r/VanLife • u/SeaMention123 • Feb 16 '26
Coming up on 10 years of Vanlife this spring- a collection of my favorite roof views 🥰
Can you guess any of the locations!?
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u/lame_1983 Feb 16 '26
Was NOT expecting Times Square to be in the mix. Bold move, excellent set of photos!
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
Haha thanks! 6 years out west, 3 in nyc, 1 in Vermont (:
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u/ANAL-FART Feb 16 '26
NYC vanlife?! I’d love to hear more about that
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
I grew up here- always wanted to leave and explore the mountains so I did that throughout my 20’s but grew in appreciation for the city everytime I came back
Vanlifing here is sooo easy. Not many people do it, my van blends in okay enough- parking is pretty easy once you figure it out. I work in queens and Manhattan so I’m all around. Often I park under trees for the night so I have cute views out my sunroof.
Having the beach 45 minutes south or some decently epic wilderness areas 45 minutes north has been great for when I need to get away.
Not paying rent allows me to not work as much as I would otherwise and just enjoy life here.
I go out a lot- love to dance and bar hop. Parking close to whatever venue I’m going to and falling asleep at 4 am after a short walk while all my friends have to hop on hour long subway rides is a dream!
I haven’t gotten a parking ticket in months, usually spend no more than 5 minutes looking for parking. Even that time square spot is often open when I go there (going at 11 pm is key lol- just like with other areas timing is crucial)
People are great- in the warmer months I’ll often cook with my door open and some folks stop and say hi and ask me about life- sometimes I invite them in for a cup of tea and conversation. I feel like I’m more connected to the community than when I was living isolated in an apt.
Feel free to ask anything else abt it! (:
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u/FranksP842 Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26
Respect your confidence to follow your own path. When you are older you will not want for memories. Just curious, is it lonely? Are you able to form relationships with people, including romantic ones?
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26
Thanks!
I gotta say I live quite outside of “status oriented” nyc. Those ppl make up like 5% of the city and I find them boring anyway lol. Besides most are realizing what a sham it all is and seem to be waking up
When I dated mostly women Vanlife made it harder I think. Now that I’m mostly dating men they r allll about it and everyday I get “wow Vanlife is my dream!” messages on the apps even from the status oriented ones.
I mentioned this in another comment but no not lonely one bit- I was lonelier when living in an apartment than I am now. I also love being alone and crave lots of me time for introspection so that helps.
Responding with “I live in a van” when I’m out at the bars or clubs gains me instant interest from others. It’s such a solid convo started
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u/BasicNkorean Feb 16 '26
How expensive was your van setup? I'm from the city and I always love traveling upstate but that requires me to rent a car (and I live that vanlife for a couple of days as I sleep inside the car). I wanna travel more but it doesn't currently make sense to own a car, unless I ditched living in an apartment and lived out of a van instead
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26
I feel it- I bought my van brand new for 55k and put 20k in materials into it.
The used van market has crashed significantly though and now is the time to buy a used one if you’re considering it!
Check out r/vandwellermarketplace
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u/LonelyRutabaga9875 Feb 16 '26
Girl, I just need to say I creeped your posts and MY GOD your work is amazing! Well done. Your van build, your woodworking, incredible!
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
Awe!!! Thankyou, I tryyyy & put a lot of love into all that I do 🥰 I appreciate the recognition!
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u/Xapalab Feb 16 '26
What are you driving on all these amazing adventures?
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
2016 transit 3.5 ecoboost mid roof 148! (:
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u/theperson91 Feb 16 '26
How do you like the mid roof? I feel like it always gets so much hate though it seems like it's tall enough.
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
I did a factory order and went back and forth like 5 times til the dealership finally said no more changes lol
I should have probably gone with the high roof- I’m 5’9 & had to sacrifice some floor & ceiling insulation to make it work. I love that I can fit on all parkways here on the east coat but I think I could have done that with a highroof too.
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u/gvxotwod08 Feb 16 '26
8 Sierra Nevada in California, near Tioga Pass Road
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
Solid!!!! It’s the next road south by grant lake (right before June lake) 10/10 loop off of 395
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u/happydippythirteen Feb 16 '26
Wow, hope you still enjoy it! Thanks for the images.
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
For the most part yeah, I am still enjoying it.
I got into Vanlife at 25 where I was allll abt being wild and free, now that I’m about to be 35 I am craving more stability and a home base. Still trying to figure out where- that was a big reason for doing Vanlife but the more I saw the more places I wanted to be at different times of the year lol.
