I Tried Van Life... Here's Why I Would NOT Buy One
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- Опубліковано 23 вер 2022
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Waysides ?
Other than the tree branch 😂did you have any other issues with the height of the van?
This is a great deal thank you! You must be a very nice person! btw nice name, it sounds kinda southern
You can always make a videos explaining how to use your van and send them to whomever rents your van.😁
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!
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.
I've never heard anyone say there are endless free places to stay. It seems to me that there would be, but never heard anyone say they didn't have to search & plan ahead. Do you plan ahead? Thanks
But how do you shower or make emergency stops to a bathroom? There are so many problems with "van life" that I wouldn't do it and even in big open Texas, parking is difficult. The LAST thing I would want to deal with is finding a parking spot when 50 other van "campers" are looking for one and I'm too tired to drive.
Yes--we love it too! We spent a month out west this spring and only stayed in hotels for two days. We stayed in some stunning places (on BLM land) for free.
I love the life, but "endless places to park"? Not happening. Not legally anyway.
@@bugout1895 "if u buy something you get to stay the night"
Hey Shelby - Here's where you went wrong from someone who travels like this part-time with a UA-cam 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.)
This is exactly what Shelby said. For a busy professional Van Life is too much effort.
I read your comment quickly so I might be repeating something you already said but... I believe you should do research daily on where you're going to sleep way before you actually need it in case you have some trouble... in the video you kind of just drove until you were ready to stop which seems nice but the reality is that you can't be that flexible and you have to at least plan in advance how far you'll go and where you'll stay
well said. it's too bad she was unprepared for this and is portraying van life so negatively. With such a huge platform you'd think she'd have some self awareness....
Great advice
Not enough research or prepping before heading out on the road. This was on-the-job training van life. A lot of problems could have been avoided with research and networking with experienced nomads.
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! :)
well said
I agree! No offence but she was just so negative imo.
Right I can’t wait to get on the road with my put. This is great for introverts…that’s me. I honestly enjoy my own self
@@Ralondat it’s hard to really feel all that the world has to offer when you aren’t alone
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.
Is she an AirBnB host?
@@swaters5127 yes
Yeah, I mean this was clearly a click bait video. It costs money to maintain campsites. But people are also not being forced purchase the sites either. I prefer paying the campsite fee because the locations are prime, beautiful and safe.
Lmaooo.....I think the irony CLEARLYYY went RIGHT over her head 🤦🏽♀️
the 22 was not bad at all. it was the total cost of everything together that is ridiculous
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.
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.
Well, the problem is the reservation ahead of time. Harvest hosts don't like guests showing up at the last minute. I like RV van life because I like freedom. I've recently spent between $40 and $65 a night at campgrounds.
With Harvest Hopes you have to be fully self contained, you don’t have any hookups, showers or toilets and can only stay one night.
@@evangewho56 It's easy that I need to add another ten miles to look for the Harvest host site. After arriving, I need to go out to talk to the host even though I'm tired and want to nap. For me, it's not worth my time, energy, and additional fuel cost for a couple of hours of stay.
@@jasonlucas2328 I was actually siding with you not against you, if one does not have a fully self contained vehicle it’s not viable, for full timers a membership at Thousand Trails is probably worth it, but it’s like KOA or commercial campgrounds it’s a parking lot with not much privacy, better to use public (federal, state, county) ones (some on honor system) not all the amenities but much cheaper.
that sounds like a whole lot of dealing with people...Id be in a constant state of dread knowing i was always going to have to barter to get permission to park each nite, screw that.
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.
Commenting from Fargo!
Commenting from Spearfish, South Dakota :) Such good points though! I moved here two years ago and I didn’t know much about truckers and how AMAZING some truck stops can be before moving here. Some people make it much more complicated than it needs to be, probably because they just don’t know about the less bougie options lol.
You're also a man so you don't have to worry about stopping on the side of a road or a truck stop and being harassed and potentially assaulted by men. This might just be a stereotype but I think some truckers are sketchy and have heard that it's a place where prostitution happens because the men have been trucking all day and haven't seen their families or are starved of physical touch
@@sophieminter0 I’ve slept at truck stops and I prefer them over sketchy hotels! Most of the truckers are in a completely different section of the truck stop, they have showers, and the employees are nicer/better trained for different situations. Pilot and Flying J are everywhere and always have cameras and decent lighting for safety!
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
Same here. Been full time since last march and have yet to pay a dime to sleep. Granted, the vast majority of my sleeping in urban stealth camping since I spend a ton of my time in cities. But I get out into national forests and BLM land from time to time.
this girl is obviously rich. she doesn't worry about paying for parking
@@Kevinschart i mean true but she’s making it sound like a unavoidable big deal to the audience that’s all
@@Yoga_With_Amy i agree. i'm saying she didn't put the work in to research properly because she knows she has plenty of money to throw at a parking problem. She probably parks the van and sleeps in hotels off camera lol
@@Kevinschart lol oh yeah totally!
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.
Why can’t you be an influencer if you’re poor?
I agree with Christian! Help teach other people of low income how to do it! It's a heck of a lot better than being homeless!
