10 Van Life Forums, Communities, Message Boards [2024 Updated]

2. Project Vanlife

In this community, you can ask questions about living in a van or starting a new van life. Van living forums discuss a broad spectrum of topics, including the van essentials you need to have, pet safety, podcast studios, and much more. There are more than 4,500 members in this forum. Members can create a topic, read posts, or reply to a question.

Website: Project Vanlife

3. Reddit >> Van Life

This van life forum on Reddit covers topics related to vans, cars, and motor vehicles. The community is for people who live actively on the road and share helpful images, tips, and tricks for camping locations. This forum on van life has around 237000 members and is in the top 1% among the best Reddit communities.

Website: Reddit >> Van Life

4. Vandweller Forum

This forum covers announcements, vehicle discussions, tips to make your van feel like home, and travel guide discussions. Members can also buy, sell, or trade in the forum, and there are 222 registered members.

Website: Vandweller Forum

5. Campervan Life

This forum is all about van conversions. You can ask questions about vans for tall people, primastar seats, compressor fridges, van converters, and more. The members here can also guide you on how to build your campervan, trade it, and insure it.

Website: Campervan Life

6. The Dyrt Forums

This forum covers living in a van, common van issues, van kitchen, water heater, van life campfire, and much more. With around 3063 users, the forum is open to discussion about meet-ups, finances, composting toilet tips, foggy windows, wall covers, etc.

Website: The Dyrt Forums

7. Expedition Portal >> Vanlife

The Expedition Portal is a leading adventure travel community. This vehicle-dependent panel discusses conversion vans, Toyota vans, van parts, resources, and accessories. It also provides information about four-wheel drive, camper and trailer, bicycles, podcasts, and an overland journal. Currently, the Expedition Portal has about 225874 members.

Website: Expedition Portal

8. Facebook >> Vanlife

Vanlife Diaries' Social Forum is one of the online communities on Facebook, created for van lifers worldwide to interact, catch up, share tips, and explore camp spots. The forum has 5992 members, and once you join the group, you can share photos, create events, and collaborate.

Website: Vanlife Diaries Social Forum

9. UKC Forums >>Van Life

The UKC Forum has around 2000 registered users who share information and news about adventure travel, walkie-talkie recommendations, cameras, hospitality, apparel, and more. The unique part of the forum is that you can even post or search for a job as a rescue trainer, working at height, and more.

Website: UKC Forums

10. Vandog Traveler Forum

The Vandog Traveler forum has certain rooms to discuss van conversion: traveling in a van and a standard room to share anything. You can get information about DIY campervans or seek support if you feel challenged to start your own van life. This forum has around 150 members, 2800+ posts, and 760+ topics regarding van life.

Website: Vandog Traveler Forum

Why Is A Van Life Forum So Important?

Van life lifestyle involves living and traveling in a converted van, offering freedom, adventure, and simplicity. According to Statista, in mid-2022, the number of van lifers in the United States was estimated at over three million. Although living in a van can be affordable, saving money to sustain it is essential. Online forums are helpful resources that provide you with valuable information like learning essential van maintenance to avoid bills. Forums are a community of like-minded individuals and can benefit your life journey.

Life on the road doesn’t have to be lonely. While technology keeps you close, meeting like-minded individuals physically is something you might love to do. The van life community and online forums are vast and helpful, filled with exciting people. Online communities have many opportunities for meet-ups, gatherings, and community events nationwide. People share experiences and practical skills like building, maintenance, off-road driving, or exploring outdoor hobbies. This lets you learn something new every day and experience what life offers.

How to Find Your Van Life Community?

Building a van life community helps create fulfilling travel experiences. Meeting people also depends on your lifestyle, how often you travel, and where you camp. Living in a van might seem lonely because you are away from your neighborhood, but there are many places and online forums to find a community of like-minded individuals, even if you move around frequently. You can find a van life community on social media, in van gatherings, public spaces, online forums, etc.

Online Forums: Online forums are one of the easiest ways to find, cultivate, and connect with a van life community. Along with forums, there are Facebook groups and online platforms where you can share experiences, provide travel-related guides, ask questions, and support others. The members of these communities are a treasure trove of information. You simply need to search for van life communities online, and you will find many options to connect with fellow van lifers.  

