Owned and operated by Tracey and Michelle Smith, Sugar Bear Express RVs is a Northwest Arkansas brand that deals in open road exploration. A concept born from the Smith's favorite excursions and developed into an opportunity for other families to create the same core memories.
Tracey and Michelle met at the University of Arkansas where she played volleyball and earned her Master's in teaching, and he studied criminal justice. Michelle went on to teach and coach volleyball at Bentonville High School, while Tracey made a career in transportation management. The couple raises their three young girls on a healthy diet of outdoor adventure, taking them on camping and fishing trips each year, which ultimately inspired the investment in the original Sugar Bear.
“Sugar Bear is his name for me,” Michelle said about her husband. “I always wanted to be a mom, and I loved to bake.”
“We saw a big motor home come through the neighborhood when we first got married, and we thought, ‘One day we're going to get one of those and name it The Sugar Bear Express, and it’ll have a bear on the back with a plate of cookies,” Tracey adds. “Fifteen or so years later, we bought the first Sugar Bear.”
The couple wanted their own RV, and with his background in transportation, Tracey had the idea to rent it out from time to time to help cover the investment. “A lot of people will miss out on these experiences because RVs are expensive,” Michelle said. “That’s where we come in. We bought the first Sugar Bear RV in 2019, and now we have around 30 rentals in our fleet, including RVs and towables.”
The success of Sugar Bear Express is a charming story. They started small, casting their line–so to speak–and got a bite right away.
“We were on the way back from Texas, and I’m not the greatest with technology, so I accidentally made the site go live,” Michelle sheepishly shared. “But we had a booking before we got home.”
With options ranging from their $85 per night “Boo Boo” pull-behind camper and drivable “Sugarbear” RVs, to the luxury “Big Bear” rig fit for festival season, the couple has curated options for every appetite.
“Sometimes we have people book an RV, and they’re not camping in it; they just want to keep the family together,” Michelle said. “The RV is really about the road trip experience. Our RVs often go out to the National Parks and the family is together the whole time.”
Considering when and where to go, the Smiths recommend campsites with full hookups for the most comfortable experience, including sewer, water, and electric. Spring break weeks and summer months book out quickly, so Michelle says, “If you see any availability, reserve it, it won’t last.” Late August through October are also popular months for Sugar Bear RV rentals because of fall foliage and festival season.
“The RV is about the road trip experience. Our RVs often go out to the National Parks, and the family is together the whole time.”
"We have around 30 rentals in our fleet."
SMITH DESTINATION RECS:
Little Sahara, Waynoka, OK
Taylor Park, CO
Burleson, TX [Yogi Bear]
Mt. Rushmore, SD [KOA]
BOOKING:
www.sugarbearexpressrv.com
sugarbearrv@gmail.com
(479) 409-6700