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vanlife

Vanlife Gatherings 2025

November 19, 2024

Vanlife & Overlanding Events 2025

I have compiled a list of vanlife and overlanding events, gatherings, expos, and tours in the USA, Canada, Europe, and beyond! I have tried to be as thorough as possible, so there are events that are VW specific, club membership specific, and even some that are more exhibition style in order to be a fully inclusive list that has something for everybody.

Since a lot of events have been announced for 2025, I am posting this now knowing there will be many events that still need to be announced with exact dates and locations. I will continue to update this as these get announced and encourage everyone to keep checking this post for updates. If you know of any events that I am missing, please let me know so I can add it to the list.

Feel free to share this list, post it on social media, and let’s all get together and keep building this amazing nomadic community! Thank you.

January
Tourisma & Caravaning — Jan 4-6 | Magdeburg, Germany
New Year Nomad Reunion — Jan 5-8 | Kingmen, AZ
Women's RTR — Jan 8-10 | Quartzite, AZ
Vanlife Pride In The Desert — Jan 9-13 | Quartzite, AZ
Reisen & Caravanning — Jan 10-12 | Chemnitz, Germany
TRIBE Bohème Rendezvous — Jan 10-17 | Ehrenberg, AZ
Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (RTR) — Jan 11-16 | Quartzite, AZ
Xscapers Annual Bash — Jan 11-19 | Lake Havasu, AZ
Buses By The Bridge — Jan 16-19 | Lake Havasu City, AZ
Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Show — Jan 16-19 | Manchester, UK
Caravan Freizeit Reisen — Jan 17-19 | Oldenburg, Germany
Q25 RV Rally — Jan 17-27 | Quartzite, AZ
Skooliepalooza Ungathering — Jan 17-31 | Ehrenberg, AZ
Tiny Home Show Canada — Jan 18-19 | Virtual/Online
CMT Tourism & Leisure Expo — Jan 18-26 | Stuttgart, Germany
Escapees Party on Plomosa — Jan 22 | Quartzite, AZ
Escapar A La Baja — Jan 29 - Feb 3 | San Juan de la Costa, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Caravana — Jan 29 - Feb | Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Reisemesse Dresden (Travel Fair) — Jan 31 - Feb 2 | Dresden, Germany

February
Revel In Southern Baja — Feb 1-10 | Baja, Mexico (Whale Watching)
Coddi-Aid/Van-Aid — Feb 1-14 | Quartzite, AZ
Revel Road Rock'N'Roll: Prescott Forest — Feb 6-8 | Bagdad, AZ
Caravaning Hamburg — Feb 6-9 | Hamburg, Germany
Scottish Caravan Motorhome & Holiday Home Show — Feb 6-9 | Glasgow, Scotland
VanFest: LIFTOFF — Feb 6-10 | Melbourne, FL
Skooliepalooza — Feb 7-14 | near Quartzite, AZ
Arizona Ironwood Meet Up — Feb 7-10 | Marana, AZ
Truck Camper Adventure Rally — Feb 12-16 | Quartzite, AZ
Anfaş Kamptalya Outdoor — Feb 12 -16 | Antalya, Turkey
ABF Motorhome & Camping Fair — Feb 12 -16 | Hannover, Germany
Caravanfrühling (Car Travel Expo) — Feb 15-16 | Münster, Germany
Reise + Camping Essen — Feb 19-23 | Essen, Germany
F.RE.E 2025 (Travel Expo) — Feb 19-23 | Germany
Daphne’s 8th Annual Sleepover — Feb 21-23 | Wellton, AZ (VW Campout)
Skoolie Swarm — Feb 21 - Mar 2 | Melrose, Fś
Beijing International Motorhome & Camping Convention (RVCC) — Feb 27 - Mar 2 | Beijing, China
Southeast Adventure Vehicle Expo — Feb 28 - Mar 2 | Starke, FL

March
Caravantur 2025 - Mar 7-9 | Irun, Spain
Peace Love & Vans — Mar 7-10 | Dade City, Florida
TinyFest California — Mar 8-9 | San Diego, CA
Freizeit, Touristik & Garten (Motorhomes & Campers) — Mar 12-16 | Nuremberg, Germany
Jasper Jeep Jam — Mar 13-16 | Jasper, AR
Stockholm Husvagn Husbil (Everything For Road Trips) — Mar 13-16 | Stockholm, Sweden
The Yorkshire Motorhome & Campervan Show — Mar 14-16 | Harrogate, UK
Camper Expo — Mar 14-16 | Utrecht, Netherlands
Revel In Southern Baja — Mar 15-24 | Baja, Mexico (Whale Watching)
Overland Expo SoCal — Mar 16-18 | Costa Mesa, CA
Boot & Angeln Camping & Caravaning — Mar 21-23 | Rostock, Germany
Southeast Overland Camping Event — Mar 28-30 | Petros, TN

April
Revel Backroads Excursion: Big Bend — Apr 3-6 | Big Bend, TX
Van Rally @ Whatcom County Home & Lifestyle Show — Apr 4 | Lynden, WA
OCA (Ostschweizer Camping- und Freizeit-Ausstellung) 2025 — Apr 9-13 | St. Gallen, Switzerland
Caravan Tiny House ve Doğa Sporları Fuarı — Apr 9-13 | Istanbul, Turkey
Camping & Caravanning Expo — Apr 11-13 | Sofia, Bulgaria
Revel Campfire & Cacti Chronicles — Apr 11-13 | Gerlach, NV
Vee Dub Family Birthday Weekender Camp Out — Apr 12-14 | Brean, Somerset, UK
Red Rock 4-Wheelers Easter Jeep Safari — Apr 12-20 | Moab, UT
California Overland Adventure & Power Sports Show — Apr 12-13 | Pomona, CA
RendezVan — Apr 17-20 | Mt Bachelor, OR
CamperFest — Apr 17-21 | Chester, Chestershire, UK
Van Jam Campout — Apr 17-21 | Jacumba, CA
Adventure Van Expo — Apr 19-20 | Ventura, CA
MOORE Expo — Apr 25-26 | Springfield, MO
Alive & Kickin — Apr 25-27 | Haughley Park, Suffolk, UK
Dubs At The Mill — Apr 25-27 | Crewkerne, UK
Camper Van Week-End — Apr 25-27 | Angers-Brissac, France
Escapees Best of Nashville HOP — Apr 27 - May 2 | Nashville, TN
Georgia Tiny House Festival — TBD | Madison, GA
A Roam Of Our Own — ON HIATUS IN 2025 | Fallbrook, CA (womxn only)

May
Syncro-Fest — May 1-4 | Hollister Hills, CA
Revel Grit & Gravel: The Ladies' Off-Road Escape — May 1-4 | Nashville, TN (ladies only)
Cheat River Festival — May 2-3 | Albright, WV
Campervan Campout — May 2-4 | Haywards Heath, West Sussex, UK
VW Camp Out — May 2-5 | Budle Bay, Northumberland, UK
Derbyshire Dubs — May 8-11 | Wardlow, Derbyshire, UK
VanWest — May 9-11 | Somerset, UK
GlampFest — May 9-11 | Scotton, Knaresborough, UK
Camp Carpe Diem — May 15-18 | Salida, CO
Overland Expo West — May 16-18 | Flagstaff, AZ
Cleanup Campout for KORC 2025 — May 16-18 | Copper Harbor, MI
VW Breakout — May 16-18 | Wellingborough, UK
Dubs In The Middle — May 22-25 | Hanley Castle, Worcestershire, UK
Volksfling — May 23-25 | Biggar, South Lanarkshire, Scotland
ClubFest — May 23-27 | Bolesworth Castle, Cheshire, UK
NZMCA Motorhome, Caravan & Leisure Show — May 24-25 | Christchurch, New Zealand
Westest VW Fest — May 29 - Jun 1 | Pembrokeshire, UK
Vanlife Festival — May 30 - Jun 1 | West Mid Showground, Shrewsbury, UK
Midwest Women’s Off-road Weekend 2025 — May 30 - Jun 1 | White Lake, WI
Music City Motorhome Expo — May 31 - Jun 4 | Lebanon, TN

