People living the vanlife, that we follow.
Whether you’ve found yourself daydreaming of van life, or already started your adventures in a camper van, you may be seeking tips and tricks to making your travel goals a reality from masters of the road. After all, the best way to learn is to seek guidance from those who’ve gone places before us. To help you better navigate the in’s and out’s of the open road, we’re bringing you six of our favorite veteran van lifers to follow for adventure van inspiration.
Think of these seasoned van travelers as your e-road life mentors. We highly recommend for you to start following these awe-inspiring van travelers as they share their insightful and inspiring experiences out on the road (or in the wild) on their respective blogs, websites, social media platforms, books, and podcasts. Be it some fresh motivation or a whole lot of guidance, these van lifers and their resources will help you better foster an understanding of van living and cultivate your own travel community.
Cover Photography by Chad and Paul
ADVENTURE GUNNS
Katharine (architect and blogger) and Humz Gunn (photographer and graphic designer) are the ultimate creative van life couple. These two sold their condo in New Jersey, quit their jobs, and put almost everything they own into storage, and traveled across all 48 states in the continental U.S with their golden retriever, Lucy in tow. This amazing family of three traveled in a 2018 Winnebago Travato (named ‘Comet’) for twelve months while capturing their now renowned 48 State Trip on their shared blog and Instagram account. While these two are now weekend warriors, they don’t have any intention of ditching their van travels any time soon. The Gunns still aspire to travel to Alaska, along with several other destinations across the country.
BEST ADVICE ON:
– Adjusting From Home Life to Van Life
– Cross Country Van Travel
– Travel Photography
– Van Travel with a Dog
– Winnebago Life
FOLLOW ALONG:
Blog: Adventure Gunn
Instagram: @adventuregunn, @adventuregunnphoto, @lucyadventuregunn
CHAD AND PAUL
Living the van life with your soul mate? Check. Putting your talent and passion to work on the road? Check. Creating a community through van travel how-to vlogging? Check. Chad and Paul are the perfect inspiration for couples looking to master full-time life on the road. These two were working the typical nine to five jobs in corporate America when they one day said, “enough is enough”. They quit, started their own location independent businesses, and moved into a van. Today, they travel in the Storyteller Overland Mode 4×4 with their little chihuahua as they share their journeys and insight on all things related to van life, entrepreneurship, and relationships on the road.
BEST ADVICE ON:
– Becoming a Digital Nomad
– Entrepreneurship
– Relationship Tips for Travel Couples
– Van Travel with a Dog
– Working on the Road
– Storyteller Overland
FOLLOW ALONG:
YouTube: Chad and Paul
Instagram: @chadandpaul
THE FIT RV
If you’re looking to stay sharp on your fitness while wandering new destinations in your camper van, we’ve got just the guides for you. James and Stef Adinaro are adventure-seeking fitness pros from Utah, currently live out of a Winnebago Travato named Lance. In 2010 the couple began RVing and soon after started The Fit RV, a website they use to promote an alternative rec van lifestyle focused on health and wellness. From advice for newbie van lifers to the best fitness gear to keep in your van and fresh ways to upgrade your home on wheels, this dynamic fitness duo will be your guides!
BEST ADVICE ON:
– Fitness On the Road
– First-Time Van Life Tips
– Upgrading Your Rec Van
– Van Travel with Cats
– Winnebago Life
FOLLOW ALONG:
Blog: The Fit RV
Instagram: @thefitrv
YouTube: The Fit RV
Facebook: @thefitrv
Twitter: @thefitrv
FAMAGOGO
The Holcombe family has been on the road since 1995 and they haven’t stopped moving since. Kathy and Peter Holcombe started their travels by tent camping in a Honda Civic, and have long since upgraded their home on wheels and today travel full-time in a 4×4 Winnebago Revel. The renowned professional adventure photographers, along with their teenage daughter who is a world-class kayaker are paving the way for van lifers across the globe as they shoot for brands including GoPro, Winnebago and Kokatat. Suffice to say, this family has seen it all from across North America to even their overseas journeys in Europe.
BEST ADVICE ON:
– Entrepreneurship
– Family Van Travel
– Full-Time Van Travel
– Overseas Van Travel
– Schooling On the Road
FOLLOW ALONG:
Blog: Famagogo
Instagram: @peterholcombe
YouTube: Peter Holcombe
Facebook: @peter.holcombe
WE’RE THE RUSSOS
Joe and Kait Ruosso are masters of the road. Their travel tale started in 2005 where a road trip to Santa Barbra, California ignited their passion for travel. In 2015, they took a leap of faith and quit their jobs to take on full-time travel. The Russos have since chronicled their travels on their website and YouTube, providing master insight for like-minded adventurers with a dream to see the world. Joe has also published a book Take Risks: One Couple’s Journey to Quit Their Jobs and Hit the Open Road, documenting their decision process in living out their dream to travel. The couple has journeyed in many types of home-on-wheels vehicles, so their insight is invaluable for those who may be searching for the perfect adventure van to whisk them away to the great wide open.
BEST ADVICE ON:
– Travel Destinations
– Entrepreneurship
– Full-Time Adventure Travel
– Gear for Your Rec Van
FOLLOW ALONG:
Blog: We’re the Russos
Instagram: @weretherussos
YouTube: We’re the Russos
ADVENTURAYERS
The Ayers are absolute couple goals. Both former airline pilots with a love for adventure found their way to each other later in life and have been traveling the world in two adventure vans since 2016 (Pleasure-Way Plateau and Thor Tellaro). From California to Florida, across Canada and throughout Europe, Sally and Paul are enjoying retirement on a level most of us have only dreamed of. Did we mention they live on their sailboat when they’re not RVing all over the world? Coolest, couple, ever. From guides to the finest corners of the world to tips for newbie van lifers, this adventure couple is the ultimate inspiration for travelers at any stage of life. These two continually will remind you that it’s never too late to get out there and explore.
BEST ADVICE ON:
– Travel Destinations
– Full-Time Adventure Travel
– Overseas Travel
– Van Travel After Retirement
FOLLOW ALONG:
Blog: Adventurayers
Instagram: @adventurayers
Are you still considering taking the leap to full-time adventure van travel? To help you understand every aspect of the lifestyle, check out our guide on the question you may be wondering — “Is Van Life Really As Good As It Sounds?”. There you’ll discover the pros and cons to life on the road along with what to really expect.