Social Media and Apps: Social media is another excellent tool for connecting with the van life community. When you post about your experience, you can use related hashtags to attract others to your profile and increase your visibility. You can also use the same hashtags to search for people. Besides social media, there are van life apps designed for van lifers, which help you find suitable camping amenities and sites and connect with travelers in your vicinity.

Van Life Gathering: Van life gatherings are organized in various locations worldwide and are one of the best ways to meet other van lifers. In these events, you can connect with fellow van lifers face-to-face and forge friendships. Another fantastic opportunity to meet people is a van life festival where you can learn from other people who are passionate about van life. Small gatherings, large festivals, and expos are conducted for you to learn about hacks to provide comfort, discover new places, and make forever friends. Additionally, these events offer presentations, discussion forums, and music with interesting people.

Engagement In Local Activities: Being a van lifer, indulging yourself in local communities can help you have a more profound knowledge of the places you visit. You can opt for many ways to engage in local activities, such as exploring farmers markets, supporting small businesses, finding co-living workplaces, taking a seasonal job, volunteering, and much more. One of many of these engagements can help the local economy and foster connection with people. Local businesses, like coffee shops, diners, art studios, and breweries, also offer a serene atmosphere to relax and socialize.

Van Life Essentials List

Once you start living in van life, you must explore the must-haves to ensure a comfortable and successful launch. An ultimate van life checklist with all the van life gear can be an excellent start to boost your confidence. The checklist may differ from every individual’s needs and wants, but a beginner’s van life checklist can be an excellent way to start. A beginner van-life checklist includes food and food storage, sleeping gear, power supply and lights, personal sanitation and hygiene, first-aid kit, medicine, cleaning supplies, organization tools, storage for valuable items, etc.

Food and Food Storage: Initially, you may be limited in space or storage to cook or store food in your van, and in that case, you have to be more purposeful with your grocery shopping and meal planning. Some essential food storage items you should have included a basic cooler with ice, reusable bags, and ziplock containers.

Personal Hygiene: Once you step out, you will realize a huge difference between your home bathroom and the one in a van. To feel fresh, keep a large water tank and solar shower in your van to clean yourself between visits. Having a gym membership is another option you can consider. There are showers at certain truck shops and recreational centers, which allows you to pay per shower. Wet wipes can also help you freshen up after a hike. For hair, you can keep it dry with shampoo or baby powder. Lastly, remember to keep your toiletries, including toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, etc.

Cleaning: Sometimes, starting your trip can be clean and organized, but it won’t stay the same all day. There is a high possibility you can generate garbage and dirt inside your van, and having cleaning tools and products on hand can help you manage this mess. Some cleaning tools you should have handy include garbage bags, a dustpan and broom set, a wash bin, biodegradable dish soap, food scraps, laundry bags, etc.

Power Supply: Having your devices charged is essential during traveling, as it will help you use online maps, stay connected to your family, and find your next adventure. You can have a battery system or implement a solar system in your van to charge lights and tech appliances. Another way is to have a reliable power source such as the Jackery Solar Generator, which can charge your devices using solar power without any noise.

Jackery Solar Generators for Van Life

A leading global manufacturer of solar generators, portable power stations, and solar panels, Jackery fulfills the needs of every adventure lover and provides green energy to all.

Jackery Solar Generator combines Jackery Portable Power Station and Jackery SolarSaga Solar Panels. The solar panels capture solar energy and store it in the portable power station, converting sun energy into electrical energy. The DC is then converted to AC, powering appliances essential for van life.

Jackery Solar Generators are suitable for van life as they provide a backup power supply to your devices to ensure they function smoothly while you enjoy your van life.

Jackery Solar Generator 3000 Pro

The Jackery Solar Generator 3000 Pro has a minimal, ergonomic design that can easily be carried in your van. At the same time, you enjoy efficiency with the simple and fast setup. It can perform in different temperatures and charge light and heavy devices. Once solar-charged, it can power your appliances whenever and wherever you need them. It has a longer battery life that supports 99% of appliances.

Appliances Running Time

• Portable AC (1150W): 2.23H
• Phone (30W): 85.68H
• Toaster (1100W): 2.33H

Customer Review

“ We purchased Jackery last summer for a 6-week western US road trip and were completely satisfied. So easy to set up, transport, and charge when stopped or driving.” -- James

Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus

Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus features an expandable capacity, providing extra charging support to your appliances whenever needed. Whether traveling to a cold place or a hot desert, the solar generator can power your device at varying temperatures.

