Traveling in Vans with Dogs

If you want unwavering loving support, even more of an excuse to go outside, and a guaranteed cuddle partner, traveling in vans with dogs is the way to go! Who wouldn't want to be able to hang with their dog 24/7? The constant companionship far outweighs the smells and mess from your dog.

My dog Noah is such a joy to have around, he has a constant smile on his face. When I was living in San Francisco, it was so difficult leaving my pup at home. Now that I live in my van full-time with my partner Theo, we get to see Noah all the time, and the memories that we've created traveling around the U.S. and Canada will be cherished forever. I never thought that my big 'ol Rottweiler would one day see so much of this world, 26 states and 2 countries to be exact! I can't say if Noah loves the actual travel (he hasn't told me yet) but I think he's a lot more at peace getting to be with his Mom and Dad, aka: the loves of his life, full time.

So I'm going to share some of my favorite dog-friendly places that we've been to along the way, and also offer up some advice on traveling full-time with your dog. 

Winter in the Van

I’m sure this is a contested opinion, but I see winter as a magical time. I love the glistening snow, experiencing the thrill of skiing, and enjoying hot chocolate (with booze, let’s be real) by the fireplace.. but things change when you live a van during the winter time. It can be just as magical, but there’s quite a few challenges in guaranteeing comfort. Of course, warmth is the first thing on your mind, then there’s navigating more difficult weather, and finally, you’ll have to figure out where to park since many campgrounds close for the off season. So I’m here to help you out a little and give some insight into how we survived living in our van in the Rockies last winter. 

So last winter, ‘17-’18, was a LOT of fun, and yes it was hard but it didn’t matter because it was truly living the #vanlife of my dreams. We got to be the ski bums we always wanted to be, driving to ski resorts, parking there and sleeping overnight, and waking up to a glorious day that we’d spend on the mountain. We had the Ikon Base Pass, so it allowed us access to mountains all across the country, but we stuck to the West. We started in California, going to Mammoth then Tahoe, then we booked it across Nevada to Salt Lake City, Utah where we skied Alta and Park City.

Van Life FAQ

Alright folks, here it is. The Frequently Asked Questions on Van Life... as it has been in my experiences thus far. We are one year and a few months into our life on the road, and I’ve definitely learned a lot about how to do it efficiently, and especially how to slow down and laugh more at life’s inconsistencies. Living in a van is not always glamorous as some may see on social media. There’s a lot of planning involved, and of course plans fail sometimes. But I'm going to share with y'all how I’m doing van life. Read on if you want the inside scoop.

Favorite stops on our road trip

“What have been your favorite places?” is the second most asked question we (Alisan and Theo) get when people hear that we’re living on the road, traveling North America in our VW van. 

I’ll give a broad overview of where we’ve been one year into our journey… We started in California, then went north to Oregon, spending time on the coast, Eugene, Portland, Bend, and then we drove east to explore more of the American West: Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, and Utah. We even drove way up north to Banff, a 16 hour day’s drive that I will never forget. 😝

Allow me to introduce you to my favorite places that I've been along the way. And the winners are...

Favorite national park: Yellowstone, WY
Favorite campground: Devils Garden, Arches National Park, UT
Favorite public lands campground: North side Snake River, Twin Falls, ID
Favorite drive: Oregon Coast
Favorite detour: National Bison Range Scenic Byway, MT
Favorite small town: Jackson, WY

Finding Maine's Magic

Ah Maine, you are a beautiful state. It’s known for its rocky coastlines, maritime history, and magnificent natural areas, especially their offshore islands of granite and spruce trees. There is so much seafood to eat, so of course I had it at almost every meal.

We were there in October 2019, and I fell in love with all the fall foliage- such brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows! And the temperatures were just right with mostly sunny days and a slight chill to the air; I personally love Autumn camping more than any other season. Acadia National Park is certainly one of the highlights of Maine, as is Portland, so we knew those two locations would be on our road trip list, as well as Bar Harbor, a town super close to Acadia. We also had plans to visit friends in Scarborough, and planned a stop in Rockport to visit a campground we’d heard a lot about. I’m going to give y’all recommendations on where to camp, hike, eat, and drink from all of these locations. But first, a little background on the places we explored in Maine.