June
Alive & V-Dubbin — Jun 5-8 | Haughley Park, Suffolk, UK
Vanfest 28 — Jun 5-8 | Aylmer, Ontario, Canada
Volksfest Bristol — Jun 6-8 | Bristol, UK
Randi’s Adventures ‘Wanna Camp Together’ Meetup — Jun 6-8 | Custer, SD
Overland Adventure Expo — Jun 6-8 | Stockholm, Sweden
Campers & Coffee — Jun 7-8 | Hellingly, Hailsham, UK
Mighty Dub Fest — Jun 13-15 | Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, UK
Camperlife @ Stratford — Jun 13-15 | Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
Vanlife Iceland Midsummer Edition — Jun 15-22 | Iceland
Range To Ranch Retreat — Jun 19-22 | Mackay, ID
Vee Dub Family 2025 Weekender Campout — Jun 20-22 | Brean Sands, Burnham on Sea, UK
The Bus Fair — Jun 20-22 | Oakridge, OR
VanJamboree — Jun 20-22 | Kelham Hall, Newark, UK
VanLife Fest — Jun 20-22 | Scampston Hall, Malton, North Yorkshire, UK
Adventure Van Expo — Jun 21-22 | Hood River, OR
Overland Expo PNW — Jun 27-29 | Redmond, OR
Northwest Overland Rally — TBD | Plain, WA
OverlandNTH The Rally — TBD | Muskoka, Ontario, Canada
The Caravan — ON HIATUS IN 2025 | Naturita, CO

July
Camp Pride — Jul 3-6 | Eugene, OR
Vans In The Valley — Jul 3-6 | Reeth, North Yorkshire, UK
Camper Jam — Jul 4-6 | Weston Park, Shropshire, UK
VanLife Michigan — Jul 4-6 | Hemlock, MI
52nd National Truck-In — Jul 9-13 | Albert Lea, MN
Volks Power — Jul 10-13 | Redcar, UK
Revel Trout, Trails & Tales — Jul 10-13 | Ennis, MT to West Yellowstone, MT
Revel & Overland Annual Meetup — Jul 10-13 | Three Forks, MT
Dorset Volksfest — Jul 11-13 | Wareham, Dorset, UK
Tiny Home Show Canada — Jul 11-13 | Ancaster, Ontario, Canada
Dubs At The Castle — Jul 17-20 | Caldicot Castle, Monmouthshire, UK
Vanlove — Jul 18-20 | Elvington Airfield, York, UK
Vanstock Alaska — Jul 18-21 | Palmer, AK
Alberta Outdoor Adventure Expo — Jun 20-22 | Yellowhead Country, Alberta, Canada
Dubbed Out Festival — Jul 24-27 | Cheshire, UK
Vanlife & Overlander Celebration — Jul 25-27 | Thatcham, Berkshire, UK
Bug Jam — Jul 25-27 | Santa Pod Raceway, Podington, Wellingborough, Northants, UK
Dubs South Campout — Jul 25-27 | Hampshire, UK
Dinky Dub Fest — Jul 25-27 | Druridge Bay Country Park, Northumberland, UK
Adventure Van Expo — Jul 26-27 | Evergreen, CO
Colorado Tiny House Festival — TBD | Brighton, CO
BC Overland Rally — TBD | Kelowna, BC, Canada
Urban Van Festival — TBD | East Sussex, UK
Holy Toledo — ON HIATUS IN 2025 | Toledo, OR

August
Van Vibes Festival — Aug 1-3 | Surrey, UK
Skoolie U.P. — Aug 1-11 | Upper Peninsula Michigan
VW Festival — Aug 8-10 | Harewood House, Leeds, UK
Slumber on the Humber — Aug 8-10 | Whyam, Grimsby, UK
DubNess Gathering of the Vans — Aug 8-10 | Inverness, Scotland
Vanlife Iceland Lofoten #1 — Aug 9-15 | Lofoten, Iceland (SOLD-OUT)
Vanlife Iceland August — Aug 9-16 | Iceland
Volksfest Wales — Aug 15-17 | Watton Show Fields, Brecon, Wales, UK
V Dub At The Pub — Aug 15-17 | Dorset, UK
Vanlife Iceland Lofoten #2 — Aug 15-21 | Lofoten, Iceland
VanFest: Escape to the Cape — Aug 21-25 | East Falmouth, MA
Annual Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Club Invasion — Aug 21-23 | Pigeon Forge, TN
Overland Expo Mtn West — Aug 22-24 | Loveland, CO
Vanlife Eats — Aug 22-24 | Dummer Farm, Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK
Beach Gathering — Aug 22-25 | Budle Bay Farm, Northumberland, UK
Caravan Salon — Aug 29 - Sep 7 | Düsseldorf, Germany
Vanlife Iceland Northern Lights #1 — Aug 30 - Sep 6 | Iceland
Kamper Fest — TBD | Dover, UK
Cranium Campout — TBD | Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove, UK
Northwest MogFest — TBD | Sheridan OR
Mid-Atlantic Overland Festival — TBD | Huntingdon County, Central PA
OverlandNTH The Gathering — TBD | Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada

September
Druridge Bay Campout — Sep 4-7 | Northumberland, UK
Volkswagen-Klassiker auf der Postalm — Sep 5-7 | Abtenau, Austria
Red Clay Rally — Sep 5-7 | Location TBD
Adventure Van Expo — Sep 6-7 | Enumclaw, WA
Camp Carpe Diem — Sep 11-14 | Cascade, ID
VanWILD — Sep 11-14 | Montrose, CO
Keweenaw Overland Adventure Retreat (KOAR) — Sep 11-14 | Copper Harbor, MI
Busfest — Sep 12-14 | Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire, UK
Overland of America — Sep 12-14 | Jay, OK
Adventure X Fest — Sep 12-14 | Circleville, WV
California Overland Adventure & Power Sports Show — Sep 13-14 | Sonoma, CA
Vanlife Iceland Northern Lights #2 — Sep 13-20 | Iceland
Salone Del Camper — Sep 13-21 | Parma, Italy
M25 The Gathering — Sep 18-21 | Merrill, MI
Northwest Nomads — Sep 18-22 | Fort Rock, OR
Vanlife Iceland Northern Lights #3 — Sep 21-28 | Iceland
Big Iron Overland Rally — Sep 26-27 | West Mineral, KS
Retro Dub Suffolk VW Festival — Sep 26-28 | Suffolk, UK
Dubs In T’Dales — Sep 26-28 | Thorp Perrow, Bedale, North Yorkshire, UK
Chattanooga Overlanding Expo — Sep 28-29 | East Ridge, TN
Campers & Coffee — TBD | Hailsham, UK
Revel Club Meetup 2025 — TBD | Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
VanFest NE Region — TBD | New England
Teton Overland Show — TBD | Idaho Falls, ID
Panhandle Overland Rally — TBD | Sandpoint, ID
Toyo Tires Trail Pass Overland — TBD | Big Bear, CA

October
The Pilgrimage — Oct 2-5 | South Royalton, VT
Overland Expo East — Oct 3-5 | Arrington, VA
Oktoberfest UK — Oct 3-5 | River Dart Country Park, Devon, UK
Revel Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta — Oct 3-6 | Albuquerque, NM
Adventure Van Expo — Oct 4-5 | San Juan Capistrano, CA
Off-Road Expo — Oct 4-5 | Pomona, CA
Moonlanding — Oct 9-13 | Pinehill, NM
National Overland Show — Oct 10-12 | Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
Salón Internacional del Caravaning — Oct 11-19 | Barcelona, Spain
Rendezvous in the Ozarks — Oct 16-18 | Ozark, AR
Overland the Red — Oct 16-19 | Stanton, KY
Van-O-Ween — Oct 30 - Nov 3 | Apache Junction, AZ
Texas Avid Outdoors Fall Expo — TBD | Llano, TX
C.H.A.S.M.Fest — TBD | Lake Havasu City, AZ
Skooliepalooza — TBD | Moab, UT
Copperstate Overland — TBD | Northeastern AZ
Roof Top Tent Rally — TBD | Gladstone, VA

November
Florida Tiny House Festival — TBD | Gainesville, FL
Outdoor Adventure Rendezvous — TBD | Bedford County, VA

December
Nomadic Creatives — TBD | Northwest, AZ

Other
Crossroads App — Community Based Events
Sēkr App — Community Based Events
Good Vibe Collective — Various Events Throughout The Year
Seattle Vanlife Meetup — Monthly Seattle Meetup
Vanlife & Nomadic Living — San Diego Meetups
Vanlife Campgrounds — Community Oriented Homebases For Nomads
Project Van Life — Yearly Online Summit
Xscapers — Yearly Events For Members
Four Wheel Campers — RV/Popup Truck Campers Events
Trail Wolves — Regular Events including Rodeo X Rigs
Backcountry Discovery Routes — Regular Rallies, Off-Road Schools, and Adventures
Nomads Unite — East Coast Field Trips & Gatherings
Vanlife & Nomads (USA) — Facebook Group w/ Events Posted
Arizona Love Gathering — Regional Rainbow Gathering
Overland BC — Overlanding Enthusiasts in British Columbia, Canada
Home On Wheels Alliance — Virtual Caravan Connections
Black Nomads Meet — Black Nomadic Community Gatherings
Buddhist Boondockers — Regular Meetups Throughout The Year

If you know of any events that aren’t listed, please leave a comment with link so I can add it!

