Vacation in a van. Need input and advise.

[canesisters]

Here's an idea : van/tent

 

[Mattemma]

I would get an airbed. I know the TA truck stop bathrooms are all one room-shower,toilet,and sink. I think they still leave towels.Tops it would be $10,but I am pretty sure it is less per shower.Dh says there are all pretty decent.He gets free showers when he fills up the semi truck.Look into that.Not sure how many gallons you would need to get a freebie.

I think you pay for the shower and you get a number,and then they call you when a shower room is ready.Dh has an inverter in his truck,and it will run the coffee machine,cooler,and microwave. Oh yeah and the electric burner I gave him,so he can cook things up in the iron skillet. A small tent is a good option. If you have the money the volcano 2 stove is an option.It is a portable fire pit/rocket stove,but if you get the inverter no need for the stove.

Hope you have a fun time!!!!

 

[oldrooster]

went to the TA web site 50 gallons of fuel or $50 worth of repair work=free shower. $12 for shower includes towels (2 or 3 can't remember) shampoo and soap the 1-2 pics look like standard home bathroom minus the throne I have a small gas stove I'll use and I was given a battery booster (it has a cig. lighter port) so a converter that fits in a cig. lighter is on my to get list so I can use the booster to power my small fan without draining my van's battery while I rest and recharge the battery booster while driving. I will drive to see family and will either stay with them or use a cheap motel while there. but I was thinking to save money driving there and back.

 

[peepacheep]

25 years ago DH and I spent 3 months and 10,000 miles truck camping cross country in an old Land Cruiser 'station wagon' Our Lab pup was 35 pounds when we left Delaware and weighed 65 pounds when we got to the Oregon coast. It was a great trip. Years later we did a lot of craft shows up and down the west coast from an Econoline van, more often than not I got a better night's sleep in our own vehicle than a motel room. For myself I slept better on a piece of high density foam but that is just what worked for me.

Couple of other things I have found useful:

Lidded ice containers for the cooler. While they might not fit an entire bag of ice you will not find food floating in ice water and better yet, no floods in the van from the cooler tipping over or if the drain plug happens to flip open.

Curtain wires. We put screws on the corners of the windows and hung heavy covered electrical wire on them. Made light weight curtains for privacy and the wires doubled as a drying line for towels and laundry.

In hot weather a windshield cover that fits on the outside of the windshield keeps the van cooler than than the one s that fit on the inside. Available through RV suppliers.

AAA can pay for itself. The Land Cruiser and Econoline never stranded us but our Suburban has left me stuck in some interesting places. Each time the tow would have been more money that the annual membership.

While we spent many a night in truck stops we generally aim for parks. Many have shower facilities.

Safety, think about how things are secured in the van in case you have to make a hard stop or even worse. Coolers can become projectiles. Don't want to dwell on worst case scenarios but a good idea to secure loose gear.

Eat breakfast out. Its a cheap meal and we met so many interesting people at small breakfast places.

Have a great trip!

 

[GChic]

I am thinking about going on vacation this spring/summer in my minivan and need some advise, I have never been camping in a tent or camper/RV type but I wish to sleep in my van (removing at least back and possibly even the middle seat also). I will be traveling alone, I will have a large cooler (if I remember correctly holds 2 24 packs of soda and ice so large not super-sized that could hold a body) I will toss an old beat up sleeping bag in the back with a pillow and a couple of sheets and blankets (sleeping bag will be used in essence as a mattress). I will tape up paper on the 2 side rear windows (the ones that slide out to open for air flow) and will have card board for middle windows to tape up at night (will need to be down during the day so I can see when driving) and I will buy 2 window coverings that people use on the side windows for kids in the back seat that look like blinds for the front 2 side windows so I can remove them with the suction cups attached and the old fashion card board (or whatever they are made of now) front window cover and a card board that is taped up and removed when driving in the rear window.

I will sleep in my van and will have soft drinks, water and lunch meat in the cooler probably an old large egg box from a store to store additional groceries IE oranges apples some canned fruit potato chips crackers peanut butter bread so it isn't rolling around and I can have my meals at hand and cheaper than a fast food place. I may pack a camp type stove but I worry about the small propane cylinders and carrying them in my van if I do I will carry a cast iron frying pan or dutch oven to cook in (simple clean up wipe and go).

I have never been in a truck stop other than in the convenience store part and I am wondering how the shower areas are set up. Are there changing rooms attached? also are they like a dryers in a Laundromat so many minutes of water for a quarter? do they have laundry facilities at least a couple of machines? I know many wal marts and some other stores allow overnight parking for campers RVs and simi trucks and I will hit those type places up or rest stops to sleep at also I will ask at truck stops.

I am thinking of buying inverters to use battery power to run electric items and also buying a battery jump start thing that are available I am thinking of charging the jump pack at home before I leave and use that as a power source if needed the model I am looking at has an adapter for a cigarette lighter so I will possibly buy 2 inverters one will be wired to the battery and would charge the jump pack as I am driving and one for the lighter part of the jump pack for a fan or some such (I have a small 4-5 inch fan) I will have a couple of flashlights and battery powered radios and some extra batteries.

All suggestions will be appreciated. I am just now trying to figure things out so plans are not set in stone....

This does spund like a do-able idea and the pic of the converted van posted looks pretty great for the type of description you have given us however as a last tip I would advise you to contact the ferry company you are going to be travelling with and describe this to them. I'm saying this because I traveled with my car derived van last year and they charged with as freight instead of passenger fare (the difference in price was significant!) You can check here, they have a form you can enter your vehicles dimensions http://www.ferrysavers.co.uk/faq.htm As long as they say they will charge you normal rates for the vans dimensions then I say go ahead with it!

 

[Carols Clucks]

I love to camp and we used to do the west in a vw bus regularly.

You can make curtains and use magnets to hang on some vans.

An air mattress is the way to go, not one of those bed sized thick ones, but the REI sleeping pad sized. Buy a micro fiber towel, it can be hard to dry a normal towel while your on the road.

AAA is something I would not go with out. AND they offer campground guides and maps free with your membership. Campground fees can get pricey, but usually are quieter than the truck/ rest stops. Remember the trucks often run coolers and motors all night and leave for the road super early. Some parks offer deals for seniors or members. Some people with campers will also pull in to a Casino, Camping World or Wal-Mart for the night. (but you might get a flashlight on the window cop wake up call in some areas) A National Parks pass might save you some money too.

A camp chair and table would make it much nicer and it gets old just being in your van 24/7. You might want to look in to a battery chargeable lantern too. I have a Ryobi fan that runs a long time on a battery, they make a car charger for those too.

 

[Mattemma]

Dh says the TA showers are $12!!!! I thought they were cheaper. I think he said buying 50 gallons gas earns you a free shower ticket that is good for 10 days.At that price I think I would shower once a week,and just use baby wipes the rest of the time.Lol,he says some people smell like they skimp on those showers.

 

[oldrooster]

Quote: I don't have a set up like in the pic. that's someone else's van. I won't be getting a tent like that. And where I am planing on travailing here in the states I won't be using a ferry I am not going anywhere that close to the coast or near the Great Lakes. And I am looking into a cooler that is electric. Ice is expensive enough if I plug it in as I drive and keep the lid shut I should be fine.

 

[kazoo1111]

you can cook in a can