Destination Unknown

Author: Ingrid

1 Day Family-Friendly Travel Guide To Gävle
The following will be our Family-Friendly Travel Guide To Gävle, Sweden.

What is Gävle, Sweden like?

Gävle (pron. Jev-leh in English) is:

1 day travel guide to Gävle
- Sweden’s 13th largest city
- a university town
- obsessed with goats
- Gevalia coffee is founded here
- in love with whisky (Mackmyra Whisky is founded here)
There’s a lot more to the town than what is listed above but we’re not obsessed with history, as much as the architecture and the amount of fika (coffee breaks) we can take during the day!

Get our 1 day family-friendly travel guide to Gävle, Sweden!

Do you want to visit Gävle, but don’t want to plan? Grab the guide by clicking <<free family-friendly travel guide to Gävle>> or the picture of the guide.

How to get to Gävle

By train or bus, it takes ~2.5 hours from Stockholm (the capital city). It’s about 1 hour from Uppsala by the same method. Driving your own car will certainly shorten the trip.

For families with young children, it’s an affordable option to travel on the public transit system. Student tickets are discounted and children under 7 are free!

We came by train – you can find the train schedule at SJ.se. Don’t worry – you can easily switch the language to English or another choice. Swedish websites are very supportive of other languages.

One family-friendly day in Gävle

With three young children (all under 4), we don’t move quickly on a good day. At the time of our arrival in Sweden, Eric was recovering from a fractured tibia following an indoor surfing accident and was on crutches, so we were not winning any races!

After kids, our priorities shifted from happy hours to coffee breaks & snack times. We aren’t mad about that change, especially in a ‘fika’ nation like Sweden. “Fika” is Sweden’s answer to a coffee break, and they do it way better. You take a break to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea with some sort of sweet bread like a cinnamon bun or, Ingrid’s favorite, a cardamom bun (Sv: kardemummabulle).

Hotel recommendations in Gävle

We stayed at the Elite Grand Hotel Gävle during our trip. Read that review here!

This hotel is in the heart of downtown Gävle and a stone’s throw from the train station.

How to spend your family-friendly one day in Gävle

Family-Friendly Travel Guide To Gävle

There are loads of ways to spend your day and tailor the below travel guide to your needs. This is just what we did and we make it up as we go!

As a family, we don’t love going to lots of museums – we instead prefer to be outside with options to find playgrounds and spaces to run. We also love to be close to restaurants and cafes because someone is always hungry in a young family of 5.
- Breakfast at a historic cafe like Centralbageriet, Gävle’s oldest cafe located across from the train station (Centralstationen)
- Visit the “fun house” mirrors & pop into the shops along Stortorget
- Grab a ‘french hot dog’ from a stall – this is a hot dog stuffed inside of a french baguette
- Visit a museum like the Prison Museum or the Berggrenska Gården
- Eat fancy chocolate from Gefle Chocolaterie
- More fika time!
- Pop into the market on Stortorget (or ICA or Coop grocery stores) for fresh seasonal fruit and snacks for the train ride home
- Book a massage at the Elite Grand Hotel before dinner
- Dinner at the Elite Grand Hotel or Terassen Pub och Kok
This was a full day for us. We were so tired but had a blast. The kids fell asleep on the train ride home, which was a big treat.

Winter is the best time to visit Gävle

Gävle Julbocken

As mentioned before, Gävle is obsessed with goats to the point that they erect a giant straw goat statue (Julbocken) every December during advent in December.

The goat is surrounded by security cameras and you can actually watch the goat live stream. The security cameras are a result of the undesired burning of the goat.

You can check out the Gävle goat’s “best hits” on its YouTube Channel: Gävle Goat, including its entire history.

Seasonality in Sweden

Being here during December is admittedly cold and dark. We came during October and enjoyed daylight hours and milder temperatures, as well as the lovely fall foliage.

Check out the Gävle Visitor Center

Gävle Turistcenter
- Phone number: +46 (0) 26 – 177 117
- E-mail: turist@gavle.se
- Opening hours: Monday – Friday 11.00 – 15.00
We hope you enjoy our Family-Friendly Travel Guide To Gävle.

