Today we’d like to introduce you to Grace Strahan.
Hi Grace, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I am the blogger and creator of the Southern Glamper. Our family started traveling with an RV in 2017 when we bought a used pop-up camper for $800. I renovated the pop-up, and we started camping together as a family. Since then, we have sold the pop-up and purchased a travel trailer. We enjoy traveling to state parks, urban locations, the beach, and more! It is our family’s primary way to travel, and we enjoy both long and short trips. Over the years, we have started traveling farther and for longer distances. In December 2020, we took a winter trip to Big Bend and Marfa. This is our third winter going to Texas for our end of the vacation. Austin was our final stop on our winter trip at the end of 2022.
You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been smooth?
We had a lot of ups and downs as we started with an RV. There was a huge learning curve when we started, and it was a lot of work. There were many YouTube videos, late nights, sweat, and tears. But even after the remodel was complete, our pop-up, we had to learn how to use the RV, take care of it, and tow it. But we did. And starting small prepared us for owning a larger travel trailer. Now that we have some years of experience, we are fearless in towing our RV through and into big cities. Urban camping is something that we enjoy and hope to do more of overtime!
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I started the Southern Glamper blog to document our journey of owning our pop-up camper. In doing so, I created a “small business” that paid for the remodel of the pop-up camper over time. And it was so much fun creating content to share with others that I continued to do so. I have a newsletter that goes out several times a month to readers that subscribe. I have a YouTube channel where I share camping tips, products, reviews, and recipes. I want to grow this part of my creative content in 2023. I have a series planned on cast iron cooking for February 2023. I specialize in the pretty side of camping or what others call glamping. I enjoy setting a pretty table at the campground, cooking fun meals, and enjoying time with my family. I share these experiences on my blog and my medical social channels. I am proudest of my blog and my work over time. I have learned quite a bit technically during this process. I have changed my blog template more than once to give it a fresh look and keep things from going stale. I took this knowledge-based a built a website for a friend that included e-commerce options. It has stretched me creatively and professionally. It has boosted my confidence at my day job and has been a lot of fun over time to grow.
Please talk to us about happiness and what makes you happy.
I enjoy camping and spending time with my family. I work in technology at my day job. This job requires quite a bit of travel. Therefore, my time with family is very coveted and protected. Camping has been a way to plan fun travel regularly with my family. These experiences have helped us stay connected and close as a family. Spending time together around the campground, biking, or even sorting out tire trouble on the road, we have learned to solve problems and enjoy every twist and turn. While camping and at home, I love to cook. I have loved adding cast iron cooking to my skill set. I can bake and braise in our Dutch oven and have created some amazing meals. I love sharing these experiences with my family and our friends. It is just another way to spend time together and connect. Finally, I enjoy doing active things like biking and spending time outdoors. This year for Christmas, I asked for a pickleball set so we could start playing this as a family. We also installed new bike racks on our RV this past year so we could bike more on the road. These opportunities are a lot of fun and a good way to spend time!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.southernglamper.com/
- Instagram: instagram.com/southernglamper
- Facebook: facebook.com/southernglamper
- Twitter: twitter.com/southernglamper
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCowmaU1DeFP43s0h9-8Fshg
