How This Full-Time RV Family Stays Connected With TravlFi

“You can have internet plans that travel with you. So many RV-ers we meet are excited to see a plan like TravlFi.” — Full-time RVer, Amanda Lauzon

Though life on the road comes with perks—like the freedom to choose where you’re sleeping each night, frequent adventure, and immaculate stargazing—it also comes with inconveniences house-dwellers hardly ever have to think about. One of those inconveniences? Making sure you and your family stay connected on the go.

From Zoom calls to homeschooling, social media uploads to streaming movies at night, internet access isn’t a luxury for RV-lifers. For Amanda Lauzon and her family of four, known as Escaping the Everyday on Instagram, a reliable connection can make or break their day-to-day life.

According to a recent report by the RV Industry Association, more than 8.1 million U.S. households now own an RV, and many are embracing the full-time lifestyle. As digital nomads and roadschoolers, families like Amanda’s need dependable tools that reach locations cell signals often don’t. Amanda of @escaping.the.everyday let us in on how TravlFi helps her family stay connected in remote regions across the U.S.

We interviewed Amanda Lauzon of Escaping the Everyday to find out how TravlFi helps keep her family connected throughout their travels across the U.S.—from Florida to California and everywhere in between.

Meet the Lauzon Family

The Lauzons have been traveling full-time in their RV since 2019 and will celebrate six years in July. Josh, an Army veteran, travels for work doing heavy industrial construction management.

Amanda, a former nurse, now manages the family’s travel logistics, social media, and homeschooling (or “road-schooling).

Their son Joshua, 11, is a little explorer who loves crafting and picking up trash at campsites across the country. Their daughter Skylar is an energetic social butterfly who thrives on outdoor play and meeting new friends.

Their home base is Michigan, but the road is the place they collectively enjoy most. As Amanda puts it, "To us, it was important to be together, and give our family experiences together that we will never forget."

Why They Hit the Road

In 2017, Amanda started thinking about homeschooling instead of sending her son to school. “It was then that a video of a family traveling in their RV full time and homeschooling their children came up in my search,” explains Amanda. “I was intrigued.” With Josh traveling often for work, Amanda was left home with both kids for long stretches. What if she could close that gap and live on the road with him?

“I researched this lifestyle more and [found] out there were several families doing this,” she says. “Finally in 2018, we decided to make a plan to become full-time [RV-ers]. We were not in a rush to do it, we just started doing things to work towards our goal. Like downsizing and researching, and shopping for RVs. Finally in 2019 we found the perfect RV and as soon as we bought it, we moved in and haven't looked back.”

For the Lauzons, this life meant more time together, and more adventures together—both of which would have been harder to come by with Josh working away from their home base.

A Day in the Life

Life on the road varies quite a bit for the Lauzons, as most digital nomads would likely concur.

"When we are on a job, it's a pretty laid back routine. In the morning I start by making a big breakfast, then we do devotions and schoolwork,” says Amanda. “Afternoons are usually for running errands and doing chores. Many days we will do adventure days and visit local attractions and turn them into the day's lesson. We love doing hands-on lessons, and seeing [the things] we are learning about. Then [at] night, we have dinner, and we each have our relaxing time before bed."

The Lauzons’ RV functions just like any home with an on-board washer and dryer, full residential kitchen, and functional bathroom. Their RV is also equipped with a solar inverter setup, so they have power even if they aren't connected to shore power.

When Josh gets time off work, that’s when the Lauzons put their solar set up to use while remote boondocking (or dry camping). “This is usually when we do our bigger adventure days,” Amanda says. “We do more adventures and hands-on learning and less screen and book learning [with the kids]."

Since Josh is often traveling for work, those long travel days getting to a new job are another time when their schedules differ. “On travel days, we still do homeschooling and work from the truck thanks to our TravlFi internet connection," says Amanda.

Staying Connected with TravlFi

Reliable connection is key for the Lauzons, as it is for most road lifers—life, work, and school don’t stop because the campsite you’ve chosen for the day is in a remote location with zero signal. “Plus, we love a good movie night and/or gaming session," Amanda adds.

Lots of research and a few failed connections led the Lauzons to TravlFi.

