• Lita Talisman is a seasoned van traveler who visited every state in the United States.
• After camping at different sites, she determined her main states for van lifers.
• Her favorite campsite was in Alaska, but she says states with large, open terrain are the most RV-friendly.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a waking up from the road trip in the United States.

Campgrounds across the country have become go-to travel spots, with 57 million households taking a camping trip in 2021 and 15 million taking at least one RV trip, the RV Industry Association reported in 2022. During and after the pandemic, campgrounds received billions of dollars in investments for upgradesaccording to a 2023 report from a professional publication VR Company.

Travel designer Lita Talisman and her husband, Dylan Regan, were among those who turned to van life.

In 2021, they bought a new van for $40,000 (taxes included) and customized it according to their needsequipping it with a mini stove, sink, six hanging cupboards and a raised bed with storage underneath.

Once their van was completed, the couple traveled the country for three years, traveling through every state in the United States. With first-hand experience in campgrounds across the country, Talisman has identified the most van-friendly states.

“The best states are the ones with big spaces,” she told Business Insider.

From Montana and Arizona to Oregon, Talisman said these are the six best states for RV living.