Black Hills & Beyond: Our First Family Road Trip in the New AVC Show Van!

Hey everybody, Matt here for AVC, and welcome back to the shop! On today's AVC Chronicles, we're doing a trip report! Recently, I packed up the family and our brand-new 2025 show van for a 6-day adventure to Stockade Lake in the beautiful Black Hills region of South Dakota, near Mount Rushmore.

From our shop, it's about a 5-hour drive, making it the perfect testing ground for our latest build. And let me tell you, even though the van wasn't completely finished, this trip proved that with a little adaptability, van life is always worth it!

Pre-Trip Prep: Embrace the "Good Enough"

You know how it goes – family trip planned, van still a work in progress. It was a "do or die" situation, and I'm here to tell you: if your van is workable, it's probably going to be okay! A few nights before we left, I was still putting in a rough bed platform. Our ESPAR furnace wasn't installed, and the water system hadn't been fully tested. But in the end, everything worked out, and we had an amazing time.

We rolled out on a Sunday around 11:30 AM after a morning of packing. Having a lot of pre-packed essentials from our old van made the process surprisingly quick.

On the Road: Comfort & Performance

The 5-hour drive to Stockade Lake was largely uneventful, which is exactly what you want! The Ford Transit consistently performs well on the road. This was my first time logging significant mileage with our new Cloud Cap pop-top installed, and honestly? I barely noticed it was there. No extra lifting, no strange handling in turns through the Black Hills – the van felt great.

We did have a little roadside drama with a friend's RV that suffered a tire blowout, which unfortunately took out part of their water system. While we couldn't fix it on site, it was a reminder of why a robust van system is so valuable!

One thing to note: I drove with an empty water tank, knowing we'd have water at the campground. My goal was to cycle as much water through the system as possible to get rid of that initial "plasticky" taste. While we did drink campground water for the trip (more on plastic taste in an upcoming video!), the system itself performed perfectly.

Camp Life & Cozy Nights

Our first night, Sunday, was a full family affair in the van. My youngest and I slept on the east-west bed in the back, while my wife and older daughter enjoyed the cozy Cloud Cap upstairs. Everyone reported a great, cozy night's sleep. Temperatures dipped into the 40s, making it a bit chilly in the pop-top for my older daughter (who is always cold!), but she slept through the night. Downstairs, I was surprisingly warm without even needing my sleeping bag.

The new van layout is a dream for family travel. The pull-out pantries were fantastic, and the new kid seats were a huge hit – my 14-year-old found them super comfortable even on the 5-hour drive. The swivel function of the front seats really opened up the middle of the van, giving us plenty of aisle space and room to spread out. We're truly psyched on this layout!

Day 2: Sunshine & Serenity

Monday blessed us with the best weather of the trip. We wasted no time, heading straight for paddleboarding on the lake to soak up the sun. Later, I took my youngest fishing – a personal mission to relax after a long week of van prep! While the fishing was a bust (zero visibility due to an algae bloom), the calm on the lake was exactly what I needed.

We spent the rest of the day chilling at our group campsite. Pro Tip for Group Travel: Search for group campsites! We hunt these down across the country as they can be reserved even in popular areas (like Moab!). You split the cost among a few families, get a huge site, often with power, water, and private bathrooms. This particular site even had a large gazebo – a lifesaver for playing games and hanging out during the inevitable rain showers. Plus, our dogs could roam off-leash, which is a rare treat in crowded campgrounds!

Day 3: Reptiles, Storybooks, & Big Hits!

Tuesday was our first planned excursion day. Our first stop was Reptile Gardens. Who knew South Dakota housed one of the country's largest collections of poisonous snakes, plus incredible alligator shows? It was an unexpected hit with all the kids! We even got to pet giant tortoises roaming freely – truly a unique experience.

Next up was Storybook Island in Rapid City, a charming (and free!) park reminiscent of childhood fairy tale towns. My four-year-old absolutely adored the little train ride and playing on all the storybook-themed play sets. Ice cream and a carousel ride rounded out a perfect day. We had a late dinner back at camp, everyone happily pooped after an awesome day.

Day 4: Hot Springs & Roaming Buffalo

Wednesday brought more funky weather, but we had another planned excursion: Evans Plunge in Hot Springs, South Dakota. This hot springs facility was surprisingly warm this time (unlike a previous chilly visit!). It's a fantastic spot with Olympic rings to swing on, water slides (even for the littlest ones!), and plenty of free life jackets. The natural rock pool bottom is really cool – the kids loved diving for rocks! They also enjoyed jumping off the three-foot ledge into the water.

The drive from Custer to Hot Springs is beautiful, taking you through open prairie zones where you can spot roaming buffalo and antelope. We drove past Wind Cave National Park, though it was too busy for a tour.

Wednesday night was my last chance to fish, so I took a serene walk around the lake. No fish, but perfect glassy shots of the water and a peaceful walk. We also switched up sleeping arrangements: both kids slept downstairs, and my wife and I finally got to sleep together in the Cloud Cap! After years of separate sleeping arrangements with little ones, it was a first, and I slept wonderfully – warm and cozy. The Cloud Cap is proving to be a perfect addition!

Day 5: Caves, Pie, & Cornhole Champs!

Thursday was our last full day at camp, starting with an amazing tour of Jewel Cave National Monument, thanks to another mom securing tickets early! This "breathing cave" is 400 feet deep, discovered in 1908. The 1.5-hour tour involves about a mile and 700 stairs, so be ready to walk! Our four-year-old just made it – little ones need to be able to walk under their own power. The highlight? When they turn off the lights, plunging you into absolute, 100% pitch black – a truly unique sensory experience.

After the cave, we celebrated a birthday with a stop at the Purple Pie Place in Custer – seriously excellent pie! (Happy Birthday, Emmy!) That evening, the weather turned beautiful, and we crowned ourselves Cornhole Champions during a fun tournament with all the parents and kids! Thursday night kept the same sleeping arrangement, though around 3 AM, my youngest decided she wanted to sleep with Mom, resulting in my wife, and both kids all comfortably sleeping east-west in the lower bed – proof of the van's surprising versatility!

Heading Home: Bittersweet Goodbyes & Van Perks

Friday was our bittersweet last day. The week flew by, and the van performed perfectly! After packing up, families dispersed – some headed to the Badlands and Wall Drug, others straight home. We made one last stop at Jewel Cave for the kids to complete their Junior Ranger guidebooks. If you're a National Park fan, these free activity books are fantastic for keeping kids entertained and engaged.

The drive home was uneventful. A quick stop on the highway for a "gotta go" moment reminded us of the indispensable porta-potty! We arrived home tired but happy. The beauty of the van? We only unpacked our camp bags and laundry that night. Everything else – including food in the fridge – stayed put, ready for the next adventure. Saturday morning was for unpacking and cleaning, turning the van back into a show vehicle. Life is good in a van!

This trip report was a little different for AVC Chronicles, as we usually focus on builds and products. But if you enjoyed this peek into our van life adventures, please let us know in the comments below! Your feedback helps us shape our content. And if you're planning your own trip to the Black Hills, feel free to ask us any questions!