I Tried Van Life... Here's Why I Would NOT Buy One 

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After having owned a class B van for over three years, I can say that it has completely changed the way I travel. No more hotels, I have my favorite bedding and food ,drinks and snacks wherever I am. I have a clean bathroom four steps away. And parking is never a problem. When set up properly, it’s like having your home with you anywhere you go. There are endless free places to stop each night and you don’t have to keep to anyone else’s schedule. Learning the tech of the van makes it fun.

Hey Shelby - Here's where you went wrong from someone who travels like this part-time with a RU-vid channel (but in a Tesla Model Y)... I have friends who do this full-time as well in a van and have met hundreds of others while on the road. 1. I wouldn't buy and then rent out a van as a business unless you already have been doing #vanlife for a while and love it. You need to know the vehicle backwards and forwards and also have a passion to use it when it's not being rented out or it won't be worth it. This goes for your boat idea or pretty much anything similar. 2. Ask others more experienced for their best tips before going even for a weekend as you made quite a few mistakes that if avoided would have made your trip quite a bit more enjoyable. (For instance many people shower at nationwide gyms like Anytime Fitness, Planet Fitness or Snap Fitness for under $35/mo or have portable showers their vehicle isn't already equipped.) 3. Don't ever go to a KOA. Nobody who does #vanlife would go to one for the exact reasons you stated. Instead, use apps like Compendium & The Dyrt to find great campsites (many for free) with reviews/pics/prices etc from thousands of other campers. Use the built in filters to find exactly what you're looking for. The best campsites I've ever stayed at were when I was doing dispersed camping which is completely free. That's where you'll find the most beautiful scenery and can relax and enjoy yourselves in privacy with plenty of space. That's also where you'll meet cool and interesting people doing this for a living. They won't be at a KOA. The whole point of this lifestyle is to enjoy the great outdoors while experiencing new adventures daily. This includes hiking, fishing, whitewater rafting, nature photography, cooking/grilling etc... You won't find that at a KOA. As for places to stay... those apps also will tell you what parking lots are available and safe with reviews, but if you're just renting a van (expensive) for a few days, don't ever stay at a parking lot unless it's absolutely necessary because you're too tired to keep driving. Some Walmarts & Cracker Barrels allow it, but like you said... they can be sketchy. My suggestion is to use those apps as well as watch others who have visited those areas previously and take down notes on where to stay. For instance if I was planning to rent a van and go to Yellowstone National Park, I would watch some videos of people who have already been there to see where the best places to stay are. I'm sure there's more, but this is already getting too long. Hope that helps! Feel free to reach out with any questions. (We actually have mutual friends/acquaintances.)

Honestly, I think Vanlife is just not for you - which is okay!!! We do vanlife for the experiences, and the freedom it gives us. We don’t need to stay in one place if we don’t want to. For people doing this based off all of the 135k sprinters and Instagram photos people post - that is not 100% of the time. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, but it isn’t everyday. It’s a more difficult way to live, but like with any lifestyle, it comes with challenges. It is just weighing which one brings you more joy! :)

I love an AirBnB host complaining about $22 campsites all alone on a farm. I love that this is a way for farmers to make a little extra cash.

To actually have a good experience, you have to plan ahead of time. Kind of like with any travel, you would plan ahead of time where you're going to be sleeping.

Love your videos! Harvest host is always a great resource for van lifers! It’s $100 a year and you get access to thousands of farms, breweries, wineries, ect that you can stay at as long as you purchase sometimes at the business. We have always had great experiences doing that.

Thing about vanlife is that it has a high learning curve. So either you have a high adaptability personality or your build is beginner friendly. Its still a new lifestyle (yes, despite the fact that this was widely popular 50-60 years ago). The infrastructure is still bare, parts are highly specialized so either fabricate it yourself or pay a premium. Builds are becoming more and more intricate but because it is still in experimental stages, convenience builds are still rare and/expensive.