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New Sliding Door Window For My Van

November 14, 2023

I’m super excited to announce that I recently had a new window installed on my van! When I designed my Sprinter’s layout and build, I didn’t think I wanted a lot of windows because any non-insulated opening can bring heat into the van on hot days, as well as allow heat to leave the van on cold days. Therefore, I went with three smaller Tern Overland windows instead, one of each end of the bed and one at the kitchen galley. In the past 3.5 years using my van, I realized that I would love to be able to see the outside views more when I’m inside the van, especially on a cool night or in a place with bugs when I didn’t want the sliding door open. Any time I was in someone else’s van that had a window in the sliding door, I realized what I was missing out on. Another reason to get a window installed was that the wooden panel that was put onto the sliding door during my original van build always rattled when I was driving. From what I’ve been told by a few builders now, this is a common issue with panels on the sliding doors, plus they get loose over time from all the opening and closing of the slider.

Last year, I went to the annual Freedom Vans van gathering here in Bellingham. They are a well-known and reputable van building company and I enjoyed meeting the owners and crew. At that time, I showed them my rattling panel and discussed window installation options. During our conversation, the company owner Tim told me that a wonderful advantage of having a window in the sliding door is the ability to see out while driving. Often when you need to turn into traffic, without a window there you have limited visibility on the right side, so being able to look over your right shoulder and see out that back side window is super helpful. I was also very impressed to learn about all the pros and cons of each after-market window styles and seeing them in action on some the van builds they were working on.

After some deliberation, I decided to go with the AMA Slider with Fly-Screen. I liked the bigger opening that would sit right above my passenger-side cabinet so my cat Maverick could sit there and enjoy the fresh air and view. I also heard that the T-vents on the CRL windows, which are most commonly installed, often break, though they do have the best “unobstructed” view since there’s no big piece sliding within in. I did consider the VWD slider, but preferred the opening to be at the back of the sliding door versus the front. I would say the only downside to the AMA and VWD slider windows is that the part that opens is not flush on the outside, which some people don’t like visually. It also allows for debris to get caught in the cracks, something I’ve already learned living in the forest where pine needles get into everything!

I finally took the plunge to get my window installed earlier this month. The installation only takes a few hours, but my van did have to stay overnight for the glue to set. I was so excited to pick up my Sprinter the next day and see the final result — and I love it! I can’t wait to go on adventures and experience all the views through the new window. Right now the weather isn’t ideal so I do not have any trips planned, but come next Spring, I will taking off to explore, including planned trips to North Cascades National Park, some vanlife gatherings, and hopefully a long road trip to Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas, maybe even Alberta, Canada to check out Banff and Jasper National Parks. If anyone wants to caravan with me on that, please let me know!

On a side note, my buddy Stavros started Nomadic Supply Company a few years ago and I highly recommend them for all van products you may need. They have curated a collection of more than 10,000 of the world’s highest-quality products and donate 10% of their profits to the Sierra Club Foundation and 1% of every sale is donated directly to the Stripe Climate Change initiative. Stavros is an avid vanlifer himself and he’s built out his own van, therefore, he knows what works, what products are good, and which brands have the best quality. I have asked him lots of questions about products over the years and can vouch that his customer service is excellent and many van builders like Freedom Vans order from him. If you like my set up, I suggest ordering the AMA windows from him, or use the links for the other window styles (in this post) if you prefer them better.

Now that the window is installed, I made sure to order an insulated window cover to blackout the window when I’m sleeping in the van, as well as to keep the van cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Since I already have the Sprinter blackout window covers for the front cab and back windows from Quest Overland, as well as their fan cover, I went ahead and purchased the matching Sliding Door Window Cover from this amazing company. Not only do her products fit perfectly with strong magnets holding them up, they are well-constructed in a neutral color, and last for a long time. I am very happy with all the covers I’ve had since 2019, which don’t show any wear and tear, so getting the matching cover from the same company only made sense. If you need good quality blackout window covers, I highly recommend Quest Overland and you can use code “barbrocks5” to save 5% in their shop!
UPDATE: Hally & Ian the founders of Quest Overland sold the company in September 2023 and the new owner Josh is not fulfilling orders, nor replying to emails. I sadly can no longer recommend this company to people unless the new owner gets his business affairs in order and customer service improves.

I would love to hear what you all think of my new sliding door window. If you have the same AMA window, I’m curious to get your feedback on what your experience is with that brand and style. For those of you looking to install a window in your sliding door, I hope this post helps you decide which option is best for your needs. Happy Travels!

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Vanlife Gatherings 2024

November 12, 2023

Vanlife & Overlanding Events 2024

*Escapar A La Baja photo courtesy of The Journal of Lost Time*

Some events have already been announced for 2024, therefore, I am posting this now. But many dates are still to be determined for events in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. I will continue to update this as these get announced. Also, if you know of any events that I am missing, please let me know! Thank you.

January
New Year Nomad Reunion — Jan 5-8 | Kingmen, AZ
Women's RTR — Jan 11-13 | Quartzite, AZ
Vanlife Pride — Jan 11-14 | Quartzite, AZ
Buses By The Bridge — Jan 11-14 | Lake Havasu City, AZ
Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (RTR) — Jan 14-19 | Quartzite, AZ
Xscapers Annual Bash — Jan 13-21 | Lake Havasu, AZ
Skooliepalooza — Jan 15-22 | Ehrenberg, AZ
The Ungathering — Jan 19-30 | Ehrenberg, AZ
VLC Girls Go Baja Caravan — Jan 20-28 | Joshua Tree to Baja
VanFest Florida — Jan 26-28 | Viera, FL
Van Life Yard Meet: The Bowl — Jan 30 | Houghton Conquest, UK

February
Escapar A La Baja — Jan 31 — Feb 5 | Playa El Tecolote, Baja, Mexico
The Scottish Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Home Show — Feb 1-4 | Glasgow, Scotland
Revel In Southern Baja — Feb 10-19 | Baja, Mexico (Whale Watching)
Truck Camper Adventure Rally — Feb 14-18 | Quartzite, AZ
Peace Love & Vans — Feb 16-19 | Withlacoochee River Park, Florida
Daphne’s 7th Annual Sleepover — Feb 16-19 | Wellton, AZ (VW Campout)
Skoolie Swarm — Feb 16-25 | Melrose, FL
Reise + Camping Essen — Feb 28-Mar 3 | Essen, Germany

March
The Yorkshire Motorhome & Campervan Show — Mar 15-17 | Harrogate, UK
TinyFest California — Mar 16-17 | San Diego, CA
A Roam Of Our Own — Mar 21-24 | Palm Springs, CA (womxn only)
Camper Expo — Mar 15-17 | Utrecht, Netherlands
Red Rock 4-Wheelers Easter Jeep Safari — Mar 23-31 | Moab, UT
CamperFest — Mar 28-Apr 1 | Chester, Chestershire, UK

April
Revel Total Solar Eclipse In The Ozarks — Apr 5-9 | Ozarks, AR
Clubs Unite at the Beach — Apr 7 | Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, UK
Vee Dub Family Birthday Weekender Camp Out — Apr 12-14 | Brean, Somerset, UK
Revel Volcanic Overland Experience — Apr 12-14 | Oregon/California (w/ Backroad Van Adventures)
Adventure Van Expo — Apr 13-14 | Scottsdale, AZ
Weird Wild West — Apr 18-22 | Bisbee, AZ
Moore Expo — Apr 19-20 | Springfield, MO
Alive & Kickin — Apr 19-21 | Woolpit, Bury Saint Edmunds, UK
Dubs At The Mill — Apr 19-21 | Crewkerne, UK
Revel Club Big Bend Backroads — Apr 24-28 | Big Bend, TX
Revel Mojave Road Experience — Apr 25-28 | Mojave Desert, CA ( w/ Backroad Van Adventures)
Georgia Tiny House Festival — Apr 27-28 | Madison, GA
Adventure Van Expo — Apr 27-28 | Austin, TX
Camper Van Week-End — Apr 26-28 | Angers-Brissac, France