“We were impressed by everything TravlFi offered, and how it works with all the major carriers,” Amanda recalls. "We learned a long time ago to never rely on the campground’s internet, so it's always TravlFi to the rescue for us. For the most part, if we have any connectivity issues, we can switch to a different carrier and get a signal to do all the tasks we need.”

A Wi-Fi Experience Gone Wrong

Before TravlFi, Amanda recalls trying all sorts of maneuvers to find a connection strong enough to accomplish her work. “I remember driving to a local library with both kids in tow, because I had a meeting and no service,” she says. “I parked outside the library and used their WiFi for the call, while keeping the kids busy with snacks and a DVD in the back seat.”

There are so many little things you need to worry about when you’re on the road, Amanda says. “Where am I sleeping tonight? Will I be able to make it to our next location before the kids’ bedtime? What am I going to make for dinner with the food I already have in our RV? "Traveling full time comes with decision fatigue,” Amanda notes. “Having good internet helps relieve some of that."

Learning, Gaming, Connecting

The Lauzon kids, Joshua and Skylar, are also big TravlFi users (whether they know exactly what that means yet or not). Much of their homeschooling is done via RV WiFi connection. Plus, it’s important for kids to be social, even when they’re on the road. Finding other kids at a campsite is great but not always possible. Luckily, with a reliable TravelFi connection, connecting with friends back home is always an option for social hour.

Needless to say, Joshua and Skylar are using TravlFi as much as their parents. "The kids use the internet for their homeschooling lessons, streaming movies, Facetiming family and friends to stay in touch, and gaming,” Amanda confirms.

A Pro Tip on Cell Service

As a tenured traveler, Amanda has a few tricks up her sleeve. "The main thing I see a lot of people doing starting out is [relying on] their data from their cell phone plans,” she says. “[Often], they don't know that you can have internet plans that travel with you. So many RV-ers we meet are excited to see a plan like TravlFi."

A memorable moment Amanda’s WiFi from TravlFi came in handy? Joshua Tree National Park. Amanda and the family were boondocking just outside the national park.

"We were really in the middle of nowhere, a beautiful desert as far as the eye could see,” she recalls. “We were sure that we would just have to deal with bad internet in exchange for great views and peace and quiet. But that wasn't the case: [TravlFi provided] great internet and we were able to do school work, Facetime, and stream movies."

Advice for Full-Time Travelers

Full-time travel isn’t for everyone, but if you’re considering it, Amanda has a few bits of advice for you—outside of finding a great WiFi set-up.

"It can get overwhelming doing so many tasks from such a tiny space, and always being together,” she says. “In those moments, we do our best to remember our why—to be together, and truly experience this life now, not later when we retire. And on those days when it just seems hectic, those are great days for an adventure day. It helps so much to just get everyone outside in the fresh air. Even if it’s just going to the local park."

Looking Ahead

The Lauzons’ life on the road is a bit unconventional—yes, even more unconventional than life is for most digital nomads.

"We do not have a traditional travel style, which makes staying connected so much more important,” says Amanda. “When Josh gets called for a job, many times we only have a few days to get to the next location. Which means finding a campground near the new job site, packing up, and driving (sometimes all the way across the country) all in a few days. Typically we do not have [future routes] planned, because we never know where the next job might be."

But that’s part of what makes road life, road life. Though the Lauzons’ future destinations may not be set in stone, their TravlFi connection and promise of new family experiences and lasting memories keep them grounded on those long, spontaneous cross-country trips.

More About Full-Time Travel:

Want to see how TravlFi can make your full-time travel dreams become reality? Read all about TravlFi here.

Article By: Lauren Keary

Lauren Keary’s passion for travel began during college when she sailed on Semester at Sea to 17 different countries. Since then, that number has grown to over 40. This passion for travel has also taken a foothold in her career, as she previously worked as a travel writer for BuzzFeed and the Evening Standard full-time, writing additional travel content for TripSavvy, Outside, and San Diego Magazine in her spare time. When she’s not writing about her adventures, you’ll probably catch her out on a hike with her dog Rusty, or looking for the best new coffee shop in town. But let’s be clear, she’s always going to be that friend in the friend group who’s catching flights (not feelings), so you’re much more likely to see her at 30,000 feet.