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Top 5 US Cities That Aren’t On Your Radar But Should Be

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The USA is full of amazing cities that seem to not get the recognition they deserve. When we were living in our old Volkswagen Westfalia van we travelled with little to no plan. This meant that we also had little to no expectations about the cities we visited. It took us a while to slow down and get a feel for the top US cities that we were driving through.

When we head towards a destination I couldn’t tell you if it was going to take us the 8 hours google maps says or 8 days. Truthfully, I couldn’t even tell you with any sort of certainty that place is even where we would end up.

This way of living has made it so that every day, and every city, is a complete surprise.

Sometimes that bites us in the butt and we end up in cities like Stockton without even realizing it. Other times, we find these amazingly vibrant cities that we never would have expected.

This has allowed us to be completely and totally surprised with a lot of cities. Keeping in mind that we aren’t the biggest city people, our list of the top cities may surprise you.

Kansas City, Missouri

Perhaps it was our pure ignorance that associated Kansas with wheat fields and more cows than people. Ok, that isn’t entirely true. Kansas is one wheat field after the next but Kansas City is a surprisingly young vibrant city.

For those who have traveled through the middle states in America you are well aware of the massive nothingness that is there. That may be why we so quickly fell in love with the young vibrabt vibes of the city.

The city is like a mirage in the desert. Moving from east to west driving through the states changes from forests with no large cities to wheat fields – until you reach Kansas City. It’s streets are tree-lined, restaurants are lit with glowing lights and their transportation system is green and amazingly maintained.

This city is incredibly urban with modern architecture, a great Italian district and an incredibly artsy feel. The vibe of this city is upbeat and artsy.

Driving through on a Thursday night we were pleasantly surprised with how lit up the city was. With string lights hanging from tree to tree and the downtown streets full of hundreds of people enjoying the bars and nightlife, the city felt energetic.

Boulder, Colorado

Ok, ok, so this one isn’t a huge surprise. If you know anything about us you know we LOVE Colorado. The laid-back, health-conscious vibes combine with the mountains, rivers, and hot springs to create a truly magical place.

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Sure, Denver is nice, beautiful even, but head a little way north and you get to Boulder. It is a much smaller city while still having everything you could want and need.

With hundreds of awesome parking and camping pull-outs, this area is just one big outdoor playground.

Boulder is tucked into a beautiful canyon with winding rivers and areas for the best rock climbing, slacklining, kayaking, and biking. If you are an outdoor lover you will be very pleasantly surprised.

The drive to go anywhere north or west of Boulder is insanely beautiful with winding roads with endless gorgeous scenery. You feel tucked away into another world. If you are an outdoorsy person Boulder is the place you want to add to your bucket list.

Admittedly, the city here isn’t much to write home about. Sure, it has nice shops with that great forward-thinking Colorado mindset, but the landscape surrounding this city is where it is really great.

Madison, Wisconsin

Myles and I had a great experience at University so the young vibrant Uni vibe of this city really resonated with us. Taking a tour through this University you see all the beautiful brick buildings mixed in between endless walking trails and water features.

Throughout the town are old buildings with beautiful architecture situated right along the lake. The streets are full of people playing road hockey and beer pong. For a cool way to see the city hop on a beer biking tour. Basically a mobile bar, this pedal bike holds roughly 20 people and tours you through the city drinking along your route.

We were there in the summer and it was beautiful. Nights were long and sunny with people playing on the lake and soaking up the sun.

Salt Lake City, Utah

Utah has quickly become my number one favourite state in America. Weird, because previous to visiting here I couldn’t name 3 cool things about it: Zion, Moab and …..

The drive south to Salt Lake City was full of so many colours. We were ‘oohing” and “aaahing the entire drive – there was always something catching our eye. Almost every field or patch of grass is flooded with beautiful wildflowers giving it the most beautiful array of colours.

There are a few hidden gems around the city. The Homestead Crater combines two of our favourite things: Hot Springs and scuba diving. You can soak in the water or rent a snorkel and take a look under the water.

The Bonneville Salt Flats are another great place in Salt Lake City. The fastest cars come to this alien-looking place to prove their top speed. It can even look like you are walking on water at times as the flats glisten.

There are tons of lakes and rocky canyons around making this an excellent place to go with dogs or on a road trip. Given the extremely hot temperatures (we were sitting in 38 degrees almost every single day) the many water features were godsends.