May
RendezVan — May 2-5 | Mt Bachelor, OR
Syncro-Fest — May 2-5 | Hollister Hills, CA
Campervan Campout — May 3-5 | Haywards Heath, West Sussex, UK
VW Camp Out — May 3-6 | Budle Bay, Northumberland, UK
Adventure Van Expo — May 4-5 | San Juan Capistrano, CA
Derbyshire Dubs — May 9-12 | Wardlow, UK
VanWest — May 10-12 | Somerset, UK
GlampFest — May 10-12 | Scotton, Knaresborough, UK
Adventure Van Expo — May 11-12 | Santa Rosa, CA
Revel Flagstaff to Prescott — May 14-16 | Arizona
Camp Carpe Diem — May 16-20 | Hot Springs, AR
Overland Expo West — May 17-19 | Flagstaff, AZ
VW Breakout — May 17-19 | Wellingborough, UK
Revel & Vines — May 20-24 | Central Coast, CA (only 6 vans)
Dubs In The Middle — May 23-27 | Evesham, Worcestershire, UK
Volksfling — May 24-26 | Biggar, South Lanarkshire, Scotland
ClubFest — May 24-28 | Shropshire, UK
Revel In Baja — May 26-30 | Baja, Mexico
Vanlife Festival — May 31-Jun 2 | Shrewsbury, UK
VanJamboree — May 31-Jun 2 | Grange-de-Lings, Lincoln, UK
Westest VW Fest — May 31-Jun 2 | Pembrokeshire, UK

June
Camper Tour England — Jun 2-16 | England & Wales
The Caravan — Jun 6-10 | Naturita, CO
Fort Desolation — Jun 6-8 | Torrey, UT
Volksfest Bristol — Jun 7-9 | Bristol, UK
Campers & Coffee — Jun 9 | Hailsham, UK
Revel 4x4 Off-Road Training Adventure — Jun 11-13 | Vancouver Island, BC, Canada (Fundamentals)
Revel 4x4 Off-Road Training Adventure — Jun 14-16 | Vancouver Island, BC, Canada (Intermediate/Advanced)
Mighty Dub Fest — Jun 14-16 | Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, UK
Camperlife @ Stratford — Jun 15 | Warwickshire, UK
Vanlife Iceland Midsummer Edition — Jun 15-22 | Iceland
The Bus Fair — Jun 21-23 | Oakridge, OR
FWC Owner’s Rally & Campout — Jun 21-23 | Tygh Valley, OR
VanLife Fest — Jun 21-23 | North Yorkshire, UK
Revel Coastal Oregon Experience — Jun 21-23 | Oregon
Adventure Van Expo — Jun 22-23 | Hood River, OR
Overland Expo PNW — Jun 28-30 | Redmond, OR
VanLife Michigan — Jun 28-30 | Hemlock, MI
Adventure Van Expo — Jun 29-30 | Boise, ID

July
Camper Jam — Jul 5-7 | Shropshire, UK
Vans In The Valley — Jul 5-7 | Richmond, North Yorkshire, UK
Camp Pride — Jul 9-12 | Camp Lane In Walton, OR
51st National Truck-In — Jul 10-14 | Greenfield, MA
Volks Power — Jul 11-14 | Redcar, UK
Dorset Volksfest — Jul 12-14 | Wareham, Dorset, UK
Colorado Tiny House Festival — Jul 13-14 | Brighton, CO
Dubs At The Castle — Jul 18-21 | Monmouthshire, UK
Holy Toledo — Jul 18-22 | Toledo, OR
Vanlove — Jul 19-21 | York, UK
Urban Van Festival — Jul 19-21 | East Sussex, UK
Dubbed Out Festival — Jul 25-28 | Cheshire, UK
Vanlife & Overlander Celebration — Jul 26-28 | Thatcham, Berkshire, UK
Bug Jam — Jul 26-28 | Wellingborough, UK
Dubs South Campout — Jul 26-28 | Hampshire, UK
Dinky Dub Fest — Jul 26-28 | Northumberland, UK
Adventure Van Expo — Jul 27-28 | Evergreen, CO
Revel Club Iceland/Norway — TBD | Iceland & Norway
Revel Club The Road To Alaska — TBD | Alaska

August
Kamper Fest — Aug 2-6 | Dover, UK
Skoolie U.P. — Aug 2-12 | Upper Peninsula Michigan
Slumber on the Humber — Aug 9-11 | Cabourne Parva, UK
VW Festival — Aug 9-11 | Harewood House, Leeds, UK
DubNess Gathering of the Vans — Aug 9-11 | Inverness, Scotland
Vanlife Iceland August #1 — Aug 10-17 | Iceland
Vanlife Iceland Lofoten #1 — Aug 10-17 | Lofoten, Iceland
Revel Olympic Peninsula Experience — Aug 15-18 | Washington (w/ Back Road Van Adventures)
Volksfest Wales — Aug 16-18 | Brecon, Wales, UK
V Dub At The Pub — Aug 16-18 | Dorset, UK
Cranium Campout — Aug 16-18 | Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove, UK
Vanlife Iceland August #2 — Aug 18-25 | Iceland
Vanlife Iceland Lofoten #2 — Aug 18-25 | Lofoten, Iceland
Overland Expo Mtn West — Aug 23-25 | Loveland, CO
Beach Gathering — Aug 23-26 | Northumberland, UK
Vanlife Eats — Aug 23-26 | Hampshire, UK
Adventure Van Expo — Aug 24-25 | Ballston Spa, NY
Northwest MogFest — TBD | Sheridan OR

September
Descend on Bend — Aug 30 - Sep 2 | Yamhill River, OR
Caravan Salon — Aug 31-Sep 8 | Düsseldorf, Germany
Busfest — Sep 6-8 | Malvern, Worcestershire, UK
Van Vibes Festival — Sep 6-8 | Surrey, UK
Volkswagen-Klassiker auf der Postalm — Sep 6-8 | Abtenau, Austria
Adventure Van Expo — Sep 7-8 | Enumclaw, WA
Campers & Coffee — Sep 8 | Hailsham, UK
Keweenaw Overland Adventure Retreat (KOAR) — Sep 12-15 | Copper Harbor, MI
Druridge Bay Campout — Sep 13-15 | Northumberland, UK
Adventure Van Expo — Sep 14-15 | North Lake Tahoe, CA
Vanlife Iceland Northern Lights #1 — Sep 14-21 | Iceland
Adventure Overland Show — Sep 15-16 | Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
International Campervan Show — Sep 15-16 | Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
Revel Club 4X4 Van Training — Sep 15-17 | Moab, UT
Camper Tour Appennines — Sep 15-19 | Apennines & South Italy
Vanquinox — Sep 19-22 | Grandjean, ID
VanWILD — Sep 19-22 | Montrose, CO
Northwest Nomads — Sep 19-23 | Fort Rock, OR
Revel Club Meetup 2024 — Sep 19-22 | Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
Retro Dub Suffolk VW Festival — Sep 20-22 | Suffolk, UK
Vanlife Iceland Northern Lights #2— Sep 22-29 | Iceland
Dubs In T’Dales — Sep 27-29 | North Yorkshire, UK
Big Iron Overland Rally — Sep 27-28 | West Mineral, KS
VanFest NE Region — TBD | New England

November
Revel Texas Hill Country Tour — Nov 8-10 | Mason, TX
Florida Tiny House Festival — Nov 18-19 | Gainesville, FL
Touristik & Caravaning Leipzig — Nov 20-24 | Leipzig, Germany
Guangzhou International Motorhome Expo — Nov 21-24 | Guangzhou, China
VanLife Campers — Nov 22-23 | Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Auto Camping Caravan: Boot & Fun — Nov 28 - Dec 1 | Berlin, Germany
Poekhali (Let's Go Exhibition) — Nov 29 - Dec 1 | Moscow, Russia
10th Annual Chengdu International Caravan Festival — Nov 29 - Dec 1 | Chengdu City, China
Revel Club 4x4 Van Training — TBD | Ellenville, NY (w/ Northeast Off-Road Adventures)

December
Travel Turkey İzmir Outdoor — Dec 5-8 | Gaziemir/İzmir, Turkey
Doe Lake Swarm — Dec 6-12 | Ocala, FL
Karavanist (Caravan and Equipment Fair) — Dec 14-22 | Istanbul, Turkey
Revel Death Valley Experience — Dec 29 - Jan 1 | Death Valley, CA
Nomadic Creatives — Dec 31 | Northwest, AZ

Other
Sēkr App — Community Based Events
Good Vibe Collective — Various Events Throughout The Year
Buddhist Boondockers — Regular Meetups Throughout The Year
Seattle Vanlife Meetup — Monthly Seattle Meetup
Vanlife & Nomadic Living — San Diego Meetups
Nomads Unite — East Coast Field Trips & Gatherings
Vanlife & Nomads (USA) — Facebook Group w/ Events Posted
Project Van Life — Yearly Online Summit
Xscapers — Yearly Events For Members
Black Nomads Meet — Black Nomadic Community Gatherings
Home On Wheels Alliance — Virtual Caravan Connections

If you know of any events that aren’t listed, please leave a comment with link so I can add it!

