This couple shunned traditional vacations for traveling the country in a converted van — here's how they made it work on $30 a day

Millennials take vacations differently from any other generation. They skip tourist traps for unique experiences, creating picture-perfect memories that will later be on their Instagram feeds.

Lucas and Willa Via are living their most Instagrammable lives.

They were inspired to vacation in a converted van-dwelling after seeing the unmissable hashtag on social media. (There are over 2.3 million Instagram posts tagged #vanlife).

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Van dwelling is an increasingly popular lifestyle choice among creatives and tech workers, as a way to live in urban centers without spending half of income on rent.

You know that party you onc... @ viathevan

Lucas and Willa started planning their great escape shortly after getting married in 2016. "Being New Yorkers, in our twenties, we weren't rolling in cash by any means," Lucas said.

The van, which they named Roosevelt, cost several thousand dollars and had 250,000 miles on it. It was previously owned by a construction crew that unloaded tools, glue, and cement into the back.

After another long day of c... @ viathevan

A friend offered to keep the van in his driveway upstate. Lucas, who grew up building skateboard ramps and fixing stuff with his dad, spent every weekend working on the van.

With the final bit of rust ... @ viathevan

With help from Willa's stepdad, Ron, they outfitted the van with a U-shaped bench that serves as storage, seating for lounging around, and a platform for a memory-foam mattress.

This was right around the t... @ viathevan

With a fresh coat of white paint and some shiplap, the van was transformed.

Willa, a grade school teacher, took a sabbatical before starting a new job in San Francisco. Lucas, who works as an account manager for an analytics company, could work remotely. They charted a course that would bring them to friends and family along the way.

Jessica Day once confirmed ... @ viathevan

Most weekdays, they camped outside coffee shops and public spaces with WiFi so that Lucas could work from his "home office." Willa explored new terrain and blogged.

By night, they set out to find dive bars — the best place to meet locals. (A waiter recommended this hidden gem of a campground on Green River in Utah.)

Nothing beats local knowled... @ viathevan

They parked and slept in campgrounds and WalMart parking lots.

With more than a handful of... @ viathevan

Living in a van created a "fairy tale experience where you can live outdoors," Willa said.

The weekend road warriors discovered national parks and natural wonders.

The van made it through blazing temperatures in Arizona and rain storms in Oklahoma.

Though they avoided paying for motels, Lucas said they racked up serious expenses on their vacation by stopping every few hours to eat out, visit a local museum, or see a band play.

They emptied their pockets on activities, but only spent about $30 a day on food and gas. Lucas estimated that they filled the tank — which cost about $60 — roughly 33 times during the trip.

Lucas and Willa made it to their home state of California earlier this fall and settled in San Francisco, one of the most expensive housing markets in America. They're selling the van.

The couple is asking $40,000 for the mobile home.

Solar, fan, and final windo... @ viathevan

But they already have plans to remodel a new van. This time around, they want a smaller vehicle with a platform bed that they don't have to disassemble every morning.

We're nearing the end of th... @ viathevan

With her best friend at her side, Willa said, "You feel like you're in the childhood fort of your dreams."

I can't remember if it came... @ viathevan