Photo: Shutterstock
Vanlife is the new American Dream. Young adults of this generation don’t aspire to take on a mortgage and 2.5 kids, rather a home on wheels with endless freedom and adventure. Ironically, the dream of the perfect van isn’t the easiest to achieve either, with costs for a new conversion starting at around $30k. Saving up for this fantasy life can feel just as out of reach as the dream of home ownership — but if freedom is calling you, you can opt for a fixer-upper or tough it out with fewer options.
Vintage Volkswagen buses, custom off-road vehicles, SUVs, re-purposed step vans, and even garbage trucks will get the trick done. Any vehicle you can fit a bed into you can turn into a home. What you build will depend on how much time, space, and money you have. A kitchen, shower, custom cabinetry, standing space, or electricity are all nonessential to your survival because you can be out and living on the road with little more than a mattress, some curtains, and some street savvy.
Vandwelling existed long before Instagram; before it was a glamorous hashtag associated with youth and wealth. It was plain old vagrancy. Despite the popularity of adventure vans in the media (even in their advent in the 60s and 70s), the majority of vandwellers are not living in an artfully designed space while hunting down adventures and blogging it as they go. They are poor, squeaking in their vehicle because they have no other option, are saving up for the surf trip of their dreams, or just can’t force themselves to live a “normal” life. Yet it’s a supportive community, sharing survival tips and tricks (but never their secret, perfect parking spot).
The realities of living in your car are pretty harsh, but the freedom makes every challenge worthwhile. There are a lot of guides to van design and the art of letting go, but when it comes to surviving the day-to-day it’s a matter of experience.
Editor’s Note: Learn more about your vehicle in part 2 of The Definitive Vanlife Guide, coming soon.
Sometimes ditching the fancy boats and big crowds is the best call you can make. Photo: Shutterstock
