Great Movies About RVing: 7 Fantastic Movies To Add to Your Must-Watch List

Introduction To The 7 Best Movies About RVing

If you’re a fan of the open road, then this list is for you! Movies About RVing: 7 Fantastic Titles To Add to Your Must-Watch List features some of the best movies about RVing that are currently available. Movies have been around since the late 1800s, and they’ve been depicting RVs on-screen since the 1950s. Hollywood has released many films about traveling in an RV in recent years. There are so many great titles out there that it was hard to decide which ones should be included on this list. We tried to include a broad range of genres and periods, so there is something for everyone!

Runaway Vacation (Starring Robin Williams)

Contributed by Corritta Lewis of Itz A Family Thing

Runaway Vacation is a family-friendly comedy about a father that abruptly rents an RV for his family to drive from Los Angeles to the Colorado Rockies. This movie premiered in 2006, staring the iconic Robin Williams as the patriarch, who is overworked and wants to reconnect with his family.

Throughout their journey, the Munros encounter a series of mishaps which include a stink bomb, a clogged sewage system, a broken parking brake, and crashing into several items along the way. What the family doesn’t know is that Bob Munro (Robin Williams) is really trying to get to a big sales meeting for work. Throughout their trip, he is secretly working anywhere he can until his laptop is stolen. Now he’s stuck with just his Blackberry trying to get to the meeting on time.

You’ll see everything the Munros encounter as they fight nature, crazy campers, and themselves on the way to finding out what family really means. This movie has some of our favorite adventure quotes for kids.

Although this movie wasn’t a critical success, my wife and I love to watch this movie. Robin Williams is hilarious in how he handles all of the mishaps throughout his family’s “vacation.” My favorite scene is when Bob is plunged down a large boulder after getting the RV stuck on the top. Runaway Vacation is a reminder that although life gets in the way, you need to take time off and be together, with no distractions. 

This movie shows you that RV travel isn’t as simple as hopping in and driving like a car. You have to take the time to learn how to properly operate the RV. Also, it shows how much fun it can be taking a vacation in an RV instead of flying. 

Currently, the movie is only available on Hulu premium and Amazon Prime for rent.

The Long Long Trailer (Starring Lucille Ball)

Contributed by Cortney Edwards of Tin Can Living

The Long Long Trailer is a hilarious romantic comedy released in 1954 about a newlywed couple that buys an RV for a cross-country road trip. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz star as the newbies, Taci and Nicky, on their honeymoon. The movie was based on the popular radio show of the same name, which ran from 1949-1953.

The Long Long Trailer is a wild ride and a series of comedic events that follows the newlyweds traveling across the country to California. The young couple has a wonderful (and not so wonderful) time traveling and stopping at many places where Lucille Ball can show off her amazing comedy skills. She falls out the door into mud when the RV is not level. They navigate communicating while trying to park their new mobile home and many more laugh-out-loud moments.

The Long Long Trailer shows you how to go on an insane road trip adventure and be prepared for anything. The couple is able to deal with ruff weather, fellow campers that show up unannounced, and even a bear in their campsite. This movie aptly displays how excited Americans were about buying RVs such as travel trailers over the years because it’s such an iconic film!

My husband and I laughed loudly as the actors struggled with weight distribution, windy roads, communication, storage, and many other daily issues RVers deal with while owning a recreational vehicle. This movie is definitely a must-watch if you are interested in RVing at all!!

Meet the Fockers (Starring Robert DeNiro)

Submitted by Bernadette of Live a Relaxed Life

There is a lot of star power in Meet the Fockers with Ben Stiller (Greg), Robert De Niro (Jack), Blythe Danner (Dina), Dustin Hoffman (Bernie), Barbra Streisand (Roz), and Teri Polo (Pam). The 2004 comedy is a sequel to the movie Meet the Parents, where Greg was first introduced to Jack and how he gained his trust through a series of unfortunate events.

