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Lita of the Pack
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Van life

Let’s get ready to hit the road

After living on the road for three years in a van, I have everything you need to get started including van build guides, camping tips and more!

Van Build posts

  • camper van water system

    Complete Guide to the Perfect Camper Van Water System

  • Frame a Van cover: Lita and Dylan stand in front of framed van with tools in hand

    How To Frame Camper Van Walls

  • Van Floor Insulation cover. Dylan and Lita sit on it

    How to Install Camper Van Floor Flooring

my favorite van life essentials

  • Campsite Map

    Free Campsite Map

    Find every place that we’ve stayed throughout the US, with recs for great free campsites!

    See it here

    More Van Life Content

    See all
    • The Perfect Baja California Itinerary

      The Perfect Baja California Itinerary

    • van next to a palapa in baja mexico with ocean behind

      5 Ways to Prep for Van Life in Baja Mexico

    • girl standing on van with sunset behind her

      10 Best Free Campsites in the US

    • Girl looking out at view from camper van

      5 Hardest Parts of Van Life

    • Me in middle of Lighthouse Rock Trail; van life chronicles

      Van Chronicles #1: Driving Across the Country, Three National Parks, and New Mexico

    • Van over rolling hills with sunrise in back

      The Ultimate Guide to Finding Free Van Campsites

    let's connect

    ON INSTAGRAM

    @litaofthepack_

    I fell in love with the U.S. all over again Of c I fell in love with the U.S. all over again 

Of course, I think it’s important to keep up with the news. But, it can easily lead to a downward spiral and a lot of hate these days. 

But, traveling across the U.S. for 3 years was one of the most special experiences of my life. I saw so many incredible places, I met people from all walks of life, and learned what truly makes this country so special. 

So, when I share about public land news or what’s going on lately, it’s simply because I feel dedicated to helping our country continue to get better 💕

Let’s spread some positivity: what’s your favorite part about the U.S.? 
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#usaroadtrip #vanlifediaries #saveourpubliclands
    Which one is on your list? As someone who’s spen Which one is on your list? 

As someone who’s spending her first full summer in the PNW, I’ve got lots on my list! There’s so many places and things I want to explore. 

Who else is ready to cross some things off their summer bucket list? 
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#pnwsummer #washingtonsummer #washingtonexplored
    Anyone else relate? I think it’s super easy to g Anyone else relate? 

I think it’s super easy to get imposter syndrome in the outdoors, especially when you’re someone that actively posts about outdoor adventures. 

Someone always seems to be doing something cooler, trying something more extreme, or seems to know more. 

There’s almost some implicit competition that feels like it’s happening in the outdoor space. 

But, in the end, anyone can be outdoorsy! The biggest thing that matters is getting outdoors 🥾⛰️
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#outdoorsygirl #exploreoutdoors #girlswhoexplore
    Anyone else been doomscrolling too much lately? Anyone else been doomscrolling too much lately? 

Maybe an ironic thing to ask on Instagram… 

But lately, I’ve been consuming too much news and content. I have to remind myself to take a break. Nothing like getting back out in nature to make myself feel better. 
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#canadianrockies🇨🇦 #saveourplanet🌍 #yohonationalpark
    Who’s ready for it? Happy Memorial Day weekend, Who’s ready for it? 

Happy Memorial Day weekend, the official start of summer. ☀️☀️

I’m so excited for all the PNW summer adventures. Camping, hiking, swimming, and backpacking! We will be taking advantage of it all. 

Are you all ready for summer? 
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#pnwlife #pnwsummer #alpineadventures
    WHERE WE WENT WEDNESDAY 🚐: This past week was fil WHERE WE WENT WEDNESDAY 🚐:

This past week was filled with so much joy and classic PNW adventures. 

First, we got out for an afternoon hike to the gorgeous Lake 22 along the Mountain Loop Highway. It was the perfect night and we got to the lake just before the sun tucked behind the mountains. 

Then, over the weekend we went camping with some great friends. It was a cold weekend, but we made the best of it with trying new campfire treats, playing silly games, and talking for hours. It absolutely filled my cup. 

Then, I got to go tide pooling with my friend and her high school class. One of the best parts of living in Seattle is being able to see so much sealife right in the city! 

What’s the coolest thing you’ve seen when tide pooling?
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#wherewewentwednesday #mountainloophighway #tidepools
    There’s no better time to speak up than now Last There’s no better time to speak up than now

Last week, Box Elder County in Utah approved a plan to build the largest data center in the world. It’s called the Stratos-MIDA Data Center and is backed by Kevin O’Leary (the Shark Tank billionaire). 

