Inhaltsverzeichnis für Fifty-two: December 2025/January 2026 in ROVA

2026 is poised to be a banner year for the RV industry, with many new models embracing cutting-edge innovations in comfort, style, convenience, and durability. With new models just starting to hit the RV dealership lots, I took a little extra time to check out a few. After kicking the tires and scouring the specs, the following are some of my favorite new RVs coming out in 2026. Forest River Rockwood Freedom 1640FT Popup Camper The thing that caught my attention the most about the Rockwood Freedom 1640FT pop-up camper is the 15,000 BTU rooftop air conditioning. Most popup campers don't come with AC, which can be a real problem when you're camping with kids in the high heat and humidity of summer. Most of Rockwood's popup camper floor plans…

Saratoga Spa State Park, New York Saratoga Spa State Park is an unusual gem for RV travelers who want a mix of wellness, culture, and recreation, with mineral springs, historic bathhouses, and sprawling trails. After a day of hiking or cycling through shaded paths, travelers can explore the Saratoga Performing Arts Center or relax in the outdoor mineral pools. Unique to this park is its combination of cultural programming and natural beauty—experience concerts or festivals one day, then stroll peaceful woodlands the next. With nearby town amenities, full-service hookups, and scenic drives, it's a perfect base for travelers looking to blend comfort with exploration. Chemin-A-Haut State Park, Louisiana Chemin-A-Haut State Park offers RV travelers an intimate encounter with Louisiana's natural beauty and history. The park's RV sites are shaded beneath…

For locals and visitors alike, Mount Rainier is one of the biggest attractions in Washington State. In a literal sense, it is the biggest attraction in the state, standing 14,410 feet tall and towering over every other part of the rugged, beautiful landscape. No one who has visited Mount Rainier National Park will soon forget the experience. In addition to the mountain itself, the park features amazing alpine meadows, abundant wildlife, expansive views, and much more. Nature lovers who have never explored the park should have this destination high on their to-do list. There's only one problem with everything that Mount Rainier has to offer—the secret is out. Each year, nearly two million people visit the park, leading to huge crowds and packed parking lots at the park's most popular…

Wisconsin is more than America's Dairyland—the gorgeous nature and authentic spirit of the Badger State will make you fall in love with the Midwest. As a native Southerner with zero ties to the Midwest, it took me longer than it should have to discover its unassuming yet self-assured enchantment. The allure is hard to articulate, but unmistakable when it reveals itself—you'll feel it in the open roads, the four vibrant seasons, or, in the case of Wisconsin, the solace found in a basket of cheese curds within the ambience of a cozily lit, mid-century corner dive. Kenosha Heading north beyond Chicago's factories and skyscrapers, I was excited to reacquaint myself with Wisconsin's special brand of magic. After all, what's not to love about a place with such fondness for cheese…

Spend enough time on the road and you start developing an eye for hidden gems—places where nature looms a little larger, the crowds are a little smaller, and you can feel the history around you. For me, Cook Forest State Park in northwestern Pennsylvania is one of those rare places. My first time through, I discovered it by accident, and fell in love with it so much that I planned a longer stop on my next time through the area. Straddling the Clarion River Valley, Cook Forest is a cathedral of green, swathed with the now-rare old-growth towering forests that once blanketed the eastern United States. The landscape is dominated by majestic white pines and hemlocks, some soaring nearly 200 feet into the air. I found my time here to…

Sara and Jeff Feeling burned out and ready for a new adventure, we sold our house and most of our possessions, and in January 2020, set out on the road in our new home: a 38-foot travel trailer. The only plan: slow down and enjoy new people and places. Sara worked remotely, and we incorporated workcamping into our travels while visiting 22 states, from the Keys to the California coast. We currently manage a campground in Colorado, and we hope that our camping and Jeep adventures inspire others to get outside and explore the outdoors. Instagram: @_wakeupandwander_ Sherry At 60, I left the North Carolina beach and set out solo for the wild shores of Washington, towing my Airstream and choosing the life of a nomad. In seven months, I've…

