David Nelson and Kirsten Swick and their three children – Eleanor, Jacqui and Stephanie – will be seeing more of the U.S. this year on their vacation than most Americans see in their lifetime. The Australian family from Perth rented a motorhome from El Monte RV in California and left the companies’ Los Angeles location on April 25. They won’t be returning until October 10.
Their plans start with visiting a variety of sites including national and state parks on the West Coast, Las Vegas, then across the southern U.S. to Florida. From Florida the family will then travel up the East Coast of the United States to end up in Montreal, Canada.
Following Montreal they will then be visiting sites throughout the Midwest. They will then travel across the northern U.S. and go back to Los Angeles to return the vehicle.
The couple, who will start the trip traveling with little 1-year-old Stephanie, said they expect New York City, Mount Rushmore and the national parks to be highlights of the vacation. Eleanor, 10, and Jacqi, 8, will soon join mom, dad and little sister in Las Vegas.
This is the family’s first RV rental trip and they are excited to explore the possibilities. David, who spends a lot of time sailing and is used to the tight quarters involved, said he thinks the family will enjoy spending time together and appreciate that the vehicle doesn’t rock while stationary.
The couple pointed to the favorable exchange rate between U.S. and Australian currencies as one of the primary motivators in their decision to make the trip at this time.
“It is much less expensive than it used to be.” Said Kirsten. “Normally when we come to the U.S. we fly from city to city or drive around,” said David, when discussing the trip. “We wanted to experience as much of America as possible.”
When asked what recommendations they had for others who might want to plan a similar trip, Kirsten replied, “Allow sufficient time for proper planning and preparation. You should give yourself at least three to four months to plan your route, campsites, destinations, etc.”
