Van Life 101: How-To Guide for Living in a Van

This is your ultimate guide to van life! Learn everything you need to know about living in a van so you can follow your van life dreams.

Curious about van life? Learn how to live in a van with tips on van conversions, downsizing, making money as a van lifer, and more. In 2016, I took the plunge into Sprinter Van Life. I sold my car, moved out of my apartment, and had a 4×4 144″ Sprinter built out into a tiny home on wheels with a full bathroom. After logging 30,000 miles and learning what I truly wanted in a van, I sold that first van and started over. The second time around, I went with a bigger 170″ 4×4 Sprinter Van that was converted by Outside Van. I ditched the bathroom, made room for mountain bikes and other outdoor gear, and never looked back.

Now I’m on my third converted Sprinter van that I spend roughly half the year living and organize a van life festival called Open Roads Fest to inspire other people to follow their van life dreams. My partner Ryan and I have traveled all over the United States, racking up countless outdoor adventures and encounters with all kinds of cool people that I’ll never forget. We’ve driven 14,000-foot passes in Colorado, leaf peeped in New England, road tripped the Canadian Rockies, and more.

I’ve fallen in love with this lifestyle, and I’m not sure I’ll ever stop. I truly believe van life is one of the most fulfilling ways to live and travel, and for those of you who are dreaming, I’m here to inspire you and show you how it’s done. Whether you are considering van life as a part-time or full-time endeavor, investing in or converting a van is a process full of big decisions. Navigating the many different options, set-ups, conversions, and even designing your nomadic lifestyle can feel overwhelming.

So to make it easier for you, this blog post is the ultimate van life 101 guide filled with van life how-tos and answers to some most frequently asked questions. In this post, I cover everything from choosing and converting a van plus other helpful tips like how to earn money on the road and where to find essential amenities such as showers and fill stations. In many cases, I link to additional resources on our blog if you want to dive deeper.

Whatever your goals are, remember that there’s no right or wrong way to do van life — and that’s the best part. It’s all about making your life on the road work for you.