The Van Life Experience
Experiencing the Van Life
So, you want to buy a van? Thinking about packing your life down and hitting the open road? Luckily for you, I’ve compiled some fantastic tips and tricks to help you on your journey into the great unknown.
I live in a house with two roommates, and each of us has had unique and incredible experiences living out of converted vehicles. I interviewed them about their adventures and liked their advice so much that I wanted to share it with all of you.
Meeting My Roommates
My roommate Kyle has lived alone in his van for the last three years. He only moved into our house because he’s worried his new puppy is just too tiny to handle the severe cold of our Colorado winters. Kyle is dedicated to van life and has great insight for anyone hoping to hold their van living adventures throughout the United States.
My other roommate, Jonah, spent only three months living out of a van with his girlfriend as they traveled to the beautiful country of New Zealand. Neither of them is as committed to the nomadic van-dwelling lifestyle but recognized it as the cheapest and most efficient way to explore a foreign country.
Why People Choose the Van Life
There are countless incredible reasons why people choose to live out of a converted van. The beauty of van life is that it is incredibly varied. You can custom-tailor your adventure to fit your needs so that almost anyone can find a way to enjoy it.
Often those seeking to explore nature, or a new country, will choose to live out of a van for the sheer cost effectiveness of it. As you could imagine, getting to travel without having to pay for any hotels or Airbnb’s can be incredibly enticing. Not to mention, skipping the rent bill all together for those who are looking to stay in their van full time.
Jonah’s reason for choosing the van life was to downsize from the stress of everyday life and live in much simpler means. The smaller space in the van leads to a more minimalist lifestyle which can feel incredibly rewarding and therapeutic to those surrounded by the clutter of their daily lives.
There is no greater draw to the van life than the freedom it offers. My roommate Kyle’s day-to-day was spent in a very relaxed way of finding new hikes, hang-out spots, or the next campground to spend the evening. They were held to no schedule, and their lives were in their own hands. Everywhere you go and everything you do is because you want to, and no other reason. To those of us who feel stuck by the daily grind of our 9-5 lives, it’s no wonder so many people are curious to see if the van life works for them.
Making Sure You’re Prepared
The most obvious item you must prepare before buying your van and setting out on your journey is of course your finances. While it is a cost-effective way to travel, the initial purchase and conversion of your van is going to be an investment. Many van lifers have freelance jobs that allow them to travel, or in the case of my roommate Kyle, you can get seasonal jobs that allow you to save up enough to stay afloat. After that, you’ll want to budget your savings to ensure that you don’t run out of funds before the fun is over.
Beyond money, there are many resources that you’ll need during your day-to-day life on the road. Many converted vans come installed with bathrooms and showers, but if yours doesn’t, you’ll want to ensure you have a way to maintain proper hygiene. Getting a membership at a 24-hour gym with locations near your travel path is an excellent way to ensure you’ll always have a place to bathe.
You’ll want to make sure you get or make a van with a good kitchen because that’s literally going to be the thing that keeps you alive on your travels. It’s unlikely that you’ll be eating out every night if you’re planning a longer trip, so making sure you have enough propane and proper cooking utensils is essential to your survival.
How to Stay Safe on Your Adventures
It’s interesting how the advice I got from both my roommates differs so drastically in regard to safety. Jonah, who only lived in a van in the peaceful island country of New Zealand, focused his safety tips on ensuring that you are safe against any unfortunate accidents while out exploring nature.
He advises that you stay in close contact with friends or family members that you trust most. Sharing your location and informing emergency contacts of your plans is an excellent way to ensure that if you get lost, or trapped by some natural accident, there will be responsible people who can send for help quickly enough to get to you before it’s too late.
My roommate Kyle had a much different experience traveling around the United States. Kyle’s number one suggestion for van life safety is to arm yourself with some form of self-defense that can be taken across state borders. Kyle always slept with a can of bear mace and a bowie knife within arm’s reach in case he found himself in danger from any untrustworthy strangers he may come across. It’s important to look into the laws for any state you plan on traveling to. Possession laws for large knives differ from state to state, so it’s best to ensure you won’t be breaking the law before trying to cross state borders.
The Challenges You’ll Face
While the promise of freedom and adventure may appeal to everyone universally, there are many unexpected challenges that can make van life far more difficult than many would assume.
The largest challenge my roommate Kyle has stated is the bittersweet nature of the constant solitude you feel living your unique and transient lifestyle. Kyle noted the difficulty of constantly feeling like a stranger in every social setting he found himself in. It’s really hard being in amazing places and having no one dear to you that you can share it with. Everywhere you go you’re meeting new people, which is amazing and challenging at the same time.
Another concern you have as a van-lifer is mechanical issues. Kyle has cited “youtube academy” for fixing countless issues he’s had with his van over the years. Your entire life is packed in your transportation, so if it breaks down, you’re stuck until it gets fixed.
Where You Can Park Your Van
The most consistent part of your new day-to-day schedule will be trying to find the next spot to park for the night. Both Kyle and Jonah note that this was the most important part of their schedule. Waking up and considering if they should stay at the same site they did the night before and explore the area more, or venture off to the next one with nothing but google maps to guide them.
There are many overnight parking locations in cities that will let you stay for free, but you’ll want to be careful about not parking in the wrong spot and possibly getting an expensive ticket.
There are many campsites that offer parking spots for mobile homes that are reasonably cheap, but what Kyle recommends is finding BLM land or national forests that allow camping for free. There is often a limit on how many nights you can stay in these locations, so be sure to do research before you accidentally find yourself in trouble.
How to Maintain Community
Whether you’re traveling with a partner, or by yourself, it’s important to maintain community throughout your travels. Humans are pack creatures, and you’ll want a way to stay in touch with other people to maintain positive mental health.
Kyle suggests picking up a hobby that you can focus your travels around. For him, high-lining, bouldering, and frisbee golf give him direction in his travels as well as offering great opportunities to meet like-minded and interesting people. These are just three suggestions that work for him, but any outdoor activity would apply in this case. Depending on the location or season, kayaking, snowboarding, surfing, or even through camping are great suggestions that put you into situations to meet new people and maintain community with others.
Before You Buy
While the van life can be incredible and rewarding, the prospect is not without its challenges. Before buying your van or planning your trip, figure out how dedicated to the lifestyle you want to be. Do you want to be a full-fledged van lifer? Always on the road moving from one destination to the next. Or would you rather just use your van as portable lodging to cheapen the cost of a specific trip?
If you’re not sure, I would suggest starting a smaller trip to see how much you enjoy the lifestyle. Overcommitting too early could leave you in a regrettable situation and diminish your experience with van living. Like all things, the more experience you have with it, the more you’re going to understand how it works for you. Everyone is different, with different needs, and the adventure of living in a van will certainly show you exactly what you do and don’t need.
If you’re curious about the lifestyle, I urge you to try it out, but take it slow and be mindful of what works for you and what doesn’t. There are definite downsides to the lifestyle, but overall, I’m incredibly grateful for all the adventures it has awarded me and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
