This lifestyle is all about getting back to the simple way of life, minimizing clutter; the concept of having less is more but more of what? These thoughts go through my mind a lot, with the "#vanlife" and "#nomadlifestlye" shining more in the spotlight than ever. It got me thinking about what this "lifestyle" is. Yes, we see the highlights of van lifers and nomads on social media in their stunning locations and their home on wheels, forever chasing the sun and warmer weather, which all in all would be amazing. Like who wouldn't want to be travelling all the time and living quote on quote your best life. Everyone simple as that, well maybe not everyone but a large majority, I would guess.
The lifestyle choices that a nomad lifestyle gives are a lot. Being able to travel within your country while following COVID protocols, but the world is your oyster in a non-pandemic lifetime. You can now, more than ever, prove that working from your home; may that be a fixed place or on-wheels, as long as you've got Wi-Fi or a strong hotspot connection, you can work remotely. Knowing this, would you still be a home bird or forever a wanderlust? (And for anyone who doesn't know what wanderlust is; it is a longing for or impulse towards wandering aka travelling)
Here is a list of the top 5 road trips around North America you could do after this pandemic is over and want to live that Nomad lifestyle:
The Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest calls my heart to those misty, luscious green mountains with evergreens towering over me. The Pacific Northwest, also known as PNW, includes British Columbia in Canada and Idaho, Oregon and Washington in America for those who don't know. The ultimate road trip would be to drive from the East Coast of Canada to British Columbia, located on the West Coast, and then head south to Washington, Oregon and then travel back North through Idaho and back into Canada. Now the PNW can become overwhelming with the amount to see and do; there are a lot of blogs and Vlogs on the internet with lots of itineraries that you can follow, or in true wanderlust fashion, you let your heart decide when you’re in the moment and see where the adventure takes you. Here is one of my favourites that you can read: https://www.avalontravelbooks.com/travel/road-trips/14-day-best-of-the-pacific-northwest-road-trip-loop/ .
Cape Breton Highlands National Park
We are staying closer to home this time; Cape Breton Island is home to the Cape Breton Highland National Park, known for the "most enchanting places, where the mountains meet the sea. As you hug the world-famous Cabot Trail coastline, you'll wind through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, where lush, forested river canyons carve into the ancient plateau, edged by rust-coloured cliffs." To learn more about the Cabot Trail, you can head to https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ns/cbreton/ to get all the inside information plus all the campgrounds opening and closing time for the seasons. This trail is a beautiful one to complete while living the dream of a Nomad/Vanlifer, the beautiful scenery you will embark upon when driving through the Cabot Trail and all over Cape Breton Island.
Historic Route 1 East Coast
This fantastic East Coast road trip will begin out of St. Stephen, New Brunswick border crossing and will lead you from Maine down to Key West, Florida. The definition of a diverse landscape from the small fishing villages in Maine to the big apple that will lead you through the small beach towns right down the coastline. The East Coast road trip will take a whopping 68 hours of driving time, so have your route planned as well as stop-off locations after driving for 3 to 4 hours as well as campsites for your rest time or have your truck-stop locations mapped out for parking up late and hitting the road early. Following Route 1 down, you can come off the highway at particular locations and go into the smaller beach towns or villages. Here are some helpful tips and tricks to use from this website: https://route1views.com/route-1-east-coast-travel-road/ .
(Photo: @mathersonthemap)
The East to West Coast Canadian Road trip.
From East Coast to the West Coast of Canada, the tremendous 67 hours of driving time will be the ultimate road trip while living the Canadian dream. From the highest mountains to driving by the lakes to driving the flats of Saskatchewan, this journey will bring you across every inch of Canada's terrain; from big cities to the tiniest of towns, you will experience it all on this road trip. So, are you up for the adventure of a lifetime? For more information on this road trip, head on over to award-winning Calgary-based writer and photographer Leigh McAdams's blog to learn more. https://hikebiketravel.com/driving-across-canada-40-places-you-shouldnt-miss/ .
(Photo: @rochelleallen)
The Iconic Route 101
If we are going to road trip down the East Coast, we also have to road trip down the notorious Route 101 on the West Coast. With route 101 starting in Seattle, Washington, then heading South down to San Diego, California. This iconic route follows the San Andres fault line, where the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate meet. This road trip is one of the shortest ones out of all the road trips we have suggested; it will take 10 to 12 driving hours to get from the top to the bottom of Route 101, but because of the beautiful scenic drive down the coastline, we suggest taking your time and basking in the beautiful sights you will see along the way. For more information on this iconic route, head to Road Trip USA for more details on the drive, https://www.roadtripusa.com/pacific-coast/ .