If you’re looking for a little more adventure in Sweden, read these blogs:
Thanks for following our journey. – Ingrid & the HildeFam

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to me at no cost to you if you decide to purchase a paid plan. Thank you, if you do. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This site is not intended to provide financial advice and is for entertainment only. Read our affiliate disclosure in our privacy policy.
October 24, 2021
Good Day Tampa Bay Fox 13 News Interview

Hildebrand family interview with Good Day Tampa Bay with Fox 13 News

Watch the interview

Our family had a lot of fun being interviewed by Good Day Tampa Bay with Fox 13 News in March 2021.

Jason with the station came by the house and asked us questions like why we decided to convert a retired school bus into a recreational vehicle for our family of five (to travel affordably), where we were going first (Mile Marker 0 in Key West, baby!), and how long we will be on the road for in North America (2021-2022 is the current plan!).

Interview posted on March 28, 2021

If you like this content, then check out our blog on why we bought a school bus.

Thanks for following our journey – Ingrid, Eric, Landon, Finley & Madeleine

August 23, 2021
Installing Car Seat Mounting Brackets in our Skoolie
In this blog, we share our process for installing car seat mounting brackets in our skoolie, including a diagram of our school bus conversion car seat latch system.

Disclaimer: We are not professionals and, therefore, are not imparting any professional-level knowledge from the manufacturer to you. We are only sharing what we did. Please do your own research.
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How we installed our car seat mounting brackets in our school bus conversion

We built a custom couch in our living room that was attached to the steel frame of the bus.

We decided to have three points of latch contact like a passenger vehicle’s car seat latch system.

Diagram showing the car seat latch system in our school bus conversion.

Skoolie Car Seat Installation Tips

Overall, the installation is simple. As with most projects, measure twice and cut once. We also installed the same brand car seat for each of our children, so there was no variation in how we would attach our latch points.

Plan the attachment points

Plan to attach the mounts to the steel ribs of the school bus. Since we had to accommodate 3 car seats, we first made sure every car seat would align along a rib of the bus.

Drill the top tether mount

To install the top tether eye bolt, Eric drilled through a rib of the bus to the exterior, between the windows. Install the top tether mounting bracket closer to the base of the couch, so the center of gravity on the mounts stay low. Drilling between the windows requires some steadiness, since a slip may cause the glass to break.

He purchased these wall mounting eye nuts.

Drill the two batch latch mounts

To install the base latch mounting brackets, Eric drilled through the wood in our couch. He installed 2 base square brackets per car seat. He made 2 holes per mounting bracket, for a total of 4 holes.

He purchased these square u bolts.

What hardware quality did we use?

Purchase bolts with a high shear rating (for example: Grade 8 bolts), so they are less likely to break in a collision.

Car seat latched to mounting brackets in school bus conversion.

Side-facing instead of forward-facing or rear-facing

Due to the design of our couch, we had to install our car seats facing sideways instead of rear- or forward-facing.

Three kids riding in a school bus conversion in car seats.

The likelihood that car seat placement would affect the outcome of a crash is lessened given the construction of a school bus compared to a passenger vehicle. Most school buses do not have car seats, so our opinion is that a car seat facing any direction is better than none at all.

We have 3 children who would otherwise be in car seats that are:
- 2 forward-facing
- 1 rear-facing
Because of the size and construction of the bus, compared to that of a passenger vehicle, we do not feel that the issue of forward-, rear- or side-facing is as significant of a concern as it would be in that of a normal passenger vehicle.
- 2 at the base
- 1 at the back, commonly called the “top tether strap”
Car seat recommendation for Skoolie

We purchased the Graco 4Ever DLX 4 in 1 from Amazon. We like how their base latches have a quick release feature with the press of a button, rather than depressing a lever.

How to store a car seat in an RV when not in use

We unclip the seats from the couch and store the three car seats in the shower and close the curtain. We then replace the couch cushions to have additional seating in our living room. Those couch cushions are typically stored under the rear bed when the car seats are installed, so they are also out of the way when not in use.

Disclaimer

We do not recommend traveling with any unsecured passenger in any moving vehicle, and we feel that this is the best and safest solution for our family since we do not tow another vehicle with us or drive separately anymore. Our suggestions do not follow the manufacturer guidelines. Please do your own due diligence.

As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. The majority or all links are affiliate links. We thank you for shopping with them as a small commission may be paid to us if you purchase.

