So many people dream of leaving the world behind and driving out into the wilderness, free from responsibility with just an open road ahead. Thanks to van conversions and motorhomes, this can become a reality. The journey to living the ‘vanlife’ begins with choosing the perfect vehicle. This will be your home, either indefinitely or for holidays, and making the right choice to suit your needs defines the whole experience. Generally, people choose between motorhomes, traditional caravans and bespoke van conversions . Each option has its advantages and disadvantages. Campervans are a very popular choice. They conjure up the classic image of a summer road trip with surfboards strapped to the roof and a barbeque outside. They allow you to freely drive most accessible roads with no need to tow a heavy vehicle like a motorhome. Their smaller, compact build means they are far easier to park and can get closer into the action. For those who want to share time between a traditional house and a holiday home on wheels, a van can easily be parked on a driveway or street. While a van may not seem appealing, with bespoke van conversions, you can make it completely your own and design the layout to best meet your needs. Campervan conversions are very popular online, with blogs and YouTube channels completely dedicated to showing the journey of converting a van into a small home and so, should you want to convert the van yourself, there are lots of resources giving advice and instruction readily available. If that seems too daunting a task or if you just don’t have the time, companies will sell completely kitted out campervan conversions with the default layout of a bed, kitchen, small seating area and storage. Additionally, companies will offer to do the conversion for you if you require a specific design or want it completely personalised. While there are many different vans available to convert into a mobile home such as the Mercedes Sprinter and Ford Transit,VW Transporter conversions are the most popular and reliable. From the early models with their retro ‘hippie-van’ iconic design to the modern, sleek newer editions, the VW Transporter has a lot to offer. VW Transporter conversions are quite expensive but the van itself holds value when you resell unlike other models. These vans have made such an impression on the market that there is now flat-pack furniture built to fit them available to buy. Despite the appeal of campervan conversions, many people still buy traditional caravans or motorhomes. Motorhomes offer far more space and versatility. While some bespoke van conversions are built to include a small shower, the installation and running costs are high and most people opt to use campsite facilities or an outdoor shower. With a motorhome, this is not a concern. Motorhomes are usually fitted with a bathroom and are closer to a house than a van in more ways than this. They are easier to heat, easier to cool and easier to power. However, you cannot take a motorhome up the side of a mountain or down to the coast. With their larger capacity comes extra weight, width and height. Motorhomes are very difficult to manoeuvre and this limits the places you can visit to location with good road access. They are also more expensive than most van conversions and lose their value very quickly. Campervan conversions seem to appeal to younger audiences whereas motorhomes are traditionally for older people and families. This is probably due to their different budgets and size requirements but there is the argument that bespoke van conversions encourage more adventure and a wilder lifestyle. Whether you crave a more comfortable holiday in a motorhome or have fallen for VW transporter conversions and dream of freedom and cold showers, vanlife can cater to the needs of anyone with wanderlust.