22 Memes That Show the Real Side of Van Life

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and that might be even truer for a meme. When it comes to capturing the quirks and adventures of van life, memes hit the nail on the head. Shared by @memesofvanlife, these memes are sure to bring a smile to your face, a chuckle, and perhaps even a nod of recognition about the peculiarities of life on the road.

It’s healthy to find humor in our lifestyle choices. So, kick back and enjoy these 22 memes, courtesy of @memesofvanlife, that perfectly capture the essence of being a van lifer!

1. DIY Van Vision vs. Reality

Close enough… right? A DIY build never quite turns out as perfectly as you pictured, but that’s part of the fun. At least the build you create has added character (or that’s what we tell ourselves to feel better about all of the time and money we poured into it anyway)!

2. You are Cousin Eddie

I remember watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and laughing about the weirdness of Cousin Eddie and his RV. And then it hit me…

3. Weekenders vs. Full-timers

When it comes to van lifers, the stark contrast between weekenders versus full-timers is almost comical. One look at your neighbors and you can definitely tell who’s in it for the long haul versus a couple of nights.

4. Is This a Campsite?

Technically no… but sometimes van lifers have to make do. Nothing like waking up to the beautiful sight of a Cracker Barrel, Walmart, or Rest Area parking lot!

5. RIP Coffee

If you’re a van lifer, it’s probably not the first time this has happened to you… or the last! At least by now, we’ve learned not to use glass coffee mugs.

6. I Can Hear You

Hopefully, they’re complimenting your van and saying all good things. Whether good or bad, it’s awkward when they don’t know you’re inside hearing every single thing they say about your van!

7. Two Speeds of Van Life

Why do we do this to ourselves as van lifers? Probably to get the driving over with and to have more time to squat in the BLM desert!

8. Van Life is Cruel & Unusual

And to think… we paid for a van to do this to ourselves willingly? Maybe we van lifers need to rethink our life decisions!

9. Vans with Interior Showers

A tale as old as time: “I could never live in a van without a shower…” Then pays extra for a shower, lives on the road, realizes there is not endless water and storage space in the van, and never uses the dang shower.

10. Vans with White Shiplap

You can’t argue with a classic. Why pick something else when your unique, custom van could look just like the one you saw on Instagram?

11. Van Life is Unicorns & Flowers

Van life isn’t always unicorns frolicking in a field of flowers, but it is sometimes! And that 9% of the time makes the other 91% worth it… or at least, that’s what we tell ourselves as van lifers.

12. Good Day, Neighbor!

Van lifers peek through the window shade just enough to see what’s going on. Hopefully, our campsite neighbors don’t catch us trying to scope them out! And if they do… “Guten Tag” is always a safe response.

13. Trash & Pee Jug

If it’s another van lifer who sees me with my trash and pee jug, at least they get it. Anyone else? I feel like I owe them some sort of explanation or apology… but they probably don’t want to come anywhere near me when they realize what I’m carrying!

14. Custom Conversion

“I have a custom Sprinter van conversion!” Let me get this straight. If it’s custom… why does it look exactly like every other Sprinter build?

15. The OG Van Lifers

If you were a van lifer before the COVID-19 pandemic, you’re an OG van life hipster. You’ll always hold an elite, coveted status the rest of us will never quite understand or be able to obtain.

16. Outdoor Lover

Oh, the irony. But to be fair, what can you do outside once the sun goes down? You can look at the stars, play glow-in-the-dark frisbee, or have a campfire… okay, I guess there are quite a few options.

17. Van Life Kitchenettes

Even Barbie’s Dream House had a bigger kitchen than most vans. At least she had four burners and an oven.

18. Van Lifer Venn Diagram

When you look at it this way… Who knew van lifers had so much in common with dogs, high schoolers, and gamers? I don’t know if this is something I’m proud to admit, though.

19. Trust Fund Babies

Still looking for that trust fund! And I’ve yet to meet someone with a trust fund who willingly uses it to live in a van full-time.

20. The Rare & Exotic Level Campsite

As a van lifer, there is truly no better feeling than pulling into a perfectly level campsite. The only thing is when your partner disagrees about the spot being perfectly level… but that’s a meme for another time!

21. Asking a Van Lifer What They Want

Oh… You mean you don’t want to hear the story of why I sold all of my possessions to live in a van? Then I’ll take a side of ketchup, please.

22. Van Life Math

Van life math is a simple formula they don’t teach in high school algebra. But when you live in a van… let’s just say you figure out the answer to the equation very quickly!