Meet. Stream. Camp. fellowship. vanlife.

Meet-n-Greet Roundup

Saturday, February 22, 2025

From 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

Satchel’s Pizza

1800 NE 23rd Ave

Gainesville, Florida

Park on WEST SIDE of Satchel’s Pizza in the neighboring business.

The VanLife Community is coming together to celebrate the freedom, exploration, and camaraderie of camper van owners and enthusiasts. Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 22, 2025, at 12:00 PM in Gainesville, Florida, and join us at Satchel’s Pizza for a fun-filled meet-n-greet.

Come meet fellow Van owners, tour their amazing vans, share travel stories, and soak in the joy of VanLife. Seven-year VanLife YouTube influencer Scott Watson of Go Small. Live Large! will be hosting the event, so get ready for some awesome vibes.

Satchel’s Pizza is a must-visit spot in Gainesville, known for its mouthwatering craft pizzas. This pizza joint has been serving up deliciousness since March 7th, 2003. Their mission is to create a beautiful atmosphere where you can savor great food and indulge in all your senses.

Whether you’re dining in a cozy van, under a plane, or even in a greenhouse, Satchel’s Pizza has something for everyone. They boast stunning stained glass windows, local art, homemade sodas, and live music. Plus, there’s a playground for the little ones and a warm, friendly smile from the staff. 

Sunshine State RVs of Gainesville is sponsoring the pizza, and there’s even a rumor that Nick from Sunshine State RVs and Hank and Lola from the popular YouTube channel Stranger Palooza will be making an appearance. It’s going to be a blast!

All are welcome to this awesome event, and there’s no cover charge other than what you want to drink. So, come on down, grab a bite, and let’s celebrate the VanLife community together!

Satchel’s Pizza

1800 NE 23rd Ave

Gainesville, Florida

https://www.satchelspizza.com

Sunshine State RVs 

3202 N Main St

Gainesville, Florida

https://www.sunshinestatervs.com

Scott Watson

VanLife YouTube Influencer

Go Small. Live Large!

https://gosmalllivelarge.com

https://www.youtube.com/@gosmall.livelarge

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Peace Love & Vans is different from most camper van gatherings. We focus on community and interaction

Over 500 vans are expected with nearly 100 vans attending from the Go Small. Live Large! and Embassy RV Communities.

Most hippie-themed events are pretty casual, but we want to make the first time you join our scene organized and disciplined. Instead of parking and camping wherever you want, everyone parks in rows that form named streets. The “slider door” of each van faces the other in the order they arrive. You can’t move to where you want to be unless there’s a disability or a real need. Check out the streets on our village map. But there’s a reason for this. Without the initial structure, there’s no room to let loose and get into the groove. 

One of the best things that happens is that you’re more likely to make new friends. In our first two years, some of the people who were the most uncomfortable in their camping spot at first said they met their village neighbors and became close friends with them.

We encourage you to bring your friends too! If you come to the park with them (maybe meeting outside the park), you won’t be in the same row, but you’ll definitely be close.

We put a lot of effort into the diverse programming. Hanging out and meeting other vanlifers is awesome, but we also have a variety of experiences! Examples include killer live music, workshops, star gazing, trivia, nature hikes, and a popular DIY build contest – check out our schedule page for more details. Also, this event isn’t just an “expo.” It’s a gathering that also has a bustling expo area with some of the coolest cats in the industry showing their products or their vans.

The site is incredible!
Withlacoochee River Park is a hidden gem, and we’re thrilled to collaborate with the park management to ensure our attendees have an unforgettable experience while preserving this beautiful natural wonder. The park is a mile inside, tucked away in a private area surrounded by lush woods. Most of the village is on a large, grassy field with ancient oak trees, while the lounge and other areas are nestled in the forest that surrounds the village. Our event team spends about a week on-site, setting up the village with stages, signs, lighting, sound equipment, games, and plenty of surprises! The site also has plenty of water connections, electricity, and an on-site dump station.

To bring the village to life, we create many distinct spaces. Each one offers its own unique fun experience as you cruise through the site. There are various campgrounds, each with its own vibe. Think of them as neighborhoods. The Village Green is our version of downtown with the Swingin’ Stage, games, and places to hang out. The Leafy Lounge comes alive at night with music, campfires, cocktails, and the late-night crew. You can see this reflected in our village map.

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