Appliances Running Time

• Portable AC (1150W): 1.5H
• Phone (30W): 57.87H
• Toaster (1100W): 1.57H
• Kettle (850W): 2.04H

Customer Review

“I love it! I haven't been able to set it up yet, but I know I will love it. It's perfect for camping. Thank you!” -- John Yurrick

How to Live in A Van

Once you decide to live in a van, you should deeply understand van conversion costs, accessories, wild camping, and much more. Van life provides more freedom and adventure but also requires careful consideration. Rather than investing directly in a van, you can first rent a van and see if it is something you would prefer for the long term. If that suits your lifestyle, invest in a truck with a high-top, long wheelbase that provides more space. You can even have a sink, a fixed bed, and enough space to move around in these vans.

With the right community, the proper understanding, and the correct set of gears, van life can become more straightforward than you think. The cost of owning a van is less than that of the mortgage. Living expenses are less if you know you can park your van overnight for free in many locations. You can also find free Wi-Fi and shower facilities, and the maintenance costs for a van are lower. A good van life can provide you with everything you need, such as a proper toilet, shower, and kitchen. Every time you move to a new location, the scenery is breathtaking and keeps on changing. Nothing is more beautiful than waking up next to an ocean, mountain, or lake.

Here are a few tips to help you start living in a van:

Plan you budget

Before you start, create a rough itinerary and budget for your destination. Consider some easy-to-cook recipes that will save you costs, are easy to store, and can be grabbed on the way. Always keep your snack jar filled.

Keep it Organized

You might want to collect souvenirs and keep trail maps of your every journey, but that would take up extra storage space inside your van. Your van has limited space, so you should keep extra clothes handy in case of changing weather. Use storage solutions like bins and hanging organizers to keep your van neat. If you move frequently, always have a dustpan and broom to clean your van daily.

Learn to Live Off-grid

Although many van lifers like to have the freedom of off-grid, you can struggle with it if you are a beginner. If you are a solo traveler, cultivate a hobby like reading a book. Investing in solar power solutions like the Jackery Solar Generator can reduce your reliance on campgrounds. It will keep your essential devices charged and give you a comfortable and easy camp even in remote locations.

Stay Safe and Connected

To prioritize safety on the road, check the weather and plan where you will stay every night. Stay informed about road conditions and local regulations, as the weather might turn anywhere, anytime. Always carry safety equipment and a first-aid kit in case you get injured.

Connect With The Van Life Community

The van life online and offline communities are welcoming to all ages. They are the best place to share stories and bond. You might never know when you meet a crew of van life folks while switching locations. When you feel lonely, you can attend meetups and join forums and social media groups to get advice or talk about life.

Van Life Forum FAQs

What size of solar generator do I need for van life?

Investing in solar generators is not only a want but a need if you plan to start a van life or if you already live in a van. Solar generators provide clean and renewable energy. To determine the exact size of the solar generator as per your requirement, you should first consider the number of appliances you use and how long you use them.

For example, a Jackery Solar Generator 3000 Pro can charge a kettle (850W) and toaster (1100W) in,

Working Time = Capacity in Wh × 0.85 / Operating wattage of the appliances.

So, Working time = 3024Wh × 0.85 / 1950W = 1.31H

Note: While charging the devices, there will be some power loss, therefore multiplied by 0.85.

Is it realistic to live in a van?

Living in a van might initially be challenging, but you can enjoy adventures with complete preparation.

Are there van life communities?

Several online and offline van life communities have discussion panels about van life, vans, camping spots, and more.

What is the average age in van life?

The age between 35-44 is the average age in van life.

What is the best van conversion in which to live?

Ford, Mercedes, Toyota, and Ram are some of the best van conversions in which to live.

Van Life Forums For Van Lifers

Van life forums can be an integral part of your travel journey as they will help you stay connected, discover more, seek help, make connections, and make the right decision. Before starting your van life, research as much as possible and prepare a basic checklist to keep all the essential gear and emergency supply kit. To stay connected to your friends and discover the path through online maps, cook, clean, etc., you need a reliable power supply like a Jackery Solar Generator. These are eco-friendly, fumes-free, and can be carried easily in a van, providing power support.