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Going From A Bar Rat To A Vanlifer

April 3, 2023

When my parents died in 2013 and 2015, I realized that I had been wasting a lot of my life at work and drinking at bars. After two failed marriages, I spent my mid-thirties to mid-forties at bars a lot. Drinking was my coping mechanism, a way to get out of the house and be social, forget that I was actually unhappy. I went to the bars 3-6 nights a week, smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol, bonding with various people (some acquaintances, some friends), many of which were lonely people like myself that were escaping their lives as well. I easily had 5+ drinks/shots each time I went out! It didn’t help that I decided to build a side business in music, booking shows at venues with alcohol. The benefits of doing business in that environment meant lots of free drinks, either the venue hooking me up or people buying them for me. One venue even let me drink free every time I went there, even when I didn’t have a show, and I took advantage of that. I still have a receipt from them that shows my whole tab for the year and then that amount “written off” to a zero balance — I’m pretty sure it was close to $3K! It’s not easy to admit to all this, it is definitely something that I justified to myself thinking I didn’t have a problem. Looking back, I know that this behavior led to many bad decisions, as well as weight gain. Between drinking at bars and shows, going to my day job in hi-tech (often hung over), and sitting on my couch watching tv, I didn’t really do much else. I led a sedentary life. To think that I could have explored all the beautiful areas around me and throughout California during those years is disappointing!

Losing my parents changed me, A LOT! I realized that life was short — I became very aware of our mortality and that one could easily die at any moment. I couldn’t keep going down the same path of destruction. It still took me a few years to fully get out of that cycle, but one thing that changed pretty quick in late 2013 was the amount of time I spent at bars drinking. I stopped being a “bar rat” and going out drinking in excess. That doesn’t mean I stopped drinking, but it was easily reduced by half. Instead of bars, I hosted people at my house, but not nearly as often as I was going to bars. I still sat around and watched tv a lot though, still not going out to explore and enjoy the surrounding nature areas. Then in 2016, I discovered vanlife through a guy I was dating that year. It changed my life forever!

When I first met Jesse and he told me he lived in his van, I thought something was wrong with him — who would want to live in a van intentionally?!? He explained to me that he didn’t want to pay the exorbitant monthly rent in the Bay Area and that by living in the van, he saved 80% of his paycheck, which he put into his retirement savings. He also showed me how the transient lifestyle meant seeing all the beautiful areas around, spending the night by the ocean or in the forest, taking trips on the weekend to some place new. I realized at that moment that there were so many wonderful areas within an hour or two of where I lived that I never visited in the 25+ years I lived there! He also took me to Oregon and Washington on a week long road trip, which really opened my eyes as I had never explored these two beautiful neighboring states.

Even though Jesse and I didn’t work out as a couple, he left an impact on my life. In our 8 months together, I learned a lot from him — how to find overnight spots, what apps/websites to use, what to do and not do, and other valuable tips. Jesse also encouraged me to travel solo since I was convinced that traveling with a partner or friend was the only way I could travel. I knew that I wanted to continue this lifestyle, so I started researching vans and RV’s to see what I could afford. About a month and a half after our breakup, I bought myself a 20 ft. Thor Majestic 19G Mini-Class C RV for $25K. I started exploring California and learned that traveling by myself with my cat Maverick was actually quite fun.

Being that I’m super social, I set up my road trips with stops where I could visit various friends along the way, plus I went to a lot of local meetups with vanlife enthusiasts and nomads to make friends and learn from them. I also learned about bigger vanlife gatherings in Oregon and Southern California, which I started to attend to meet like-minded individuals and fully immerse myself in this wonderful community. My first Descend on Bend in 2018 was so impactful, spending three days in the Oregon high desert with 1000 other part-time and full-time vandwellers, enjoying food, drinks, activities, music, and bonfires together! Then in January 2019, I went to San Diego to a monthly meetup on Fiesta Island, where I met the ladies that started the Sēkr app and continued to grow my vanlife connections. Some of the people I met at these events have become close friends and some of the nicest people I have met in my life!

In 2019, I decided to sell my RV as I didn’t really love driving it. The over-cab bed was small and bit claustrophobic, the vehicle wasn’t very aerodynamic and shook a lot while driving, and the gas mileage was terrible at around 10 mpg. Seeing so many great custom build vans at all the events I went to and hearing how much easier they were to drive, I decided that I wanted a van of my own, especially knowing what I needed and didn’t need in the small space from the RV. I researched the various types of vans, as well as all the van builders I could find on the West Coast, and after 6 months of manifesting the van of my dreams, I found a 2019 Mercedes Benz Sprinter cargo van with all specs I wanted and had it custom built out in late 2019/early 2020. That van was ready for pick up in early April 2020, right after COVID-19 hit. I encourage you to read my van build story for more details on that!

In the last 6.5 years, I have traveled over 40K miles solo with my cat Maverick. I’ve been to 7 states, mostly on the West Coast, and continue to attend as many vanlife gatherings as I can. I love the freedom of traveling in my home-on-wheels, being able to spend the night in beautiful places, and exploring nature! Instead of sitting at home watching tv or going to a bar drinking, I drive to new places, learn about the history, and walk around to see as much as possible. I hike trails to waterfails, through old growth forests, and along oceanside cliffs, I take dips in watering holes, hot springs, and rivers, and I swim in lakes, bays, and ocean waters. I enjoy parks, beaches, museums, and local restaurants and shops. I meet people everywhere I go and have wonderful conversations with them. I feel like I’ve learned so much, met so many interesting humans, and overall I’m leading a much healthier lifestyle. What a difference a decade can make once you make better choices of how to spend your time! I have a lot of fond memories of my bar days — I’ve hosted and managed some talented bands/artists and made some great friends in the process — but I don’t miss the excessive drinking and side effects of that lifestyle. I don’t believe in having regrets since all the decisions in my life have shaped the person I am today (whom I’m very happy with), but I can tell you that the quality of life I have now is dramatically better, and sometimes I wish I had discovered it sooner. I know my parents in heaven approve of the changes I made and they walk with me every day, with every step, in this amazing life I have!

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The Trip That Changed My Life

March 31, 2023

As many of you know, I decided to pack up my life in California back in Fall of 2020 and move to the Pacific Northwest. I had been wanting to move out of California for awhile, mainly because I didn’t love the heat and traffic, but I was so established there between friendships, work, and my house that moving seemed like a lot of work and a little scary. I always heard that once you move out of California, it’s hard to move back, especially if you sell your house. Then in August 2020, Silicon Valley was hit with a huge dry lightning storm that caused some of the biggest fires in California history. For two weeks we had an orange apocalyptic sky with bad AQI that ended up affecting the whole West Coast, with smoke moving across the whole country! Between the fires and the increased amount of summer days over 100*F, I was over the heat and smoke, so I went on a 5 week road trip to Oregon and Washington to see where I would want to live.

For some reason, I never made it to the PNW until 2016, despite living in California most of my life. The guy I was dating that year took me on a vanlife road trip to Oregon and Washington, which is when I discovered how much I liked those two states. I kept visiting and exploring them over the next few years in my RV and enjoying my time there, making them viable choices of where to live next. I also considered moving to the Central Coast of California, somewhere near Pismo Beach. I went on this month-long road trip with another female vanlifer named Cory whom I met at a few vanlife gatherings over the years. She also wanted to leave the Bay Area and move to the PNW. We started the journey on September 24th and worked out way north to Fort Bragg g, through the various Redwoods in Northern California, and even stopped at Moonstone Beach.

I originally figured I’d find the perfect beach town in Oregon as I’ve always wanted to live by water. Brookings was a front runner prior to the trip, mainly due to being right at the California border and having a lot of sunny days compared to other oceanside towns. One concern I had though was health care in these small beach towns as they don’t have the same amenities as big cities, which aren’t exactly that close. I did enjoy my time in Harbor and Brookings, but there was a heatwave hitting California and Southern Oregon with 90+* temps that made me reconsider the idea of moving to a place that was still quite hot at the beginning of Fall. I also heard from some newer locals I met who had moved there that finding a house was hard since not much inventory was available. One family had been looking for a year and still hadn’t found a house that was worthwhile. Cory and I decided to drive further north to get away from the heat and continue to see what towns were more favorable.

