Sometimes the best adventures start with the most mundane tasks.
When you have a van, every errand becomes an opportunity for adventure. That’s exactly what happened when we needed to drive up to the Derby Line Canada border crossing in Vermont to get our Nexus cards – a necessary but boring administrative task that we transformed into an unforgettable Vermont road trip experience spanning two incredible days.
Vermont Spring Weather: What Every Road Trip Guide Should Warn You About
Vermont in late April perfectly demonstrates why flexible planning is essential for any Vermont road trip. During our three-day adventure, we experienced three complete seasons ranging from 32°F with snow to over 80°F sunshine. What started as a beautiful spring road trip quickly turned into a winter wonderland as we climbed to just 2,000 feet elevation and encountered several inches of fresh snow.
We had originally planned to visit multiple outdoor attractions near Newport, but Mother Nature had other ideas. Living in New England teaches you that weather rarely follows anyone’s schedule, so successful Vermont road trip planning requires adaptability. Fortunately, there’s beauty in every season – you just need to slow down and appreciate it.
Essential Vermont Road Trip Stop: Prouty Beach Lakefront Camping
Despite the weather curveball, we secured what turned out to be an absolutely perfect campsite at Prouty Beach and Campground – a lakefront spot with a picnic table in a nearly empty campground. This served as the perfect home base for your errand to complete our Nexus card interviews.
The campground was just a few miles from the Canadian border. There’s even a bike path that’s less than 5 miles that you can take directly from the campground up to the border. There’s something incredibly peaceful about having a lake as your backyard, especially when you’re sharing it with just the sounds of nature. This is definitely on our list to come back to, we can only imagine how beautiful it will be when the trees fill in the landscape.
Real Van Life Challenges: Learning from Our Vermont Road Trip Mistakes
Like weather patterns, not everything goes according to plan during Vermont road trips. Our first evening perfectly illustrated this when someone (no names mentioned) forgot to pack the homemade pasta sauce after already setting up our complete campsite with water and electrical connections.
Fortunately, this potential disaster became a blessing in disguise. The East Side Restaurant & Pub, located just half a mile from our campsite, provided the perfect solution. This local establishment represents exactly the type of authentic Vermont dining experience that makes road trips memorable. Sometimes the best meals aren’t the ones you cook yourself – they’re the ones that introduce you to local Vermont hospitality.
Coffee Culture, Van Life Style
Van life doesn’t mean sacrificing your daily rituals – it just means getting creative about them. I’ve experimented with a few different portable espresso makers and I think I’ve found the best option to brew my morning latte on the road.
Essential Van Life Coffee Kit:
- 1Zpresso J-Ultra Manual Coffee Grinder
- Wacaco Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker with Barista Kit for double shots
- Wacaco Nanopresso Case
- Mini Coffee Scale for precision brewing
- Battery Milk Frother
- JetBoil with JetBoil Pot Support attachment
- Thermapen One for measuring the temperature of the steamed milk
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My morning coffee routine just takes a bit longer when we’re out on the road in the van. This gives me time to enjoy the process to brew my morning coffee and the peaceful morning outdoors which just makes the coffee taste that much better. It’s not about roughing it; it’s about bringing the comforts that matter most to you wherever you go.
Remote Work Paradise: Vermont's Most Scenic Offices
While we both still work full time, we have the flexibility to work remotely if we need to. We may not have a lot of work space in the van, but there are definitely perks to working from the van. Our temporary office overlooking Lake Memphremagog provided arguably the most stunning work environment imaginable. At the end of the day, we joke that this was probably the best office view we’ve ever had.
We’re looking forward to more breathtaking office views during out future adventures. Whether you’re answering emails with a mountain backdrop or taking conference calls with the sound of ocean waves in the background, van life offers a refreshing alternative to the traditional cubicle.
Mission Accomplished: The Border Crossing Experience
Our final day began with packing up and heading to the border for our scheduled Nexus interviews. After completing our primary objective, we started our return journey with perfect weather – blue skies and 80°F temperatures. A perfect day for an outdoor adventure!
Our lunch stop in Bradford, Vermont at The Little Grill, provided unexpected wildlife entertainment when a magnificent bald eagle landed on river rocks to enjoy its fresh-caught fish. Bradford also holds distinction as the birthplace of America’s first globe, created by James Wilson in the late 1700s – fascinating historical context that enriches any Vermont road trip.
Hollywood Magic in Vermont: Beetlejuice Filming Locations
Eastern Vermont contains surprising Hollywood connections that deserve inclusion in any Vermont road trip. East Corinth, Vermont served as a filming location for both the original Beetlejuice movie and its recent sequel. While the famous house was merely a movie facade, Miss Shannon’s School for Girls represents the actual local Masonic Hall.
The covered bridge featured in Beetlejuice II wasn’t original to the location – filmmakers constructed a facade over an existing bridge. However, this bridge structure was preserved after filming and now serves as an outdoor pavilion at Northeast Slopes ski area, creating a permanent tourist attraction for movie enthusiasts.
Vermontasaurus: The State's Quirkiest Road Trip Attraction
No Vermont road trip guide would be complete without mentioning Vermontasaurus at Post Mills Airport in Thetford, Vermont. This incredible dinosaur sculpture, constructed in 2010 from discarded lumber and pallets, measures over 120 feet long and 25 feet high.
The site features multiple sculptures, including a creative stegosaurus built around an old minivan. These whimsical attractions transform ordinary drives into memorable adventures while demonstrating Vermont’s creative spirit and commitment to recycling and artistic expression.
Key Takeaways for Van Life Adventure:
- Flexibility is essential – Weather changes, equipment failures, and closed attractions require quick adaptation
- Simple pleasures amplify on the road – Lakefront camping, scenic coffee breaks, and natural sounds become exponentially more meaningful with proper appreciation
- Every task can become an adventure – Administrative errands can transform into weekend memory-making experiences with the right mindset
The Journey Never Really Ends
As we arrived home, it was clear that this “simple errand” had delivered exactly what we needed – a reminder of why we decided to purchase out Outside Van Syncline in the first place. The freedom to turn necessity into adventure, to wake up somewhere new, and to let serendipity guide our discoveries.
Ready to start your own van life adventure? Remember that you don’t need the perfect van, the perfect weather, or the perfect plan. Sometimes the best adventures start with the simplest intentions – like needing to pick up travel documents at the border. What matters is staying open to the possibilities that unfold along the way.
What everyday errand could you transform into your next adventure?
