Traveling means exploring exciting new environments. While this can be a treat for adventurous individuals, avoiding injuries or illnesses is critical. Otherwise, you may need to miss out on activities you're looking forward to. This is particularly true for eye injuries, which can impair your ability to relish the sights, partake in physical activities, and enjoy your holiday. In the same way, you can practice road travel safety by investing in roadside assistance and tire chains; there are also measures you can take to reduce the likelihood of eye injury when traveling. It starts w ..read more

This summer may have you heading East bound and down, but when it comes to being loaded up and trucking, you don’t want a bunch of unnecessary and useless stuff in tow.  That’s why we’re here to cover the basics and do a quick drive-by of some minimalist road trip essentials. However, we encourage you to think of this more as a road trip packing list template to get your creative juices flowing, because your exact list will depend on a ton of different factors. To polish and fine-tune your list, answer the following questions: What kind of road trip will you be taking? Are you staying in ..read more

Starting a van life always seems exciting. No doubt, it is an excellent adventurous activity with some thrilling challenges on top. There are many reasons for starting a van life.  Van life has been gaining in popularity in recent years, as more and more people are looking for ways to simplify their lives and live a more nomadic lifestyle. On the other hand, there are some challenging aspects to the vanlife lifestyle, too. Before you invest in any overland trailer or start planning your van build, there are a few aspects to know in advance. Sit back and relax. We’ll hop in the driver’s se ..read more

It’s that time of year again where we hang the white twinkly lights in Giovanni and release a brand new list of the best gifts for van life, chock full of the coolest products and gadgets to make road life even better. Gifts for vanlifers can be tricky to get right, because van dwellers have very limited living space and thus they really don’t want just another useless, kitschy gift, no matter how well the intentions behind it are. Make sure the vanlifers in your life truly appreciate your gift by making it one that will add to their quality of road life. Check out last year’s vanlife gift gui ..read more

We’ve already talked about gifts for vanlife (twice in fact: see our older vanlife gift guide here), but what about gifts for those who aren’t on the road full-time? Those that just like to get away on short-term trips? This list of road trip gifts is designed with these adventures and travelers in mind. We’ve curated this list full of items that are practical and useful when hitting the road in small vehicles. If you know someone bound for the open road this coming year, read on. Or maybe you are starting to compile an epic family road trip gear list for the upcoming summer. Kill two birds wi ..read more

Periods are annoying. Period. So we're here to talk about how to make "that time of the month" a little more footless and fancy-free... just like your lifestyle! Amber here. Normally we talk in the “we” but that feels inappropriate for this particular topic.  It’s time we talk about that time of the month that most of us don’t like to even think about. More specifically, I’m here to talk about how I make it more bearable when living in a van. Without further ado, let’s get down and dirty with vanlife period essentials. NAVIGATION FOR BEST STANLEY VANLIFE PRODUCTS Menstrual Cups for Vanlif ..read more

If you like the idea of becoming a digital nomad — that is, an individual who works from anywhere, often while exploring the world and living on their own terms — you are not alone. In today’s ever-connected world, it is more desirable than ever to break the chains of the time clock and work where and when you want.  When you are ready to have more experiences than physical possessions, it might be time for a change. What Is a Digital Nomad? A digital nomad is, as the name suggests, someone who travels while working remotely, often as a freelancer, but sometimes with steady employment.&nb ..read more

The vanlife trend might be relatively new but Stanley certainly isn’t. This brand has been around for over 100 years, since William Stanley Jr. first introduced vacuum insulation with stainless steel way back in 1913. While Stanley’s designs have become more sleek and their products more varied, they’ve stuck with that same time-tested construction ever since. Why fix what isn’t broken?  Stanley is also one of our favorite eco friendly outdoor gear brands with the guiding motto “Build For Life”. One of the best ways to achieve a more eco friendly vanlife is by selecting well-made and last ..read more

Our kitchen is hands down our favorite part of our van (and no, that’s not just because our kitchen takes up about half of it).  We’ve lived in a lot of different apartments and houses together, most with far more actual counter space than our van. However, due to design flaws we have almost always been dissatisfied with the practicality of our kitchens.  Despite our van’s kitchen being less than half the square footage, we find it's easier to use together (without getting in each other's way) than any of our past dwellings. When planning your van build, prioritize your camper van k ..read more

How can you possibly survive vanlife in winter?! We won’t lie: vanife in cold climates can be rough.  Even for us who call anything above 70°F too hot, we are definitely kind of babies once it starts creeping toward single digits.  Still, we’ve braved some pretty gnarly seasons.  Snowstorms in the Eastern Sierras in November, spring snowfall in Montana, and more. You could say we’re quite seasoned at it by now.  So we hope these winter vanlife tips help you stay warm while adventuring the winter wonderland! If you haven’t already, be sure to check out our sister article on ..read more