Meet Stephanie and her two adorable pets, Finley and Snow! I had the pleasure of meeting up with them in person, and I wanted to share their inspiring story with you. Originally from Alberta, Canada, Stephanie and her little family has been living in a Tesla Model Y and travelling all around North America. She also shares videos about her life on Youtube, Tiktok, and Instagram.
How long have you been living in your Tesla and what made you decide to move into it full time?
I was unhappy living a more traditional life in a house, and wanted to try ‘vanlife’ instead… so I decided to set off in my Mitsubishi Lancer to try the lifestyle!!!
After a few months on the road in the Lancer, I met a partner who I started to live and travel with instead. The relationship unfortunately didn’t work out, so I decided to go back to my mobile living~ this time in a Tesla! I’ve been fulltime for over 9 months now, and absolutely love it!
How long have you had your pets Finley and Snow? Did they grow up as house pets and how was the transition to life on the road?
I’ve had Finley for almost 4 years~ I adopted him as a kitten and started training him to be an adventure cat right away! He’s always loved the outdoors, but did spend the first couple years of his life in my condo.
Snow is almost two~ I was lucky to get him as a puppy at just 10 weeks old! He was raised in a house, but since my partner at the time and I were moving around a bit already, Snow experienced a lot of that with us. It definitely helped to shape the little traveler that he is today!
Once we got on the road fulltime in the Tesla, both boys settled into the Tesla within a couple of days. Snow has always been a ‘den dog’, seeking out small, cool places to relax~ so this is a perfect fit for him! He is always excited to get back into the car, and has a few favorite spots to cozy up once he’s inside. Finley has always loved to travel and explore, so the transition was absolutely seamless for him! He seems much more content living this way than he ever has been in a house!
What does a typical day look like for Finley and Snow?
We usually get up between 6/9 am (depending on where we’re parked!). The day always starts with a dog walk for Snow~ he has lots of energy to burn first thing! Finley waits in the car with his breakfast, and ‘dogmode’ running (more on that below!). Once Snow’s had his walk, we go back to the car to get Finley and either go for another walk, or find a quiet place to sit so that he can explore.
The boys usually nap after their adventures, so once they wake up in the afternoon we set off on another! This walk is usually a family walk, with all three of us going out together (always in on leash areas, to avoid encounters with offleash dogs). Sometimes we also visit petstores in the afternoon!
Then, the boys have dinner (Snow rarely wants to eat in the morning, so even though I offer him breakfast he usually waits to have one large meal later in the day!) and we find a spot to relax outside for the evening.
Snow gets another walk before bed, and then is happy to settle in for the night.
Finley tends to get too hot on our walks if we go during the heat of the day, so I’m careful to find shaded trails for him. Our family walks are MUCH slower paced than the walks Snow and I do. Finley also gets a solo walk some days, if he seems keen! He sleeps a lot more than Snow does though, and he’s usually happy to relax in/near the car instead (he’s VERY vocal, and definitely lets me know when he’s ready for a walk!)
What are some of your favourite things about living in the Tesla and traveling full time?
The Tesla has been absolutely incredible for our lifestyle. It boasts ‘Campmode’ and ‘dogmode’ settings, which both allow me to leave the climate running (Campmode runs overnight, and dogmode can be left on when I need to leave the pets in the car! It locks the doors and windows, and displays the interior temperature on the front screen for any onlookers. It also allows me to monitor the interior temperature and cameras in the Tesla app while I’m away from the car!)
Something else that I love is being surrounded by cameras. I feel much more secure being able to see what’s going on around me without even stepping outside!
As for traveling full time, I love the sense of freedom that comes with it! I am able to go anywhere, anytime, and I have my whole house with me in case I need anything on my way!
What are some inconveniences or challenges?
One of the biggest challenges we’re currently facing is overnight parking. Vanlifers are no longer welcome in a lot of places they used to be, and some cities even have laws against sleeping in vehicles. It takes a lot more research and care to find legal spots where we won’t be bothered!
Another challenge is that Finley has learned to open the car windows. I’ve had a friend 3D print some covers which have solved the problem, but Finley definitely took himself on a few solo adventures (and gave me a few good scares!) before I had the covers in place!
Do you have any advice for someone who wants to try this lifestyle?
JUST TRY IT! This lifestyle is very different in real life than it is online, so if you’ve been dreaming about trying it out I urge you to do so and see what you think! Lots of people start and don’t love it~ so try it out without buying all of the gear or perfect rig first just in case you don’t end up liking it! If you do love it, you’ll learn a lot about what you need very quickly and can upgrade things from there!
Theoretically Teddy 