As someone who got really into the online vanlife community for years before buying and self-converting one, there is so much you’re missing lol I have yet to pay for parking (harvest hosts is a GREAT backup to finding free places) and we usually stay in beautiful spots

I’m an older woman, traveling alone, and just completed a 10 week trip around the country in my Toyota Highlander. I stayed in Cracker Barrel, Walmart, Cabela’s and casino parking lots. In Yonkers, I parked at a metered parking space next to an apartment building. (Near apartments are great for stealth camping) In Rhode Island I parked in visitor parking at an apartment complex. You get creative and use apps like Free Roam to help find safe places. This lifestyle isn’t for everyone. The longer you’re out the more you learn. You meet a lot of people that give you ideas to make living on the road easier and cheaper. VanLife is a great way to take the time to travel and really experience what this kind of life has to offer. To me it’s worth it!

As someone who's lived out of his car, rest stops along the highway are your friend, and they're FREE. The one near Fargo/Moorhead along 94 was "home" for me for a whole summer. You can find decent stops that accomodate cars and trucks/RVS. At least along 94 MN through 76 into PA, but I'd think 40, 80, etc. would also have them. They might have a ten hour stop rule, which is more than enough to do your thing. And they're usually quiet. Trucks stops are also good, and they have showers and everything. I just finished a trip across country actually and slept in my car in Minnesota and Indiana because it got too late for a motel to be worthwhile. Not comfortable in a coupe, for sure. In a van, you'd be fine. Personally, I've had some of my best nights sleeps in my car, even cramped up. The brain adapts, I guess. I'd avoid Wal-Mart, but sometimes you can find empty streets right behind that are good to park at. I did just that in ND a couple of times when I moved there years ago. I definitely wouldn't be spending $60 to stay at a campsite. But then again, I wouldn't bother with a van. The toilet set-up is a NOPE for me on its own. Just make bathroom stops along the way. An SUV is good enough to fit a sleeping bag for two adults in the back if you lay down the seats. And you wouldn't have to worry about about all the maintenance stuff. I mean, truck drivers do this stuff everyday and they've got smaller living space than a van.

I learned 20 yrs ago camping with the family during the summers, yes we had a trailer, is difficult to get used to the everyday chores.

One thing I struggle with is that people don't realise that sometimes van life isn't a choice, its the only option. I live in a bus, and if I wasn't poor and was travelling in it, I would be an influencer. As a poor person, there's some things that anger me a little.

To each their own! Haha! I love van life.. Or in my case, Prius Life! I spent almost all of august and part of September camping around. There’s apps you can use to find cheap or free parking spots. There’s a lot of cons and a LOTTT of pros! I did it as a single female and LOVED it! Cannot wait to travel again to do it! Next month taking two weeks and am SO excited! It’s not for everyone! Great video though! ❤️

The author already stated how she felt about the experience so my intention is to offer the public a different point of view. I rented a van for about 10 days and didn’t spend a cent outside of gas and groceries. I didn’t eat at restaurants or rent campsites. I bought local foods, cooked inside and outside the van with a Coleman propane stove. I used the composting toilet, used some feminine wipes and/or sponge bathed, and used a bit of dry shampoo. I may have wandered into a cool bar here and there but I ultimately disconnected and went off grid. If I had to be out longer, I’d shower at a beach or a gym. Also, you’re safe locked up inside a huge metal box as long as you know how to use blackout curtains for “stealth camping” and get the instinct to drive away when needed. Fortunately, nothing bad or sketchy happened to me. I did notice when I was in a sketchy area but that’s part of the anthropology of traversing over hundreds of miles through diverse communities. If you feel unsure of an area, just keep driving. You’d be surprised how quickly those little pockets disappear. To be honest, I only felt uncomfortable in bourgeois suburban cities (mainly in SoCal) where its inhabitants were nosey af. I was touring up the Pacific Northwest from San Diego and had several epic opportunities to sleep in the woods or in front of beaches without a soul in sight. It was life changing. I loved the experience so much that I’m willing to back out of nursing school and sell my house to live off grid for at least a year to see cool sights and experience what life has to offer. *However, if you’re doing vanlife for Instagram content then it probably isn’t for you because having those intentions might cloud your gratitude for the unstaged experiences. I also highly recommend using “free and dispersed camping” apps like Sēkr or the Dyrt. The point of vanlife is a tad anti-establishmentarian despite the irony of the van being worth about 100k or more. At the end of the day, I say live and let live. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it, etc. There’s nothing wrong with not loving vanlife or hating Hagrid hair :)

