IS THIS THE NEW WAY OF TRAVELING? HOW TO PLAN YOUR #VANLIFE EXPERIENCE

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Our exciting journey renting a camper van for the first time

How It Started

Our first #VanLife camper van experience together started with a night in a random parking lot on our way to Vegas from Los Angeles. That night, we barely slept. It was a mix of excitement and nervousness, with every little noise being caught by my ears and disturbing my dreams. Don’t worry, everything turned out fine! Except for that one night in Santa Clarita with the howl of coyotes surrounding our van… wait, we are not there yet! Read on!

It wasn’t until some of our favorite vloggers started to #VanLife that this style of traveling caught our attention. These two city kids, Seattle (A) and Sao Paulo (L,) started as not camping savvy, and if we can do it, I am sure you can do it as well!

After a lot of research and planning, we were ready to hit the road. Knowing this can be intimidating, we decided to write this post. We will walk you through everything and hopefully we’ll help you create amazing memories too.

Our Van Named Eve!

When looking for the perfect van, we knew these were non-negotiable for us:

Toilet, indoor shower, refrigerator, and ‘parkable’ size.

Your first step is to determine what’s non-negotiable for you and your family.

Our Non-Negotiable List explained:

TOILET:Especially during COVID-19 times, we knew having a toilet was mandatory to avoid unnecessary risks. With a lot of places closed too, it was nice knowing we were covered, no matter what.

INDOOR SHOWER:Our itinerary was filled with hikes, during the summer, in some of the hottest places on the West Coast. A shower, even if short (and I mean, SHORT) would allow us to feel more comfortable, refreshed, and ready for the next adventure. Although some camping sites offer showers, we didn’t want to risk it (COVID-19, again)

REFRIGERATOR:Before hitting the road, we not only created an itinerary but also a menu. We wanted to make sure most of our time was dedicated to exploring, and not cooking, at the same time it was important to feed our bodies with the necessary nutrients to keep us going. Our meal prep had to be stored in a refrigerator, so that was a non-negotiable for us.

“PARKABLE” SIZE:Having the freedom to park pretty much anywhere was key for us. Our Camper Van had to be easy to drive, even on windy roads, and manageable to park in any parking lot.

Click here for $50 off you Van Rental with Outdoorsy

Nice-To-Have vs Necessary

Don’t forget to differentiate the “nice-to-have” from the non-negotiables. We would love an oven, but we knew we could survive with a stovetop and a microwave. Here’s our “nice-to-have” list Built-in Wifi, Solar Panels, Oven, Off-road tires, and a separate living area.

After hours (maybe days) of Lallie obsessively checking Outdoorsy, we came across “Evee,” a 2019 Hymer Aktiv with a Loft!

Finding Your Right Van

IF you have never rented/driven an RV, here’s what you should look for: Good reviews. “Evee” had over 30 reviews and five stars. We read all the reviews and noticed Robert (Evee’s owner) was the type of ‘host’ that would answer our text messages when needed. That’s especially necessary if this will be your first time camping, or renting a van. Even though Robert explained everything to us, we had some questions that only popup after we were already on the road.

I (Lallie) rented my first RV, a 32ft Motorhome when I was only 22 and did most of the driving (which, in exchange, I asked to not be on the list of people to clean the black water tank.) Therefore, I was comfortable driving a large vehicle, but not everybody will. If you are afraid and not sure, try to stick with a smaller camper van. Evee is 20ft, and it was comfortable for two people.

What to pack and how to pack when traveling in a camper van

Packing for a trip on a Camper Van is pretty unique. Therefore, you need to be careful with the items you pick, due to the limited storage space available.

My strategy to pack efficiently was creating a clothing calendar. It allowed me to bring items I knew I would use it. In addiction, to keep everything organized, I used packing cubes and two garment bags.

Here’s our must-have packing list:

Swimwear

Hiking Boots

Scarf

Sun Hat

Shorts or pants (easy to move around)

Rain Jacket

Hiking Socks

Dresses

T-Shirts

Swim Shoes

If it’s cold: sweater or long sleeve shirt

Bug Spray

Sunscreen

Gloves

Reusable Water Bottle

Lantern

Crank Radio

Mosquito Killer Raquet

Cleaning Wipes

Nice Locker

Packing Cubes

Blankets

Toiletry Bags

Portable Fan

Extra Mirror

FAQ

HOW TO GET WIFI?

SkyRoam Solis device where we pay monthly for data service wherever cellular signal is available. It has saved us more times than not.

You can find it here:

https://amzn.to/43ujKRQ

WHERE DO I FIND OVERNIGHT PARKING?

We have a yearly service we learned from one of our favorite YouTube couple, Kara and Nate. It is called Harvest Hosts. It allows vans or RVs to park in Wineries, Breweries, Farms, Museums or Gold Courses around the country. You have to book in advance but the experience is night and day compared to a campsite.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE WHEN IT WAS TIME TO SWITCH DRIVERS?

So to start off, Lallie drove most of the time. She was most familiar with driving larger vehicles. But we planned it so when we had to make those early morning 5am trips to arrive at a destination for sunrise, Alex drive while Lallie could get ready for the day. When going through the windy roads, Lallie drove. So Whatever you feel most comfortable with.

WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET FOR KEEPING THE VAN CLEAN?

This is an important one. Since the van is A LOT smaller than an average apartment, every little item needs to have its own place. So when you take the sunscreen out to spray down, it needs to go back in its drawer. If not, things will get messy quickly. And there will be items flying around the van when you start driving. So place your items in secure spots around the van for easy use.