Living in your camper van has many perks, such as experiencing the great outdoors, traveling from place to place, and exploring the world. But a serious drawback is the loneliness that easily fills the confines of your van and the lack of connections you have. It helps to have other friends who enjoy van camping, and there are ways to find these people and share the van life experience.
Socialize at Campgrounds
Campgrounds are the most common haunts for van campers, and there are plenty of places to gather and partake in outdoor activities. Most campgrounds have assigned campsites that people reserve, and when you stay for some time, you can build a friendship with a neighboring van lifer.
Ask if they need anything and offer them some firewood, kindling, bug repellent, or anything else they may need to initiate a conversation. Give them specific compliments, such as how clean their Ford Transit window bug screen is. Remember to exchange numbers, so you can stay in touch when you go your separate ways.
Connect With Other Van Lifers on Social Media
Social media has numerous uses in today's society, but its original purpose is to connect people across great distances. Social media is an easy tool to use to find friends who participate in van life, with various groups on Facebook or apps such as Sekr, which specifically connects van campers to other van campers.
Social media makes it easy to search for other van lifers near you and converse with them online about different topics, such as van maintenance or places you have traveled to. Van life communities allow you to post various questions about areas you plan to visit and ask if anybody will be in the area and will want to meet up for a nice meal over the campfire.
Attend Van Life Events Around the Country
Although it's unbeknownst to the general public, there are different van camper events across the country where van lifers gather for fun. These events may include festivals or workshops where van lifers speak on a topic on van life. These events feature food and drink booths, and the setup is van friendly, with plenty of space for people to park and set up their campsite.
Other events may include meetups, an ideal setting for finding friends who enjoy van life. You will have numerous opportunities to connect with people, as the vast majority will be interested in the same lifestyle as you and most likely want to make connections.
A van camper's life has moments of loneliness, which is why it's important to make friends when you can. With these methods, you will have the best chance of finding people with a similar interest in van life, and you'll have a better time on the road knowing you have people you've connected with.
