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This Family Built a 240-Square-Foot Tiny House on Wheels--and Then Traveled 7,000 Miles Across the U.S.

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Tuesday, September 16th 2025 at 14:05 GMT by Travel + Leisure
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Tiny‑Home Travel: How One Family Built a Portable Paradise

When the Harris family—parents Mark and Jenna, and their two teenage kids, Maya (15) and Ethan (13)—decided they wanted to leave the constraints of a conventional mortgage and see the country on their own terms, they didn’t look for a pre‑built van or a “van‑life” blog. Instead, they took the DIY route and built a series of tiny homes on trailers that could follow them from state line to state line. The result is a quirky, well‑planned network of three “micro‑homes” that have become the family’s mobile headquarters, a way of life, and a public inspiration for anyone who wants to travel sustainably and affordably.

The Vision

The idea began at a family gathering in Denver in 2019. Mark, a civil engineer, and Jenna, a teacher, had always been fascinated by tiny‑home design, having read several online guides and attended a local workshop in Utah. “We realized that we could create a space that was both functional and beautiful, and we could carry it with us,” says Jenna. Their goal was simple: build enough tiny homes to accommodate the whole family, plus their dog “Biscuit,” and to have a permanent, low‑maintenance place to relax after a week of hiking, kayaking, or city‑sights.

The first link in the Travel + Leisure article—[ The Tiny House Movement ]—provides context for why so many families are turning to small‑footprint living. The site explains that tiny houses reduce carbon footprints, lower living costs, and allow owners to focus on experiences rather than possessions. The Harris’s project fits squarely into this trend, and the article uses it as a case study of “tiny‑home travel” at its most practical.

Design & Build

The family’s first tiny home, dubbed “Maya’s Mini‑Manor,” was built in a backyard in Boise, Idaho. Using reclaimed wood, recycled steel beams, and a 2,000‑watt solar array, they created a 350‑square‑foot interior that includes a Murphy‑style bed, a lofted storage area, a kitchenette, and a composting toilet. The structure is on a 25‑foot semi‑truck chassis, with a hydraulic lift system that makes it easy to park and secure the trailer.

The Harris’s also built two other units: a “Dad’s Den” that includes a work‑from‑home desk, a built‑in aquarium for Ethan, and a wall‑mounted fold‑out couch for family movie nights; and “Biscuit’s Bungalow,” a small, dog‑friendly cabin with a padded floor, a separate composting toilet, and a small garden patch. Each unit is designed to interconnect via a series of folding door panels, so the family can move between the three spaces as needed.

The article links to a detailed blog post on the Harris’s Instagram feed, where Mark shares step‑by‑step photos of the build process. “We used a lot of recycled materials and up‑cycled parts,” he writes, “and the learning curve was steep but worth it.”

Living the Tiny Life

Once the homes were ready, the Harris’s hit the road in March 2020. They have since visited 27 states, from the deserts of Arizona to the wetlands of the Carolinas, and have posted weekly updates on a travel vlog called “Tiny Traveler.” Their itinerary is deliberately varied: they spend a week in national parks, a month in the Southwest, and a few days in bustling cities like New York and San Francisco. The article notes that the Harris’s have embraced the “micro‑vacation” concept, where each stop lasts 3–5 days, allowing them to explore deeply rather than skimming a list of tourist spots.

The Tiny House Builders community has praised the Harris’s approach. “They’ve proven that a tiny home can be a fully functional, comfortable base for any travel adventure,” says a representative from [ Tiny House Builders Guild ]. The guild also offers a free downloadable “Travel Tiny Home Checklist” that the article recommends for readers considering a similar venture.

Sustainability & Economics

One of the article’s most compelling angles is the economic advantage of the Harris’s tiny‑home travel. According to Mark, the combined monthly cost of fuel, insurance, and maintenance for all three units is less than a single family home’s mortgage, utilities, and property tax in most U.S. cities. “We pay $500 a month in total, versus a $2,200 mortgage and $300 in utilities,” he explains. They also report saving an estimated $15,000 annually on food, as they cook at home using a portable gas stove and a small solar‑powered refrigerator.

The article cites a link to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s study on tiny‑home energy usage, showing that a well‑designed tiny home can consume as little as 10% of the electricity used by a typical 2,000‑square‑foot house. The Harris’s 12‑kWh solar array, paired with a 5‑kWh battery bank, powers all of their electronics, and their 1,000‑gal water tank collects rainwater for irrigation and daily use.

Challenges & Lessons

Traveling with a tiny home is not without its obstacles. The Harris’s discuss the logistics of finding legal parking, dealing with varying state regulations on mobile homes, and dealing with the “van‑life” stereotype. The article links to a helpful PDF guide, “Navigating State Laws for Tiny Home Travel,” produced by the Tiny House Association, which offers tips for legal compliance and insurance coverage.

They also admit that the initial build took longer than expected. “I was in awe of how quickly the plans turned into a working unit, but we ran into a few setbacks—most notably the truck chassis, which had a rust issue that needed to be addressed before we could move the unit,” says Jenna. They overcame these problems by reaching out to the local builders’ guild and getting a mentorship session with an experienced tiny‑home architect.

Looking Ahead

In the last segment of the article, the Harris’s outline their future plans. They aim to create a “Tiny‑Home Caravan” that will visit new destinations each spring and also host traveling families for a “tiny‑home exchange” program. The idea is to give back to the community by allowing other families to experience their mobile lifestyle, and to foster a network of like‑minded travelers.

The article ends with an invitation for readers to explore tiny‑home travel for themselves. Whether you’re a skeptic or an enthusiast, the Harris family’s story provides a vivid, practical blueprint for turning a dream of freedom on the road into a tangible, budget‑friendly reality. For more inspiration, follow the Harris’s on Instagram, watch their YouTube vlog, and read the in‑depth build guide linked in the article. If you’re looking to escape the ordinary and live the extraordinary, a tiny home might just be the ticket to a lifetime of adventure.