Generation X: Dragging RVs into the 21st Century

Who said my generation was full of slackers who weren’t going to accomplish anything? According to a story in the Los Angeles Times, we are in the process of reinvigorating the recreational vehicle industry. We are outfitting RVs with disco ball lights, Tiki fabrics and flat-screen TVs! We are sleeping off hangovers in bar parking lots! And we are even protecting ourselves from terrorism! Hooray for us! “Generation Xers, who grew up on Star Wars, Ataris and Cabbage Patch Kids, have become the fastest-growing group of RV buyers, a trend that is forcing the $14-billion industry to rethink how it designs and markets the ultimate toys for grown-ups,” writes the Times’ Kimi Yoshino.

She also reports that this new generation of RV buyers are using the giant vehicles to travel in different ways from their parents and grandparents.

Younger RV users tend to skip places like KOA Kampgrounds and Good Sam Parks — traditional sites with inexpensive parking and easy access to electricity. Many Southern California owners take their RVs to dirt-biking spots near Barstow or tailgating at USC and UCLA football games. They park them in the middle of the desert with no power or water hookups.

Or they go all out at upscale RV resorts with amenities like golf courses, spas, fitness centers and room service.

Mission Viejo residents Gillian and Kenny Thompson bought their 30-foot Weekend Warrior toy hauler three years ago for $25,000 with a 12-year loan. During the winter, they pack up their three kids, their pug Sampson and their ATVs and head to the desert, beach or mountains.

“It kind of gives me peace of mind, too, in the day and age of terrorist attacks,” said Gillian Thompson, 35. “We’ve got a generator. We’ve got 100 gallons of water.”

I admit, I’ve imagined myself tooling around the country in an RV. It doesn’t seem like the worst way to take a road trip. But I think I’ll wait another 20 or 30 years to give it serious consideration. And I can say one thing for sure, though: If I ever do get an RV, it will not feature a disco ball.

Related on World Hum:
* RV Industry on “RV” the Movie: Show Us the Money!

©2026 World Hum, All Rights Reserved