There's a particular kind of atmosphere that is evoked when the words Route 66 are uttered. It smells faintly of gasoline and diner coffee, it hums to the tune of a vintage V8, and it glows under the flicker of a neon motel sign. In 2026, Route 66 celebrates its centennial, which means that for nearly a century, this legendary highway has offered an American rite of passage to travelers, dreamers, and road-trippers. In a time when we ask our GPS to take us somewhere the fastest way possible; when chain stores are our preferred and familiar way of shopping, and when we barely acknowledge other humans as we walk by, Route 66 is a breath of fresh air. On this stretch of history, paper maps aren't out of place;…

Perfect Stops in Arkansas State Parks There's nothing like pulling into an Arkansas State Park campground and setting up camp beneath the trees. With over 30 parks offering camping-friendly sites, you'll find full hookups, modern bathhouses and all kinds of adventures just steps away. Whether you're chasing fall colors, casting a line or taking in the open sky by the glow of a campfire, Arkansas State Parks make the perfect stop for every traveler. Adventures happen here—come and create yours. arkansasstateparks.com Memorial and the Mississippi in Cape Girardeau, Missouri: Trail of Tears State Park Just 15 minutes north of Cape Girardeau, Trail of Tears State Park offers a powerful blend of natural beauty and profound history. Visitors can experience stunning Mississippi River overlooks, hike wooded trails bursting with fall color,…

We found ourselves standing in the middle of the abandoned Yankee Girl Mine, just outside Ouray, Colorado (known as the “Switzerland of America”). Rock crunched beneath our boots. Across the valley, the paved highway we were supposed to be on glared back. Drawn to the skeletal remains of a mining structure, its timbers darkened by decades of storms and silence, we had followed a gravel road climbing higher into the abandoned operation, temporarily abandoning our GPS-planned route. Here, weathered wooden structures clung to the hillside, part machine, part memory. The land showed its history in streaks of red and brown, with white scars of earth where nothing could grow. It felt both haunting and humbling. Even our children stayed in the truck, hushed by the sense that maybe we didn't…

I drove like a madman. In nine days, I made a round trip from Lexington, Kentucky, to San Jose, California: 4,973 miles. As the proverbial crow flies, I drove the equivalent of the width of the continent twice. My destination was the International Steinbeck Conference. I followed (in spirit though not in route) John Steinbeck's 1960 road trip across the United States, recounted in his famous travelogue Travels with Charley. He wanted to “rediscover this monster land” and enjoy the “antidote for the poison of the professional sick man”—the road trip. And so I went, leaving behind a stack of papers that needed grading, and trading my laptop for a windshield. Although some people view a long road trip as torture, to me it's a unique challenge, like a heavy…

While traveling in a rig is a minimalist endeavor, it's a good idea to find space for the things you love. The miles creep by, measured out by the delineator posts flickering past and the parallax of distant scenery as it morphs from forest to desert to mountains to coastline and back again. Life on the road means waking up to a different landscape however often you like. It can mean hiking with the sound of a waterfall in your ears or the questioning calls of a burrowing owl lulling you to sleep. To some, the way we live embodies a romantic existence—a free-spirited lifestyle, like being a cowboy or sailing the high seas. But there are always trade-offs. With space at a premium, there's not always room for “stuff,”…

Each summer, I plan a trip with my son, Alfie. I want to create memories he'll carry into adulthood. These moments can be elusive; it's often the ones that aren't planned that stick. When he said he wanted to take an RV trip this year, I started scheming. I looked at rentals, but it would cost $3,000 for the trip I wanted. I figured that was within kicking distance of RV ownership. I scraped together a budget and started hunting for hybrid campers on Facebook Marketplace. I picked mid July for our departure, and I looked at half a dozen RVs, either too pricey or shamefully shabby. In late June, the RV gods finally blessed me with a squeaky-clean, 23-foot Jay Feather Ultralight from 2008. I hauled it home and…

There are two Senoia, Georgias that exist side by side: the one familiar to fans of the postapocalyptic TV drama The Walking Dead, and the charming small town with a bustling farmers market that's perfect for families with kids. On a bright summer morning, both versions mingle in the streets. There's a whirring of golf carts drifting past, carrying fans snapping photos at show landmarks. Children tug their parents’ hands, balancing cups of refreshing lemonade from Limonista so large the ice clinks with every step. The town hums with life, the fictional and the everyday layered seamlessly together. Just 45 miles from Atlanta's hustle and bustle, Senoia feels worlds away. Officially incorporated in 1866 after the Civil War, the small town didn't truly gain fame until Hollywood came calling. Today,…