When they held a community meeting, they were met with an enormous amount of local protestors. Instead of hearing their questions and outcry, they moved the meeting to video and approved the project without local input.

💦 The data center would require 16 billion gallons of water annually, all while the Great Salt Lake continues to shrink, the snow pack is the lowest it has ever been, the state is in a drought, and wildfires are on the rise

⚡️ It would also require 9 Gigawatts of power, more than DOUBLE the peak usage of the entire state of Utah

🌡️ Temperatures would rise in the area, with some scientists saying it would increase 5 degrees during the day and 28 at night

🌎 Of course, in case it’s not already clear it would change the landscape of this area completely and would have lasting impacts on wildlife

So what can we even do?

Box Elder County residents have filed two applications for referendums to challenge it. If they succeed, they will need signatures to get it put on the ballot in November. 

In the meantime, make noise, share the news, and if you live in Utah call your local politicians!
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#utah #saltlake #savetheplanet
    WHERE WE WENT WEDNESDAY 🏡: Over the past couple o WHERE WE WENT WEDNESDAY 🏡:

Over the past couple of weeks we’ve been settling into our new home in Seattle and getting to know the city even better. 

Luckily, we’ve also got to share this city we love with some of my favorite people who came to visit us. It was so special to spend a weekend with my twin brother and another with my oldest best friends.

I truly feel so happy every day and so lucky to call this city our home now. Dylan and I are truly enjoying and soaking in every moment of it. 

Who’s coming to visit me next? 
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#wherewewentwednesday #seattlelife #seattlephotographer
    Anyone else feel rich in their own way? Dylan an Anyone else feel rich in their own way? 

Dylan and I have truly realized that our lives are way richer when we are doing the things we love. 

We lived in a van for three years, saw the most amazing places, and now are maximizing our lives for continued adventures. 

I truly feel so lucky. 
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#thegreatdivide #vanlifeexplorers
    Which one is your favorite though? Grand Teton N Which one is your favorite though? 

Grand Teton National Park is one of my favorite places on earth, but clearly not everyone feels that way. 

It’s a good reminder that not everything can be everyone’s cup of tea. It’s okay to have some people who just don’t like you. What matters most is finding the people that do. 
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#grandtetonnationalpark #grandtetons
    WHERE WE WENT WEDNESDAY ✈️: I can’t believe that WHERE WE WENT WEDNESDAY ✈️:

I can’t believe that it’s been about a month since I left for Sumatra Indonesia. But, I wanted to share more about our time in this wonderful place. 

Our trip to Sumatra, was a group trip with the Bootstrap Blogging gals from Bri’s course. We’ve talked weekly over the years and I’ve gotten to meet many of these wonderful ladies in person before, so getting to go on a second group trip was incredible. 

Sumatra is unlike so many other destinations in the world, because it still feels fairly untouched by Western tourism. In many of the places we were the only Western people there and it felt great to be in a place where we could really learn about the culture and customs. 

We went on the group trip with Intrepid (not sponsored) and it was an amazing itinerary. From trekking with orangutans to relaxing by Lake Toba (the largest volcanic like in the world) it was truly spectacular. 

Of course, there were plenty of misadventures which just make the trip that much more memorable. Including the wild driving we saw on the road and getting absolutely POURED ON as we climbed down from the volcano. 

I miss it all already. 

Also, quick shout out to the 21 hours I spent in Singapore with my pal Mandy on a fun layover. 

Has Sumatra been on your radar?

(If you’re new here, every week I share where I went in the last week or travel tales)
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#wherewewentwednesday #sumatra #sumatraindonesia
    May the 4th Be With You Today felt like an approp May the 4th Be With You

Today felt like an appropriate time to re-share this reel and unfortunately things just keep getting worse. 

• Public Lands are being targeted

• The war in Iran is costing us billions of dollars and there’s seemingly no end in sight 

• Women’s healthcare access is slowly being stripped away 

• Immigrants are being targeted 

And the list goes on and on 

That being said, today of all days let’s remember that if we stand together, we can fight back 
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#maythe4thbewithyou #saveourpubliclands #usatravels
    Have you seen the Going to the Sun Road? I’m not Have you seen the Going to the Sun Road? 

