The YouTube star empowers women (and pet owners) to journey with confidence
Charlie Grace started her YouTube channel and website, Charlie Grace Adventures, with the hope of inspiring others to “embrace exploration, self-reliance, and the great outdoors.” She and her pup travel in a 2025 Winnebago EKKO 23B, and she shares information about gear, destinations and travel events. As a solo female traveler, Grace strives to empower women and fellow travelers to journey with confidence. At Overland Expo Mountain West, Grace will lead the Solo Female Overlanding Panel on Friday at 4pm in the Women Who Wander Pavilion Sponsored by Chrysler. On Saturday at 10am in the Overland Essentials Area, she will teach Overlanding With Pets: Keeping Your Furry Co-Pilots Safe & Happy On The Road, sharing information about essential gear, pet-proofing your rig, emergency preparedness, and how to find pet-friendly campsites.
To learn more about Charlie, keep reading below.
Tell us about your rig(s):
My current rig is a 2025 Winnebago EKKO 23B (on a Mercedes Sprinter chassis). I’ve explored a little over 18K miles in it throughout North America. Through public and private lands, I’ve taken my dog to explore amazing areas on hikes and scenic settings. I also have a 2016 Jeep Wrangler that I take out when I’m visiting the Smokey Mountains.
All-time favorite campsite?
My favorite campsite for 2025 is in Estes Park, Colorado named Hermit Open Space Park. It’s a gem of a county park that is slightly off the beaten path and does not offer electricity (so make sure you are prepared), but offers amazing wildlife sitings and hikes. Definitely a four-wheel-drive moment driving up a significant hill to get to the sites, but it’s worth it.
Best silver-lining story?
I’ve met the most amazing friends that I never knew until my rig was stuck in mud, wouldn’t start, or had a flat tire. It’s amazing the kindness of strangers who have offered to help in my eight years of solo female overlanding travel life. Most of those people I still keep in contact with and have now joined me on adventure camping trips.
What is an area of overland travel that you think you have nailed, and where do you feel you could use some improvement?
I’ve perfected two areas in my overland travel experience. One is learning how to navigate being safe, exploring, and overlanding with a dog. There is more to it than just bringing some food and waste bags. You need to be constantly aware of items that can be issues that can impact your dog’s health and well being. I’m also an energy nerd. I can talk electric Amps and Watt usage all day. Since I travel with a dog, I have to keep a climate controlled environment. This means keeping enough propane for heat and having enough electric if air conditioning is needed.
I always have room for improvement and am learning new overland tricks everyday from friends in the field. This is the year that I truly need to learn more recovery techniques. I’m in the process of setting up my current rig with more recovery & communication gear. You can never have too much recovery gear when you get stuck.
To learn from Charlie Grace and the other educators and showcasers at Overland Expo Mtn West, be sure to buy your tickets today! We have hundreds of brands to help you build out your rig just like Charlie with the best recovery and communication gear and pet-friendly upgrades for your budget — especially with all the deals only available at our Expos. To learn more and secure your spot, click the button below!
