Sometimes you need to hit the open road and experience a home away from home. Here’s my journey road-tripping through America.

Camper vans are the way to go! We’ve seen some super cool converted vans and trucks. For our roadtrip in America. we converted an SUV into a “glamping” camper (we even brought battery operated fairy lights and Netflix!). You want to make this space as cozy as possible as you’ll be spending many hours in it! Firstly, make sure your car is fully tuned up for a long-distant journey. There’s little things you may not realize need fixing!

Secondly, build a sleeping platform out of plywood so that you have a perfectly flat sleeping area. Invest in a thing foam sleeping mattress. This will make your sleeps much better! Of course, bring comfy duvet’s and pillows that you would use at home too.

Thirdly, stock your new camping van with goods like water, sodas or instant brew coffee for when your sugar is low and you’re tired, granola bars and snacks for desperate food situations. PLUS, you can’t forget a small first aid kit, just in case.

Now that your car is set up, hit the road! Map out your directions ahead of time. I personally like to screenshot my Google Map directions and follow those. Maps has a great new update where you can download your maps online, that means you can keep using Maps when you don’t have data or wifi. You can of course use a physical map to navigate too! This works great if you’re road tripping with a friend who can navigate for you – limit your distractions!

Where to camp you ask? For our month in America, we camped many different places. We read online that in most states you can camp in Wal Mart parking lots as they have special licenses. Although we weren’t sure if this were true or an online hoax, we, and many other people, camped in the parking lot for free! We also camped in KOA Campsites (which are really clean and would highly recommend). There were a couple of occasions where we “splurged” on a motel so we could have a nice private room and shower. We recommend calling campsites ahead of time to secure a spot. There were a couple times where campsites were full and we had to drive through the night to find a place to stay.

All-in-all, road tripping is such a fun and rewarding experience. Take in the landscapes and views and don’t worry about the mileage put on your car. These are once in a lifetime experiences you may only get to do once!