I'm glad you tried it out before buying one for sure! I will say, most people who live van life, or aspire to, enjoy the process of researching trips and where to stay. Planning trips is half the fun. If you aren't someone who enjoys that then I agree - not for you!

Didn't you know that KOA stand for Kamping On Asphalt?? I would say the only reliable, non-sketchy places to stop for free would be rest stops. You can always find those. If you stay at Walrmart, check with customer service if they allow it. Generally, the closer to the city you are, the less likely it is allowed. The main problem with camping is that they are all on reservation system and they are all booked months in advance. But when you get there find that half the campground is empty because people just don't show up or cancel. I have "squatted" on these unused but reserved campsites. If you want to do some "nice" camping on public lands for free near Seatte, I would suggest Mountain Loop Highway past Granite Falls, WA. You can stop along the river where they have many pullouts.

Thanks for your honesty and being curious. 😊 I’m more like you regarding van life. Nah, not for me. Didn’t think these types of vans are rentable; good to know.

When you have kids the KOA's are great but they have gotten to expensive so we rarely stay at them. There is a Really awesome KOA in Temecula California though

Maybe you already do this, but if you don't sleep well try turning off both your wifi and the electricity (fuse box switch) to your bedroom area at night. Many people are sensitive to the buzzing of electrical devices as well as wifi. This is the closest you can come to a "sleeping at a farm" feeling when you are home in suburbia! Good quality air is also helpful, so an open window (if it's secure) or an air purifier that you run for a few hours prior to turning the electricity off will help immensely.

I did van life for 2 weeks in Sardinia and loved it! I knew what I was getting into and just dived in to the lifestyle. It’s not a resort you have to do everything from sun up to sun down to set yourself up for a great day and a comfortable night! I’m watching tons of videos now and doing research so that I’m ready to invest in my own van.. anyone who’s an explorer knows you have to have a flexible, adaptable mindset and realize every lifestyle comes with ups and downs. Best of luck to those doing this on a budget and those who have the cash for every little convenience..

Van life on the west coast is a different story. 😎

This video is so well done! Very enjoyable to watch, thanks for sharing Shelby!!

You bring a filter to hook up to the hose on the outside before you hook up to campground water

I thought about doing this recently but when I researched the actual cost (rental+mileage+gas+campsite+insurance) I realized it was ridiculously expensive. Enough to go on a really nice vacation to a beach resort somewhere. The van life boom has caused van conversions and campsites to have become really over priced and I think there will soon be a crash next year when people try to dump their overpriced vans and stop renting camping locations. I’m waiting for that to happen before I think of buying a van.

great vid Shelby!! loved the perspective

Hi Shelby, I am addicted to utube Vanlife nomadic life style but that’s totally different to your 3day experience for what you had in mind for yourself . Glad you got the result you needed to make your decision 😀❤

I bought a camper. I'm not paying inflated rent or buying a house until a major correction comes, I'm staying in the camper and stacking $$$$$ to start a business

Thanks for breaking down the whole cost wow it came out to a lot. Love seeing these experiences from you!

I live in NC about an hour and a half from Wrightsville beach.. but the fire ants are so bad here & they are jerks lol. But I appreciate the realness of this video. I have a couple of friends who started doing van life & am glad they love it. My husband jokes that he would like to do this someday in the future, but after watching your video, I can tell it’s not for me 😂

I know this wasnt on purpose but this video was hilarious! Ive always wanted to go camping and also wanted a van but I know I just wouldnt make it. The strength and courage you had to one drive that thing back and sweep the ants away! God bless you sister. I wouldve fainted and caught a flight. Thank you for doing this so that I wouldnt have to! I enjoyed living vicariously through you

We used to camp at KOA’s when I was a kid and I remember them being so much fun! They usually had a pool and playground, but this was out west in and around Colorado. The location of the one you went to was horrible!! Glad you had an eye opening experience in the van!