The city itself is beautiful and is sandwiched between a mountain range and the salt lakes. Be careful if you drive though, the roads are horrible. Our car bottomed out a few times on potholes and speed bumps.

Monterey, California

It’s no secret that California is one of the most beautiful states in the USA. Monterey is a small town on the coast of California just south of San Francisco. You are able to pull off the road and sit feet from the beach. Waves crashing all around you, pelicans on the rocks and old Victorian-style inns add to the charm of this place.

The shops downtown are situated along the water and have been built along one strip making it easy to park and walk around. There are loads of jewelry stores and restaurants where you can enjoy a nice meal with a view.

Pro Tip: The Fisherman’s Pier is a great place to go if you love animals. If you go to the very end and peer under the walkway you will see some of the fattest sea lions ever. They love sunbathing on the support beams and will greet you with a grunt.

Just a short drive south (literally one exit on the highway) is a little place called Carmel-by-the-Sea. It’s like a land straight out of a fairy-tale. Streets don’t have names, house roofs are made from wood and have intricate designs and fences are made from sticks. The beaches are also out of this world.

White sandy beaches seem to always be a stone’s throw away. The entire beach along the shore is this beautiful white sand only seen in movies. Keep in mind the water is cold. There are people surfing but are wearing wet suits.

All of the places on this list were complete surprises to us. I am sure as we keep exploring this beautiful Earth our lists will forever change but for now, these are our top spots.

Have you been to any of these cities? Let us know what you thought of it in the comment section below.

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In VanDogs

Travelling With Pets: 5 Ways To Keep Your Dog Cool

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Ahh summer, a time of year full of BBQs and beaches. Longer days spent outside soaking up some much needed vitamin D. That hot weather is amazing, especially after a cold winter.

summer, beach, dogs Summer is unfortunately also the time of sun burns and heat stroke. This is especially true if you are traveling in a van with three dogs and no air conditioning. Your pup feels that heat too, maybe even more so than you.

These pups add nearly endless rewards in our life. They encourage us to see and stop more and they are our most loyal companions. But, they are also horrible hinderers.

While they are incredibly worth it, summer time is hard with dogs. When it is hot you will see all five us curled up under a tree trying to get some shade.

Here’s a list of our tried and tested ways to keep the dogs safe and cool. Well, cooler.

  1. Seek out air conditioning

If you are like us and your camper/home does not have air conditioning finding some air

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conditioning is a great option. While you won’t be able to stay long, even just a short trip to air conditioning so the pups can reset works wonders.

This isn’t an easy task as most stores have no pet policies. Check for pet friendly signs, or more often just check that there is not a “no dogs” sign.

While it is typically based location to location, some of our favourite air conditioned pet friendly stores are:

  • Canadian Tire
  • Any pet store
  • Walmart (only some and in our experience only the ones in America)
  • Barnes & Noble → read for hours and keep your dog cool, yes please!
  • Home Depot
  • Lowes
  • Michaels
  • Macy’s
  • Anthropologie
  • Old Navy

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  1. Grooming

Uhh that constant battle! Imagine a small area and 3 shedding beasts (well 2).

Needless to say we brush constantly. If you have a dog that sheds I am about to give you the best advice you will EVER get.

Invest in a Furminator

Seriously, I bought ours about 5 years ago and I still can’t sing enough praises about it. Not only does it keep our house way cleaner, it keep our pups worlds cooler.

This brush may look mean but trust me – it will change your life. It helps get the dog’s undercoat as well which makes them way cooler. In the summer when it gets hot we have to brush our dogs way more, up to about 2-3 times a week.

Luckily it doesn’t take too long and our dogs act like they’re at the spa enjoying every second.

  1. Shopping

One of the hardest parts about living in the van with dogs is that there is no where to put them when we want to go do stuff. From shopping to sightseeing these little buggers can definitely be restricting.

Our van is our home and with that we know everything about it, including how hot it can get when it is all closed up. We also know how to combat this with windows open and parking under shade.

dog, beach, sand, sun We (well Myles) is a risk taker and basically just brings the dogs in everywhere and waits to see if someone complains. It seems to work for us as we have only ever been stopped once. The only thing is that you obviously can’t do this with places that have or serve food, except weirdly Walmart.

It is only safe to leave your pups in the car when it’s cool outside. Oftentimes this will mean in the late evenings. No matter how cool it is, we open almost every window in the house. There are blankets for them to crawl under if they’re too cold.

