Adventuring Around America With The Vanlife App - Full-Time Travel

Adventuring Around America With The Vanlife App

Adventuring Around America with The Vanlife App  

Last year, Instagram pictures of people hitting the road in their RVs captured every sequestered traveler’s imagination. If 2020 was defined by confinement, the antithesis of that was #VanLife – traversing national parks and wilderness areas, spending the bulk of every day outdoors in the sunshine. At a time when wariness over hotels and planes was peaking, it also seemed to offer a self-contained, secure way to travel. Sales of RVs soared, especially among first-time buyers. 

Though international travel is slowly becoming more of a possibility as the months go by, our appreciation for domestic road trips, camping and national parks is here to stay. Plus, with more of us sticking to remote work for the foreseeable future, van life is more accessible than ever before. 

This week I spoke to Breanne Acio, founder of The Vanlife app. Breanne and her wife were both teachers when they started spending their summers traveling to America’s most scenic locations in their van. Bolstered by a strong social media following (find them at @theladiesvan) they soon left teaching to start a campervan manufacturing company, and, in 2019, launched The Vanlife app. In recent months, their user base swelled to 32,000 people, all of whom rely on the app to find destinations, facilities and community. I spoke to Breanne about the growing popularity of RV-ing, the challenges of finding cell service in the wilderness, and her biggest tips for first timers.

Adventuring Around America with The Vanlife App  

Last year, Instagram pictures of people hitting the road in their RVs captured every sequestered traveler’s imagination. If 2020 was defined by confinement, the antithesis of that was #VanLife – traversing national parks and wilderness areas, spending the bulk of every day outdoors in the sunshine. At a time when wariness over hotels and planes was peaking, it also seemed to offer a self-contained, secure way to travel. Sales of RVs soared, especially among first-time buyers. 

Though international travel is slowly becoming more of a possibility as the months go by, our appreciation for domestic road trips, camping and national parks is here to stay. Plus, with more of us sticking to remote work for the foreseeable future, van life is more accessible than ever before. 

This week I spoke to Breanne Acio, founder of The Vanlife app. Breanne and her wife were both teachers when they started spending their summers traveling to America’s most scenic locations in their van. Bolstered by a strong social media following (find them at @theladiesvan) they soon left teaching to start a campervan manufacturing company, and, in 2019, launched The Vanlife app. In recent months, their user base swelled to 32,000 people, all of whom rely on the app to find destinations, facilities and community. I spoke to Breanne about the growing popularity of RV-ing, the challenges of finding cell service in the wilderness, and her biggest tips for first timers.

Courtesy of The Vanlife app

What inspired The Vanlife app?

People kept telling my wife and I, “you’re living our dream.” That was flattering but it was also sad because we want more people to be living their own dreams. We wanted to make this more accessible to more people. The app helps them figure out where they can park at night or where they can set up for a week that has cell service so they can get work done while on the road. There are so many challenges that come with camping or “van life” that you don’t realize until you’re doing it. Our first trip, we imagined ourselves out on this picturesque Oregon coast like you see on Instagram, but we wound up in Walmart parking lots or crappy roadside pullouts. I didn’t know that five miles down the road was the land I’d seen on Instagram, but you have to know the tricks to find it. 

I’ve only become aware of “van life” as a thing in the past year because it started trending during the pandemic. How long has it been popular for?  

Van life as a thing has been around for a really long time. It got popular in the 60s and 70s with the whole VW bus movement but then it went away. It’s only in the past five years that van life started becoming more mainstream again in the United States. People refer to my wife and I as the OGs, but we’re not really. We just got in at the beginning of the uptick.

By Robson Hatsukami

Did you see an increase in new users of the Vanlife app during the pandemic? 