After a nice stint on the Oregon coast with stops in Bandon, Florence, Coos Bay, Yachats, Newport, Tillamook, Manzanita (another town that topped my list), and Astoria, we worked out way inland along the Columbia River Gorge on the Washington side to Skamokawa for riverside camping, and then even further inland to Graham where Cory had some friends that hosted us with a gorgeous view of Mount Rainier. From there we headed to Alki Beach in West Seattle, but the weather turned gray and misty, plus we spent a restless night along the waterfront due to traffic and noise. Cory needed to get her Roadtrek serviced near Seattle for a few days, so we parted ways and I headed north to Bellingham to visit a friend from high school who always spoke very highly of this small city near the Canadian border.

What I didn’t realize at the time was how this part of the trip would change my life forever. I literally FELL IN LOVE WITH BELLINGHAM! I had the best four days exploring this idyllic bayside city that feels like a big town. There are no high rise buildings, no traffic, lots of parks, waterfront trails, a beautiful waterfall, and the huge 13 miles long Lake Whatcom only 10 minutes from downtown. The weather was sunny and between the bay, the lake, and the mountains, I just felt like I was home. Bellingham has a European feel to it and there are a lot of outdoor activities to enjoy without having to drive far. It’s a haven for hiking, kayaking, paddle-boarding, boating, fishing, mountain biking, and even skiing and snowboarding at Mount Baker. I also took a day trip to Anacortes, which is a charming island town close to the San Juan Islands, and Deception Pass State Park. I hired my friend’s real estate agent with hopes of finding a house with lake or sunset view in the Bellingham vicinity before I left.

After my incredible days in Bellingham, Cory and I met up again and headed south to Bay View State Park for some camping, meeting up with another vanlifer whom I met on Instagram named Cameron. Then after a stop at Snoqualmie Falls, the three of us headed to the Olympic Peninsula to spend a few days in Sequim, known for its lavender, game farm, and lots of water and mountain views. Sequim is a small town of 30K people (if you count the greater surrounding area) and is often referred to as the “Blue Hole” because it is in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains and stays sunnier than most of the Puget Sound area. There are still some occasional drizzles of rain, but those led to seeing lots of rainbows!! Cory and I met with a real estate agent and got familiar with the different regions of Sequim and I even found a house on sale that appealed to me. I made an offer on it, but was beaten by a much higher cash offer. Turns out one of the founders of Descend on Bend lives in Sequim, so I spent one night at their place enjoying the sunset view and bonding with the family. My days in Sequim were quite lovely, making it my second choice to move to.

Cameron, Cory, and I parted ways after Sequim. Cameron headed to spend time with a friend of his in Port Angeles, Cory headed to Oregon’s wine country, and I headed further west and then south on the Olympic Peninsula to explore Lake Crescent, Marymere Falls, and the Hoh Rainforest, all of which are located in the Olympic National Park. It was a wet and rainy few days, therefore, I headed back inland to McMinnville, Oregon, for some wine tasting in sunny warm temps. From there, I worked my way south with a stop in Corvallis for cider tasting, and then west to Highway 101 to take the scenic, mostly ocean-front drive south with quite a few stops in the Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor just north of Brookings. The moment I crossed the border and saw the “Welcome to California” sign, my heart sank, which is when I knew the time for me to move was official — I no longer wanted to live in California.

I got home on October 30, 2020, and packed up the 10% of my belongings I wanted to keep in 2 weeks. I had an estate sale on November 21st. The following week I had friends and acquaintances take whatever they wanted from what was left, and then the weekend after Thanksgiving, I made a Craigslist post for people to grab whatever they wanted from the garage. I had very little left for donation and dump runs, and then my house was cleaned, staged, photographed, and went on the MLS on December 4th. I had so many offers the following day that I went under contract on the 5th. That’s how quick the process was, a little over a month and I no longer owned property in California! The crazy part was that I hadn’t found a house yet in Bellingham nor Sequim, so I started looking for a rental and found one just outside of Bellingham. Then the day after I closed escrow on my California house, this beautiful modern house near Lake Whatcom in Bellingham went on the market. It was everything I ever I wanted style wise, so I bid on it sight unseen, though my Bellingham friend did go look at it for me and gave me his approval. The sellers didn’t want a bidding war so they took my offer and I went under contract with a mid-February close. I was able to stay in the California house I just sold until January 21st, then I stayed at my friend’s ranch until I moved to Washington on February 1, 2021.

That Pacific Northwest vanlife trip was the best decision of my life. Many of my Bay Area friends didn’t understand my urge to pack up and move in such a short time frame, but for me it was the right decision. I just had a gut feeling that I needed to start over somewhere fresh with a healthier lifestyle. Was it a bold move with some risk involved? SURE! But I also knew that if by chance I didn’t love living in Bellingham, I could always move after two years and find another place. I also knew to trust my instincts and they told me that living in Washington was just what I needed. My instincts were right! Turns out I absolutely love where I live, that the Pacific Northwest climate, landscape, scenery, and lifestyle really suit me, and I’ve never looked back. Sometimes I even wish that I moved here when I was younger because I feel so at home now.

I always encourage everyone to FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS. Moving can be scary, especially when you’ve lived somewhere most of your life, but moving can also be SO REWARDING! I can honestly say I live a much healthier lifestyle, enjoying nature, exploring new places, camping, hiking, kayaking, spending time outdoors, all things I was not doing in California. The heat and the traffic kept me from exploring and made me lethargic. I can no longer imagine living in a big city. I finally live near water like I’ve always wanted, I even live in the forest. Plus I love that I can be completely immersed in nature feeling like I’m far from civilization within 5 minutes of my house. So if you’re reading this and you’ve been feeling the need to change your life, I encourage you to go for it, even if it seems scary or impossible. You are the the only person that can change your quality of life and make it better. JUST DO IT, take the plunge!

A quick closing note. Cory also ended up finding her retirement place on this caravanning trip. She moved to Florence, OR, about a year after I moved. She’s also super happy with her decision!

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Vanlife Gatherings 2023

December 6, 2022

Vanlife & Overlanding Events 2023

January
Women's RTR — Jan 7-12 | Quartzite, AZ
Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (RTR) — Jan 13-20 | Quartzite, AZ
Xscapers Annual Bash — Jan 14-22 | Lake Havasu, AZ
Florida Suncoast Tiny Home Festival — Jan 21-22 | Pinellas Park, FL
Skooliepalooza — Jan 23-29 | Ehrenberg, AZ
Arizona Outdoor Adventure Fest — Jan 28-29 | Scottsdale, AZ

February
Escapar A La Baja — Feb 4-6 | Playa El Tecolote, Baja, Mexico
The Florida Vanlife Gathering — Feb 3-6 | Dade City, FL
Truck Camper Adventure Rally — Feb 9-12 | Quartzsite, AZ (SOLD OUT)
Project Van Life Summit — Feb 17-19 | Online Event
Skoolie Swarm — Feb 18-27 | Melrose, FL

April
Red Rock 4-Wheelers Easter Jeep Safari — Apr 1-9 | Moab, UT
CamperFest — Apr 6-10 | Chester, Chestershire, UK
Rendezvous — Apr 19-23 | Mt Bachelor, OR
Back To Baja With Flarespace — Apr 20-23 | Sea of Cortés, Baja, Mexico (CANCELED)
Moore Expo — Apr 21-22 | Springfield, MO
Weird Wild West — Apr 20-24 | Bisbee, AZ
Moab Magic — Apr 21-23 | Moab, UT
Revel Club Big Bend Backroads — Apr 23-26 & Apr 27-30 | Big Bend, TX (2 SESSIONS)
Georgia Tiny House Festival — Apr 27-28 | Madison, GA
Camper Van Week-End — Apr 28-30 | Angers-Brissac, France
Adventure Van Expo — Apr 29-30 | San Juan Capistrano, CA
Camp Quirky — Apr 28-May 1 | Kelmarsh Estate, Northamptonshire, UK

May
Adventure Van Expo — May 13-14 | Sonoma, CA
Overland Expo West — May 19-21 | Flagstaff, AZ
Descend on Pinnacles — May 26-29 | Pinnacles, CA

