If you’re considering a life on the road, whether part-time or full-time, you will have to decide how you will travel.

This can be a very challenging process so we want to share what we’ve learned the last few years based on experience and research.

There are several options when it comes to the traveling lifestyle and it will generally come down to your needs, your budget, and your comfort level as you go and live your adventure.

Most people we’ve met on the road own an RV or a travel van. Some live out of a pickup truck or car. A few of us choose to live in hotels or resorts.

Each mode of transportation or living arrangements has pros and cons.

Hotel Living

I’ll start with this since it’s what we do and are most familiar with.

Living in hotels and resorts has been a great option for us because we didn’t want to haul a trailer and didn’t have the funds for a motorhome. We pack all of our required stuff in a Chevy Silverado 1500 Trail Boss and just go.

It’s nice to pull up to a hotel after a day of driving and enjoy the amenities like free WiFi, a hot shower, and a comfortable bed.

The biggest downside is asshole hotel guests and asinine hotel rates.

To us, there have been fewer downsides to hotel life, and we’ve earned a LOT of free stays with Choice Hotels and our Hilton Grand Vacation package — which we’ll share about here.

Additionally when you travel to busy tourist destinations or National Parks, it can be a real pain in the ass to find parking spaces. Sometimes it’s even a hassle for a pickup truck!

Travel Vans

We really wanted to purchase a travel van to explore the United States but after spending 80+ hours researching and looking at them, the investment price and financing was cost prohibitive for us.

Yet I’ll share what I’ve learned about it all.

New travel vans cost $120,000 and upwards, depending on whether you choose a Ford Transit or Mercedes Sprinter (the two most common brands).

Used vans with lots of miles have been holding their value at an average of $80,000 and up, especially for decked out Mercedes Sprinters.

If you’re handy with tools and construction AND have time to work on a van, the average spend seems to be between $40,000 and $60,000.

There are tons of options and features as well.

Are you a minimalist? You can easily buy a van and throw in an air mattress, porta potti, Bluetti power station, and save money by living off the grid on BLM land. Lots of people do this.

Want more creature comforts? You can get a stove, bed, shower, air conditioner, TV, and other cool amenities in your travel van. Of course the more you want, the higher the cost.

One thing you should know however, based on my conversations with other van lifers on the road.

Mercedes Sprinters are bad ass but expensive to maintain. Plus the amount of mechanics who work on them are limited and it could take months to get your repairs done. This is not a problem with Ford Transits.

And maintenance will always be an issue.

Regardless, there are thousands of people doing van life, and it opens up amazing opportunities you won’t get by living in hotels or owning an RV.

Motor Home RVs

If you have half a million dollars or more, you could be living the dream in a fully stocked Class A RV or motor home that’s just as nice as a house.

You can also find new Class C RVs for a more reasonable price ($60,000-$90,000 ) and they are also easier to maneuver than larger rigs.

Each class of RVs offers all kinds of amenities, so again, it’s based on what you need to feel comfortable on your traveling adventures. I’ve been in motorhomes that would blow your mind!!!

I didn’t do as much initial research for these options because I knew it was outside our price range and gas mileage sucks for these vehicles — though it would be cheaper than staying in hotels every day.

The travelers I’ve met who own motorhomes love having them. The biggest issues are maintenance and parking challenges in National Parks or tourist destinations, as well as not being able to off road in many great locations.

Additionally, unless you haul a smaller vehicle behind you, you can’t easily jump in your RV and go to some places like restaurants or breweries.

Fifth Wheel Trailers

Based on all my research and having had a fifth wheel trailer as a home base for a year, this is one of the best options for travelers — if you have the patience and balls to haul one — which I don’t!

Travel trailers or fifth wheels come in all shapes and sizes.

Some of the most popular options at the moment are tear drop trailers that you can easily pull behind a truck or an SUV. My personal favorites are Timberleaf and ROC trailers.

Of course there are larger rigs here as well.

Many fifth wheel trailers offer everything you could possibly want or need to have an awesome experience on the road. You’ll have more storage and space, as well as be able to drop your trailer and easily use your vehicle for outdoor excursions or beer runs.

The costs for these trailers are diverse, ranging from $15K to $150K.

As for the challenges, it can be harder to find places to camp as RV style lots fill up fast in popular destinations, gas mileage will be lower, and there are always maintenance costs.

Trucks and Car Living

Should you desire to do more off-roading or roughing it, you can live from a pickup truck, SUV, or even a Subaru Outback. I’ve seen them all!

I’ll admit, even being over the hump in age, this appeals to me the most right now. Here’s why.

You can spend a lot less money outfitting your vehicle for your adventures. Costs can range between a couple thousand dollars to $15,000 — depending on what you want or need. And there’s plenty of great options available.

We are considering an RTT (Roof Top Tent) or Smart Cap, along with the Bluetti generator, a porta potti, an electric grill, and our typical survival and travel gear already packed away in plastic totes.

The best thing about this option is you don’t need much to get going.

I met a guy named Bob who lived in his Subaru for two years while traveling the country. He created his own toilet with a bucket, a shower with a clear bag and hose, and every day camping gear.

There are some neat Facebook groups who show you how to do this and what people have done to their vehicles is incredible.

Also you can easily sleep anywhere it’s legal to park for the night, keeping costs down. Plus you can go a lot of places the other options above don’t allow you to go.

Decisions. Decisions.

Wrapping up the best advice I can give you is to evaluate your needs and budget constraints then just do it.

Many of the people we’ve met along the way started small and worked their way up to larger vehicle options. Some hated the larger vehicles and downsized. But you don’t know until you try it.

If you’re unsure there are places you can rent travel vans, motorhomes, and trailers. It’s kinda a growing trend so it’s easy to try it before you buy it.

Hopefully this helps you get started on your own journey.

And if you’ve traveled in any capacity in any of these options, please share your experiences as well.