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Recent Posts
People Think Van Life Is Cheap. Here’s What It Actually Costs Us Every Month.
People think van life is cheap, and the honest answer is that it depends. Here are the real monthly costs from our years in…
Free Camping Is Disappearing In the U.S.: Every Closure and Ban We’re Tracking (2026)
Free camping is disappearing from some of America’s favorite public lands. Here’s the running list of closures, why they’re happening, and where you can…
How Long Can You Really Camp in a National Forest? Less Than You Think, and It Depends on the Forest.
Every national forest sets its own stay limit, and the newest orders add a second number: a cap on days per year. Here is…
9 Worst Things About Van Life Nobody Talks About
I’ve lived in a van since 2018, and for me the hardest part is deciding where to sleep every night. Hundreds of van lifers…
Yes, You Can Actually Camp on the Beach in Your Van. Here Are the 10 Places It’s Legal in the U.S., and How Baja Really Works.
Legal beach camping in a van is a short list: ten U.S. beaches where you can sleep on the sand, each with its permit,…
I’ve Lived in an AWD Astro and a 4×4 Sprinter. Only Four Vans Still Come With All-Wheel Drive From the Factory.
Only four vans sold new in the U.S. come with all-wheel drive: the Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Pacifica. Here is…
Hi, I’m Kristin Hanes!
I’m a former journalist turned blogger at The Wayward Home. I split my time between a DIY Sprinter van conversion and a sailboat, and I hope to inspire you to live a simpler, more adventurous, alternative lifestyle.
I’ve been living tiny since 2016, when I was laid-off from KGO Radio in San Francisco and had to reinvent my life.
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