Whether you’re just dreaming of becoming a van lifer or you’re neck-deep in the middle of your own van conversion, these #vanlife Instagram accounts offer the inspiration you’re looking for to throw caution to the wind and join in on life on the road!
Here are our 10 favorite van lifer ‘gram accounts to follow. Follow us at @vanlifers.
Noël Russell – @noel_russ
Noël is a first-generation American with Mexican heritage who travels with her partner and their two rescue pups. Together, this van life couple lives part-time in her self-designed and converted camper van. Through her gorgeous feed, she shows what like can be like on the road. Her vibrant photography captures traveling with dogs, hiking, paddle boarding, fishing, and of course – van life.
She has a knack for pairing her photos with inspiring and introspective long-form captions that get her followers thinking and taking action. Noël also has a blog for those who are interested in reading more about her life on the road.
Maria, Leander, & Lennox – @akela.world
This Austrian family of three is not traveling in your normal run-of-the-mill van. They converted an old military truck and have been circumnavigating the globe since 2016. Leander and Maria, and their son Lennox have quite the knack for photography, capturing their unique home on wheels in a variety of stunning landscapes all over the world.
Their remodeled truck now consists of two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a full bathroom. Over the years they’ve made their way through Europe and Asia and even shipped the truck to Australia and the United States. They have officially gone all the way around the world, and show no signs of stopping now.
Katja & Björn – @beelze.bus
The Beelzebus crew consists of Swedish couple Katja and Björn and their cute pup Lou who joined the team after the couple lost their beloved Balthazar. This couple stumbled into van life accidentally after looking for a cheaper way to travel and be closer to nature. After enjoying their first van so much, they decided to buy and rebuild something larger so they could live in it full time.
After 8 months on the road, some family issues and Covid brought them back to their hometown island of Gotland. They are currently working on creating more passive income for once they begin traveling again, and they’re taking their followers along with them on the journey. In the meantime, they’re still getting in plenty of mini-adventures until they get back on the road full time.
Naomi, Dustin, & Amara – @irietoaurora
The word “Irie” comes from Jamaican English and means a state of feeling great. That’s the vibe that Naomi, Dustin, and their dog Amara carry with them through their nomadic van life. They are all about creating the life that you want to live and offer coaching and resources to help others achieve similar dreams.
They’re also the founders of [email protected], a safe space for BIPOC and underrepresented people in the nomadic community. They use this platform to create resources for minorities such as their BIPOC Guide to Vanlife & the Outdoors in hopes to increase diversity in the nomadic lifestyle community.
Greg & Michelle – @greg.mills
Greg Mills travels around the United States, Canada, and Central America with his partner Michelle and their puppy Casey. They spend most of the year living out of their 1982 Vanagon Camper van. In the summer, they return to Long Island where Greg works as a lifeguard and rescuer at Jones Beach State Park.
Em & Lou – @camper_vibe
We’ve finally got a van life cat on the list! Summer the cat, travels with her people Em and Lou, and her dog friend AJ. This van life YouTube couple started building their van in 2019 and were planning a big Eurotrip when Covid struck. They managed to travel for a few months before engine troubles sent them home to regroup, but they have recently set back out on Eurotrip attempt number two.
Their YouTube channel features lovely videos that show van life essentials, DIY van build mistakes, and their adventures traveling together.
Tessa & Dillon – @thebusandus
Tessa and Dillon met in 2013 and quickly made exciting and extensive plans to travel the globe together. They ended up buying a fabulous vintage VW, rebuilding it, and setting out an epic adventure. Starting in Alaska, this van life couple made it all the way down to the very southern tip of Argentina. From there they headed north to Bueno Aires and shipped the van to Florida. There they continued heading north, eventually making a full circle and arriving back in Alaska, where they’re taking a break from van life after getting married and adopting their dog.
They continue to make posts of their photogenic Westfalia with tales from the road.
Charlie & Dale – @climbingvan
These full-time van lifers not only share what it’s like to live the lifestyle but also offer great DIY and camper van conversion tips for other people. Charlie and Dale offer all sorts of services that could be helpful to future and potential van lifers, such as:
- Their indepth Van Conversion Bible
- Electric grid design service
- Layout configurator
- Tool shopping list
When they’re not helping to simplify the van conversion process for those going through the experience now, they’re avid climbers and outdoor enthusiasts who love exploring in their bright yellow van.
Jennifer – @tipsymangodreams
If you’re looking for van design goals, the Tipsy Mango Dreams IG account is for you. Jennifer is an artist, designer, explorer, and dreamer, and her self-built van is crafted to perfection using reclaimed wood and furniture.
Living and working out of her van, she’s traveling around the United States and getting closer to nature. She uses her van lifer platform to inspire others to choose a life of adventure and promote conservation education.
Paris & Lovell – @lovellandparis
These two nomads originally moved into their van to get themselves out of financial trouble. They started a YouTube channel called Novel Culture that has now documented five years living their van, implementing the FIRE (financial independence, retire early) movement, and navigating societal adversity.
Their Instagram is loaded with money-saving tips for van life and traveling on a budget, plus fun dances and pictures of them enjoying their nomadic lifestyle. Now, they offer great financial resources on their website and have their own podcast, the Travelin Hustlas.
Who is your favorite van lifer account to follow? Let us know in the comments!
