For Zenovia and George Stephens, raising three active boys (ages 9, 6, and 3) means constantly looking for ways to connect as a family. Through their family brand, The Black Adventure Crew, and her non-profit organization, Black Kids Adventures, Zenovia works to inspire Black families to step outside their comfort zones and explore local nature.
Getting outdoors isn't always effortless when packing for a family of five, but for Zenovia, the payoff far outweighs the prep work. RVing provides a seamless bridge between modern comforts and the wild, making nature feel like a natural extension of her children's everyday life.
Exploring Alabama's Backyard
One of the Stephens family's primary goals is to visit every state park in Alabama. A favorite spot is Lake Guntersville State Park, which offers scenic water views and sandy beaches close to home— giving the boys a beach-like escape without an exhausting, lengthy road trip.
“I need to bring my kids along, so they know that these activities are for everybody. I wanted it to be a normal, natural part of their childhood,” says Zenovia.
Quality Family Time
RV camping encourages the boys to unplug naturally. Instead of reaching for screens, they choose to spend quality time outdoors. This organic shift, from the digital world and daily distractions to spending time together in nature, creates opportunities for shared experiences that can't be replicated at home.
“It encourages them to get outdoors, it encourages them to play together, it encourages them to pull out the Frisbee and do all these things organically, and I love that,” reflects Zenovia. “I love that they want to be outdoors more than they want to be indoors.”
Passing Down Richer Experiences
As parents, Zenovia and George want to give their children even more opportunities than they had growing up. They see the outdoors as their main tool to broaden their children’s horizons and give them unique memories that will last a lifetime.
As parents, Zenovia and George strive to give their children even more opportunities than they had growing up. For them, RV camping is a way to broaden their sons' horizons, normalize the outdoors, and create a lasting foundation of shared memories and experiences.
“You always want to give your kids more than what you had,” says Zenovia. “For my husband and I, the outdoors is the way we’re able to do that.”