I was kinda in the same boat. I came to the same conclusion about the Van Life etc lifestyle to save $ and be able to travel.
Start your channel! I think there are lots of people who would appreciate it! :)
@@dontworrydehappy7104 all I have is a phone, my bus also doesn’t have wheels and I’m disabled so I rarely leave the house for anything apart from doctors. I’d love to see poor people on UA-cam, but I also couldn’t mentally deal with being shamed by anyone else in the stage in my life since people are so mean.
I have a UA-cam channel but I made booktube videos when I was younger and wanted to try and decide if I wanted to get back into videos but I also don’t know since quality of videos are amazing these days, I can’t go out and buy anything (apart from the mattress and extension of the bed I desperately need since we are still finishing it up) 😅
You’re both lovely humans! Oh and @Christian the reason I said that is I meant the clear divide of “influencers” who make a choice and can create insanely beautiful spaces, but people that scrap together and really work their asses off and have struggled, I’ve been looked down on by everyone for ‘letting yourself end up in this position’ when our country has no public housing available so it was either a tent in my friends yard or building out her dads old bus.
Just FYI, even poor people can do UA-cam. You’ve got a smart phone, that’s all one needs
@@jaamesfn Friend, I do agree that a cell phone is all you need to do videos if that is what you choose to do. I merely wish to say that you don't need to do anything fancy.
And quite frankly, Van Life type people are pretty cool - whether you spend $1000 on your entire build over the course of a long time or drop $100,000+ on a factory build, they're all pretty enthused and encouraging. Watch some of the Van Life videos by different channels.
And these Van Life people (several channels) who go around and interview the owners and tour rigs also do interviews with people who are poor and live out of their cars etc. People are very understanding, kind and supportive.
And I do remember seeing a video of a woman, living in a permanently placed school bus, who was also very low income. It's been a while and I don't remember her channel.
Anyways, you do what you need to do. If you do decide on this route, please remember that YOU are the boss - there's no pressure to do glossy edits, output videos every day etc. Just be yourself and not some fake prima donna, who fakes a perfect life in an attempt to get viewers.
And yeah, I get what you're saying about critics. It's hard when you're already depressed. But I honestly don't think you're going to encounter such problems in this area. If anything, perhaps contact one of the channels to come interview you to get you started?
Good luck and I hope things are getting better!
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!
Thanks for watching and leaving a comment🙏 let's talk private✍️
text📝 via telegram you're selected among my ongoing Christmas giveaway.
great vid Shelby!! loved the perspective
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 :)
Very well said!
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! ❤️
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.
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 UA-camrs 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.
BLM land on the east of Denver is SIGNIFICANTLY rarer than west of denver. And ioverlander reflects this. Whereas west of denver is just chock full of places to pull off and sleep, east of denver tends to be limited to walmarts and rest areas and urban stealth camping (though I digress on some people's ideas of 'stealth'). And even the ones available in the national forests and what little BLM land there is are generally few and far between.
And if you look at their likely path that they took via ioverlander, there is ZERO convenient spots to stop at that wasn't a campground or some park parking lot or walmart or rest area. That's how barren east of Denver can get.
Its why I learned to urban stealth camp so well. Cities tend to be close enough that I can just hop from city to city in a matter of hours and always have a place to sleep regardless of what local or state ordinances may be in place.
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.
I don’t know if they’ll ever be a total crash I mean a lot of people do buy really expensive vans and then realize I’d say well within six months to a year that it’s not for them but then they really do try to resell it way too high and you usually find people that will buy it because there’s a lot of people that are doing it but you really have to have a mindset for it I mean I don’t know Shelby personally but just from what I see I don’t think she would be the type of person that would really do that very long term and that’s not good or bad it’s just you know how it is. It’s not for everybody in fact a snowfall out of people even and also I think the way it’s portrayed on UA-cam a lot of time does way more glamorous not really is
@@roguewavecreative so van life is here to stay, itll never stop no matter what and eventually the whole nation will live in vans?
@@joejones9520 i thnk it’s here to stay. That said it will level off and the ppl that really want to do for the right reasons will and others will not. It’s a personal choice and I think also alot of ppl watch these heavily produced videos of vanlifers that do not show you what is really going on. You do not know until you try it
Are they dumping the vans because the economy gets better and inflation gets under control or are they dumping the vans when the cost of living decides to increase again? With the future of the world teetering on the brink of WW3, I highly doubt people are going to be dumping vans. If anything, I have seen an increase in van conversion companies and more people living out of a van.
@@marklambert2712 I think the van life craze has died down a bit now that Covid is basically over. That being said it seems like the market has stabilized with most decent Sprinter van builds not dropping below $50K. At the top end manufacturers are discounting off MSRP but it’s still at least $130k for a new conversion. I ended up buying a used Sprinter and converting it myself 6 months ago. Probably saved $40k by doing my own conversion. Best thing I’ve ever done, been to many incredible places.
This video is so well done! Very enjoyable to watch, thanks for sharing Shelby!!
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
This is exactly why I'm considering van life. Rent is thru the roof here in NJ.
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..
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.
