My third converted van
Unlike larger RV’s, it’s easy to drive, similar to a car. It can accommodate 2 to 3 people, but more than that can cause for some cramped quarters. You might look at one as a small motorhome built on a van chassis. It is easy to drive and quite comfortable. It has a small kitchen with a cook stove, water and sink, cupboards and a refrigerator. Some even have a shower and toilet, a TV, awning, and electricity supplied by solar and a battery when off grid. If they don’t come with a toilet, a porta-potti can be purchased from Amazon or some other source for just over $100.00 and are easy to maintain and can be easily stored in the van.
Sink and water system in my van. Fresh water in, gray water out.
Some van dwellers even carry a small portable generator.
Today, vans are becoming more and more popular and van build-out companies are springing up all over the country. With easy access to the Internet, I see more and more people, young and old traveling and working remotely from their vans; even professional types such as traveling nurses.
If you want a home away from home, I would recommend a van as your better option for many reasons. It is smaller and easier to drive and navigate than a larger RV. It is much better on gasoline usage which can be a huge budget saver not to mention maintenance costs. It’s easy to get around cities and can be parked mostly where any car can park. It is an ideal choice for camping, especially if you have a desire to stay away from expensive and noisy campgrounds. Vans can be easily driven off road and take you places that larger RV’s cannot go. It can provide all the amenities you might want to go camping and travel the country. Vans, especially the well, built-out ones offer all the comfort you have been accustomed to.
Interior of my van, almost finished. Note Dometic refrigerator near sink and solar powered battery box in foreground
They are great for camping when it comes to inclement weather. No more wet, cold tents. If it rains or snows, just hop inside your nice, warm van and have a hot cup of cocoa, tea or coffee and read a book or watch TV.
Finished interior of my van. Refrigerator, solar power when off-grid, MaxxAir Fan, etc
Campgrounds today are almost as expensive as a good motel room, not to mention the noise and crowded conditions. Thousands of people are taking to the highways today to get out into nature, explore and enjoy this great country and they don’t want campgrounds, they want to boondock. And what better way to boondock than in a van.
Boondocking in the Sonoran Desert of southwest Arizona
So, if you’re dreaming of traveling and camping and enjoying all this wonderful country has to offer, you might want to seriously consider a converted van. If you’re unsure of spending the money for a van and then not liking it, you can always rent a camper van for a weekend to see if it’s something you might like. Then go out there and have a great traveling and camping experience.
Bill Jones bought and converted his first van about 10 years ago. He travels all over North America in his self-converted and very comfortable van. He has stayed in a paid campground only once during all these years. The rest of his time spent traveling and camping has been boondocking on BLM (Bureau of Land Management), Government land which is available to all of us for free.
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Until next time…
