The Most Laid-Back RV Rally in Tampa – The Unrefined RV Retreat at Lazydays Powered by Campers Inn
Join Life in the RV at the Unrefined RV Retreat, an annual RV rally welcoming every rig and every style. See this year’s location and dates.
RV Rally Aims for Connection Over Seminars
We’re hosting an RV rally.
After nine years of full-time RVing, forty-some states, and more campground potlucks than I can count, Tim and I are finally doing the thing people have been asking us to do for years: getting everyone together in one place.
It’s called The Unrefined RV Retreat, and it’s happening January 19–22 at Lazydays by Campers Inn in Seffner, Florida, right outside Tampa, and perfectly timed so you can hit the Tampa RV SuperShow first and then roll straight into four days of fun and relaxation with your people.
All rigs. All styles. All welcome.
What “Unrefined” Actually Means
Let me clear this up right away, because the name raises eyebrows.
Unrefined does not mean boondocking. You’ll have full hookups, real amenities, and all the comforts of a resort-style campground. Nobody is roughing it.
Unrefined means the vibe. No seminar binders. No name badges with ribbons. No sitting in rows while someone clicks through slides about tire pressure. This is the un-stuffy, come-as-you-are, laugh-until-your-face-hurts version of an RV rally, the kind of gathering where you show up as a stranger on Tuesday and leave with a group text on Friday.
Full hookups. Zero pretense.
The Details
- When: Tuesday, January 19 – Friday, January 22
- Early arrival: Sunday, January 17 is an optional early-bird day if you want to settle in before things kick off, or if you’re coming straight from the SuperShow and don’t feel like rushing.
- Where: Lazydays Powered by Campers Inn RV Resort, Seffner/Tampa, FL
- Who: Everyone. Weekend warriors, full-timers, brand-new owners, and folks who’ve been doing this longer than we have. Every brand, every rig, every style of camping.
- How many: We’re intentionally keeping this one small, so it stays a community and not a crowd.
What We’ve Got Planned
I don’t want to give away every surprise, but here’s a taste of what four days together looks like:
Mornings start easy, coffee, something sweet, and no alarm-clock guilt. From there, the days fill up with games, group activities, and the kind of competitive nonsense that makes strangers into friends fast. Think bingo, yard games, and a few activities I genuinely never thought I’d put on an event schedule (you’ll see).
Evenings are where this rally earns its name. Shared dinners. Taste of the Campground, show off your hometown flavors! Prepare your favorite regional dish at your RV, share it with the group, and let everyone vote for the best taste of the campground.
You’ll taste recipes from every corner of the country, because that’s what happens when you gather RVers from different states, and yes, there’s a prize on the line for the winner. A good one. Start thinking about your entry now. And we close the whole thing out with a farewell continental breakfast that will make leaving harder than it should be.
Tim will be behind the scenes helping me (some things never change), and I’ll be right in the middle of everything as your host.
How Registration Works
Step 1: Register for the rally now. The rally fee covers your meals, activities, and your event shirt.
Step 2: Book your campsite in mid-August. Lazydays Powered by Campers Inn opens reservations for our January dates in mid-August. When it does, you’ll call them directly to book your site for January 19–22 and mention you’re with the Life In The RV Rally so you get the discounted rate.
Your site cost is between you and the resort, the rally fee doesn’t include it. And don’t worry about missing the window: everyone who’s registered will get an email from me the moment booking opens, so you’ll be first in line and guaranteed a site.
Why register before you can book a site? Because the best parts of this rally get locked in months ahead. Caterers need headcounts. Activity vendors need deposits. Shirts need to be ordered in your size, not guessed at. When you register early, you’re not just holding a spot, you’re the reason we can book better food, bigger activities, and a smoother event for everyone. The earlier we know who’s coming, the better this thing gets.
Why January? Why Tampa?
The timing isn’t an accident.
The Tampa RV SuperShow is one of the biggest RV events in the country, and thousands of RVers pour into the area for it every January. And every year, the same thing happens: for a few days, you’re surrounded by more RVers than you’ll see anywhere else in the country, and then the show ends and everyone scatters.
You spend the week walking past thousands of people living the same life you are, and you drive home without a single new friend. So we’re fixing that.
If you’ve been searching for an RV rally near Tampa in January, one that isn’t tied to a single brand or membership, this is it. Do the show, walk the new rigs, collect your tote bags full of brochures, and then come decompress with us for four days.
It’s the perfect one-two punch: the industry side of RV life, followed by the community side of RV life. And I’ll be honest, the community side is the part that’s kept us on the road for nine years.
The All-or-Something Version
If you’ve been around here a while, you know my philosophy: you don’t need the perfect rig, the perfect budget, or the perfect timing to live this life. You just need to do something.
The same applies here. Maybe you can’t swing a cross-country trip to a rally. But if you’re anywhere near Florida in January, or you were already coming for the SuperShow, this is your something. Four days. One small group. One campground full of people who get it.
Nine years ago, a loss in our family taught me not to wait for “someday.” We were on the road six weeks later. If you’ve been telling yourself you’ll get more involved in the RV community someday, consider this your invitation to make someday a date on the calendar: January 19–22.
Ready to Join Us?
Spots are limited, this is a small gathering on purpose, and January in Florida books fast, especially after SuperShow week.
Step 1: Register for The Unrefined RV Retreat now to lock in your spot.
Step 2: Watch your inbox in mid-August, the moment Lazydays by Campers Inn opens reservations for our dates, I’ll send registered attendees everything you need to book your site for January 19–22.
Then start testing recipes, Taste of the Campground is coming, and bragging rights are forever. We’ll see you in Tampa.
Life in the RV has been on the road full-time for nine years and counting. If you’re dreaming about the RV life, start with our Full Time RV Roadmap, or already living it, come say hi in the community.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Nope. This is not a brand rally. Motorhomes, fifth wheels, travel trailers, vans, truck campers, if it rolls and you sleep in it, you’re in.
You might fit in best. Some of the most fun people at any rally are the ones asking questions, and you’ll be surrounded by folks who love answering them. (Ask me about our rookie mistakes sometime. We have stories.)
Yes, Sunday, January 17 is an optional early arrival day. When site booking opens in mid-August, just reserve starting the 17th if you want the extra nights.
Meals, activities, and your rally shirt. It does not cover your campsite, you book that directly with Lazydays Powered by Campers Inn once reservations open.
Lazydays opens reservations for our January dates in mid-August. We opened rally registration early because vendors, caterers, and shirt orders all need commitments months in advance. Once site booking opens, every registered attendee gets an email from me with exactly what to do. Once your event registration fee is paid, you are guaranteed a site at the rally discounted rate.
No, but it’s timed right after it on purpose. Lots of attendees will be doing both.
Yes, absolutely. And Lazydays has not one but two dog parks for them to enjoy their stay as well.
