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Many people think RV and van life is for people who are young, adrift, and broke. However, as someone who has lived in an RV for the past decade, I know that isn’t the truth. RV living is an amazing way to live regardless of your financial situation. Living in an RV not only allows you to travel, but it also teaches you how to live with less and prioritize experiences over things.
You may be surprised to learn that there are several celebrities who have lived or traveled in RVs. Some hit the road for practical reasons like music tours, while others were drawn to the lifestyle after becoming rich and famous.
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Matthew McConaughey
Famous for portraying laid-back dudes, McConaughey lived and traveled in an Airstream travel trailer for several years. After finishing his travels, he parked the trailer along the California coast and has since owned multiple Airstreams, saying he plans to keep adding more to his collection.
Matthew was quoted in Architectural Digest saying, “One day I’ll have either an Airstream hotel or an Airstream compound. I don’t know where it’ll be yet, but the thing about Airstreams is you feel a little bad for ’em if you got ’em parked too long and the axles aren’t spinning, you know, because they’re built for the road.”
McConaughey decorated the interior of the trailer with movie memorabilia. He named his home on wheels Canoe, while he called his tow truck Eagle. Think that name is creative? Check out our list of more than 300 RV names for more giggles.
Will Smith
Named the The Heat, Will Smith’s luxury motorhome was one of the most expensive RVs ever created at the time of its production in 2000. The fully-customized RV is two stories and a whopping 22 wheels!
Will owned this luxury RV for many years and actually lived in it while filming some of his most famous films, including Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness.
Kristen Bell & Dax Shepard
In 2022, Kristen and Dax took a break from Hollywood to take an extended road trip with their two daughters. The famous duo didn’t give up their life of luxury to hit the road. Instead, they traveled in a luxury Foretravel motorcoach that has two bathrooms, a washer and dryer, and a luxury kitchen.
Shepard spent 10 years searching for the perfect motorhome, but it took him almost two years before he and the family actually traveled in this dream rig. Before taking it on the road, Shepard admitted he mostly used the motorhome as a “man cave” parked at home before finally committing to the trip.
Justin Bieber
Like many Americans, Justin Bieber and his wife, Hailey, hit the road in 2020 as a way to get away during the pandemic. Justin had originally planned to live in the luxury RV during the Changes 2020 Tour, but used it for a vacation instead after the tour was canceled due to COVID-19.
The couple didn’t exactly rough it on their road trip to Utah. Their $1 million RV had heated floors and an infrared sauna.
Jeff Daniels
Jeff Daniels has been RVing for more than 20 years and has owned a 42-foot Class A motorhome. He often travels in his RV instead of staying in hotels while working and touring.
Daniels was even an early RV influencer. He created webisodes showing life on the road, including clips of driving in winter conditions and using features inside the motorhome.
Ashton Kutcher & Mila Kunis
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis took their family on the road in a Class A motorhome. They traveled across the country and visited several national parks along the way.
They lived in the RV for weeks at a time instead of staying in hotels. Kutcher later shared that the trip helped them disconnect from work and focus on family time, something they rarely get with their busy schedules.
Shailene Woodley
Shailene Woodley spent the summer of 2016 traveling across the country in a 17-year-old RV she called the “Peace Train.” She joined a cross-country caravan for about two and a half months, sometimes with up to ten people packed inside the RV. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was a real look at life on the road.
She talked about how flexible RV travel can be, saying, “You could just find like a dirt patch on the side of the freeway and pull over… You could sleep there. You could sleep in a Walmart parking lot.”
She also joked about living in tight quarters “with no showers.” It’s a great example of how RVing is more about freedom than luxury.
Kacey Musgraves
Kacey Musgraves lived out of a camper trailer early in her music career. She traveled from place to place while performing and trying to get noticed.
Like many musicians, she relied on life on the road early on, traveling between shows while living out of her camper. It was not glamorous, but it helped her get to where she is today.
Frances McDormand
Frances McDormand lived in a Class B camper van while filming Nomadland. She lived in the van between filming days and used it as her real living space to better understand the nomadic lifestyle.
As part of the shoot, McDormand even worked some typical RV life jobs, including working the sugar beet harvest.
Nomadland is one of our favorite movies about RV travels. For more great camping movies, check out the full list and where to stream them.
Vanilla Ice
Vanilla Ice has spent years traveling in Class A motorhomes, often using them instead of hotels while working on projects and touring. He has owned multiple RVs and has been open about preferring them for both travel and living.
He has shown his RV lifestyle on his TV show The Vanilla Ice Project, where he travels between renovation jobs and events using his motorhome. In interviews, he has also talked about enjoying the privacy and convenience of having his own space on the road.
Would you like to give the RV lifestyle a try? See our beginner’s guide to RV living and learn how to get started.
Happy Camping!
Christina Pate is a seasoned full-time RVer who, along with her husband Justin, has journeyed across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Drawing from her extensive travels, RV repairs and RV renovations, she founded Travels with Ted to guide and inspire fellow RV enthusiasts. Christina is also the co-author of The Owner’s Guide to RV Maintenance and the creator of My RV Log Book.