I love your videos. I love your personality. I will say that your lack of camping experience is pretty obvious here. I love how you said, ‘ it’s what’s called a KOA. ‘ all people who camp know what a KOA is. With that said a lot of KOAs are VERY, VERY nice. I think … maybe … if you linked up with a more experienced camper you might like it more? But maybe not! It’s not for everyone. Happy to see you are willing to try new things! ❤❤❤

We used ioverlander app for free spots to camp overnight! I think you could've done more research on this haha!:) Also, I think most people don't use the toilet in the van, unless for emergency!

This was an awesome video! Thank you so much for sharing your experience Shelby!

We currently live in our van and have for a year now! Don't know if you'll even see this because this video was six months ago but you're right it's not always not always glamorous or easy but it is a huge learning curve! But once you get the hang of it it's 1000% worth it. I would say I don't think the east coast was the best first place to try van life however your first campsite did seem pretty amazing and $20 is really cheap, most campsites are like $50-60 dollars per night but most of us that live on the road stay in blm land which is free, national forest which is also free and worth it, and we us different apps that help us find these free places. One huge one is called ioverlander, If you ever reconsider trying it out again I would recommended checking out the west coast! We've been to all 10 states on the west coast and the all have so much to offer and so much beauty! I hope you see this so you can try vanlife again on the west coast and see the realistic, but not everyday, dream life of van life!!!!

Thank you for the feedback on your experience. I don't own one but am thinking about it. I think you have to go into van life thinking that is the only home you are going to have otherwise there will always be the temptations/comforts of a house, apartment...etc. that a person will fall back to. Once someone living the van life has it dialed in, there will still be differences and comforts of living in a house/apartment, but I am pretty sure some of the struggles and discomforts of living in a van will be reduced.

you guys are over here trying to correct her, but she’s coming from the perspective of where a lot of people look at van life glamorously because of what is portrayed on social media. She showing what it really is like to someone who knows nothing about van life but is interested and also considering that over having an apartment or house, and you guys who are significantly more experience or acting like she supposed to know how to go about her first rental like an expert. Literally calm down I’m glad she shared this video and I think all of her perspective and commentary is incredibly valuable.

van life on the east is much harder than the west, where there is public land you are allow to park in. You can also get free spots with Harvest Host (you pay subscription fee but it's less than $100 a year). That would make a big difference.

Electricity and water cost $8. They have to make a profit. I've found around $35 as an average in Eastern USA. Spray peppermint oil/water mixture all over the van to keep out mice and bugs. I don't do Koa's because of the price.

I lived in a car for financial necessity, not by choice or doing any glamorous camping. But iOverlander is an excellent resource for cheap camping spots. The US Forest Service has what we call “BLM land” which is free public access land to park and camp. I wish you would have featured an interview with a full-time van lifer (not social media stars) with more knowledge about the community. I guess there are a lot of RU-vidrs that glamorize the lifestyle. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart or high-maintenance. Also Walmart parking lots were some of my worst nights of sleep, I found that stores like Cabelas and Bass Pro Shop also offer free overnight parking for RVs, and they’re generally in safer areas. These were definitely still last resort spots for me. It does wear on you after months or years of feeling like you’re constantly searching for a safe place to sleep at night, so I feel like your concerns were valid. But there are definitely cheaper ways to go about vanlife.

What a great video Shelby, love your journalistic touch, quite helpful to get a less idealized realistic view of the experience.

I have a pick up with a roof top tent mostly travel My home country of Scotland because we have free roaming laws and can park anywhere! A van is definitely a great rental idea for a specific type of person you have to be really Into the idea of just being away from it all and being off grid which is the best part.

