Active travel adventure is what we do. We’re at our best when we’re researching, planning or actively travelling. Here’s three top tips for the best travel adventures – without breaking the budget – in 2025.
Active travel adventure – in our books – starts with camping
In 2023, we spent 4 months exploring the American Southwest with our travel trailer. What can I say – it’s our happy place in winter and early spring. And camping in an inexpensive way to travel often and see more.
Out of the snow zone in Boulder City, Nevada, there’s freedom to camp, explore hot springs, take a nature-themed sculpture walk, explore a rail trail, or wander through a bowl of fire.
From there we headed to California’s Death Valley and set up a camping base for hiking and exploring historical sites.
Next up, Arizona – where we spend the bulk of our time. Bullhead City – just across the bridge from Laughlin – proved to be a perfect adventure base in the later part of January. From there we skittled down to Lake Havasu and found a good boondocking site for a couple nights (read: free camping) before settling in at Cattail Cove State Park where we mountain biked in SARA Park and paddled into the Bill Marshall wilderness.
If you’re travelling to Southern Arizona, check out our guide below.
Continuing southwards, we random camped (aka boondocked) near Quartzsite and revisited our favourite areas – including Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, we met up with friends for shared adventures. Happy hour means drinks and snacks and card games. Cheap entertainment 😉
We spent most February and in and around Tucson. In March we took off to explore south of Tucson and east of Phoenix, south to Gila Box before heading northward in Utah in April. Check out our post on Camping in Snow Canyon State Park with its countless outdoor adventures. May saw us heading out again – this time on an Alberta-based camping adventure with friends.
So many adventures – how do you remember them all? Learn to journal with us!
Share travel adventures with others
Frequent travel – for us – means cutting costs where we can. We often share travel adventures with friends. This not only reduces costs for car rentals and accommodation, but it also increases enjoyment by sharing experiences with others.
In June we took a bucket list trip to Newfoundland with good friends. There was plenty of hiking, touring historic sites, and dining on lobster – which our friend cooked in our historic fishing village home away from home. We had another amazing adventure exploring Haida Gwaii with these same friends.
Use your friends
No, seriously. Travel with friends!
If close friends say come down to Baja, Mexico – or wherever – and stay with us for a couple of weeks, don’t hesitate. Run to the nearest airport and get on that plane.
And when you get there, don’t be a guest. Pick up a healthy share of the daily chores. Do the dishes. Make some of the meals. Wash the floors. Fix things that need fixing. Express thanks with dinners or breakfasts out at local restaurants. Go above and beyond to make the experience not a burden but a shared joy.
When we go to Baja, we always try to schedule at least one, self-supported kayak trip. This year’s late November, early December trip included getting up close and personal with dolphins, spectacular fishing, sunset happy hours, and laughter… lots of laughter.
And isn’t that what active travel adventures are all about? It’s not about the cost. This kind of travel is about the adventures, good times with friends, and memories.
What do you think? Are you willing to camp and share trips with friends to save a few dollars and travel more in 2025?
Planning adventures in the new year? We use this planner year-round – as snowbirds in Arizona in the winter, local RVers in Canada in the summer and for planning international travel in spring and fall. Check it out! And don’t forget to check out our step-by-step post for RV trip planning.
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