In this iteration, Greg and Pam are engaged and set up a weekend for their parents to get to know each other. They first go to Jack and Dina’s house, where Jack announces that they will take a road trip on an RV from New York to the Florida Keys. And find out Pam’s nephew, Little Jack, and Jinx, their cat, will be joining them on the trip. The RV is a fancy, custom-designed model, but because Jack is ex-CIA, he souped up the RV with a kevlar reinforced hull and plexiglass windows. 

The trip starts well enough until they reach Florida and straight-laced Jack meets the free-spirited Bernie and Roz. Since Greg wants to stay on Jack’s good side, he asks his parents to “tone it down” and not mention that Roz is a sex therapist for older couples or that Bernie is a stay-at-home husband. 

Things start to go downhill when Jinx flushes the Fockers’ dog, Moses, down the toilet, and Bernie ruins the toilet to get the dog out. Though it is a hilarious scene with the humans begging Jinx not to flush the toilet and seeing Moses circle the toilet before disappearing from view.

The situation is further complicated when Pam tells Greg that she is pregnant, but they cannot tell her father until after the wedding. Jack senses that Greg is hiding something, and his suspicions go into overdrive when he finds out that the woman that Greg first had sex with 15 years ago has a 15-year-old son that looks alarmingly like Greg. This sets off Jack on a mission to prove that Greg is a liar and ultimately drugs him with truth serum. When the family learns what he has done, they turn against him, and he leaves. Of course, Greg and Bernie run after him and patch things up. The movie ends with Greg and Pam getting married later that weekend, and all is good and well (for now!).

The bit of the movie with the RV shows how it can be a great alternative to flying, especially in a luxury RV where the seats are comfortable and a good night’s sleep is guaranteed. Plus, more people can easily join the trip, and you can bring your pet with you. Seasoned RVers will be reminded of all the reasons why they love to travel by RV, and those new to the RV scene will see how convenient it can be. 

Meet the Fockers can be watched for free on the Peacock app and rented from YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV, Vudu, and Amazon Prime. 

Expedition Happiness (Starring Felix Starck)

Contributed by Victoria Heinz of Guide Your Travel

Expedition Happiness is a 2017 movie about a couple and their dog who buy a school bus and explore the United States. This is the ultimate road-trip movie and will make you fall in love with RV travel. The film was entirely directed, written, and edited by the main character Felix Starck who is a German filmmaker. This movie is raw and adventurous and anything but polished. It’s an absolute must-watch for anyone looking for RV movies and travel adventures. It’s filmed almost like a documentary and shows the real side of life on the road and how sometimes the open road calls you on your search for more.

Expedition Happiness is more than just a movie about a couple who buy a school bus and convert it into an RV. It’s about soul searching and finding yourself in unexpected places. It doesn’t sugarcoat and shows its audience a realistic scenario without promising the van life aesthetic that so many expectations of RV travel. 

I loved this movie, mostly because it feels so casual, almost like you’re traveling along with everyone in the RV. There is nothing fake or fictional about this film which means I end up watching it over and over again. If exploring the United States in an RV is on your bucket list, you need to watch this movie. Especially the beginning scenes where you first see the RV are some of my favourites.

You can watch Expedition Happiness on Netflix. Keep in mind that it is originally in German, but the English translation is decent.

Whether you’re getting ready for an RV trip of your own or just looking for some travel inspiration, this movie will be a perfect choice.

Little Miss Sunshine (Starring Abigail Breslin)

Contributed by Pafoua of Her Wonderful World

If you’re looking for a coming-of-age movie to watch while on your RV road trip, then I highly recommend Little Miss Sunshine. This quirky comedy was released in 2006 and tells the story of the Hoovers, a dysfunctional family from Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Hoover family is on a road trip to California so that seven-year-old Olive can compete in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant.

The cast of this movie is fantastic, featuring actors like Steve Carell, Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear, and Toni Collette. Though the plot is hilarious and will keep you entertained from beginning to end, the family also deals with deeper issues such as depression, suicide, drug addiction, and more.

Overall, I absolutely loved the crazy antics the family does to get little Olive to her beauty pageant. It’s hard to pinpoint one favorite scene as each one inspires different emotions. The actors do a great job of embodying their characters as well.