Enjoyed this video. I enjoy watching videos of people living the nomad life. Living out of their converted vans, buses, and of course campers. Not the life for me but it is still interesting to watch others manage this lifestyle 😊

You should check out the book "bicycling with butterflies" The author followed the monarch migration for 10k miles on her bicycle. She talks a lot about not having places to camp along the way.

Not for me, but my wife wants to do that full time. NYET!!!

I am from NC and never even stop for gas in Lumberton. Also best beach camping in NC is the OBX. The KOA is even nice there. This makes me want to lease spaces at our farm and beach house.

Thank you for sharing this. It is such a hype and growing since 2020. Love that you always share very realistic experiences and cost. I saw several youtuber girl vanlife but they made it such an easy and nice experience.

So happy you gave us all this information!!! My husband is buggy me to buy a van and after your video!!! I really don’t want to!!! But I’m almost 70 so that is part of it!

😱OMG I could hug you for making this video. My experience was with a tiny house and my build fell apart when were we wanted to park it fell apart. My spouse wants vanlife instead but I don't like to travel and I'm also high maintenance☺ BUT yeah we're going to keep renting our 300sqfoot studio until we figure things out more.

My buddy from University always had this saying when we'd be out partying and some SC song girl would be complaining about mosquitos or bugs, plastic cups or utensils...."POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL"

Wow the hate in these comments are really rough! She just simply gave her experience before she committed to buying one. Van life is not for everyone and she made it clear it wasn’t for her. I think she was just trying to highlight all the ins and outs of owning one with the mind set of renting it out. She kept it real with us. I think she did a great job of showing some of the realities of people who have only watched van life in a glamorous way. For me it was helpful because I keep thinking I want to get one. It’s different for everyone. My best friend would absolutely thrive in that lifestyle. For me I need a home base to feel comfortable. I would love to rent one but I can see how I would not feel safe or comfortable all the time. Shelby was showing us her reality of not having the knowledge before hand, she owns other properties and this just wouldn’t work for her. I think it’s great advise to rent one first and decide if it’s for you or not. Other people love it and they obviously learn where to go for everything. I’m sure it’s get easier and more lovable with more time and knowledge.

Campsites used to be free and they would have a sort of trucker like bathroom. It had a few showers and bathrooms. You just had to wear shoes.. my grandparents were Christian missionaries back then. So, we did this 3 mos every summer up and down the easy coast

When my BFF and I did a road trip back in college (oh my, I’m now realizing that that was 1990 so I’m dating myself just a smidge here!) we ended up stopping at a KOA once and had your exact experience! My grandpa had recommended KOA‘s because he said they were safe and they had all sorts of “conveniences.” I probably should’ve gotten clarity on what he meant by that… It was so bad. 😅Watching your video brought back some hilarious memories! Thanks for that. Great video!😊🎉

Good thing you tried it out first. I’ve been watching nomadic lifestyle for 5 years now, I’ve learned enough through watching others live this lifestyle. It definitely has some advantages to it but not enough. I think the biggest thing for me is finding places to stay and your right I’ve driven to Walmart parking lots at night and they can be sketchy at times. Camping cost to experience if your having to do that often and the gas. It all adds up. It’s not really cheap and overall you can end up spending more money than just renting. I think I’ll stick to a rental unit and take mini day trips or overnight camping trips. Thanks for sharing your experience!

We have been living in our van for two years. Interesting to hear your thoughts - and you can just park wherever, you just have to be a bit more ballsy (waffle house actually seemed like a good option lmao) or know where to go on public land (we never pay for campgrounds). Hope you had fun!

Try a van sized motor home. You get loads more features than the van you tried usually there’s a toilet etc. They’re great 😊

Thank you for sharing your experience.

Great video, Shelby! It sounded like you were stressing about it in your vlogs, but I think it came out really well. It's refreshing to hear an honest take on van life that isn't all sunshine and rainbows.