June
Small Home Expo — Jun 3-4 | Abbotsford, BC, Canada
Randi’s Adventures — Jun 2-4 | Munising, MI
Fort Desolation — Jun 8-10 | Torrey, UT
Wind River Rally — Jun 15-18 | Hudson, WY
Outdoor Adventure X — Jun 17-18 | Huntsville, UT
Vanlife Iceland Midsummer Edition — Jun 17-24 | Iceland (SOLD OUT)
Adventure Van Expo — Jun 18-19 | Hood River, OR
Rose Fest — Jun 23-25 | Salida, CO
Buena Vista Brouhaha — Jun 23-25 | Buena Vista, CO
The Bus Fair — Jun 23-25 | Oakridge, OR
FWC Owner’s Rally & Campout — Jun 23-25 | Grass Valley, CA
Colorado Tiny House Festival — Jun 24-25 | Brighton, CO
Georgia Tiny Home Festival — Jun 24-25 | Madison, GA

July
50th National Truck-In — Jul 5-9 | Sterling, CO
Camper Jam — Jul 7-9 | Weston Park, Shropshire, UK
Revel Club Wings & Wheels Alaska — Jul 7-9 | Alaska
Overland Expo PNW — Jul 7-9 | Bend (Redmond), OR
Adventure Van Expo — Jul 8-9 | Evergreen, CO
People's Tiny House Festival — Jul 16-17 | Loveland, CO
Holy Toledo — Jul 20-23 | Toledo, OR
Black Nomads Beach Weekend & Campout — Jul 23-25 | Georgetown, SC
Adventure Van Expo — Jul 29-30 | Topsfield, MA
Open Roads — No Event in 2023 | McCall, ID (Returning 2024)

August
Skoolie U.P. — Jul 31-Aug 7 | Upper Peninsula Michigan
Revel Club 4X4 Van Training — Aug 10-11 | Ellenville, NY (Session 1)
Vanlife Iceland August #1 — Aug 12-19 | Iceland
Vanlife Iceland Lofoten #1 — Aug 12-19 | Lofoten, Iceland (SOLD OUT)
Northwest MogFest — Aug 17-20 | Sheridan OR
Vanlife Iceland August #2 — Aug 20-27 | Iceland
Vanlife Iceland Lofoten #2— Aug 20-27 | Lofoten, Iceland
Overland Expo Mtn West — Aug 25-27 | Loveland, CO
Leadville Lollygag — Aug 25-27 | Leadville, CO

September
Descend on Bend — Sep 1-4 | Bend, OR
Revel Club 4X4 Van Training — Sep 9-10 | Ellenville, NY (Session 2)
Black Nomads Hammock Hang — Sep 9-11 | Villa Rica, GA
VanWILD — Sep 14-17 | Montrose, CO
Keweenaw Overland Adventure Retreat (KOAR) — Sep 14-17 | Copper Harbor, MI
United Tiny House Off-Grid Workshop Camp — Sep 15-17 | Eatonton, GA
Project Van Life Summit — Sep 15-17 | Online Event
Adventure Van Expo — Sep 16-17 | Palisades Tahoe, CA
Vanlife Iceland Northern Lights #1 — Sep 16-23 | Iceland (SOLD OUT)
Vanquinox — Sep 21-24 | Grandjean, ID
Northwest Nomads — Sep 21-25 | Fort Rock, OR
Vanlife Iceland Northern Lights #2— Sep 24-Oct 1 | Iceland
Big Iron Overland Rally — Sep 29-30 | West Mineral, KS
Camp Carpe Diem — Sep 28-Oct 1 | Kalispell, MT
Adventure Van Expo — Sep 30-Oct 1 | Bend, OR
Midwest Vanlife — Sep 23-26 | Makanda, IL
Revel Club Rocky Mountain Meetup — Sep 28-Oct 1 | Estes Park, CO

October
Overland Expo East — Oct 4-6 | Arrington, VA
The Pilgrimage — Oct 3-6 | South Royalton, VT
Skooliepalooza — Oct 5-10 | Moab, UT
Vanlife Australia — Oct 6-8 | Bundjalung Region, Gold Coast, Australia
Adventure Van Expo — Oct 7-8 | Chattanooga, TN
Moonlanding — Oct 12-15 | Sky View, NM
Ring of Fire — Oct 14 | Valley of the Gods, UT
Adventure Van Expo — Oct 14-15 | Big Bear, CA
Nomadic Creatives — Oct 19-22 | Northwest, AZ
VanFest USA — Oct 27-29 | Hurricane, UT
C.H.A.S.M.Fest — Oct 27-30 | Lake Havasu City, AZ

November
Vanarky In The Ozarks — No Event in 2023 | Ponca, Arkansas (Returning 2024)
Florida Tiny House Festival — Nov 18-19 | Gainesville, FL
Revel Club Northeast Off-Road Adventure — Nov 19-20 | Ellenville, NY

December
TinyFest Southwest — No Event in 2023 — Phoenix, AZ (Returning 2024)

Other
Sēkr App — Community Based Events
Good Vibe Collective — Various Events Throughout The Year
Seattle Vanlife Meetup — Monthly Meetup
Xscapers — Yearly Events For Members
She Explores — Women On The Road Gathering
Home On Wheels Alliance — Regular Caravans
Wandering Footprint — Date Pending | Saanichton, BC

If you know of any events that aren’t listed, please leave a comment with link so I can add it!

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Vanlife Gatherings 2022

February 17, 2022

Vanlife & Overlanding Events 2022

January
Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (RTR) — Jan 14-23 | Quartzite, AZ
Skooliepalooza — Jan 21-31 | Parker, AZ
Florida Suncoast Tiny Home Festival — Jan 29-30 | Pinellas Park, FL

February
Escapar A La Baja — Feb 2-4 | Playa El Tecolote, Baja, Mexico
Truck Camper Adventure Rally — Feb 9-12 | Quartzite, AZ
Skoolie Swarm — Feb 19-28 | Melrose, FL

March
Camper Expo — March 18-20 | Utrecht, Netherlands
TinyFest California — March 12-13 | San Diego, CA
Buena Vantura — March 24-26 | Ventura, CA

April
Moore Expo — April 8-10 | Springfield, MO
Red Rock 4-Wheelers Easter Jeep Safari — April 9-17 | Moab, UT
CamperFest — April 14-18 | Chester, Chestershire, UK
Rendezvous — April 20-24 | Mt Bachelor, OR (SOLD OUT)
Back To Baja With Flarespace — April 21-24 | Laguna del Diablo, Baja, Mexico
Weird Wild West — April 22-24 | Bisbee, AZ
Southern Xpeditions Overland Challenge — April 29-May 1 | Uwharrie, NC
Camper Van Week-End — April 29-May 1 | Angers-Brissac, France
Adventure Van Expo SoCal — April 30-May 1 | San Juan Capistrano, CA
Georgia Tiny Home Festival — April 30-May 1 | Macon, GA

May
Camp Quirky — May 13-15 | Kelmarsh, Northamptonshire, UK
Overland Expo West — May 20-22 | Flagstaff, AZ
Descend on Lost Sierra — May 20-23 | Portola, CA
Vanlife Iceland Spring Edition — May 25-29 | Iceland

June
Black Nomads Meetup — June 3-6 | Wrightsville, GA
Adventure Van Expo NorCal — June 4-5 | Placerville, CA
Small Home Expo — June 4-5 | Abbotsford, BC, Canada
FWC Owner’s Rally & Campout — June 10-12 | Lake Tahoe, CA
Vanlife Iceland Midsummer Edition — June 17-24 | Iceland
Summer Solstice Van Camp — June 17-19 | Mt Shasta, CA
Tennessee Tiny Home Music Festival — June 18-19 | Nashville, TN
Adventure Van Expo Hood River — June 25-26 | Hood River, OR
Wind River Rally — June 23-26 | Hudson, WY

September
Adventure Van Expo Bend — Sep 3-4 | Bend (Redmond Expo), OR
TinyFest California — Sep 10-11 | San Jose, CA
Keweenaw Overland Adventure Retreat (KOAR) — Sep 15-18 | Copper Harbor, MI
Adventure Van Expo LT — Sep 17-18 | Lake Tahoe, CA
VanFest USA — Sep 22-24 | Hurricane, UT
Vanquinox — Sep 22-25 | Grandjean, ID
Northwest Nomads — Sep 22-26 | Fort Rock, OR
Revel Van Rally — Sep 29-Oct 1 | Moab, UT

November
Vanarky In The Ozarks — Nov 3-6 | Ponca, Arkansas

December
TinyFest Southwest — Dec 3-4 — Phoenix, AZ

Monthly Meetups
Seattle Vanlife Meetup

Other
Sēkr App — Community Based Events
Home On Wheel Alliance — Regular Caravans
Off-Road Safety Academy — 4x4 Training Courses & Various Tours

To Be Announced
Vanstock Alaska
Good Vibe Collective
Asheville Van Life Rally
Midwest Vanlife
Kentucky Skoolie Fest
Wandering Footprint
Teton Valley Vanlife Gathering
Gutted
United Tiny House
Vanl ife Diarie Australia
Women On The Road Gathering

If you know of any events that aren’t listed, please leave a comment with link so I can add it!