I’m not kidding when I say this is one of my favorite things that I’ve ever done in Glacier! The best time to do it is this spring 🙌🏻
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#glaciernationalpark #goingtothesunroad #glaciernps
    Realizing our dreams little by little Honestly, Realizing our dreams little by little 

Honestly, it was really hard to make the decision to move. We are super close with our families and we literally moved to the opposite side of the country. 

But, after spending the weekend going down to the wildflowers I just felt so much gratitude for making the hard choice. It was stunning. 

That being said, this Noah Kahan is hitting hard. 

Anyone else leave everyone else behind? 
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#noahkahanmusic #columbiarivergorge #longdistancedaughter
    WHERE WE WENT WEDNESDAY 🚐: We took Vinny (our van WHERE WE WENT WEDNESDAY 🚐:

We took Vinny (our van) out on a little overnight excursion this past weekend and it felt so good. After seeing pictures of the wildflower bloom, I knew that I wanted to see them in person.

So, Dylan and I drove down to the Columbia River Gorge and caught the bloom before it was completely gone. 

It was perfect. We caught sunset with the wildflowers surrounding us, slept at a trailhead, and embarked on another short wildflower hike in the morning. 

This weekend definitely affirmed our decision to move across the country. As we spent it doing things we love. 

Have you gotten to see the wildflowers? 
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#wherewewentwednesday #wildflowerseason #columbiarivergorge
    This song hits hard as someone who literally just This song hits hard as someone who literally just moved across the country from her family 

We spent three years living in a van, we moved home for a year, and then left once again. Being the long distance daughter is hard, but sometimes you really need to follow your heart. 

Anyone else feeling personally victimized by Noah Kahan’s new album? 
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#longdistancedaughter #thegreatdivide #ontheroadagain
    Have you seen the wildflowers yet? 🌼 If you want Have you seen the wildflowers yet? 🌼

If you want to read more about hiking this trail then comment wildflower and I’ll send you all the details!

The Columbia River Gorge is currently blooming and it’s a sight to behold! These videos were taken in 2024, but based on trail reports the current conditions are perfect. 

Please remember when hiking in the wildflowers to always STAY ON THE TRAIL and never pick the flowers!
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#columbiarivergorge #wildflowers #pnwhiking
    WHERE WE WENT WEDNESDAY ✈️: I just got back from WHERE WE WENT WEDNESDAY ✈️:

I just got back from a bucket list trip to see the Orangutans in Sumatra, Indonesia. It was an absolutely incredible trip that I will seriously remember for my lifetime!

This week’s photos feature all of the wildlife that we saw in the wilderness of Gunung Leuser National Park. 

We spent two days trekking in the humid rainforest there to try and spot orangutans. During our time, we saw Thomas Leaf Monkeys, Macaques, a snake, and of course the orangutans. 

It was a magical experience as we got to see the orangutans in their natural habitat. Along the way, we came across three different mamas and their babies. It was so incredible to see how they interacted together. 

But, it was also a hard trek. We left for the jungle at 9 am and got to our campsite at 5 pm the first day. It was really buggy and humid, so we were exhausted once the day ended. 

Sumatran Orangutans are considered critically endangered, which is mostly due to a loss in habitat. So, protecting them is incredibly important. 

I feel so lucky to have seen them and witnessed their behavior in person. I hope that their landscapes and homes can continue to be protected.

Is seeing orangutans on your bucket list?

P.s. HAPPY EARTH DAY 🌎🌎
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#wherewewentwednesday #sumatraorangutan #sumatra
    Happy early earth day 🌎🌎 This year has been prett Happy early earth day 🌎🌎

This year has been pretty devastating to the earth with new decisions every day that will have detrimental impacts. 

But, on this earth day, let’s remember to do our best to care for her by giving back. Here are a few ideas:

• Get out to a trail or park nearby and pick up litter
• Call your representatives to advocate for public lands 
• Plant a new tree or flower if you have a garden 
• Find a new way to reuse something you already own 
• Go outside for a walk 

What are some ways you’ll celebrate earth day tomorrow? 
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#earthday #planetearth #earthdayeveryday
    Have you ever driven across the country? Now, som Have you ever driven across the country?

Now, some people may think that we should have made more of our drive from the East Coast to the West Coast, but Dylan and I lived in a van for three years. So we’ve seen and done a lot!

This trip was truly focused on getting to Washington and moving into our new home. 

Who’s excited for this next chapter?
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#crosscountryroadtrip #movingvlog #vanlifeexplorers
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