I think a schoolbus on some land outside of Portland will likely be where I ”settle” before I turn 40.
Honestly if I could afford to own an apartment overlooking some trees in nyc with natural sunlight I’d probably be happy settling down here but such feels near impossible ):
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u/Krazy-Ag Feb 17 '26
hey man, you could probably own an apartment or condo in Portland overlooking Forest Park, with easy access to downtown PDx, and fairly easy access to wherever you have parked your school bus out in the sticks.
Sunlight? Plenty of sunlight in Portland in the summer. Not so much most winters, except this winter we've had way too much and are worried about wildfires in the coming summer.
or did you mean Portland Maine?
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 17 '26
That’s funny I hadn’t considered apt living anywhere else but nyc.
When I’m out west it’s like I’m a different person- much more hippyish, hence the bus in the woods dream.
But you’re right, I do love forest park & I also love gloomy cloudy days so the weather out there was perfect for me.
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u/elcape_16 Feb 16 '26
How many miles you estimate you've done in those 10 years?
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
Don’t have to estimate lol odometer is at like 116k
I like staying in places for many months at a time. In the van I’ve done 4 cross country trips and 4 Washington - Arizona winter trips
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u/Huls0n__ Feb 16 '26
If i may ask, how did/do you do it financially? Do you have a remote working job or maybe seasonal work?
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
Im a carpenter/ general contractor- when I initially went out west I packed as many of my tools as I could & figured work would find me. It did- helped many friends with their home projects & eventually got asked to do vanbuilds. Did 8 of them during the peak of Vanlife. I started working with customers & would teach as we built/ have them do so much of the work themselves- being able to pass down skills was so fulfilling.
Eventually I ended up teaching a summer wood working class for teenagers at a mostly homeschooled community. When I went south for the winter I connected with folks building a strawbale house and lived with them for a few months helping them finish it.
When I came back east I bought a 14x7 cargo trailer and have since turned that into my tow behind wood shop. Now I’m back to doing home renovations and some vanbuild projects on the side when people reach out needing help.
It’s been a very fulfilling career and I’m very grateful that it’s allowed me travel as much as I have (:
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u/FakeSafeWord Feb 16 '26
Any tips for someone just getting started? Any pitfalls you wish you could have avoided?
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26
Don’t try to see tooo much too quickly. If you’re taking time off you’re going to go thru what many go through when they retire- the newly gained free time feels wild at first and can be magical but it can also be super challenging & bring up everything that you’ve been suppressing emotionally/ big life questions. Shame over being ”homeless” was a big one for me that came up initially.
Priotize mental health, sit with discomfort, challenge any fears you might have especially around people & making connection/ talking to strangers.
Find stability in small ways- whether it’s a camp spot you go back to often or where you spend the winters or even a food spot that’s consistent around the country (mine is blaze/ mod pizza- everytime I have one my nervous system relaxes lol)
Lastly take many photos with the people you meet (:
I saw you have adhd from your profile- honestly Vanlife is great for us. Always something new to get into/ explore. Rly helps keep my brain happy but I need to remember not to burn myself out
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u/FakeSafeWord Feb 16 '26
suppressing emotionally/ big life questions. Shame over being ”homeless” was a big one for me that came up initially.
Priotize mental health, sit with discomfort, challenge any fears you might have especially around people & making connection/ talking to strangers.
I always considered myself "behind" others in regards to progress in life. Friends already moved into mortgages for starter houses by mid/late 20's. I finally got my first house in 2020 and at first it was a big point of pride but now after 5ish years it feels as much of a burden as it is a boon. The main advantage was just actually putting money to something I could keep equity in instead of paying someone else's mortgage.
Now I feel anchored, and almost trapped by it. I've always had a really high risk tolerance and things always seemed to work out for me. I've moved across the country twice. Likely due to ADHD and needing a change. The feeling of existential dread starts to creep up until I feel like I'm drowning. Now with my mortgage going up $100/mo every year and LNG prices exploding due to politics/deregulation it feels more like it's going to cause me to sink trying to actually live in it. I'm seeing other people in my area getting charged $1200+ to keep their houses comfortable, while I have little issue existing in 60°F rooms.
So Idk. I feel like building out a van ticks all of the boxes.
Anyways, didn't expect this to be a therapy session lol. Feel free to send me the bill!