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Why I Choose MoonShade Portable Awning

November 8, 2021

When I was having my Sprinter van built out, I had to decide whether to get a permanent awning installed. I had one on my previous RV but I hated that I was limited to shade on one side of the van. I decided to hold off on one and was stoked to hear about MoonShade by Moon Fabrications in early 2020 right before I went to pick up my finished van. I got in contact with this brand new company right away and bought one. What I love about MoonShade is that it’s versatile. You can attach it to either side, as well as the back, and you have the option of width or length ways depending on the sun and your needs. It fits on vans, cars, truck campers, overlanding vehicles, fences, and any sturdy structure, making it great for road trips, camping, hunting, and fishing. MoonShade covers a 9’x7’ site, weighs 8 lbs., packs down to about the size of a yoga mat, protects you from the sun during the day, and provides reflective illumination at night.

There are a variety of ways to attach the MoonShade to your van, including suction cups and magnets, but I thought it would be even cooler and sturdier to attach it to my roof rack bar, so my handyman buddy figured out a great solution using stage can lighting clamps which I attach to the roof rack and then attach the MoonShade to the hook in the clamps. I’m really happy with the functionality of this setup and by having it so high up, I can just take the outside legs off when it gets super windy and have the MoonShade tied down against the side of my van until the wind dies down. It does handle wind quite well as long as you anchor the poles and shade with two guylines on each side.

UPDATE: I have changed how I attach the MoonShade to my van since my original solution. I now have two short paracord rope loops that I permanently attached to my roof rack, so all I need to do is clip the hooks into those loops.

I lowered the MoonShade poles here due to high winds in OR high desert

If you’re looking for a portable awning that is decently priced and versatile, I highly recommend MoonShade! Since I’m a brand ambassador for them, if you use my referral link and coupon code BARBROCKS, you can save $30! I’m also happy to answer any questions you may have about the awning and how it works!

UPDATE: MoonShade released a new XL version in the summer of 2023, which provides 12’x9’ of coverage against sun and weather, but still packs down tight and weighs under 13 lbs., making breakdown and storage a breeze. I’m waiting to get mine so I can enjoy almost double the shade!

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Vanlife Gatherings in 2021

March 29, 2021

Here is a list of Vanlife Gatherings that are happening in 2021:

Smoky Mountain Overland Rally in Crosby, TN on April 20 to May 2

VanFest in Hurricane, UT on May 8

TinyFest in San Diego, CA on May 14-16

Descend on Lost Sierra in Portola, CA on May 28-31

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Rendezvous in Missoula, MT on June 3-5

Black Nomads Meetup in Warthen, GA on June 4-6

Adventure Van Expo in Hood River, OR on June 19-20

Camper Jam in Shropshire UK on July 2-4

Adventure Van Expo in Logan, UT on July 31 - Aug 1

Revel Rally in Durango, CO on Aug 20-22

CamperFest in Chester, UK on Aug 26-30

Overland Expo in Loveland, CO on Aug 27-29

Descend on Bend in Bend, OR on Sept 2-6

Adventure Van Expo in Redmond, OR on Sept 4-5

Asheville Van Life Rally in Asheville, NC on Sept 16-19

Keweenaw Overland Adventure Retreat in Copper Harbor, MI on Sept 16-19

Adventure Van Expo in Lake Tahoe, CA on Sept 18-19

Overland Expo in Flagstaff, AZ on Sept 24-26

TinyFest in Austin, TX on Sept 25-26

Adventure Van Expo in Chattanooga, TN on Oct 2-3

Overland Expo in Arlington, VA on Oct 8-10

Adventure Van Expo in Big Bear Lake, CA on Oct 17-18

4 Wheel Pop-up Camper in Ocotillo Wells, CA on Dec 4-5

For 4x4 Overlanders, check out these gatherings:

Southern Xpeditions in Uwharrie, NC —> Spring Overland Challenge is April 23-25 & Fall Overland Challenge is Nov 5-7

Off-Road Safety Academy —> they have 4x4 training courses and various tours all around the USA & Baja

Red Rock 4-Wheelers —> labor day campout in Moab, UT

There are also a few festivals that have not announced 2021 dates, but may announce 2022 dates:

Open Roads Fest in McCall, ID

Vanstock Alaska in Summer 2022

Midwest Vanlife Gathering in Makanda, IL

Vanlife Diaries in Australia

Women On The Road Gathering in Taos, NM

The Oregon Love in Sisters, OR

If you know of any gatherings, festivals, and meetups not on this list, please let me know! Also, check out Sēkr (formerly known as The Vanlife App) for more gatherings people post!

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Washing Ardanwen The Van

September 28, 2020

I washed my van Ardanwen on September 11th during that crazy week when the California sky looked like nuclear winter due to all the wildfire’s smoke. Despite the eerie apocalyptic sky, I really like how my van still shines bright and clean. I figured it would be dirty covered in ash within a few days, but luckily Ardanwen is still sparkling and ready for our next adventure.

On Thursday September 24th, my cat Maverick and I left on our month long road trip to Oregon and Washington. We are caravanning with a vanlife friend and taking our time exploring various towns to see which ones appeal to us the most. In the last few years, the idea of moving up north has weighed heavily on my mind, but I haven’t made up my mind whether the colder climate is ideal for me. This will also be the longest trip in a vehicle for me, so I want to test out whether I will miss being in a house or whether life on the road suits me. I have considered going full time, therefore, I need to see if my cat and I can handle it.

If you’re in Oregon or Washington please DM me so we can meet up! I want to see all my friends living in the Pacific Northwest and make new friends along the way!

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First Van Trip Was A Success!

August 11, 2020

First van trip was a success! I went to Pinecrest Lake with my friends and enjoyed the fact that I didn’t have to set up a tent, canopy, air mattress, etc. I parked on fairly level ground and got situated quickly!

I used my induction stove for the first time that night. At first I was getting an error message and had to figure out what it was without having internet. Figured out that you have to have your pan on the stove for it to make the magnetic connection before it will turn on. It’s a smart safety feature, but since I forgot my manuals at home, it took me a few minutes to figure out.

I slept well in the van. I fit perfectly from head to toe and the bed is very comfortable. I cut a queen fitted sheet so it fits the u-shape bed in order to keep the upholstery from getting all furry and dirty from my cat Maverick. I generally sleep hot, but with the windows open and the cooler nights, I was perfect with just a blanket.

Maverick did really well in the van. He got comfortable quickly, laying on my lap on the drive up (as he usually does), then laying on the counter and induction stove so he could look out the sliding door. He also loves hiding on the drivers seat under the zebra table, which I had swiveled to the right of the kitchen counter for additional surface area.

I had the screens up and they worked great for keeping the bugs out and making Mav feel safe inside. That extra barrier gives my cat the feeling that he’s protected from the noise and people outside.

On the third day, I accidentally overloaded my lithium ion battery. Since I was parked under trees, my battery wasn’t getting a full charge from the solar. When I went to cook, I forgot to turn off the fan which was on high. Between the fridge, the fan, the water heater, and the stove, I had too many appliances draining the battery so it shut down. But with a quick charge from the engine, I got it back online.

Overall, I learned a lot on how I use the space and where everything should go. I love the placement of the fridge as I can easily get drinks while standing outside the door. Swiveling the seats in is very convenient as it opens up the space. I love my van!

For more photos, check out my Instagram post!

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All You Need Is A Cat And A Van!

July 26, 2020

All you need is a cat and a van! I’m so lucky to have both, and even better, that my cat enjoys going on the road with me.

This week we leave for our first official van trip! I was so happy to see Maverick explore the inside of the van tonight and get comfortable in it while I was doing some packing and measuring. Mav rubbed his head all over everything to make sure he claimed it as his. I’m pretty sure he approves of the wonderful craftsmanship from Johnson Custom Van Solutions. As you can see, he’s a very happy cat!

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