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Ultimate List of 2022 Van Life Events, Gatherings, and Festivals

What are Van Life Events? If one is ever curious about the nomadic community, you only need to attend one van life event to get a taste of the culture. Even events that are pegged as “#vanlife” events are always open to all nomadic travelers. Everyone is welcome, from weekend warriors car camping to families living full time on the road in their converted school bus (called “skoolies”). The number one goal for every van life event is to build community around the nomadic lifestyle.

Van Build Timeline - From Payment to Hitting the Road (How Long Does It Take?)

So, you've decided to complete your own van build. There are plenty of advantages to working on your own van conversion — you can save money, develop construction skills and customize every inch of your van to your liking. With these benefits, it's no surprise that so many people decide to turn vans into campers on their own.

By Dave Lewis

10 Best Van Life Apps for Camping & Road Tripping

Whether you’re renting a van for a weeklong road trip or heading out full-time, navigating van life can be overwhelming and, quite frankly, scary. Where can you safely park legally? Where do you find water? Is there cell service where you’re going? Is there a storm coming? These are just some of the questions that will come up every time you decide to explore a new area.

By Dave Lewis

Van Life in California: Camping & Adventuring Tips

California seems to be at the top of many van life destination lists. One could argue that it’s the most popular state for van life overall. With the variety of scenery and activities California can provide, it’s no wonder that the state is so intriguing. Want mountains for hiking or skiing? Beaches for sunbathing and swimming? How about cities with diversity and excitement? California checks all of the boxes.

By Dave Lewis

How to Use the ExploreVanX Directory

If you’re looking to rent or buy a van, ExploreVanX is here to help take out the guesswork. Whether you’re planning a short solo trip to test out van life, or looking to buy a van that meets your needs, our directory has a plethora of nationwide options.

By Dave Lewis

5 Smart Van Layouts You Won’t Regret Choosing!

Vanlife is more than just living in your vehicle — it's about transforming your van into a comfortable, relaxing place you can call home. If you're struggling to find an aesthetically pleasing, functional design, we're here to help. Let's go over some popular van conversion layouts ideas and how to choose between them.

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Van Life with Kids: sCAMPer Van to the rescue

No tent to set up. No unpacking. No hauling gear into a primitive site. Everything is there and ready to use. Campervans make camping easier and more accessible for anyone, especially those camping with kids.

By Dave Lewis

Stay safe with Wheresafe!

“We strive to associate with established brands and business, in every corner of nomadic trekking, that offer products and services that provide real value to those traveling in the outdoors,” David Lewis

By Dave Lewis

Covid-19: Ways to support Van life businesses

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to significantly disrupt lives around the world, many small businesses like many of those listed on ExploreVanX.com are beginning to feel the hardships. While some relief may be on the horizon from the Federal Government, it is important to ask ourselves how we can help in the meantime.

By Paul Strubell

Campervan Insurance Guide: How to Get It & Best Options

How do you get insurance on a campervan? What will they cover, and how much does campervan insurance cost? We did the research with this campervan insurance guide, so you don't have to!

By

A Detailed List of Top Sprinter Van Conversion Companies

Get ready to build your dream campervan and find the best van builder for you with our detailed list of the top Sprinter Van conversion companies.

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10 Van Life Essentials To Get You On The Road

The Best Van Life Essentials to keep you happy and healthy on the road!

By

Real-Time GPS For Added Vanlife Peace of Mind

Another fundamental shift in focus trickling out of the pandemic is a demand for safety and security solutions, at home, work, in public spaces, at the cabin and on the road. The vanlife is no different.

By Dave Lewis

Family Van Life: Balancing Work and a Toddler

Read on to learn what worked for David and Janine, and some tips they share on balancing work and a toddler while camping in a van.

By Dave Lewis

How to store LIFEPO4 12v batteries

How to store my lithium battery? We receive the most problems, especially in winter. The answer depends on the temperature and time you store the battery.

By Dave Lewis

Lithium Ion Batteries for Vanlife Explained

Lithium batteries are becoming increasingly popular in Campervans and Recreational Vehicles. Is lithium right for your van build?

By Dave Lewis

Van Life with Kids: A Toddler’s First Van Camping Trip

For our first campervan trip with a toddler, we learned a lot. We both agree that van life with kids is definitely something we can do.

By Dave Lewis

What's your #vanlife vibe?

Real talk: what does #vanlife really mean? We could try to define it, try to define the people in the community, but more and more #vanlife has become a state of mind – a testament to the way we want to live, the thread that binds us together.

By Paul Strubell

The Van X Story

To kick-off our blog series, we sat down with Co-Founder of Nomadx, Inc and Van X—Jason McNamara—to get his perspective on the company, industry and how Van X came to be.

By Paul Strubell

Business Profile: ROAMERICA

ROAMERICA is a van rental company based in Portland, Oregon. We had an opportunity to speak to its owners Gretchen and Taylor Bayless about the labyrinth of challenges running a business like theirs creates, how they navigate obstacles in the ever-evolving van life community, and their tips for those looking to rent a camper van.

By Paul Strubell

Vanlife: A Beginner's Checklist

Heading into vanlife? Check out our tips and recommendations for getting started on the right foot!

By Paul Strubell

#Stayathome: Vanlife inspiration for times less traveled

The mood is heavy for many of us right now. At VanX, we want to do our part to help bring some happiness your way in a safe and responsible way. Here are just a few videos we thought you might enjoy. They were chosen to highlight some wonderful van builds and the beautiful culture that comes along with choosing this lifestyle. They were chosen for their relaxed mood and for their ability to shine a bright light on the best of the human spirit.

By Josh Kimball

2021 Vanlife Gatherings and Events

Happy to post the 2021 Vanlife gathering list here on Explorevanx.com ! This year looks sparse, please reach out if there are any events we missed! Banner image courtesy @benchmarkvehicles

By Dave Lewis

2020 Vanlife Gatherings, Expos and Events

What would vanlife be without the community? Check out our list of events happening throughout 2020. We’ll be adding new events as they pop-up, be sure to check back!

By Kate Kimball

Business Profile: KuKu Campers

Kuku Campers is a global van-rental company with a stateside headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Recently, we had the opportunity to speak with Seymour and Magnus from Kuku about the business of renting camper vans and their focus on creating the perfect way to vacation on a budget—exploring wild places and cultures without sacrificing comfort, style or fun.

By Paul Strubell

Business Profile: ModVans

We had a chance to hangout with the founders of ModVans, PJ and Laurie Tezza. We chatted with them just before RV Industry Association’s (RVIA’s) RV Experience—dubbed RVx—where RV builders from around the country showcase their newest technology. While at RVx, ModVans picked up a number of awards in Top RVs of 2019—namely in the Van Life Segment. We couldn’t be more proud of them and honored to learn about their story…and how ModVans came to be.

By Jason McNamara

Business Profile: Sportsmobile West

Recently, we had a chance to hang out with the Sportsmobile West, Inc team. Sportsmobile has been specializing in van conversions for decades, making them a well-known name in the adventure-vehicle market. We chatted with Jonathan Feld, President of Sportsmobile West. Here’s what he had to say.

By Jason McNamara