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Interesting Short List of Van Life Gatherings & Rally Guide (2024)

| Updated Jan 31, 2024

Want to explore a few van life gatherings? With van life growing in popularity, more and more events are popping up every year!

One of the oldest trends when it comes to living an RV lifestyle is Vanlife.

Jennifer and I have loved hitting the open road in all our Class B vans in the past. Class Bs are considered camper vans – the staple in #vanlife- so we can see why they are becoming so popular!

Not only are Class B vans compact and easy to drive, but they make accessing boondocking on public land easy to do.

If you own a Class B camper van, you can explore national parks and other outdoor spaces, but you can also park in urban areas. It is a great way to see what different cities have to offer.

This is a short list of some of the meetups and festivals for vanlifers, but if you want to see a comprehensive list from our friends, We're The Russos – please go and explore all of them here.

Our Short List of Van Life Gatherings to Explore

There are many people that organize Vanlife events across the United States. The following is a short list of events where you can meet other people in the Vanlife community.

You might also want to know…  The company that started the Van Life Movement 50 years ago!

Adventure Van Expo Series (April-October)

Adventure Van Expo meets in different cities to showcase all things Vanlife. If you are in the market to build a van, add to your van or buy a van, then this is the event for you.

They can show you different types of vehicles that offer a lot in a small space. In recent years the event had van supply vendors, van builders, and influencers at the event. Meet interesting people and see what van life is all about!

Adventure Van Expo 2024 Events: 

Scottsdale, AZ April 13-14

Austin, TX April 27-28

San Juan Capistrano, CA May 4-5

Santa Rosa, CA May 11-12

Hood River, OR June 22-23

Boise, ID June 29-30

Evergreen, CO July 27-28

Enumclaw, WA Sept. 7-8

North Lake Tahoe, CA Sept. 14-15

Big Bear Lake, CA Oct. 19-20

Ventura, CA Oct. 26-27

The events have a small fee for anyone 18 and over and are open to anyone. They offer food and beer (where possible) and all of the events are near fun things to do, like bike paths and hiking trails.

Open Roads Fest

Interesting Short List of Van Life Gatherings & Rally Guide (2024) 1

The Open Roads Fest is relatively new but has been a big hit. It's located at Jug Mountain Ranch in McCall, Idaho, which is a beautiful setting.

The event offers “community-based events, educational workshops, live music, yoga classes, van tours, and more” for aspiring or current van lifers.

Workshops include Van Power Systems 101, Renting Out Your Van, Mindfulness for Van Lifers, and much more.

Passes range from $184 driver weekend pass van camping, $139 passenger weekend pass van camping, $169 driver weekend pass tent camping, $139 passenger weekend pass tent camping, $29 youth ticket (11-17 years old), 10 and under Free. These were the 2022 prices – please always double check pricing.

Descend on Bend

Every September, Descend on Bend offers hundreds of people the opportunity to enjoy a variety of activities together in the Oregon outback. Enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and morning yoga, or chat and meet other van dwellers.

This is one of the most popular and talked about van life gatherings. You will not want to miss the next one!

The event normally sells out, so get your tickets as soon as possible. Prices are $160 for a 3-day pass or $200 for a 4-day pass. Tickets are nonrefundable but are fully transferable.

MAY 26 – MAY 29, 2023
Lost Sierra, CA

TinyFest

Interesting Short List of Van Life Gatherings & Rally Guide (2024) 2

TinyFest focuses on tiny houses, but that includes vans and bus conversions and more. The event has a Simple Living Marketplace, live music, and good food!

You can meet builders, tiny dwellers, and fellow van living fans. You can attend workshops, speaker presentations, or just explore the grounds with lots to see.

TinyFest currently has March 16-17, 2024 scheduled in Del Mar, CA, at the fairgrounds.

VanFest Utah

If you are already a van lifer or want to become one, this event is for everyone interested in the van lifestyle! It centers around campervans and current van influencers.

You can embark on different van tours and converted vehicles, see different DIY and professional builds, and talk to famous van lifers.

Expect live music, great food, workshops, yoga, outdoor movies, hundreds of vans, and much more! Thanks to the generous donations from their sponsors, they've been able to keep ticket prices low while bringing in some amazing entertainment and accommodations.

They have several events around the country including; Florida, the Northeast, and Utah.

Wind River Rally

We have the dates for this event, June 20-24, 2024, but as of this writing the tickets are not on sale. But if you want to hang out with other vanlifers in Hudson, Wyoming – located in the heart of Wind River Country and the home of the Eastern Shoshone and the Northern Arapaho – then keep an eye on this one.

If you look at last year's schedule, you will see how wonderful this event can be.

Tips for Your First Van Life Gathering Event

If it is your first time attending a van gathering, then you might not know exactly what to expect. It might feel intimidating meeting so many new people especially if you are an introvert and like spending your time solo, on the road.

If you give it a chance, a van gathering might be an excellent time for you. There are a few things you can do to help feel more at ease at your first event:

  • Be Yourself: Van lifers are all different and special in their own ways. Do not try to change yourself to fit in. Just be you!
  • Get Your Van Picture Perfect: You can boost your confidence by getting your van “Instagram ready” for the event. That way, you will feel good when people peek inside.
  • Keep an Open Mind: If the event ends up not being for you, then you do not ever have to attend one again. But keep an open mind. You never know what you might discover!

Do you have a list of van life gatherings you want to share? Put them in the comments – we'd like to see them!

Also, If you would like to learn how to build your own van life van – we have some ideas for you, too!

Mike Wendland

Published on 2024-01-31

Mike Wendland is a multiple Emmy-award-winning Journalist, Podcaster, YouTuber, and Blogger, who has traveled with his wife, Jennifer, all over North America in an RV, sharing adventures and reviewing RV, Camping, Outdoor, Travel and Tech Gear for the past 12 years. They are leading industry experts in RV living and have written 18 travel books.

6 Responses to “Interesting Short List of Van Life Gatherings & Rally Guide (2024)”

February 01, 2024at2:54 pm, Liz Waldman said:

I’m still in the planning stages, really excited to attend these events. I’m in MA on the NH border so I’m hoping for something nearby.
Might be able to make a trip to the Midwest this summer.
Anyway making the dream a reality keeps me sane!

Reply

February 03, 2024at9:33 am, Team RV Lifestyle said:

The dream does indeed keep us sane! Happy Trails – Team RV Lifestyle

Reply

February 01, 2024at10:15 am, Helen Setera said:

Peace Love Vans, rally Feb 16,17,18. In Forida. Sounds lolike a great time!
https://www.peacelovevans.com/

Reply

May 06, 2022at8:22 am, Louis Durgin said:

I have been thinking about a gathering in Maine. Is there any interest out there?

Reply

February 19, 2022at1:02 pm, Michele Pittaro said:

I’m looking for a van to trick out. I’m hard pressed to find one. Help. I’m in Florida. I know rv life but want to do van life more. . Thanks ya’ll

Reply

November 21, 2021at12:58 pm, Our RV Lifestyle Community Weighs In On Loneliness PLUS 9 Helpful Tips | RV Lifestyle said:

[…] about joining an RV Club or attending a VanLife gathering. There, you will meet other people that live a similar lifestyle, and likely have […]

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