Too Cool for Skoolies

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Have you seen this latest travel trend? It has a little something to do with taking an old school bus and turning it into a camper haven. While I don’t have my own “skoolie” yet, I’m living vicariously through lots of folks right now. But what makes a “skoolie” so special? I’m glad you asked!

1) They are super convenient

You’re ready to go on this much needed vacation. How about taking a drive across the country? Easy. Hop in your skoolie and hit the road! There’s no reserving a hotel, campgrounds are EVERYWHERE (or you can park at the closest Walmart), and your bus is already set up just how you like it.

Another thing about owning a Skoolie, they are road ready! Aside from winterizing the pipes, you don’t need to do much to prepare them for your trip! It’s pretty much a little house on wheels.

2) They are less expensive than a standard RV

Yep you heard that right. If you’re looking at conventional campers (travel trailers, fifth-wheels, toy haulers, etc) There’s a good chance you’re going to spend at least $25-$35K on a medium sized trailer. And that’s not even considering a motorhome (Closer to $90K).

Many Skoolie conversions, however, can be done for much cheaper! The ones I’ve looked into so far were done between $15-$25K and usually look a little nicer on the inside. They are also a lot longer than standard campers meaning you’ve got a bit more wiggle room. The only downside is that, unless you are a skilled welder, you probably won’t be adding slide outs but that doesn’t stop anybody!

3) You can make them unique

This is probably my biggest draw to doing a Skoolie conversion (Does this surprise anyone). For some reason, all camper manufacturers are still stuck in the early 2000s when it comes to designs.

I mean, how much brown pleather and polka dot curtains do we really need?

The perk of having a skoolie is that it’s up to me what materials and floor plan I use! A stripped school bus is pretty much a blank slate that this interior designer is itching to get a hold of. I’m thinking white cabinets, light sofa, lots of fluffy blankets on the bed….

Now because I want you to truly see the magic with this new movement, here are some of my favorite Skoolie profiles that you should check out. If you don’t get inspired then…I’v got nothing.

Fern The Bus

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A post shared by Mande and Ben Tucker (@fernthebus) on Jul 15, 2019 at 12:39pm PDT

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A post shared by Mande and Ben Tucker (@fernthebus) on Feb 18, 2019 at 6:35am PST

Home Is Where We Wander

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A post shared by B R Y A N T & H I L L A R Y (@homeiswherewewander) on Jul 15, 2019 at 5:03pm PDT

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A post shared by B R Y A N T & H I L L A R Y (@homeiswherewewander) on Jul 17, 2019 at 10:33am PDT

Going Boundless

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Mr. Beebles looking handsome in the Captain’s chair. #travelingcat #crosscountrytrip #roadtripusa #neverstopexploring #skoolie #schoolbusconversion #tinyhousetravel #tinyhomeonwheels

A post shared by Going Boundless (@going_boundless) on Jul 7, 2019 at 1:02am PDT

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A post shared by Going Boundless (@going_boundless) on Jul 13, 2019 at 8:05pm PDT

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