When we just run in for a quick item we make sure the house is set up properly including a full bowl of water. It is essential to park under a tree in nearly every parking lot regardless of the temperature. .

We are those weird dog parents that think our dogs would rather have a chance at seeing a squirrel than stare at a brick wall.

We have heard so many horrible horror stories of people leaving their poor dog in a car in the heat. This really shouldn’t be a thought anymore.

  1. Haircuts

While this only applies to one of our dogs and getting her shaved is a summer essential. Oddly our smallest dog, a Chihuahua cross, has the least tolerance to heat. In the summer we face a constant battle to keep her cool.

Getting her shaved makes the world of a difference. Cutting the area around her mouth and stomach is the most important. Being a Chihuahua, Yorkie, Maltese cross her hair doesn’t actually get that long or thick but she still can’t handle the extra bulk.

Pro Tip: If your dog has a nice coat that you don’t want to cut, try just cutting their stomach. You won’t be able to tell and they will be able to put their bare stomach against a cool ground.

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  1. Wet your pet

An obvious choice but man, so useful. In summertime we typically have a spray bottle that we use to soak our pups,

especially their stomachs. They actually don’t mind getting wet for the most part but even when they do, they feel noticeably better afterwards.

We try to do all our walks and hikes in the morning time so they stay cool with much success. Sticking near rivers and lakes we try to throw our dogs in even if they don’t want to. This brings their core temperature down and helps them to cool off quicker.

Do you have any summer tricks for keeping cool that we missed? Let us know in the comment section below.

 

 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means we may get a commission if you make a purchase. Our opinions are our own and we only share what we believe you’ll find helpful. We also use all the products that we have links to. You can even see them in the photos we post.

In Vanlife

It’s A Lonely Life

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You have heard me write probably more than you need about how amazing this life is. It’s true, I am in love with it. The freedom to travel, the unbelievable places we visit and the memorable people we meet along the way. I try to keep it real and never gleam over the fact that oftentimes, especially in cities or on rainy days, it’s claustrophobic as hell and cleaning is a constant battle. But I never really talk about one of the biggest battles in this life. The truth is, this one leaves me vulnerable and I am sure you’re not here to read about the down times. Regardless, here it is.

Vanlife is lonely.

I know, I am constantly beside Myles, how can it be lonely. I am always writing about how we meet and talk to new people every single day, that doesn’t sound lonely. Well, it is. It is weird to me that my life feels so very on display that I never have privacy and yet still feel lonely.

Myles said to me one day “you know you’re great and all but I wish I had another opinion.” How true those words are, it actually shocked me. I may have been thinking it, but hearing him say it aloud reaffirmed just how lonely this life gets sometimes.

There are some things I just don’t want to talk to Myles about, you know those things you need a girlfriend for. Well in this life, I can’t just show up at my best friends door. If I have a question, Myles opinion is the only one I get. Sure, it is a great opinion and one I value more than any other, but sometimes you just crave a friend.

While we still have our friends, texting them isn’t as good as the real deal and sometimes it gets to us. We have learned that one of the best ways to combat this is to get a WiFi plan and message our friends whenever we start to feel lonely (sorry Courtney for the constant chatter).

We tend to feel less claustrophobic in this life and generally just worlds happier in the forest, but the downside of this is that we lose our reception and therefore our lifeline to our friends. Doing things independently, such as taking our dogs on a hike, even for a short time typically fixes this as we come back breathless from explaining all the cool things we found.

A side effect from this loneliness that has both good and bad repercussions is that we have learned about each other on such a deep level. This has brought us closer than we ever could have imagined but also caused some strife. I know what Myles is thinking by a mere face twitch now.

From someone like me who seems to never shut up to someone like Myles who is a man of few words, it is interesting to me that at times he feels the affects more than I do. I believe it is because I am constantly either chatting his ear off, telling long elaborate stories to the dogs or writing so much that my fingers feel they may fall off. Sure I may drive him nuts or look crazy when sitting on the grass talking to Roxy but for me it works.

Every life has pros and cons but for me the freedom I feel and the ever changing backdrop is a pro that far outweighs any con I am yet to find.

In Vanlife

How To Find The Best Free Campground

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After living a life on the road for around 3 years, we now consider ourselves experts in finding the best free campground. If you add the fact that we have only paid for about 4 nights of accommodation – boondocking is our specialty. There are many aspects you should factor into your decision about where you should spend your time in the woods.