Thanks for following along with our journey! – The HildeFam
July 10, 2021
RVing along Florida’s Nature Coast
In this blog we will share with you our slow trip RVing along Florida’s Nature Coast on the west coast of Florida, and how we booked our 3 stays using Harvest Hosts for under $20 per night.

After spending June 16-18, 2021 in Sanford, Florida having our bus wrapped, we moseyed back home to Tampa to do one more round of good-byes with family (Grandpa Roger & Uncle Mike), finalize some work on our rentals, and eat at one of our favorite restaurants in Old Seminole Heights (shout out to The Social House).
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RVing north from Tampa

We slowly made our way north out of Florida… finally 🙂 When we started this journey, we thought we would be able to convert our 37′ school bus into a tiny home in 3 months. 8 months later, we were finally on the road – we still did it.

Ingrid & the kids rode separately from Eric because he wanted to get some driving hours under his belt before bringing the kids and mom on board. Truly, we were thankful for that separation because the Florida heat was brutal on the bus. That heat would continue until we reached cooler weather north of Maryland.

Due to the engine’s location next to the driver’s seat, the front cabin will get excessively warm as the engine heats up. That in combination with no A/C (while driving) made for many warm days of driving. We tried (& still do) to keep driving times to a maximum of 3 hours.

We took the backroads going north to experience the scenic route, and were happier for it. There are some beautiful, sleepy towns along the way.

Sparacia-Witherell Family Winery & Vineyard

Our first stop on our adventure was Sparacia-Witherell Family Winery & Vineyard in Brooksville, Florida. Brooksville is known for being hilly territory, which is often unheard of in the state of Florida. We felt like we were somewhere else when we pulled into the estate filled with acres of muscadine grape vines, a wine tasting room off the main house, and plenty of outdoor seating with live music in the evenings.

There was even a field nearby filled with watermelon, black-eyed peas and squash – the owner, Joe, let some of the locals farm his land and donated most/all of the food back into the community, from what I recall. The kids got to pick a ‘jubilee’ watermelon before we left.

Madeleine looking at Goats from the bus at Gan Eden Farms

Finley & Landon looking at eggs at Gan Eden Farms

Eric flying the drone at Sparacia-Witherell Winery

The winery and vineyard is family-owned, and the name derives from the last names of the siblings. You can read more about this winery on their website.

We stayed 2 nights – the second night was unplanned. Our mini-split AC started leaking inside when we turned it on, which lead to frantic calls to local AC techs and some extra warm days. On the bright side, there was wine and plenty of space for the kids to explore. Eventually, we determined that we had turned the AC on too low and cause it to freeze up – it wasn’t able to drain easily because of the uneven surface we were on.

The owner was accommodating and understanding, and we felt right at home.

Expanding the winery

The winery was in the middle of an expansion of the outdoor patio(s) – they weather the pandemic well due to the outdoor nature of their business. In the evenings, there was a food truck and local artists would come and play. Our kids easily made friends with other children. Eric even practiced flying his drone one afternoon.

Wines to taste

We purchased the wine flight and sampled their spiked tea.

Ingrid’s favorite wine was the Duet, a 100% muscadine wine (noble variety) that was flavorful and not reminiscent at all of the “stinky” flavor/smell that these native grapes give off. If you have ever had a muscadine grape, you’ll know what she means.

Eric enjoyed the sherry and blueberry beer.

Harvest Hosts

We found this winery through Harvest Hosts, a website that brings together hosts that are RV & Skoolie-friendly to spend 1 night at their home or place of business. You can find experiences like ours at a winery or other places like farms, golf courses, breweries & distilleries or other attractions.

To get 15% off your membership with Harvest Hosts, use our link to register. In return, we do get $15 for referring you. Will it be worth it? We think so.

1 night on the Suwanee River

Our next stop was along the Suwannee River. We found this host through Boondockers Welcome, another website for hosts to find RVers. This company was recently acquired by Harvest Hosts.

The family was so kind and perfectly prepared for RVers, with hookups and amenities. and the location was beautiful. The extra amenities included a trailer with shower and screened in patio, outdoor shower, and access to the dock on the Suwannee River. We slept so well that night with AC.

It was wonderfully peaceful to enjoy a morning cup of coffee on the dock. This is a place we would definitely consider returning.

