If you'd asked me at any point in my life (let alone a year ago) if we'd ever homeschool our kids, I would've said “Absolutely not.”

Not because I had researched it and decided it wasn't for us. Honestly, I had simply bought into the stigma. I pictured homeschooling as something other families did: families with more patience, more structure, more teaching experience... definitely not us.

And yet, here we are.

When we decided to trade our house for a 43-foot camper and hit the road full-time, we knew there would be a lot to figure out.

Where would everything go? How would we homeschool? How would we adjust to life in a much smaller space?

And then there was one of our biggest priorities: how do we keep our four-legged family members safe while we're traveling?

With two dogs and two cats coming along for the adventure, pet safety isn't something we can take chances with. Our pets are part of our family, and when you're living and traveling in an RV, there are a few safety concerns that simply don't exist in a traditional home. That's where Waggle has become one of our favorite pieces of RV safety gear.

When we dreamed about full-time RV travel, we pictured a lot of things. National parks. Campfires. New towns. Slow mornings. The girls riding their bikes around campgrounds. School happening outside instead of inside four walls.

What we didn't picture? Nearly having a head-on collision with a semi truck on a mountain road while towing a 43-foot fifth wheel. Our first day on the road taught us a LOT about RV life, but one of the biggest lessons was something we probably should have figured out before we ever pulled out of our driveway:

The route that Google Maps thinks is a great idea isn't necessarily the route that's a great idea when you're towing a 43-foot camper. And that's why one of our first investments after hitting the road was RV LIFE Pro.

We're the Wagner family: me (Ashlee), my husband John, our two daughters, two dogs, and two very adventurous cats. We recently traded our house for a 43-foot fifth wheel and hit the road to become a full-time RV family.

Over the next year (and likely beyond), we'll be traveling across the United States, exploring everything from iconic national parks to small-town hidden gems, worldschooling our girls along the way, growing our travel business from the road, and sharing the real, unfiltered side of this lifestyle: the beautiful moments, the challenging ones, and everything in between.

Zion National Park is one of our favorite parks for hiking diversity, offering everything from easy strolls along the Riverside Walk to challenging climbs like Angels Landing. But if there’s one hike that truly stands out, it’s The Narrows… a unique adventure that takes you through the Virgin River itself. It’s unlike any other hike in the country, combining water, towering canyon walls, and a sense of adventure that stays with you long after you leave.

Are you ready to embark on a breathtaking summer adventure through the American and Canadian Rockies, from the rugged peaks of Jackson Hole to the turquoise lakes of Banff, hitting world-class national parks, scenic byways, and charming towns along the way? We spent over two months of 2025 exploring some of the United States and Canada’s best national parks, and this portion of our trip was our absolute favorite. Here’s how to make the most of 10 epic days in the U.S. and Canadian Rockies.