Whether you are looking for a new unplugged experience, or just want to find some of the most secluded campgrounds, going off the beaten path works wonders for your mental health. Since we travel with dogs we prefer public sites rather than private ones where we don’t have to keep them leashed all the time. We have been asked so many times how we find the sites we stay at so we thought we’d let you all in on all of our secrets.

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This is for weekend warriors and Vanlifers alike. No matter where in North America you are these tips will help you find the best campground near you. Some places are going to be easier to camp in than others. Depending on where you are going, there are certain things you should know.

Not in North America? Check with local bylaws for rules on camping. When we were road tripping through Scotland they have a freedom to roam act that allows you to camp on any public land.

Free Sites

There are tons of land that you can camp on for FREE in North America. If you are in Canada most “Crown land” is free to camp on as well as any forest service roads. For example, 94% of land in British Columbia is considered Crown Land. This means the government owns the land. The USA has a similar thing called BLM land. This is land that isn’t owned by a single person. It is owned by the government, considered public land, and is free to use.

Not all maps will show you where this is or how to get to it, but trust us it is some of the best land to camp on. Some of this land is simply that, bare land that you can set up a tent or park your van on. The cool thing about this land is that you will find campgrounds that have everything provincial, or state, parks have. This can include picnic tables, fire pits and even outhouses. Don’t expect electricity or running water though.

* A few things to consider:

  • Do your research to see if there are any fire restrictions in your area. If there are you can be fined for starting a fire. It is your responsibility to find this out. This is especially true in Canada where there are fire restrictions every single summer in most places.

  • For both Canada and the USA, there is usually a stay limit, typically around 14-21 days. This, at least in our experience, isn’t strongly enforced but rather a way to keep it fair for all campers to get an opportunity to experience the site.
  • There are no garbage services at these sites. It is your responsibility to pack out what you pack in. Keep in mind that someone has been at your site before you. If they left the site a mess you’d be upset, so treat your space with respect. One thing that is great to leave behind is the extra firewood you didn’t use. This is always a welcomed surprise for the next camper or RV.
  • Rangers and police do not usually patrol these areas. This doesn’t mean that they are dangerous, it just means you have to be courteous to your neighbours. For example, don’t party until 2 am right beside a family with young children.
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Recreation Sites (Canada)

Recreation Sites and Trails are a halfway point between completely free off-grid sites and Provincial/State Parks. They usually come with a small fee per night – usually in the $15 – $20 range. Rules are usually more relaxed at these recreation sites but also have fewer amenities than at Provincial Campsites.
Their website is a great resource to find areas that have a lot of campsites. These are nearly all first come first served so we recommend finding areas that have a few Recreation Sites close by – there’s nothing worse than having packed and drove to the site only to find out that it’s full.
When you click on a site that you’re interested in you’ll see all of the important information. Some postings have more information than others, including photos. The cool thing about this is that the driving directions sometimes include information about the vehicle you need to access the site (ie. 2 wheel drive vs 4×4 and if a motorhome or trailer can access).

Provincial Parks (Canada) & State Parks (USA)

These are the sites that you are going to have to pay for. They are typically closer to larger cities and come with more amenities (but not always). We rarely stay at these sites since there are plenty of free ones. Paid campgrounds can range from $15 all the way to over $50 – and that’s without hookups.

In Canada Provincial Parks (and State Parks in the US) will always cost you money. Most people think these are the nicest, and easiest, places to get to but that hasn’t been our experience. However, they are well maintained and supervised by Park Rangers, and usually have showers, RV hookups, Wi-Fi service and flush toilets.

The downside to these sites is that they are strictly regulated. If you bring an extra car or have more than 4 people in a site be prepared to pay extra fees. Pets are required to be on a leash and stay in the designated area; you can’t bring alcohol to the beach, and you have to be quiet by a certain time.

It has been our experience that even with these rules Provincial and State parks are usually louder and more cramped than free sites.

If you are on a road trip or need a place to rest a Walmart or Highway rest stop is a safe place to stay. In our experience, both of these places are welcoming (unless otherwise posted) and allow you to catch up on some sleep. It’s not recommended to stay for longer than you need, or set up lawn chairs, but are a real option if you are desperate. We only ask that you are respectful of everyone around you. If you take over their parking lot the establishment will change their rules, ruining it for everyone.