Yes, the industry has just blown up since the pandemic started because it is the only form of safe travel for many people. Camping provides that opportunity to get out with your family and do it safely. Prior to the pandemic we were really focused on creating a centralized database for boondocking, which is staying on public land. There’s no toilets or amenities in these areas, but you can camp for up to two weeks for free on Bureau of Land Management land and National Forest Service land. When the pandemic started a ton of people were reaching out to us saying, “public lands are closed, state parks are closed. I have nowhere to go, they're kicking us out of everywhere.” So, we came up with this new concept for the app called “campshare,” where people could list their properties a bit like Airbnb – either for free, for a fee or as part of an exchange. That quickly started gaining momentum and we pivoted to open up more private land to campers. 

A potential roadblock to traveling like this before the pandemic is that many people needed to physically be in an office for work. Now that we have a lot more flexibility with remote work, perhaps van life is more accessible to people? 

We partner with a lot of RV manufacturers and dealers, and there’s never been a sales cycle like there is right now. They are sold out for months in advance. You have all these people who are finally able to work remotely and go places they wouldn’t have otherwise been able to go because they have time and flexibility. The primary problem, though, is where do you find cell service? Unfortunately, we don’t have Elon Musk’s Starlink yet, so for people who want to work while they’re doing this there’s the hurdle of finding connectivity, which is something we built into the app. 

Courtesy of the Vanlife app

I noticed people can host and attend gatherings in the app too, which is a lovely feature. It sounds like there’s a real community in this world?

Not everyone travels for extended periods, but I’ll go out with my wife for several months at a time and in those situations it gets pretty lonely because you're never in the same spot. You leave all your friends and family and you just don’t know the people around you. So the app helps you to find like-minded people on the road. We’ve also been hosting meet-ups for the past four years. People will drive across the country to meet others in the community for a day or two. 

What are some of your favorite places to travel to?

I have a new favorite summer spot which is in Big Bear, California. Normally, I only go to Big Bear in the winter for skiing but I realized last summer that it’s amazing for mountain biking and there’s a bunch of national forest up there. You can camp for free, enjoy amazing views, amazing weather and go mountain biking all day long. The Pacific Northwest is also an absolute must for a summer trip. Glacier National Park and the Montanan area are drop dead gorgeous and very RV-friendly. And finally, Idaho. I’m a queer woman of color so there are a lot of places in America I was a little hesitant to go to, Idaho and Montana included, and although I experienced a little bit of discomfort with my identity there, the vast majority of my experience was defined by amazing people and beauty that was beyond what I could have ever imagined.

Courtesy of The Vanlife app

For somebody who’s interested in living this lifestyle for a while, what would your top tips be? 

Rent a van and try it out before you buy. A lot of people get really excited and research for two years on YouTube, then they go and buy a van without ever trying it. So my number one piece of advice is to try it first.

Tip two is to go connect with people who are doing it, especially if you’re interested in doing it more long-term. I spend about half my year in the van, the other half at home. Part of the reason it’s easy for me is because I learned tips and tricks from people who are doing it. If you’re curious, download the Vanlife app, connect with people and find events. 

Number three is just do it. There’s a lot of paralysis by analysis and people who research and research and research and are waiting to be able to afford their perfect home on wheels. Don’t wait, just do it. 

Download thevanlifeapp.com

Follow @thevanlifeapp and @theladiesvan

"This sculpture is called "Transmission" by artist Daniel Popper. Its a reminder that we are all rooted in love, unity and the divine. She stands a towering 28 feet tall and is located on Mojave Moon Ranch in Joshua Tree. The land is private property, so you can see it from the viewing platform off of Sunfair Road. And take it from me, it's best viewed at sunset."

Reel: @johnofah
...

There's more to Greece than the white and blue buildings and the surrounding Mediterranean Sea. If you're planning a visit, check out these places below!

📍Kokkinopilos. Preveza
📍Verliga Dragon lake, Thessaly
📍Ithaca island, lonian Sea
📍Aoos springs lake, Epirus
📍Lake Prespes, Macedonia
📍Balda di Stringa waterfalls, Epirus
📍Meteora, Thessaly
📍Pelion, Thessaly
📍Lake Zorika, Epirus
📍Mt Lakmos
📍Crete island, Aegean Sea
📍Gistova Dragon lake, Macedonia

Reel: @farawayfarers
...

