INDIANAPOLIS — The Wynne family was halfway through their cross-country road trip when they set up camp this weekend at Indianapolis Holiday KOA.
“We are traveling from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to Astoria, Oregon,” said Jennifer Wynne. “This will be our third cross-country trip as a family.”
“Campground to campground,” her husband, Josh, said. “It’s actually pretty epic.”
And pretty expensive.
“Ten miles per gallon,” Josh said, pointing to his truck that pulls their RV trailer.
But they aren’t letting the higher cost put the brakes on their trip.
“I mean it’s the price you gotta pay to have a good trip,” said Josh.
Despite record gas prices and the rising cost of just about everything else, Rachel Vaughan with Indianapolis Holiday KOA said they’ve never had a busier Fourth of July holiday weekend. They’ve been around for 17 years.
And they aren’t alone.
The national CEO of KOA told RV Travel this month it was looking like it would be the busiest holiday weekend on record, citing pent-up demand after two years of the pandemic.
"I believe that,” said Jennifer. “People want to be outside and people want to get out now.”
Edmea Telder is here all the way from the Netherlands.
"It's really expensive, but I worked really hard before I went on this trip,” she said.
She wanted to experience an American Fourth of July.
"It’s really cool to see,” she said. “Especially the fireworks. They're really big!”
Proving that even in financially tough times, some things are just worth it.
"You make life-changing experience and you will keep it forever. So I feel it is worth it,” said Telder.
The Coast Guard is transferring the Wynne family to a new assignment and provided some travel assistance, but it doesn’t cover the cost of their trip.
“Because they didn’t see this happening, you know, how much fuel was going to be,” said Josh. “We could just jump on a plane and fly to Astoria, Oregon, and not get to actually experience the country and not let the kids have a summer vacation. We could do it that way and not have to spend any money. But why not spend some money out of pocket and enjoy the trip?"
Oftentimes, they say family memories are priceless.