Gray nomads all say one thing to young solo travelers as the caravan trend ‘runs wild’

A solo traveler has revealed the one thing older Australians often hear as she travels the country in her specialist 4WD camper, joining the growing number of young people choosing to live on the road in furnished vans, caravans and campers.

Blaze Lopez has been living in her custom-made 4WD for four years, visiting all the fantastic locations the land Down Under has to offer. Part of her usual morning routine involves “making a cup of coffee in the public parking lot” and sitting and enjoying the view – wherever she is visiting at the time.

Although such long journeys were once considered the domain of retirees, commonly called gray nomads, Lopez said they often tell her the same thing when she meets them on her travels:

“I wish I did that at your age,” they say.

Hearing that “keeps me going,” she said in a video shared on TikTok.

“I’m going to sit in the parking lot every morning and live the dream and not think about it too much,” she said. “Because my God, I don’t want to be that age thinking ‘I wish I did that’.”

Younger Aussies are encouraged to travel around Australia

Like Blaze, traveling couple Bryce and Chelsea received similar comments from gray nomads during their five-year journey exploring Australia – a nomadic lifestyle they have no plans to give up anytime soon.

“We’ve been surprised by how many Gray Nomads have told us, ‘We wish we were traveling around Australia at your age,’” Chelsea from South Australia told Yahoo News.

“It’s shocking how many people wish they were doing what we do before getting a mortgage, having children and taking on school commitments, while they’re still young, fit and healthy,” she said. “It makes sense, we can do all the walks in Australia without any problems.”

Meanwhile, retired couple Leoni and Steve Pari, who quit their jobs for a life on the road and have been traveling for 13 years, echo the sentiment and encourage Australians not to leave it too late.

Although they are “fairly active” at ages 65 and 68, they say traveling in older ages can come with certain limitations, especially when it comes to exploring new locations. “You want to be able to enjoy it,” they told Yahoo.

The travel trend for caravans and camping is on the rise

According to Tourism Research Australia, caravan ownership has increased by 21 percent since 2019. Last year, Australians made 15.3 million caravan and camping trips, totaling $14.3 billion, an all-time high and well above pre-coronavirus levels.

A spokesperson for the Caravan Industry Association of Australia told Yahoo News Australia that “the younger markets are certainly on the rise” as more young Australians and young families turn to life on the road.

In 2023, the ‘older, non-working’ market saw a year-on-year decline in both travel and overnight figures – down six percent and 15 percent respectively.

In the same time frame, the 30 to 45 age group emerged as the dominant force in caravanning and camping trips, with almost 7 million overnight stays setting a new record.

The segment recorded an increase of three percent in trips and eight percent in nights, driven by increased caravan and camping travel from both middle-class children without children and families.

Young families choose a life on the road with children

The family market, which is typically made up of Aussies aged 35 to 54, currently accounts for 46 per cent of trips and 40 per cent of nights spent last year. Meanwhile, the 55+ market accounts for 42 percent of overnight stays.

Many young families have even resorted to homeschooling their children on the go, with many using Starlink – a portable internet device from Elon Musk – to stay connected. The caravanning trend has boomed among digital nomads, thanks to new technology that allows travelers to work more reliably while on the road.

The ability to work from remote locations across the country is something that has “changed a lot in recent years,” says Chelsea, who works in the hospitality and caravan industries with her plumbing partner Bryce.

Queensland dad Brent Crysell, who runs a software company from his massive imported caravan, certainly agrees. “Having the Internet everywhere opens up a whole new range of possibilities,” he said last month when speaking to Yahoo about his travels.

With Australians continuing to suffer from the cost of living crisis, caravans and camping offer great value for money for families and avid travellers, a spokesperson for the Caravan Industry Association of Australia said.

“There’s a product offering to suit every price point, whether that’s mum and dad getting away for a few nights for a luxurious, luxury experience to digital nomads traveling the country as a family and experiencing everything our beautiful country has to offer.”, they told Yahoo.

Do you have a story tip? E-mail: [email protected].

You can also follow us Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Tweet And YouTube.