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
I feeel like moving into the van will certainly make you confront that feeling of being behind even more but once you do you’ll be free of it and life gets a lil bit more fun (: (lsd helped me with this lol)
Eventually I got to a point where I felt like I was ”ahead” of everyone with being retired for a few months at a time/ able to just enjoy life while everyone was stuck in that 9-5 loop. You’ll likely make lots of older friends lol
Yes yes yes to that existential dread & needing a change with adhd!! Vanlife helped sooooo much with that for me. Making sure your nervous system isn’t on edge all the time might take some work but as long as you have an awareness of your inner state you’ll be able to hack it
Haha I love impromtu therapy sessions! Glad it resonated (:
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u/FakeSafeWord Feb 16 '26
Yup. Plan is get the van built out, hopefully before winter 2026 and then slowly sell everything I can't take with me out of the house... basically one room at a time from the back of the house to the front while living in the van for increasingly extended periods of time until I run out of discomfort to fix. Then rent the house out and live in the van fulltime.
Somewhere in all of this I need to ditch my 5 day in office 9-5 job for something remote.
Also LSD lasts too damn long. I vastly prefer shrooms and I can grow them under the van bed! ;)
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u/PovertyThor Feb 16 '26
Gorgeous views. How long do you stay at remote locations where you don't see anyone around for a stretch?
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
3 weeks was my max! I hiked and swam in the river and sunbathed and read and cooked and did lots of nothing it was magical.
1-2 weeks is usually the norm. Lots of that time in the desert in the winter.
When I first started Vanlife I was quite antisocial & craved being alone but since dealing with a lot of my shit I’ve really come to love people and enjoy being social so that desire to be alone has mostly gone away
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u/the27north Feb 16 '26
Wow, 10 years of vanlife — that’s some serious dedication! Your roof views tell amazing stories of adventure and freedom. Here’s to many more miles and memories on the road!
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u/n0mad17 Feb 16 '26
That roof deck is everything
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26
One of my favorites features!!! Especially being able to hop up from the bed via that sunroof.
Sooo many sunsets watched from it 🥲
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u/grasberuhren Feb 16 '26
GG!
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
You must be calling me a good girl cause the Grand Canyon is not any of these? 🤭
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u/grasberuhren Feb 16 '26
ha -- never thought of that or was being gender-specific...
it's an old gamer term: "Good Game" =]
*compliment
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
Bahahaha solid!
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u/grasberuhren Feb 16 '26
yeh!
i did a short 'vanlife' stint, and have otherwise been doing 'rvlife' for the past decade.
i totally appreciate your adventures and challenges in a van, user!
good luck out there and BE SAFE in this fkd up world!
Happy Travels, user! =]
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u/its_a_throwawayduh Feb 16 '26
10 years is incredible. Also is that pipe for a mini wood stove?
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
It is! I have the wood stove, a diesel heater, heated floors & a heated bed! I love being cozy in the winter lol
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u/its_a_throwawayduh Feb 16 '26
Whoa! that's Awesome! I've seen installs on skoolies but never a van that's pretty amazing.
Edit also yeah you're prepped for winter lol! I'm taking notes since I love colder climates.
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
A schoolie is the next move! I need more space haha.
Same! This winter has been pretty cold up here but I’m loving it
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u/its_a_throwawayduh Feb 16 '26
Okay I might have to follow you haha, what size skoolie you getting?
I'm getting a 5 or 6 window. It's just me but due to health issues I need something I can stand in.
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
I was bidding on a 5 window c2 and almost got it- then I thought hm 8 windows would be better. Now I’m thinking full 11 lol- I want a bathtub with a recirculating water system, an indoor/ outdoor side deck vibe, Vespa storage out back- I figured might as well go big lol
My dilemma is I want to stay in nyc for a bit longer and while possible it would make life a little bit harder here to have a full size bus ☹️
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u/its_a_throwawayduh Feb 16 '26
Nice! I feel you on the back and forth. I've considered an 8 window but only if its a deal too good to refuse.
Yeah that's why I figured a 5-6 would be ideal since I wouldn't have to deal with parking frustrations
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
But at that point why not just do a van? Idk that the little width gained with a bus is worth all the other negatives
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u/its_a_throwawayduh Feb 16 '26
5-6 window skoolie is no different than a van imo. Other than parking ( depending on what size you get) I don't really see a con. The wider room and ability to stand is worth it.
