A look inside the growing Black RV camping movement
Toyin Ajayi was 37 when she packed up her camper and permanently left her apartment in Sandy Springs, Ga. She's visited 24 states in the last three years with no plans to return to a more stationary life.
"There is a sense of mental freedom. For me, being able to spend more time in nature. I pay attention to the stars more or the animals and things like that. There's definitely different kinds of freedom that I've found from my personal journey–– emotional freedom, spiritual freedom, all of it," Ajayi says.
Even as a solo RV camper, Ajayi knows she's not alone in the movement to spend more time on the open road. She's seeing more Black women and younger people join her as full-time RVers.
Ajayi started a Facebook group for Black women interested in the outdoors. It grew so fast; she developed it into a website. Now more than 8,000 members on Outdoorsy Black Women connect online to recommend campsites, get together on trips and share RV tips.
The rise of the Black RV life movement
Data from the RV Industry Association shows that RV owner demographics are becoming younger and more diverse. Even though the median age of RV owners is 53, the median age of first-time RV buyers in 2020 dropped to 41, then dropped again two years later to 32.
According to Kampgrounds of America (KOA), the number of Black campers has doubled in less than 10 years, and now accounts for 11 percent of the U.S. camping community.
"I think the van life movement changed the trajectory for the RV life movement. They're intertwined at this point because everybody knows van life, but it all falls under the umbrella that's nomadic living," Ajayi says.
A list of Black-owned campsites is one of the biggest resources she shares with members of Outdoorsy Black Women. Other Black camper community groups crowdsource similar directories, which emphasizes the need for safe spaces in the outdoors. Although these crowdsourced lists are openly shared with community members, they are tightly guarded from outside interference to protect the peace and safety of both campsite owners and their Black patrons.
Ajayi calls these listings the Green Book of Black campers, and says they're imperative, especially during intense political cycles such as the 2024 presidential race.
A safe space in the outdoors
One of the Black-owned campgrounds listed in many such directories is Warthen RV Park , a rural park with full hook ups for 49 lots, located halfway between Macon and Augusta, Ga.
Josh Gordy bought the land in his hometown in 2011. It was his first venture into entrepreneurship, continuing the legacy that runs in his family. The former NFL player is related to Motown legend Berry Gordy on his father's side.
But this acreage was most significant to his maternal grandfather's legacy. When Gordy's grandfather was young, he worked the land as a sharecropper. He wanted to buy the land but was never allowed to fulfill that dream.
"Knowing a lot of the obstacles he had to go through," Gordy says. "I think when he wanted to initially try to get the land, they [gave him] the runaround, but again, God has a way of working things out."
It wasn't until Gordy tapped into existing Black RV and camping communities that he knew he'd find long-term success on the land his grandfather cared for. A majority of Warthen RV Park's short-term campers are Black, and he's starting to see more Black families, his primary customer base, move to camping full-time.
"It was like I found this secret door that I didn't know existed, but once I joined the group and saw exactly how many people ... how many of us are doing it. It's like, okay, there's a big enough market for us to really grab that," he explains.
Groups such as Black Folks who Camp/RV have more than 45,000 members on Facebook. But there are many others that specialize in getting started, buying and renting RVs, and connecting with others at RV meetups.
Warthen RV Park has hosted a few Black RV events by arranging for groups to camp near each other. This also gives campers space for cookouts, playing cards, and enjoying music––in addition to taking advantage of the park's nature trails and dark skies for stargazing.
Black RV campers seek community and advice
In September, ShaRon Jones's inheritance allowed her to buy the class C RV she'd always wanted. Before venturing out of Jacksonville, Fla., for her first out of town trip, Jones is gleaning wisdom from more experienced campers in the same Black RV and camping groups.
"I've actually been living in my camper since I got it three weeks ago. I've been home. I go home, I wash clothes, I get fresh clothes, drop the dirty clothes off and I leave," she says. "My house is nice and quiet, but there's a different peace being in that camper and that RV park."
She was stunned by the size of the Black RV community and is looking forward to enjoying as many RV meetups as she can manage.
"My bucket list? I want to meet all of the people in these groups that I've met. They meet at certain spots. They've been meeting for years, and I'm just now finding out," she said. "I see a lot of women traveling by themselves, driving their own rigs, and I'm talking about these sisters are getting it, been doing it for years, full-time RVers."
Jones's first big meetup will be at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February for a Melanated Campout event.
From there, she plans to spend her weekends traveling solo or with a trusted friend to as many states as she can manage. The Florida resident has never been farther than Valdosta, Ga., but with the help of fellow Black RVers, she plans to spend the rest of her life seeing as much of the country as possible.
Black-owned campgrounds across the U.S.
For Black RV campers looking for a safe space and community, here are a few Black-owned campgrounds to consider when planning your next camping trip.
Seven Springs Farm and Vineyard (Norlina, N.C.): This family-owned farm about an hour north of Raleigh offers wine tastings from its on-site vineyard. They offer year-round RV and tent camping on their farm.
Rosario Camp & RV (Anacortes, Wash.): Surrounded by the stunning forest and lake views of Deception Pass State Park, this 16-acre property puts you in the middle of many outdoors activities including hiking, fishing and kayaking.
Warthen RV Park (Warthen, Ga.): A large pavilion affords social gatherings for groups, with plenty of spaces to hook up RVs in this South Georgia campground.
TripL RV Park (Brazoria, Tex.): Just outside of Houston, the RVs on site are just one type of dwelling available for those looking to get outdoors. Tiny homes, container homes, and cabins round out the offerings.
G & R Campground (Houston, Del.): The campground's on-site outdoor pool, hammock park and lawn games provide casual fun in between hiking and nightly campfires. Visitors can choose from RV camping, cabins, glamping and primitive tent camping.