One thing I did enjoy most about Little Miss Sunshine is the way that the story balances comedy with more serious moments. It’s a movie that will make you laugh out loud one minute and then touch your heart the next. The movie’s final scene is especially powerful and emotional and is the culmination of how the family grows closer together over the course of their road trip.

As someone who lives on the road, RV lifers can relate to the car problems the Hoover family encounters with the VW Bus – everything from the horn not working correctly to the clutch giving out. A couple more horrifyingly relatable scenes include the family forgetting a person and also getting stopped by the cops.

This independent film will make you laugh out loud and shed a few tears with the family. Be sure to check out Little Miss Sunshine on Amazon Prime Video for free.

We’re The Millers (Starring Jennifer Aniston)

Submitted by Bernadette of Book Retreats

For a slightly naughty and dark comedy about RV adventures, We’re the Millers is just the ticket. The 2013 film stars Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis with Will Poulter and Emma Roberts.

The movie revolves around Sudeikis’s character, David, who has to smuggle marijuana from Mexico into the US to pay back a debt. He hires his next-door neighbor, a stripper named Rose (Aniston), a petty thief, Casey (Roberts), and his dorky neighbor Kenny (Poulter) to act as his fake family so as not to look suspicious. The four of them look squeaky clean and like a normal family, but then their adventure begins and all the hi-jinx that comes with it. 

Fans of Jennifer Aniston will not get their usual girl-next-door character from this film. Instead, Aniston has a couple of dancing scenes and an over-the-top Pictionary scene where she blurts out one phrase over and over again. You’ll have to watch the movie to see the always sweet Aniston say the memorable words! In another scene, Aniston and Roberts show Poulter how to kiss and gets caught by fellow RV-ers. It is cringe-worthy comedy at its best!

The movie shows how four strangers become close while on a road trip and how travel can open our minds. It also shows RV culture and making friends with your neighbors in the RV park and how things can go awry while driving. But that’s the beauty of a road trip. You never know if your RV will make it and who you will meet along the way!

Eventually, the group brings two tons of marijuana to Sedeikis’ drug supplier, but they get caught in the middle of a DEA raid. Because they were witnesses, they are told they have to go into the witness protection program, and their little charade continues – they have to be a family whether they like it or not.   

Subscribers of HBO Max can watch We’re the Millers for free. Otherwise, it can be rented from Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Vudu, and Youtube.

Nomadland (Starring Frances McDormand)

Submitted by Carol Guttery of Libro Maniacs

Fern is grieving the loss of her husband and also the loss of her town, home, and livelihood due to an economic collapse of the local mining industry. So she hits the road in search of work…and also in search of herself. 

She prefers the word “houseless” to “homeless,” but anyway you cut it, Fern is living out of her van. 

This profoundly moving film tags along with Fern as she follows work where she can get it and finds community in the company of other nomads. The movie shows the practicalities of life on the road (and in the confines of a van). But it also illuminates the various reasons why people choose to live so low to the ground. It’s a very sympathetic portrayal, made authentic by the casting of actual nomads. 

The movie came out in 2020 and hauled in an Oscar for Frances McDormand’s melancholy performance. It also won for best picture, best director, adapted screenplay, and cinematography. 

Aside from McDormand’s touching performance, the cinematography alone is worth two hours of your time. The film’s settings include a deserted stretch of Nevada (near where they hold Burning Man), the Nomad camp in Quartzsite, Arizona, the Mendocino coast, and Badlands National park in South Dakota. All of the settings have a stark, spare beauty that adds greatly to the narrative of the movie. 

One of my favorite scenes in the movie shows Fern and her friend Dave sitting at the edge of a cliff, eating lunch and enjoying a view of the Badlands. For me, it underscored how simple life can still have great beauty. And it also made me want to visit the Badlands, which I did a year after seeing the movie. 

Even if you are a casual, not even part-time van-lifer like me, you’ll appreciate the simplicity and beauty presented in the movie. And perhaps you’ll even see a bit of Fern in yourself.

Conclusion To Best Movies About RV

If you’re an avid RVer or just want to watch something new, these movies about RVing are worth your time. Get ready for some laughs, tears, and adventure! So what’s on your must-watch list this weekend?

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