Great review. We rented an airstream from outdoorsy to also see if we would like it before we went and bought one. Some of your complaints were ones I had myself. The best campground we found was in Malibu CA but hey, it's Malibu - you can't go wrong. One thing I noticed is a lot of the campgrounds in CA won't allow van campers - we stayed in Newport Beach and Malibu and both had notices "no van or tent campers allowed". We quickly decided against getting an RV - it's just too expensive. We did our camping trip with another couple who had just purchased an RV, a huge 43 foot that had slide outs, a huge TV, king bed, fireplace and a huge bathroom plus a half bath - their slide out at one place got stuck in and at another place got stuck out - both times they had to have a traveling mechanic come out to help. Our airstream had a broken steadying leg - so we could not level the airstream - the owner of the airstream didn't tell us about this before we left, she ended up giving us a free night. We also became a pesky renter because we were constantly messaging her about several issues we had with the camper and several questions on how to set things or get things working properly so I imagine it's like that with every renter of an RV.

Bureau of land management and harvest host are both free campsites. At harvest host you’r at someone’s farm and the most they expect from you is to buy some of the produce.

appreciate how real this was. A LOT of youtubers make it more appealing than it is

I don’t think people go to koa for “camping”. It’s more like a place to stay while in a town for a hot second and or to a attraction in the area. Bonus is they have a pool if hiking in the area and or etc. only stay at KOa if I’m going to sleep immediately.

Thanks for the entertaining video!Very glad that you tried it and found out what it was like.

the van is so beautiful and great for a nice holiday or renting out . great video ps; the campsite is so lovely at the farm

Nice video. It’s like you did an extended test drive. Great insight for using a van before making the jump. Harvest Host and Boondockers Welcome are nice options.

Also in your conclusion/outro your hair looks so good!

I love this, thanks for sharing your research with us!

Wow! This was really informative. I’ve watched a few ‘van-life’ RU-vid channels that seems to focus on the positive sides, of this lifestyle, and only glance over the negative aspects. You’ve convinced me to stay at the Polynesian Resort, and just visit Fort Wilderness, when visiting Disney World (sort of joking).

Thank you so much. I have watched all the fun of van life but I’m like you don’t think it would be fun for long.

Rest areas and truck stops are free. Plus truck stops usually have showers.

im from asheville and ive been watching you since you guys started!! so crazy

Doing your homework before trying out the van life would have helped. There is harvest host that lets you camp for free. There is an app for this.

Truck stops are actually your friend on a road trip. You can sleep and move on in the morning. They have bathrooms, pay per use showers. Food you can buy not to mention gas and services. Plenty of people have been told a lot of places vanlifers visit are day use only and not campsties, but most people don’t listen. The thing about people who vanlife fulltime is they embrace the adventure of it. So that means a lot of public land that’s not a paid campsite. Many people boondock and reduce (paid) campsites to a luxury splurge. And you can prob park that van more places to stop and sleep then you think. I have lived in a built out boxvan in an urban enviorment working for over a year, street parking without issue. And there are a bunch of ways to have access to showers, most vanlifers adjust to the best option. In town it might be a gym membership, in the middle of a campsite it might be your personal solar shower. Some campsites are for literally a stop over and not for the scenic elements of the campsite itself. Like you might grab a KOA spot to have a place while you visit a town not too far away.

When I’m on the road I’d we’re going 12-16 hours I’ll just knock it out my self, straight shot. The more you stop the longer it takes. Only stop for fuel, use the bathroom there

Van life/Caravan life is not for me - call me fussy, but I like my space, convenience and privacy, as well as just having a stable (and non-mobile) roof over my head. 😅

Loved your honesty! 👏👏👏👏

Lol $8 camping I’ve only found one campsite for $7 a night you much pitch a tent it’s in Texas love watching your first time experience

$8.00 per night camping was the going rate for state parks, back in the late 1980’s. { 6:39 - Video reference point. } ||| Wow on the total weekend rental costs.

Great job Shelby! City folks and regular folks have noooo idea what they're getting into with the so called "Vân Life." Thanks, a bunch!

