Van Life Journaling: How to Document Life on the Road
Living in a van means every day is different and every parking spot is home. Learn how to journal your van life journey—capturing the freedom, challenges, and moments in between.
Home is wherever you park it tonight.
Your kitchen is a two-burner stove. Your bedroom has 50 square feet and a skylight. Your commute is whatever highway calls you next.
Van life isn't just travel—it's a lifestyle. And without documentation, the endless road becomes an endless blur.
Here's how to journal when you're living full-time in your van, RV, or camper.
Why Van Lifers Need Journals
Every Day Is Different (But Also the Same)
The paradox of van life: constant movement, constant routine. Wake up, coffee, drive, stop, explore, cook, sleep, repeat.
Without a journal, the days merge. Tuesday in Utah looks like Thursday in Nevada looks like Saturday in Oregon.
You're Building a Story
Van life is a narrative. Beginning, middle, end (or no end). Your journal is that story being written.
Practical Memory
Where was that amazing free campsite? What was the name of that mechanic who saved you in Arizona? Your journal is your van life database.
The Van Life Journal Template
A Full Van Life Entry
Third day parked at this spot and I don't want to leave. Ocean view from bed. Fog in the mornings. Hawks circling above.
The reality:
No cell service. We drove 20 minutes to town for WiFi yesterday. The road is terrifying—single lane, cliffs, and tourists who don't know how to drive it.
But god, that view.
Van update:
The solar panels are struggling with the fog. Running generator more than we'd like. Need to find sun tomorrow or we're taking a laundromat break to charge everything.
Water situation: fine. The spring fill-up was a good call.
Today:
Hiked to McWay Falls. Woke at 6am to beat crowds—had it to ourselves for 45 minutes. Made coffee on the trail. Watched the waterfall hit the beach.
Afternoon: read in the hammock. Napped. Made pasta with a view.
Some days the whole point is to just be here.
The question I keep thinking about:
How long can we do this? The bank account says 6 more months if we're careful. But then what?
Not thinking about that today. Today is Big Sur.
Tomorrow: South toward Cambria. Allegedly there's free camping on a bluff somewhere.
15 Van Life Journal Prompts
The Practical
- Where did I sleep last night? Would I go back?
- What did the van need today?
- How's the budget looking?
- What resource am I running low on? (Water, power, patience?)
- What problem did I solve today?
The Experience
- What did I see from the driver's seat today?
- What's different about this landscape than last week's?
- What wildlife did I encounter?
- What stranger did I talk to?
- What made me grateful for this life today?
The Reflective
- What do I miss about having a house?
- What do I not miss at all?
- How has van life changed my relationship with stuff?
- What would past-me think of this life?
- How long can/will I do this?
Journaling Rhythms for Van Lifers
Daily Quick Log
Every night (or morning), record:
- Location (GPS or description)
- Miles driven
- Camp quality
- One highlight
- Any van issues
Date: March 14
Spot: Forest Road 42, Coconino NF, Arizona
Camp: 8/10, flat, private, fire ring available
Miles: 89
Note: Found this spot through iOverlander. Better than described. Staying another night.
Weekly Reflection
Once a week, write more:
- Where did I go this week?
- What worked? What didn't?
- How am I feeling about van life right now?
- Plans for next week?
Monthly Review
The bigger picture:
- Routes traveled
- Expenses breakdown
- Favorite spots
- Lessons learned
- How the van is holding up
- How I'm holding up
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The Van Life Camp Log
Keep a running database of camps:
| Location | Type | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLM near Moab | Free | 9/10 | GPS saved, perfect for 3 nights |
| Zion overflow | $15 | 6/10 | Crowded, but convenient |
| Forest road, Flagstaff | Free | 8/10 | Cold at elevation |
| Quartzsite | Free | 5/10 | Too many RVs, too loud |
| Anza-Borrego | $6 | 9/10 | Wildflowers, hot springs nearby |
Best find: The BLM spot near Moab. Will return.
Never again: Quartzsite in March. Wait until November.
Documenting Van Life Challenges
Be honest. Van life isn't always Instagram.
Nothing worked today.
Flat tire on a dirt road 30 miles from anywhere. Spare was low on air. Took 4 hours and a kind stranger with a compressor to get going again.
Then the camp spot I was aiming for was full. Ended up in a Walmart parking lot, which I swore I'd never do.
Made boxed mac and cheese and went to bed at 8pm.
Some days are beautiful freedom. Some days are just hard.
Tomorrow will be better. Probably.
Relationship Journaling (If Van Life With a Partner)
Living in 70 square feet with another person requires documentation:
- How are we communicating?
- What's causing friction?
- What's making us stronger?
- How do we give each other space in no space?
Day 53 and we haven't killed each other. That's a win.
Developed a rule: when one person needs alone time, the other takes a walk. No questions. No guilt. It's saving us.
Van Life Photo Journaling
Your photos tell a story. Document:
- The view from your bed each morning
- Your van in different landscapes
- Before/after camp setup
- The unglamorous reality (laundry days, mechanic visits)
- The people you meet
Pro tip: Take a "van in landscape" photo at every major stop. It creates a visual through-line.
Tools for Van Life Journaling
TripMemo
- GPS tracking of your route
- Photo journal with location
- Works offline (essential for remote spots)
Physical Journal
- No battery needed
- Tangible artifact
- Good for sketching camp layouts
Voice Notes
- When you can't write
- Hands-free while driving (safely)
- Raw thoughts, transcribe later
The "Why Am I Doing This?" Entry
At some point, you'll question everything. Write through it:
Sitting in a parking lot in Nevada, asking myself why.
Why did I sell everything? Why am I sleeping in a van? Why does everyone else seem to have it figured out while I'm covered in dust drinking instant coffee?
But then.
Yesterday I watched the sunrise over Death Valley from my bed. I've been to 14 states in 6 months. I met people I'd never meet otherwise.
I don't know if this is forever. But it's right for now.
And "right for now" is enough.
What's Next?
Continue documenting your road life:
- Road trips: Road Trip Journaling Guide
- Long-term travel: Long-Term Travel Journaling
- Prompts: 100+ Travel Journal Prompts
- Complete guide: The Complete Guide to Travel Journaling
Van life is freedom and constraint. Adventure and monotony. The open road and the Walmart parking lot at 2am.
Your journal holds all of it—the beautiful and the broken, the Instagram moments and the flat tires.
That's the real story. Document it.
Ready to document your van life journey? TripMemo tracks your route automatically, works without cell service, and turns your nomadic life into a visual story.
