping Tips
In 2017, we took our three kids on an adventure of a lifetime. We spent 5 1/2 months RVing across North America, in our Jayco travel trailer. We also used the Jayco as our full-time home for two years while Jack was a travel nurse. We spent a month of weekends renovating a few spaces in the trailer over weekends to make it more suitable as a home for two.
During that trip and in the years we lived there, we learned a great deal about RV travel and living.
Here are our tips for creating a cozy personal haven in your RV.
Budget Travel Tips
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We are a thrifty couple. That doesn’t mean that we always spend as little as possible on travel. Instead, it means we cut costs on things that don’t matter as much to us, so that we can spend more in areas that do matter to us, like travel.
We will show you how to save money on all aspects of travel, so you can decide which areas you are willing to cut costs on, allowing you to splurge on the things that matter most to you.
Here are a few posts we have written on keeping travel affordable:
- How To Plan A Fun Weekend Getaway On A Shoestring
- 33 Ways To Save Money On Travel Accommodations: Including 9 FREE Options
Ways To Increase Your Streams Of Income So You Can Travel More
We recognize that generating sufficient income to afford travel is a significant obstacle for many couples, including empty nesters. We have created several flexible streams of income, including my blog, Snail Pace Transformations, which provides us with additional income and has given us the budget flexibility we need to travel each month for anywhere from two days to as much as three weeks at a time.
We are continually exploring new ways to generate flexible income, not just for our own benefit but to help our readers figure out ways to fund more trips.
Gear Recommendations For Camping, Hiking, Biking, Kayaking, And More
Wondering what you need to go camping this weekend? Are those light-weight camping towels worth it? Should you pay the extra money for that particular camp stove model? Us too! We will figure it out and share what we learn with you.
Pictures And Stories From Our Travel Adventures
Our intent in sharing our adventures here at The Parents Flew The Nest is to inspire other couples to make time to explore together a priority, regardless of your budget and time restraints.
Most of our adventures take place over a 5-day weekend (Jack’s RN job typically gives him one each month), while others occur in a single day, and only a tiny handful last longer than that.
Get out there and explore! If you search around your area, you will find hidden gems without spending much money or time, and the best part is you will grow closer together while seeking them out.
Top Travel Posts:
- What To Do When You Only Have One Day In Nashville: Cheap & Free Options
- Scenic Fall Hikes Found In The Red River Gorge Area
- Camping, Hiking, And Canoeing In Chain O’ Lakes State Park, Indiana
