There’s a growing trend on American highways amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – taking socially-distanced trips in RVs and campers. 

Daniel Fernandez and Lauren Davenport said they heard for months about people hitting the open road but never thought they would actually get behind the wheel.

“We’ve never stepped foot in an RV in our entire lives up until two nights ago,” Davenport said.

But, after being stranded in Morocco with a number of other Americans at the beginning of the pandemic, the couple from St. Petersburg gained a new perspective when it comes to traveling.

“We felt really honored and blessed to be able to take a rescue flight home from Morocco,” Davenport recalled. “So for us, when we started looking at traveling again, we don’t feel confident that commercial flights are as reliable as they used to be.”

After doing some research and putting feelers out, they ended up in a decked out Airstream – and they’re not planning a little weekend getaway.

They plan to run their small business from the road for the next 365 days, all while helping other small businesses on their route across the country.

“As small business owners, we know how critical it is that people are shopping local right now,” Davenport said.

Their journey may be quite the feat, but they’re not alone on the roads right now. According to the RV Industry Association, 46 million Americans plan to take an RV trip over the next 12 months.

This is expected to give a shot in the arm to RV manufactures, dealers and campgrounds in the US. 

Fernandez said this new lifestyle was an unexpected gift from this pandemic that’s taken away so much.

“You’re introducing an entirely new generation and subset of people to a lifestyle that they never would’ve tried without COVID happening,” Fernandez said.

Over the next year, the couple plans to drive to all 48 states in the continental U.S. then fly to Hawaii and Alaska, where they will rent an airstream and explore those areas too.