30 Of The Most Epic Bus And Van Conversions

Not sure if life on the road is right for you? According to the Van Clan founder people from all walks of life are jumping on board with this new trend, the only qualification - an adventurous soul. "It’s your typical adventurous human who just wants to live a little, you could be 18 years of age straight out of school, or freshly retired, there’s no real type of person who takes on this lifestyle, but you can bet your money, that each one who does has an adventurous streak in them that wants to discover new places and meet new people," said Saltalamacchia.

Getting started on your van life journey may seem daunting but Saltalamacchia has some words of advice for newcomers before they purchase a van or throw down money on construction supplies."If you’re looking at taking on the van life we really suggest you think about it hard. Is living in a tiny box really what you want? Do you want someone knocking on your vehicle at 2am in the morning one day because you’ve parked in the wrong spot? Do you want to pee in bushes now and then? These are some of the things that will most likely happen, but you’ll be rewarded with many incredible experiences along the way." 

If you think you have what it takes to tough it out in the great outdoors, the Van Clan founder says there are some logistics to consider while planning, "Firstly, if you’re buying an already converted van, you may have to redesign it to your style if not, then you’ll have to do a conversion that has multiple uses, for example, your seating will convert into a bed, and then convert into a desk, and while all that’s going on, it’s storage space at the same time. Secondly, do you want a toilet and/or a shower? If so, again, prepare to somehow fit it in to your vehicle, for smaller vehicles this might not be an option. And thirdly, test drive it. Find a rental, and rent it for a weekend, see if you can deal with the space, does it drive well? And is it something you can LIVE in."

Downsizing is cost efficient in the long term, but how much does a van conversion set you back? "Van conversions vary in price, you can go as cheap as $1,000 if you really want the bare bones and fancy finding scrap wood, or you can go all out and have conversions well over the $10,000 mark, " explained , "It all depends on the size of your van, and how deep you want to go with the conversion, we recommend doing it yourself with a budget, it makes every inch feel more YOU." As for monthly expenses the cost is very little, he said, "Your biggest outgoing is gas, then food, then insurance. You can do it all on as little as $250 a month, but your average van lifers is most likely spending around $300-$600 per month living in a van, and that’s including gas."

One hesitation people have about a smaller home is not just missing the larger luxuries but basic hygiene, however this expert said that the idea that van life people don't shower is probably the biggest misconception about this lifestyle. "This could not be further from the truth, yes, there’s times where you don’t shower for a couple of days, but getting to a water source, or using a portable shower bag is very common with van lifers. Most of them are very clean!"

But who has the time and resources to just take off for a year? "Many people think you have to do van life for years, no, you could be doing it for a year, a few months, or even a couple of weeks, hell, you could be a weekend warrior, someone who likes to do it on the weeks only. Van life can be a day, or a lifetime, it’s your path, you can choose how long it lasts."

It's hard not to daydream about traveling around and spending the night with breathtaking views in the background, but just like with anything on social media Saltalamacchia warns to take these #VanLife instagram pics with a grain of salt. "Van life is one of the most glamorized lifestyles on social media, not everyone eats strawberries on top of their van, looking at the sunset with their cute dog but I think knowing this will let you take each picture with a grain of salt. These moments can happen, but trust us, it’s not every weekend, some weekends you’ll be stuck in a shopping mall car park, but then some weekends you’ll be on a beach with a cold beer, reading a book with no care in the world."

However, if you weigh the pros and cons and think you have what it takes to be one of these van explorers, the van life enthusiast says it is well worth it, "The most rewarding part about this lifestyle is the peace of mind you get when you’re on the road. You have very little outgoings, you have the choice to go wherever your heart desires and you get to meet a lot of incredible people. The lifestyle is the rewarding part, it all comes together to be a relaxing, slow yet eventful way of living that many can’t wait to start. Time slows down when you live the van life."