Swim or kayak through the limestone cliffs of the Twin Lagoon, a must-visit destination for those traveling to Coron, Palawan, Philippines. It is called "twin" lagoon because it consists of two lagoons separated by a limestone cliff, with one lagoon on top of the other. The water in the inner lagoon is warm and clear, with a stunning turquoise color that makes it popular for swimming and snorkeling.

Reel: @travelifejournal
...

Take a dip in a series of seven saltwater lagoons located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. The Lagoons of Baltinache are known for their beautiful turquoise waters and unique geological formations. The high concentration of minerals in the water gives it a unique buoyancy that makes swimming in the lagoons a unique experience.

Reel: @everchanginghorizon
...

Watching the sun rise above the clouds at Haleakalā National Park is one of the most memorable experiences you could have. Haleakalā is a Hawaiian name that means “House of the Sun” and is an awesome place to watch the clear night sky and stars fade away as the sun lights up the sky and the earth.

Reel: @girlchill_sunset
...

Just 1 hour from Shanghai by train, Cherry Blossom Valley is a popular tourist destination, particularly in the spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. The valley is named after the thousands of cherry blossom trees that cover the area and create a stunning display of pink and white flowers. The trees were originally planted in the 1980s by a group of Japanese experts who were invited to China to help with reforestation efforts. The best time to visit is typically in late March or early April. Get there early to beat the crowds!

Reel: @cyncynti
...

New Zealand is unbelievable. See it for yourself:

1. Fiordland National Park
2. A classic backcountry hut trip
3. Blue Pools walk
4. Hooker Lake
5. Milford Sound
6. Lake Pukaki

Reel: @kylekotajarvi
...

Surrounded by lush greenery, towering karst mountains, and the river flowing through, the Detian Waterfall is a popular tourist attraction and a symbol of the close relationship between China and Vietnam. It is the largest waterfall in Asia and the fourth largest cross-border waterfall in the world.

Reel: @sophoebelous
...

Escape to a serene and peaceful oasis away from the bustling city of Marrakech at Le Jardin Secret—a beautiful and historic garden where visitors can escape the noise and chaos and enjoy the beauty of nature. The garden was originally built in the 16th century and is home to many different species of plants, including exotic flowers, citrus trees, and palm trees.

Reel: @hypermiggzz
...

For a magical moment and bucket list travel experience, visit the end point of the annual monarch butterfly migration. Starting in August, the monarchs travel 2,800 miles south from Canada, making a temporary home amid the towering trees of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, where the two most popular sanctuaries to view them are el Rosario in the state of Michoacan and Piedra Herrada in Estado de México. Standing in silence while thousands of delicate wings beat in unison is something you'll never forget.

Reel: @juliiathompson
...

There's just something beautiful about snow covered landscapes like this popular attraction in southwestern Utah. Known for its unique geology, @brycecanyonnps_gov consists of a series of natural amphitheaters, called "hoodoos," formed by erosion of the rock layers.

Photo: @nathanleeallen
...

As we experience a couple more weeks of winter, we can't help but dream of tropical destinations like Hawaii. The warm water, sunny skies, and consistent waves make it an ideal destination for surfers. Hawaii has a vibrant surf culture and community and is also a beautiful place to explore outside of the water, with lush green mountains, stunning beaches, and unique cultural experiences.

Reel: @christopherballadarez
...

5 PLACES IN THE U.S. THAT FEEL LIKE ANOTHER PLANET:
1. @sequoiakingsnps, California
2. @canyonlandsnps, Utah
3. @olympic_nps, Washington
4. @whitesandsnps, New Mexico
5. Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona
6. Knik Glacier, Alaska

Reel: @nathanleeallen
...