Nomad Life Wiki is a wiki about life on the open road, including van life, RV life, and the many other forms of nomadic living. We've collected all the information you need for part-time or full-time travel, building out a van, and making your daily life a little better with hundreds of tips and tricks from seasoned nomads.
No AI-generated text is allowed on this wiki. All articles are written entirely by real humans. Why? Because no AI has ever spent a single night in a van! Sorry bots, you're missing out!
Intro to Nomad Life
(Don't need an intro? The next section gets into more detail, or search this wiki to find specific information.)
Curious about van life or nomadic living? This wiki has 3 pages and resources to help you live your best life if you want (or need) to live in a vehicle or otherwise on the go.
- Learn what to expect from "the van life" you've been hearing about.
- Learn how to choose and modify a vehicle to fit your unique needs.
- Find tips for a great experience in an unconventional home.
- Dig deeper for lots of ideas to incorporate into your own vehicle.
- Read about common mistakes to avoid.
Why live in a vehicle?
Compare the benefits and drawbacks, the advantages and disadvantages, and the pro vs. con of nomadic living:
If you need to quickly move into a vehicle for financial or other reasons (homeless, etc.) start with:
- Quick start guide
- If you know someone who has had to move into a vehicle, here's how to help.
What will it be like?
Nomadic living is what you make it! But it can be a big change from conventional living and it's not right for everyone. And there's no commitment either; do it as long as you want or need to, and then switch back!
- What's it like to live in a vehicle?
- Will it be just like I've seen on Instagram? #vanlife #vandwellers
- Will I like nomadic living?
- Can I just park wherever I want?
- Is it true that I can camp for free?
- How much does it cost to live on the road?
- Why a van and not an RV or something else?
- What are some common regrets than vanlifers have?
What will be different?
What will be different? Switching to life on the road can be rewarding, but it comes with challenges! Without a "sticks-and-bricks" apartment or house, some of the conveniences you may take for granted require a bit more thought.
- How will I use the bathroom?
- How will I cook food or make coffee?
- How do I refrigerate my food?
- How will I stay clean?
- Where will I sleep?
- Can I really fit an entire bed in a vehicle?
- How do I get internet access and charge my laptop?
- How will I get mail, and what address do I use for my taxes and accounts?
- What about doing laundry?
- What about the weather? Can I be a "snowbird"?
- Won't my friends and family freak out?
- What core skills do I need?
- How do I keep my van at a decent temperature? Can I run an air conditioner?
- Is there a basic guide to solar power? What about a “solar generator”?
- How can I earn money on the road?
- How will I find things to see and do?
- Can I just stay in one place?
- What are some common regrets?
- What about safety and security on the road?
- Is it okay to drink alcohol in my van?
Learn from others
Learn about the lifestyle from channels on these platforms and apps:
- Blogs
- Discord
- Facebook - Connect with groups for camping in specific vehicles and places
- Forums
- Instagram - Explore #vanlife for a glimpse at the photogenic side of nomadic living
- Podcasts - Take a deeper dive into life on the road and listen while you work or relax
- Tiktok
- Web sites
- X (Twitter)
- YouTube - browse 250+ curated channels, organized by subscriber count
Browse channels by feature:
- Person or persons: couples, solo females, solo males, families, seniors, nomads with disabilities
- Vehicle type: cargo vans, school buses, box trucks, or other vehicles, including specific makes and models.
- Countries or states: See the Countries page. Individual U.S. state listings can be found on the United States page.
- Full list of channel features
Getting started
- Check out acronyms or the glossary if you run into an unfamiliar term.
- What are some avoidable beginner mistakes?
- Can I rent a van to see if this is right for me?
- Where can I buy a van?
- How can I build out my own van?
- Should I buy a pre-built campervan or build my own?
- Where can I find commercial builders or consultants to help build my dream van?
- What is the best van to get?
- How to I get started building out my van?
- Is there a checklist for going full time?
- How do I get information for the United States or other countries around the world?
- What are some useful Apple apps or Android apps?
- Prefer to be guided by fate? View a random page on this wiki!
Nomad Life
Since this site is a wiki (similar to Wikipedia), you can help us make it better! You can either edit pages directly or simply suggest a change; see the buttons in the wiki tools section at the bottom of any page to get started.
The Vehicle
Your most significant decision is whether to buy a pre-built camper or convert a vehicle yourself, but a lot goes into that decision!
Vehicle features to consider include: conversion difficulty if converting the vehicle yourself; amount of living space, ceiling height, passthrough between driving and living areas; number of windows desired; vehicle clearance, ground clearance, and parking difficulty; fuel type - gasoline/petrol or diesel (electric vans?); offroading capability; expected repair and maintenance costs; vehicle insurability. See some unique ideas other nomads have come up with.
Pre-built campers
Vehicles to convert
- Vans - Cargo vans and passenger vans.
- Large vehicles - Box trucks, step vans, ambulances, buses, and skoolies
- Small vehicles - Minivans, cars, SUVs, minicargo vans and pickup trucks
- Cargo trailers
Getting your own van or RV
- The most common vans for vanlife in the United States are: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ram ProMaster, and Ford Transit.
- How do I find a vehicle to purchase? and know if it's a good one?
- How do I make my purchase?
Vehicle maintenance
- Vehicle maintenance
- Tools and equipment for the road
- Troubleshooting - electrical, engine, leaks
- Be aware of any known issues with your vehicle
- Rust - The cancer that kills vans
Converting or building out your vehicle
- Removable builds
- Minimal builds
- Luxury builds
- Tools and equipment for the build
- How do I register my vehicle?
Electrical system
Electrical systems can be a challenging part of any build, but most nomads see it as a necessity. Systems don't have to be complicated though! It all depends on your needs.
- Portable power stations - self-contained systems that include a rechargeable battery and multiple outlets
- Solar - Solar charge controllers, Solar panels
- Shore power - Converters
- Alternator charging
- Generators
- House DC (12v) power
- Wind power
- LiFePO4
- Deep cycle batteries
- Li-Ion batteries
- Inverters
- 12v, 24v, and 48v systems?
- Conserving electricity
- Lighting
HVAC / climate control
- Ventilation is required when you live in a vehicle
- Keeping warm in the winter (relatively easy!)
- Keeping cool in the summer (relatively hard!)
Water and waste water
- Fresh water - potable (drinkable) and non-potable water (non-drinkable)
- Sourcing water to meet your water needs
- water conservation
- Water filtration and purification
- Waste water - Gray water and Black water
- Water usage - drinking, cooking, hygiene, etc.
- Water storage - Water tanks and water containers
Toilet options
Nomadic Living
Food
Living the Good Life
- Checklist for hitting the road
- Connecting with the nomad community
- Camping away from campgrounds - boondocking, free parking in business lots, stealth, etc.
- Core skills you'll need
- Nomad hobbies - art, cooking, sewing, geocaching, reading, writing, and more!
- Dealing with loneliness
- Pets
- Involuntary vandwelling