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. 😅
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!
my first response to the waffle house joke was "why not just sleep there?" haha you get used to it quick when you live in a van
Do you have a Class B or just a van conversion? I personally wouldn't want to do the van conversion as it's much easier to boondock via Class B and then make it to a campground every so often...I'd love to have a Class B outfitted with the solar so I could hang out somewhere for a week and then take care of the tanks once a week. So far seems like FL was the spot to hang out as they are RV friendly...when we made it back to my city in L.A. it's not really friendly as even Ralph's or some Walmarts won't even allow you to hang out in the parking lot for a long time (some even had signs of no longer than 2 hrs)....
Yes! I was wondering why they didn’t just sleep in the Waffle House parking lot? I’ve done it in my car on road trips.
This was an awesome video! Thank you so much for sharing your experience Shelby!
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.
Dude, we made 6k in a month of July, renting on Outdoorsy. It depends on your area.
@@kristinakorovina5551 I'd say it depends on a lot of things and it would be interesting to find out how other people are doing depending on their equipment and location. I'm thinking it just has a lot to do with dumb luck to find a renter who wants to go out for a long time. That is where you make the most money with the least trouble. But it really isn't anything you can count on. Even the $5000 I got is a lot of beer money, but isn't anything you could live off of.
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.
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"
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! ❤❤❤
Okay, yeah I used to stay in nice ones as a kid. I wondered if the nice ones are still around. They are family owned, so I guess they vary.
Nomadic Introvert stayed at a KOA in Michigan recently, and it was very nice.
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
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 😂
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.
Love the honesty! It's helpful 😆
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
I agree. I will stick to hotels..LOL
"Strength and courage"? I hope you're being sarcastic. If not, you gave me a good laugh.
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.
I love this, thanks for sharing your research with us!
Van life on the west coast is a different story. 😎
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.
Thanks for breaking down the whole cost wow it came out to a lot. Love seeing these experiences from 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!
This was so helpful - great insight
Thank you for sharing your experience.
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 😀❤
Very informative and helpful. Thank you for posting and sharing =)
Appreciate your candor
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 video did help me alot THANK YOU
Excellent video. Good job !
Not for me, but my wife wants to do that full time. NYET!!!
Loved your honesty! 👏👏👏👏
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.
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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.
Thanks for your work ✌
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!😊🎉
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.
Also in your conclusion/outro your hair looks so good!
love these videos ❤️🔥🖤
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!
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 😊
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Thanks for the reviewbb
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
Thanks for the entertaining video!Very glad that you tried it and found out what it was like.
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.
She went camping. That’s not really van life
@@klg1001 she dont live in a van.of course its only camping.and i wouldnt either.shed on wheels.
Great video! Interesting to hear about your experience! You cracked me up with "My hair looks like Hagrid!" 🤣
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!!!!
This was so helpful.
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.
thank u for such a well made and HONEST vid!! well done and thank u!!!!
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.
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This video was awesome! Had a few good laughs!!
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❤❤❤
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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.
What mics are you using Shelby? Thankyou in advance ❤
Super helpful and realistic. Appreciated !
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.
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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.
im from asheville and ive been watching you since you guys started!! so crazy
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.
appreciate how real this was. A LOT of youtubers make it more appealing than it is
love this review, thanks!
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.
😱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.
What a great video Shelby, love your journalistic touch, quite helpful to get a less idealized realistic view of the experience.
Very good review, thanks.
How about a heating and cooling system? Hot summers and cold winters?
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!
It's sooo realistic!!! Thanks!
You bring a filter to hook up to the hose on the outside before you hook up to campground water
Sam is sweet to stay because after one day my husband would say "We're done...let's go to hotel." 😃😃😃
$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.
Generally speaking KOAs suck. They are full of super patriotic people in gigantic RVs with a million kids. Now you know better for next time!
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.
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.
Wow eye opening thank you!
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.
Truth regarding KOA, not what they use to be.
KOA's can really vary - some are really nice with great locations and excellent amenities - it just really varies. The one you two stayed at was a dump !!
I think many vanlifers are more scrappy, adaptive to challenging situations and enjoy the autonomy, freedom. Shelby is Da bomb, I love her to death, but she’s a rich chic who can stay anywhere she wants.
Shelby definitely had issues that full time vanlifers don’t have. It takes lots of research and/or experience to work out the expected kinks that Shelby had to deal with as an inexperienced renter.
Outstanding perspective, good due diligence
“My hair looks like Hagrid” 🤣🤣 I felt this one !
Great video and thanks for the honest review! Me and my boyfriend rented an RV for a week and loved it, so we're honestly thinking about buying one and live full-time in it (and we live in Finland which gets super cold in the winters haha). But I agree that many vanlifers make it look more glamorous and care-free than it actually is. There's a lot more that goes into vanlife/traveling with an RV than people might think, it's not for everyone ☺️
Which is weird because if you're going to make a big decision like getting the van life. You would think people will be smart enough to do the research beforehand? It's like she set herself up for failure!?🤣
@@tayanahemphill7110 True 😆 but I think living full-time in a van just brings up more sides (both good and bad) that you didn't think of before even if you tried it 🤭