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How to find these spots

Finding your ideal free campsite can be a bit of a challenge if you aren’t familiar with how to do it. There are many different ways of searching for the best sites.

Locals

We talk to everyone we can and ask them their secret spots. Driving an old Volkswagen van draws a lot of attention. People come up to us and strike up conversations nearly every day. You do not need an old van in order to start talking to everyone and getting all the insider secrets of where to go. Listening to the locals is an excellent way to find out the best spots.

The Internet

We try to use this one the least however it is often the most reliable. Spending time on our phone or computer trying to find a site, especially at night, can be a frustrating task. Trying to find a reputable website is not the easiest. Some campgrounds close down, don’t look like the pictures or cost significantly more than they say online. Coupling this with not having a phone plan makes it even more difficult. If you are planning to look online, a simple free campsite website should help you find what you are looking for.

AllStay and FreeRoam app

We saved the best for last! These sites and apps are our secret gold mine and the thing we rely most heavily upon. While the AllStay app isn’t free it will undoubtedly be the best purchase you make for an extended road trip or camping experience (note: this is not a sponsored post, it is just that good!). This is a smartphone app that has proved to be one of the best purchases we’ve made. It works much the same as the Maps app on your phone but shows you every single campsite around you both free and paid.

Just keep in mind that this app is only available through the Apple App Store.

There are lists of search categories to choose from. If you are wanting to opt for free campsites only there is a button that will allow you to filter and view only the free campsites in your area. It has information like toilets, by a creek, elevation, how many sites, fire pits – everything you need to make your decision. It also gives you detailed directions on how to get to the sites. We have found that it is completely worth the $13 which is less than one night’s stay at a paid campground

The FreeRoam app is a free option that has done a great job of compiling many free, and paid campsites. Their app is available for Android and Apple devices and is easy to operate. Many listings through the app will have links to government sites that contain information about the site including how many sites, toilets and even the vehicle you need to access the site. This is an easy-to-use application that even has an option to sort sites by cell signals for all of you digital nomads.

All of the photos in this post have been from free sites. How do you find a campground near you? Let us know, and post your photos, in the comments below.

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In The Hippie Diaries

A Step Back In Time

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About two weeks into vanlife we met a couple sitting by the fire we just made on the beach in Tofino. Watching the waves they asked us if our way of life made us feel more back to our roots. “Is a fire just a fire or does it hold more meaning to you now?”

I didn’t know how to answer this. What did he mean? It’s a fire. We make it to roast marshmellows and to increase the atmosphere while sitting on the beach. More than a year later and I wish I could go back and re answer this question.

Fire to me back then was a mere means to get warm. But after a year of living with almost everything in our life requiring a sort of “work” my generation isn’t used to I see it completely differently.

Doing dishes doesn’t simply involved loading your dishes into the dishwasher and pushing start. I remember living life before putting dishes in the sink thinking opening the dishwasher and finding a place for it was more effort than I needed to put in.

Our tiny home requires constant order. It is very easy to get this place messy so it is best to do dishes right after you use them. With no dishwasher this chore now requires me to walk to the river and fill a bucket with 4 liters of water. Dividing the water among the day we set forth to do dishes placing a towel on the ground so the sun can dry them.

As the water we use ends up in the earth we all live from, we spend a bit more to buy fully biodegradable soap. With multi functions, we use this soap for everything from dishes to laundry to a body wash (it is magic).

Our 4 liters of water is used to clean almost every dish in our house, as well as all our laundry for the week. A typical dishwasher uses about 23 liters of water and a washing machine a whopping 50 (and that’s the new energy efficient ones). This doesn’t account for all the energy used to run them.

Something else changed though, this no longer seems like a chore that is not worth our time. Learning how to work together, Myles cooks and I do dishes and he puts them away. I wash laundry and he hangs the line and the clothes. We got into our respective routines quite quickly. A step back in time, we even use matches to start our propane stove instead of a simple lighter.

It doesn’t feel like a chore anymore, instead just a part of our life. With so much time, we aren’t too rushed to do the things we need to do. We have the time to experiment with meals, we have the time to shop at different grocery stores to find all the products we need.

It took us almost a year to figure out, but we have officially slowed down all the way back to the 20th century. If I were asked the same question I was a year ago, my answer would be drastically different. Fire is a way of warmth. It is something that is more than the sum of the parts. It is still a method of warmth and is used to roast marshmellows, but there is something more, a feeling that comes along with it.