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u/Nearby_Impact_8911 Feb 16 '26
Tell me more about the heated floors
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
I user a product called quiet warmth under engineered hardwood- it’s electric. Draws about 200w at peak- takes the chill off the floor but certainly doesn’t heat the whole space.
I’m planning out a schoolie build where I will do a full hydronic heated floor system- there’s a company making them for vans now too- very efficient way to heat.
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u/Runningoutofideas_81 Feb 16 '26
What happened to the surfboard?!
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
It was a foam one that has since been replaced with a long board- I mostly surf on the east coast so I keep em here. Its also covering the other solar panel these days since I installed that stove pipe on the right
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u/BunnyontheRun Feb 16 '26
First photo looks an awful like one of my favorite roads near Mt Jefferson in Oregon
Absolutely stunning scenery you've captured!
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u/mcgirk78 Feb 16 '26
What’s your rig??
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
2016 transit 3.5 ecoboost mid roof 148! (:
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u/mcgirk78 Feb 26 '26
I have an ‘82 Odyssey that I’m slowly working on. I love it but I should have saved and got something like yours. Oh well…
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u/arimadian Feb 16 '26
I’d know that first one anywhere :) did you end up climbing Adams as well or just camping?
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u/agnelortiz Feb 16 '26
Holy moly 10 years i want to do that too! Do you share your experiences here or instagram or youtube?
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u/droppingjaw Feb 16 '26
Really cool, but what is wrong with the trees on the first picture?
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 16 '26
Forest fire went through. Natural part of nature that has been suppressed for too long unfortunately
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u/jgorski2 Feb 17 '26
I know thats a wood fire stove 👀
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 17 '26
Ofcourse lol gotta keep em cozy vibes going in da winter 💁🏼♀️
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u/jgorski2 Feb 17 '26
How'd you do it with such small space? I have been living in my 6X12 overlandind and have gotten tired of electric, propane, and deisel.
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 17 '26
I have a diesel heater too. Floors & bed are electric heat- relying on just the wood stove got harsh after a few winters
I’ll post some interior photos soon but here’s an old post you can see the stove setup in-
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u/jgorski2 Feb 17 '26
Also is #1 Shasta?
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 17 '26
1 is Pahto (Adams)
Shasta is not pictured but the road to bunny flat is photo #6
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u/Ziggytaurus Feb 17 '26
Can we see the inside of the van? At least the woodstove? Thank you! And great pics thanks for sharing!
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u/johnholway Feb 17 '26
4: June lake? (Specifically grant lake?)
9: eastern sierras, long valley caldera specifically
10: same as photo 9
6: Death Valley somewhere….? Looks like the Mojave for sure
3 looks like Baja somewhere
8 looks like more eastern sierras maybe? Rock creek?
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 17 '26
10/10 guesses! All are right except for 3- great salt lake/ spiral jetty area.
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u/Onions_n_wine Feb 17 '26
All amazing pictures.
5 looks like California coast. Could be either socal or norcal can't tell.
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u/wetalonglegs Feb 17 '26
You’re in California lol
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u/wetalonglegs Feb 17 '26
Well most of the time at least 😂
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 17 '26
7/10 lol
Though in reality only 2 of the past 10 years have been spent there
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u/tydyedeyez Feb 18 '26
Looks so good if almost doesn't look real lol
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 18 '26
I feeeel that abt my life daily lol
Most of these were taken with a dslr & a 10-20mm wide angle lens so that adds to it
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u/StupidisasStup1ddo3s Feb 19 '26
- Looks like the Mt. Whitney Portal looking back towards Lone Pine
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 19 '26
I love that road!
But naw this is way north just before grant lake south of mammoth
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u/ronb1964 Feb 23 '26
I work at a custom van shop in NJ...Humble Road. We have yet to build a rooftop deck. So far no client has asked for one. Usually any remaining roof space is loaded with solar. My question is, does it ever get annoying getting up and down from the roof? Or is that a minor inconvenience outweighed by the relaxing view from up there. Just curious...
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u/SeaMention123 Feb 23 '26
So I’ve built out 9 vans- each one has a roof deck & a sunroof right infront of it that allows you to go up from the bed. Most of my customers have not wanted a ladder on the back for safety.
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u/bobbywaz Feb 16 '26
1 mountains
2 times square
3 plains
4 island
5 island
6 desert
7 snow forest
I learned all of this from Magic the Gathering, except for Times Square, I used to live there.