Last Updated August 1, 2026
After years of traveling in our Newmar Dutch Star motorhome with the Willys Jeep in tow, Sandy and I made a big change. We sold both and bought a Ford F-150 hybrid 4×4 truck, then set our sights on Tampa, Florida to pick up a 27-foot Airstream travel trailer. It was a new chapter, and it meant driving across the country before we even had our new home-on-wheels. Somewhere is frequently a rest stop. We’ve grown to appreciate rest stops, sometimes for the view or history, but usually to pee and change drivers. Many states do an amazing job at creating a little highway oasis. We rarely drive more than a few hours to get from one place to another as we look for something interesting along the way. If it isn’t rest stops it’s gas stations with food like Flying J’s, Pilots or Loves truck stops. When we were kids, it was Stuckey’s. Even though we pass Stuckey’s along the way, we won’t stop at one, worrying it will change a fond childhood memory of pecan rolls, key chains, geodes, and scorpions embedded in resin.
Somewhere in New Mexico
It was difficult being so close to so many great places to visit like Carlsbad Caverns and White Sands National Parks. But that will have to be another trip. We did have good weather and the F-150 ran great — the hybrid system on a long highway haul is impressive.
Somewhere in Texas
It always takes us a couple of days to get across Texas when traveling across country. We would have loved to visit family and some favorite places like Texas Hill Country, but we were on a tight schedule and said we will be back. The perks of TripAdvisor: a well-rated and delicious Italian restaurant somewhere in Texas had portions large enough to feed us for a week. We left the leftovers there since we didn’t have a refrigerator yet — that was going to change once we had the Airstream hooked up.
Somewhere in the Florida Panhandle
We finally made it to the panhandle of Florida just in time for fresh seafood, a cold beer, and a sunset over the water. After days of driving across the desert, this felt like the reward.
Tampa, Florida
Tampa was the whole point of the trip. We picked up our new 27-foot Airstream travel trailer and got our first look at what was going to be home for the foreseeable future. The city itself was absolute chaos — we were there the week before Thanksgiving, traffic and crowds were insane. We ducked into a local mall for a Panera Bread lunch and found this enormous Christmas tree already up. The Airstream was everything we hoped for and we couldn’t wait to get it set up properly.
Lutz, Florida
We’ve stayed here a few times. It’s a favorite. A nice gated community, paved sites, dog park, great spa, and friendly residents. The clubhouse and pool are the best part. We spent Thanksgiving with friends Richard and Marge. Their grilled turkey was cooked perfectly.
Terry was the original developer of the property, is still a resident and enjoyed a career as a fantastic singer. Willie Nelson autographed a guitar for her.
We love this site’s fire-pit and outdoor shower. It was the perfect place to spend a couple of weeks getting the Airstream organized and properly provisioned. Jake enjoyed spending the days outside watching squirrels, lizards, alligators, and Sandhill Cranes. Occasionally, the neighbor’s dog would come to play.
One of the perks about the Land O’ Lakes area is that everything one could need is close by. It was a great place to stage before we headed back to the Florida Panhandle for our first real Airstream adventure.
Good to Know
The Woods RV Resort, Lutz / Land O’ Lakes
The Woods is a gated 55+ RV community in the Land O’ Lakes area just north of Tampa. Paved pull-through sites with full hookups, a dog park, clubhouse, pool, and spa. It’s a friendly community with long-term residents who make you feel at home quickly. We’ve stayed multiple times and it’s one of the better-run resorts in Central Florida. Being close to the US-41 corridor means groceries, restaurants, and anything you need for provisioning is within a few miles. The Land O’ Lakes / Lady Lake post from our earlier visit has more detail.
The F-150 Hybrid on a Long-Haul Drive
Coming from the motorhome world, the transition to truck-and-trailer takes some adjustment. The F-150 hybrid handles the highway beautifully — quiet, comfortable, and noticeably more fuel-efficient than we expected on the long straight stretches across New Mexico and Texas. It’s a very different driving experience from the motorhome, but a good one.
