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Imagine waking up at Zion National Park. You look out your window, taking in terracotta-colored rocks set against a vast blue sky while your kettle heats. After sipping on tea, you decide to take a quick hike before packing up and driving to Bryce Canyon. There, you’ll park and explore the rest of the afternoon. At night, you’ll cook dinner, check your email, and head to bed. But before sleep, you hit the automatic lock button—on your van. Which is also your home.
Welcome to van life.
Valley of Fire
Photo by: Travellers Autobarn / Courtesy
What was once a niche lifestyle has become more mainstream, with more than 3.1 million Americans living full-time in vans or RVs, according to Harvest Hosts. Even more are renting vans for vacations instead of booking traditional hotels, especially with the U.S. ranking among the most expensive countries for travel.
Is van life right for you? Bastian Graf, sales and marketing manager for Travellers Autobarn, shares his top tips for van life newbies.
1. Make sure it fits your lifestyle (and budget).
Whether renting or buying, your van’s layout should match your lifestyle. If you work remotely, you might want a standing desk. Essentials like a comfy mattress and pillows, a portable gas cooker, water container and even a satellite phone are all worth considering.
Know your budget. At Travellers, rentals range from $57 to $200 per day with unlimited mileage, depending on the season.=Add food, gas and possible camping fees (unless you’re parking for free) and it’s still cheaper than a hotel.
Buying? Graf estimates the spend is between $30,000 and $50,000.
2. Manage your expectations.
Instagram might make van life look like a dream, but the reality is often rugged. It means finding showers and toilets … or using nature (responsibly). It means packing light, sharing tight quarters, and being okay with unpredictability.
“You need to be someone who’s kind of a planner,” says Graf. “Even if it goes against the van life culture, which is, you can just park anywhere and enjoy, you still want to have an idea where you’re going.”
3.Know where to park legally.
National park and state park campsites (which have fees) are good, safe options for overnight stays.
Generally, Bureau of Land Management land and National Forest land have free dispersed camping. Apps like The Dyrt can help you find these types of campsites. Around Las Vegas, they can be found near Lake Mead, Lovell Canyon, the Desert National Wildlife Refuge and Valley of Fire.
For a cheap city option, Circus Circus offers inexpensive parking. And some Walmart locations allow overnight parking. Just be sure to always park in legal, safe and well-lit areas.
4. Stay safe.
not doing van life right! Just be aware of your surroundings and take precautions to ensure the safety of yourself and your belongings.It’s assumed that you’ll be going out to remote locations—if you’re not, you’re
If you’ll be out of phone or internet service for a while, leave your itinerary with a trusted contact and check in with them once you reach your destination. (If something goes wrong while you’re out of service, they can call for help.) And while you’re sleeping in your van, always lock your doors and leave the driver’s seat clear in case you need to drive away from the area where you parked.
5. Stay plugged in and connected.
their rentals. According to Graf, campsites without electric hookups are typically 20%-50% cheaper. Plus, many national parks don’t offer them, so solar can be a lifeline. Travellers ==offers solar panels with
“Solar power is business critical,” says Graf. Solar powers your fridge, outlets and lighting, the key things you need to live in your van.
Whether for emergencies, admin or remote work, staying connected to phone service is non-negotiable. Because you’ll be traveling in and out of signal zones, a satellite phone or mobile Wi-Fi device is essential.
Where to explore in Las Vegas
Las Vegas may be known for its casinos, dining and nightlife, but for van lifers it’s something more—a gateway to the American Southwest. Hitting the road in Vegas gets you to some breathtaking national parks in a matter of hours.
Locally, the most popular spots to take your van for the night to experience nature include Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire and Lake Mead. (Just be sure to steer clear of these parks in the summer to avoid extreme temperatures.)
To the west there are must-sees like Death Valley, Joshua Tree and its vast open skies, and the San Bernardino National Forest outside of LA. To the east, a pair of Utah gems, Zion and Bryce Canyon, and the Grand Canyon’s magnificence in Arizona.
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