Dana and Jay Cadwell took advantage of several months off work to travel around the western U.S. and more than 15 national parks. While this type of trip would be amazing in so many ways, it was actually the catalyst for their new business—Explore More Northwest.
A few years ago, the Kennewick, Washington couple decided to travel in their 2008 Dutchman T@B camper for four months. They had no specific plans and were thrilled with how easily they could live out of the 60-square-foot space. After their trip, they wanted to share their love of the outdoors with other people and started their rental company in 2016.
“When Jay and I lived in Spokane, Washington I was working full time and he was in grad school. We wanted to get away on the weekends to go hiking but it always seemed like a hassle to pack up the car with all of our camping gear, so we looked into small travel trailers.” Dana says. “We wanted something small enough so we didn’t just disappear into a large RV and miss out the camping experience so a teardrop seemed like a great compromise.”
Explore More Northwest offers two Dutchman T@B campers and two Little Guy Five Wide teardrop trailers for rent. All of their trailers have kitchens and comfortable beds.
Each trailer is stocked with pots and pans, dishes, utensils, and towels. The company also rents out camping accessories like coolers, propane grills, and camping chairs.
Both campers have a range of benefits. The teardrops are great for single travelers or couples and they’re light enough to tow with a smaller vehicle.
The T@Bs can accommodate small families and have either an interior kitchen or an outdoor galley kitchen while still maintaining a light 1,800 lb. tow weight.
The company has rented out their campers to all types of travelers. Some of the campers have been towed to weddings, reunions, festivals, and concerts. They have also been around Washington, Oregon, Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and into the desert.
“We are incredibly passionate about being in the outdoors and how it can bring a sense of peace to those that live a stressful life. It’s important to unwind, disconnect and recharge in nature every now and then and we hope that renting out teardrops will grant our customers a quick escape into nature.”
Going from trailer owner to rental company does have its challenges. The Cadwells went through many insurance agents before they were finally able to find a company that would cover both them and their trailers. They also require that a person be over 25 years old before they can rent one of their trailers.
So, should you turn your camper into a rental business? The Cadwells recommend being an established company before renting out a personal trailer. In addition, they recommend putting an RV or trailer on RV Share.
“This is a great way to rent out your personal trailer without the hassle of becoming an established company and all the costs that come along with it. RV Share takes care of the advertising, insurance, payment, and booking process. They only take a small cut for their services and the rest goes in your pocket!”
