Most of the people I know who own camper vans are couples or men. But for the women out there who dream of the freedom and opportunity that van life can afford you, I’m here to tell you: Go for it.
What stops many van-aspirant women from setting out on the road alone is concerns about safety. But it is possible to have vanventures without throwing caution to the wind.
I just took my first solo trip in my 1994 Dodge Ram 250. I drove 1,800 miles round trip, starting near the Mexico-California border and almost reaching Oregon.
While the trip didn’t go off without its hiccups (oh, like when my car key broke in half?), traveling alone as a woman was fun and empowering.
Based on my experience, here are 10 van life how-tos for women driving solo, or really anyone who’s planning their first van trip.
Trust your van: Visit the mechanic before leaving
I took mine in knowing the brakes needed work, but unbeknownst to me, I had a major problem with the steering column that could have turned into a safety issue.
It wasn’t cheap to fix, but getting everything taken care of gave me priceless peace of mind on the road.
Sleep easy: Build a bed you’re truly happy with
Build out a bed that you truly want to sleep in. Sleep on a road trip is just as if not more important as it is in your non-vacation life.
While it took up the whole width of the van, I chose to use a full-sized platform bed. I built it 16 inches high, so there was still plenty of room for storage underneath, including for two longboards.
I was so comfortable each night that I actually looked forward to going to bed rather than dreading it, and woke up each morning ready for a full day of exploring.
Build in a security alarm: Bring your dog
And Buddy is by no means a killer; he’s a black lab who wags his tail for everyone. But I knew that if someone came near the van at night, and I didn’t hear it, my dog would, and his bark would make that visitor think twice.
Not only was it great to have a pair of much better ears and nose in the car and on hikes, but having my dog was also essential for fighting off loneliness on days when humans were few and far between.
Camp safe: Stay in official campgrounds
I used an app called All Stays to look for state, national and private campgrounds. Each day, I noted all the campgrounds around the area that I’d likely reach that night. I looked for contingency spots in case I didn’t make it as far as I planned, or covered more ground than anticipated.
On a weeknight in the offseason, I was consistently the youngest person by decades at these campgrounds, surrounded by retirees with RVs that were nicer than my studio apartment. But at least I felt safe.
Stay on the grid: Use the [remote] buddy system
I surfed on my trip, and even though the spots were populated and the waves weren’t big, I still texted a girlfriend before I paddled out each time and checked in when I got back.
Even if you’re around other people while surfing, hiking, or whatever, those people don’t know you, and they don’t know to look out for you. Best to let someone know where you are and how long you’re planning to be off-grid.
Prevent shortages: Do one restock every day
When you wake up, figure out what you need to replenish, and do that while you’re bright-eyed and bushy tailed. Top off the tank, stock up on snacks, swap out the ice in your cooler.
You don’t want to get caught later in the day searching for a grocery store in a one-horse town, or having to stop every couple of hours when you need to be gaining ground.
Stay fresh: Invest in a portable shower
But unless you’re getting in the water every day, rinse offs are going to be rare.
A portable shower makes it possible for you to rinse off without having to brave dark, unsecured, never-been-cleaned campground bathrooms. If you buy one new camp accessory for your trip, this would be my pick.
And, if your van looks more like a shoebox on wheels than a spacious Sprinter, you’ll get tired of cramped outfit changes in tight quarters. Even if you’re not surfing, pack a changing cape so you can get dressed at your campground without fear of putting on a show for your neighbors.
Record it all: Keep journal and camera close by
So I put my two cameras, a journal and a pen on my center console, and I kept them there for the rest of the trip. It was a lot easier to write down the name of a beautiful place I wanted to remember, or to jump out of the van to snap a photo, with all my tools handy.
Oh, and I always kept coffee and a headlamp on the console too. Headlamp for safety, coffee for sanity.
Happy van living! Share your trips with #GTVAdventure
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