Taos vanlife Gathering Gathering Q&A
We’re glad you’re here! This weekend is a welcoming, friendly space where vanlifers can gather to share, learn, and deepen our community. Today, much of our interaction happens online, but this weekend in Taos, we’ll circle our modern-day covered wagons to share our skills and stories face-to-face, while doing what we love in the outdoors—and checking out each other’s rigs, of course!
Want to start the party early?
Matt of @enjoythejourney today is leading a 10-day caravan to the Taos Vanlife Gathering. The caravan will be departing Denver on August 8th, and is scheduled to arrive in Taos on August 15th, just in time for the event. Along the way, the caravan will be camping, hiking, and visiting gorgeous locations in southern Colorado/ northern New Mexico. You can ride along for the entire caravan, or hop on the train at any point along the way. Matt’s purpose is to connect our community through extended camp outs, and we can’t wait to see what comes out of this trip.
When is the best time to arrive/depart?
Check-in time will be on Friday, August 16 from 3-5 pm MST. Please find the sign for the Check In station and show your ID to receive a welcome packet filled with goodies. You can also check-in with a volunteer wearing a Vanlife Diaries t-shirt such as Kit, JR or Kathleen.
Please leave Hotel Luna Mystica property no later than Sunday, August 18 at 3 pm. Please bring a bag of trash with you as you go! From there, we will be going down to the Rio Grande River with our friends at Conservation Lands to do some good!
If you’d like to stay another night on the property, you are welcome to purchase a pass from the front desk to camp additional nights.
Who is this event for AND IS IT OPEN TO ALL VEHICLES?
This is an all-inclusive event and we invite everyone to attend. Vans, buses, trucks, cars, motorbikes, swags, RVs, and bikes are welcome! Bring what ya got, and be prepared for three days of fun! The only requirement is that you pack a wide-open mind, a burning passion for alternative ways of living, and a desire to meet a whole lot of interesting people.
How do I register for the event?
Ticket price will be increasing as the gathering draws near, so snag your tickets now, while they're still at $50! You can also register day-of if you’d like. We’ll be selling tickets at the door.
What does my ticket get me?
In addition to entry, your ticket gets you this and more:
Welcome gifts for all attendees
A weekend at Hotel Luna Mystica and its onsite amenities
Access to a live concert with traveling musician Ira Wolf
Free beverages from High & Dry Brewery, GTs Kombucha, Guayaki
Eats from Taos Bakes and Birch Benders
Engaging workshops on topics such as solar installation, finding campsites using maps and more!
The opportunity to meet other vanlifers
Is there a line up or schedule of activities?
This event is designed so you can choose your own adventure in some parts, meaning that you get to decide what activities you’d like to do! At other times, we’ll all be planning to gather for certain portions of the event.
We’ll be posting a complete schedule soon. Stay tuned!
What is the raffle about?
Thanks to our sponsors, we will be raffling off some camping and adventure gear hand-selected for this event. You can expect prizes from Sunski, Go Van, Lodge Cast Iron, FinalStraw, Coalatree, Gili Gear, Cotopaxi, Sherpa Adventure Gear, Voited, Bedrock Sandals and more. We will be selling raffle tickets on site. Please bring cash. Prices for raffle tickets are as follows. The more you buy, the cheaper they are.
1 ticket for $5 ($5/per)
5 tickets for $20 ($4/per)
10 tickets for $30 ($3/per)
50 tickets for $75 ($1.50/per)
100 tickets for $100 ($1/per)
What nonprofit are a portion of the proceeds going to?
Ten percent of the ticket proceeds and 100% of the raffle proceeds will be going toward Conservation Lands Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect, restore and expand the national conservation lands through education, advocacy and partnership.
Is this event only for those with campers? Can I bring a tent?
If you’re interested in registering but don’t have a camper or access to one, there is ample room for tent camping on site.
Additionally, our event venue, Hotel Luna Mystica, is home to several restored vintage trailers that you can also reserve if you’d like to treat yourself to something fancier.
How can I volunteer for this event?
We’ll take all the help we can get to make this the best event possible! Thank you for your support. We will be sending out an email with a sign up for volunteer opportunities. And once it’s live, we’ll post it here.
What’s the weather like in Taos this time of year?
Taos is nearly 7,000’ in elevation, making it a high desert environment. Come prepared for a variety of weather.
What’s the food situation?
In addition to a selection of beverages (courtesy of High & Dry Brewing and GT Kombucha), there is a community potluck. All other meals will be on your own, so come prepared to make your own breakfasts and lunches while getting to know your neighbors!
For the potluck: Don’t worry about bringing enough food for everyone; just bring enough to share. The potluck will be held on Friday night around 7 pm of the gathering. Make sure to remove your leftover food and any food containers no later than 9 pm on Friday evening.
A few additional things to note:
An amazing coffee truck, Carabiner Coffee, will be onsite for the event to serve up some morning brew for purchase.
There are local grocery stores in Taos to make it simple to pick up food on the way to the venue.
If you find yourself so inclined, Taos Mesa Brewing is across the street from Hotel Luna Mystica, and they have a lunch menu.
Will there be alcohol there? Can I bring my own?
We will have beer provided by High & Dry Brewing. You are also welcome to bring your own beverage of choice. We will have non-alcoholic beverages as well available, including a selection of drinks from GTs Kombucha.
Will there be areas to fill up water?
Hotel Luna Mystica has both cold and hot water available for filling up water bottles and gallon jugs outside the restrooms.
Will there be restrooms? Showers?
There will be plenty of bathrooms and indoor/outdoor showers for everyone to use.
Will there be areas where we can have campfires?
Hotel Luna Mystica has an established campfire ring and plenty of firewood. Bring your own camping chair and blanket if you have one.
Will there be hookups or other power sources?
Unfortunately, there are no formal campground-style hookups on site. Please plan to bring your own power in the form of solar or battery. We do not allow generators, as they detract from the overall experience.
Is there Wi-Fi?
Yes! Hotel Luna Mystica has Wi-Fi access and so does the brewery, but we suggest you put your phone away for the weekend and be present with us as much as possible.
Are dogs allowed?
Yes– dogs are welcome. We want to meet them and pet them!
A couple ground rules if you’re bringing your furry travel buddy:
If your dog is off-leash, they need to remain within sight and under your control. No roaming dogs, please.
Be proactive. If you are not absolutely certain your dog will behave, consider keeping them on-leash.
Make sure to clean up after your dog and follow Leave No Trace principles. No one wants to step in your dog’s poop!
Don’t feed other people’s dogs without permission! Always ask their owner first.
Want to stay up to date?
Join us on Social Media! We’ll be sharing almost-daily updates about the Taos Gathering over there, everything from workshop details to directions to logistical information to insider tips.
Want a Preview of the Fun to Come at the Taos Gathering?
Check out this video shot at last month’s Colorado Gathering...and prepare for an equally unforgettable weekend next month. Watch the Colorado Gathering Recap Video.
What’s Next?
We will be caravanning from Taos to Asheville! Join us for the 5th annual Asheville Van Life Rally September 20-22.
Still can’t find an answer?
Send em our way! Kit, JR or Kathleen will get back to any of your queries, concerns, or comments. Try to keep ‘em related to the Gathering, but if you’re wondering where we all shower, we’ll answer that too ;)
Email us at vanlifediariesamerica@gmail.com.