12 Van Life Books That Are So Good They're Van Lifer Approved (2024)

Used for: Personal stories and inspiration
Price range: $$
Star review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐
I had to include this book first. There isn’t another van life book that compares to the one-of-a-kind photographs and inspirational stories in this book. Van Life is special because it is organized by vehicle type, including Voltswagan vans, Sprinter vans, American vans, Japanese vans, school buses, RVs, and trucks. This is a really lovely book to get those creative van-build juices flowing.

Used for: Personal stories and guides
Price range: $$
Star review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Here is another inspirational must-have–but that’s not all the book has. Inspired by the Instagram account with the same name, the book follows the stories of a handful of modern van lifers making the lifestyle their own. Along with the personal stories, in every section there is also a guide for different aspects of van living, including living in a van with pets, avoiding breakdowns, showering in a van, etc.

Used for: Van living guide
Price range: $
Star review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Don’t be fooled, How to Live in a Car, Van, or RV is a life-saving guide to living on the road. It is less inspirational and more practical, but it has many tips and tricks to help you solve problems you may not even consider until you encounter them. If you’re getting serious about living the van life, I recommend getting this book.

Used for: Practical van life guide
Price range: $$
Star review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Are you looking for an all-around helpful van living guide to help you start living the van life? Or maybe you’re a seasoned van lifer and are looking for practical on-the-road advice and travel inspiration? Either way, this book is truly a van lifers companion. This complete guide will help you out at any stage of van living.

Used for: Van life how to
Price range: $
Star review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
How to Live in a Van and Travel is your concise, fun-to-read manual for van living. This book has what you need to know in one place, all written in Hudson’s relatable writing style. Although it could be more detailed, if you’re looking for information on finding a vehicle, parking at night, cooking, travel, entertainment, or dealing with emergencies, it’s all here.

Used for: Personal stories
Price range: $$
Star review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Personal stories of freedom-seekers often move people to dream of the lifestyle for themselves. In Nomad, you get to read these personal stories of van lifers and tiny home dwellers who have shaped their lives to be freer, environmentally conscious, and budget-friendly (and you get to see gorgeous photographs of their lives, too).

Used for: Van/bus build
Price range: $$
Star review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Although this book is targeted toward people building out school buses, it is still super useful for building out a van or other vehicle. It has everything you need to know, including finding a vehicle, designing a layout, construction, insulation, kitchens, plumbing, heat, and power. Plus, it’s a fun read that includes amazing conversion photos to get the creativity flowing!

Used for: Everything camp cooking
Price range: $$
Star review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned outdoor chef, this book has something for you. The New Camp Cookbook outlines everything you need to know, including how to set up a camp kitchen, the equipment you need, and cooking basics. Recipes are clear and use the same set of equipment. And even though there are no recipes for cooking on a camp stove specifically, they are adaptable to make on a stove.

Used for: Easy and fun camp recipes
Price range: $
Star review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Are you looking for a fun camp cookbook to motivate you to make killer dishes? Well, this is it. The recipes in this cookbook are easy to follow and full of creativity. From trail snacks to dinner over the fire, it will keep the boredom out of the kitchen. The cookbook includes camp cooking basics, snack, side, main, and dessert recipes, beautiful illustrations, and even games and camping advice.

Used for: Making camp co*cktails!
Price range: $$
Star review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Any co*cktail connoisseurs living the van life, this one is for you. If you’re backpacking, tenting, or living in your van, there is a co*cktail recipe to liven the moment. This book has everything you need, including a packing list and equipment suggestions. Recipes range in difficulty and complexity. There is even a section dedicated to foraging co*cktail ingredients (responsibly!).

Used for: Road trip inspiration
Price range: $$
Star review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
You know National Geographic is the pro of serving up inspiration and stunning photography. And that’s what this book is. Each of the 500 drives described in this book come with jaw-dropping photos, maps of the trip, and even some adventuring tips. Wherever in the world you are van living, you need the inspiration of this book. If you want details to plan one of these trips, however, they are unfortunately not included in this book, so you’ll need to do your own research there.

Used for: Road trip planning
Price range: $$
Star review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is the master book of road trip planning in the United States. The Most Scenic Drives in America lists 120 road trips throughout the country. No matter where you are or how much time you have, you can find a road trip in this book. Each trip includes detailed descriptions of every stop along the way, a map, and trip planning tips including when to go, how long it’ll take, advice, and information on public lands. The only information it doesn’t include is free parking and campgrounds along the route. For that, I recommend iOverlander, the Dyrt, and the Vanlife App. (PS, the photos are stunning, too).

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Heron Novine McTague

Heron (they/them/theirs) is a writer, gardener, herbalist, and overlander. They currently live on the road as a full-time blogger at TravelingHomesteadProject.com. Before now, they studied holistic health and sociology at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, ME, and now use their B.A. in Human Ecology to support sustainable nomadic living through their blog.