5 Things We Love About Vanlife

There are so many things that we love about living our self-converted van. Here is a list of our absolute favorite things that we love about vanlife.

1. Our Cozy Bed and Bedtime Lights

We love our bed! It is somewhere between a full-sized and queen-sized bed, and somehow fits Auggie, Zak, and me! Our mattress is made out of a memory foam mattress topper and a latex mattress topper and it is SO comfortable. We have one fuzzy blanket (for me and Auggie) and one environmental down-alternative blanket for Zak. So, long story short, our bed has always been awesome, but just recently, at Zak’s request, we went to the craft store to get some faux-eucalyptus garland and faux lavender to weave together and put up with fairy lights. It has made such a difference when we get in bed to read now! So cozy!

2. The Abundance of Travel

Another thing we love about vanlife is that we can be anywhere, whenever we want to be! As long as we are able to get our work done (which is usually possible with the help of our Verizon Hotspot), we can work at the beach, in the mountains, or in a brand new city! Have you ever explored New Orleans on a work day? We have!

3. Our Kitchen

We absolutely LOVE our kitchen. We have an induction stove, 700 watt microwave, 6 quart instant pot, fridge, teeny freezer, and a sink. That’s it! However, it is amazing to be able to cook delicious, healthy foods on the road. It allows us to save money and time, and we are also able to control what goes into our bodies. Plus, we can open up our sliding door and look out onto each new beautiful view as we cook!

4. Trying New Food and Beer

While we love cooking, I am definitely a foodie, and Zak and I are both suckers for a good beer. We tend to go out to eat 1-2 times a week and usually, one of those times is a brewery. It is always so exciting to see how creative different brewers can get with their beers. In addition, breweries usually have really talented cooks, whipping up great food! Our favorite brewery we have been to so far in our travels has been Bhramari Brewing Company in Asheville, NC. Amazing, creative food, and even more delicious and creative beers!

5. Hiking

As some of you may know, Zak and I met while hiking the Appalachian Trail back in the summer of 2018. One of the things that we really value is getting outside to move and be closer to nature. I did not finish the full AT in 2018, and since then I have been hoping to finish sections. However, it hasn’t worked out in the last 3 years that we have been living in Florida. Just about a month ago though, Zak and I were able to drive up to Hiawassee, GA in the van, and I completed the 79 mile section between Springer Mt. (the southern terminus of the AT) and the GA/NC border.

There are so many more reasons that I could tell you about as to why we love vanlife, but that will be for another post! If you are hoping to learn more about our life on the road, check out the Van Journal, which houses our daily thoughts and events!

What do you love about vanlife? Let us know below in the comments!