Sam time is important than van life like you spend time with this great guy together and have fun this is the spirit 👫

Van life is a decision between comfort and freedom. A house has a lot of comfort but you're not free to go wherever you want without worrying about your house being robbed.

One with a shower and toilet and stove top n sink is needed ......overall if you wanna live this life you would want everything you'd need and not to compromise unless your lifestyle fits the build

I have a full size Toyota SLE van. You can fit a 4’x8’ sheet of plywood inside. I called it the blizzard behemoth for the first two months I drove it. It’s big and has a wide turn radius too. Funny you’re the first Van life person to mention this. But this van was the BEST driving thru mountains in SC, NC, TN. ( might be the Lexus auto 8 spd transmission tho)

Excellent video. Good job !

Park in truckstops or industrial areas or rest areas for free. Showers at truckstops or gyms

Such a challenger ! I've always admired your challenging spirit since your 300k subscriber days. Despite all the troubles and costs, your lifestyle of continues challenges clearly seems to be working out in a positive way.

I've heard that KOAs used to be the way to camp and they've kind of gone bad over the years. Loved this video, since I've been considering getting a van as well. Thanks for sharing all the little things other people don't normally shared. Looooove staying in places where you can't see any light at night (except stars/moon). I grew up in a place like that.

Let me start with, camping is NOT for me. Been there, tried it (with AC) and still, NOT for me. So now my version of camping is TownePlace Suites or Fairfield Inn. Yeah. Anyways, I totally agree there Shelby....some "vanlifer's" don't tell/show you everything...and you didn't even mention the emptying of the tanks, which most times you have to do before returning, or there is an extra charge for that. It "could" be cheap if you do everything yourself...and know/enjoy doing that stuff. Sure it's great to take your home/hotel with you cause there are some great places to stop. Maybe I'll try this one day, probably because the future wife/girlfriend wants to. LOL Good on you for trying it and ouch on that price.

Just a quick tally of gas, places to stay, maintaining a vehicle and a home all in one is all that's needed to realize its a bad idea. I had a 26 foot RV. Loads of fun but not meant to be a permanent residence. I think a van full time would be a brutal lifestyle.

I was just starting to watch an old video bc i’ve watched all her new ones but here’s a new one!! Thank you shelby❤❤❤

I lived on my boat in that exact spot in Wilmington for free for a few months. sold my boat and now live in my van

This was so helpful - great insight

😂 that was the biggest issue was stopping in Lumberton. Never stop in Lumberton. You were better off driving another 1.5hrs towards Raleigh to camp out.

As an Outdoorsy renter, I can tell you that I made $4,763 this year so far renting 9 times with mostly weekend rentals. It is very rare to get week-long rental, but my RV was rented out nearly every weekend during the summer months. This only works because I already own a fully paid off RV parked at my house, so this is all nearly pure profit. If I had to buy my 1995 Winnebago Rialta today, that would run about $25k. The return of 5K on 25K would be around 20%, which isn't bad. To buy a van new is 180K and then the return is a measly 2.7% although a newer van might rent more, but the financials of buying new just don't work out. My vintage 27 year old Rialta hasn't had any expensive problems so far (although a single incident with engine/transmission would wipe out any profit) and my renters have been very happy.

I so agree ✨️ As a digital nomad & part-time vanlifer 🚃 I learned that it's important to listen & learn from others who have already been through situations like this. Gratitude & thanks for sharing !!

you can park it almost wherever, but you need to black out your windows and make sure you aren't leaking light. Tinted windows with a pop in mylar shield works best.

I hear you on being sensitive/"picky" sleeper. I am as well - people chalk it up to being difficult or "picky" and truly, I wish I wasn't like that and I just say - hey, I'm just communicating my needs otherwise I will be grumpy in the morning and no one wants that, so we all win. 😎😉

Good information, although, I don't know who built that out, the build was subpar IMO.

Public parks, and camping areas like wild life reservations (not rv camp grounds) are good places to stay overnight. Just wanted to point that out.