Gan Eden Farms

From there, we continued on our last & final stop in Florida. We spent one night at Gan Eden Farms in Live Oak. This farm is definitely off the beaten track, but a fun place to visit none-the-less.

We were greeted at the gate by the owner, his grandson, and many large dogs. Ingrid could immediately see that there were Great Pyrenees (or mixed), which made her think of her childhood Great Pyrenee, Snowball, and her puppy, Bertha.

Gan Eden is a working farm specializing in goat meat and some fowl.

The owner took us on a tour of the farm by golf cart. The dogs merrily followed along.

The kids really enjoyed seeing all the animals, especially the turkeys, goats, chickens and ducks. Landon really wanted to take eggs home but they weren’t fresh – no one wants to crack open a rotten egg! Ingrid really enjoyed the fruit trees and permaculture landscape they were trying to accomplish. In a few years, the orchard and hoop house will really come together.

The dogs prevented us from getting the drone up for an aerial tour of the farm; however, the sunset more than made up for it.

Not built for RVing (yet)

They didn’t offer any hook-ups, so if that’s something you need, then this may not be an ideal stay for you. We found this farm through Harvest Hosts.

How do we live tiny as a family of five

A common comment we hear is, “I couldn’t live with my family in such a small space.” We 100% agree with that, which is why we leave our tiny home and explore outside. In Florida without AC (if not hooked up to electricity), the days are unbearable inside the bus… and outside, to be honest. We plan accordingly with activities to avoid the hottest part of the days inside.

Do we still get on each others’ nerves? Also, 100%; however, that would happen in a home.

Do we have experiences like no other “traditional” family? Another 100%. We’re very fortunate that we’re able to take these trips and spend 1 night on a farm, another on a winery and another waterfront. Our old vacations in the nicest hotels were not even as good. I wish we knew then, what we knew now. Traveling & RVing full-time with our family squeezed into a skoolie was exactly what we needed to fulfill our lives, while being budget-friendly.

RVing and the open road

Thanks for following along with our skoolie journey! We love RVing and the open road – The HildeFam

If you enjoyed this guide, then take a look at these others:
- 1-day travel guide to Alpine Helen, Georgia – blog
- 1-day travel guide to Alpine Helen, Georgia – best for mobile phones
- 1-day travel guide to Spooky Salem, Massachusetts
- Florida Keys Travel Guide
- Tampa, Florida Travel Guide
Blog originally written in July 2021
June 26, 2021
It’s a Skoolie Wrap with Media 1
In mid-June 2021, we spent 3 days in the Orlando area with Media 1 Wrap This as they wrapped our skoolie, lovingly called the “Hildebus,” with the most epic wrap.

Earlier in April, Eric reconnected with Rick Ream, one of the owners of Media 1, at a skydiver reunion in Zephyrhills. It was at that reunion that the idea of wrapping our school bus became a reality.

Don’t tempt skydivers with a good time!

After some back and forth with Jason, their in-house marketing guru, we settled on a large-scale design that spans both sides of our bus with some real estate on the front and back.

Truly, these guys knocked this wrap out of the park.

Watch the Vlog!

The Before

We document the wrap going onto the bus and a tour of their facility in this vlog.

In addition to showing our on-going bus wrap, I also show a supercar they were working on and the sign fabrication area, where they make signs for businesses, varying in size from small to large to massive.

It really is fascinating to see what they do.

Do we love the wrap?

Yes! Driving a school bus is a conversation starter in and of itself; driving a school bus WITH a beautiful wrap makes us approachable, which we enjoy.

We have so many positive interactions with people when they see our skoolie go by. We meet a lot of people that are genuinely interested in our goal of traveling the United States for a year AND that Eric built the interior of the himself, in large part to YouTube videos. This interaction is made even better because we can stay in touch with people that we meet easily through our YouTube channel, referenced on the bus.

The goal of the wrap is foremost to push people to our YouTube channel, where we certainly have increased our subscriber base since its installation.

Will it last?

Based on conversations with Dale Salamacha, the founder at Media 1, this product can go for many years without issue.

Media 1 definitely knows this product best since they are one of the leading users of 3M products in the southeast – they wrap over 70 vehicles a month: super cars, buses, trucks, etc. During the wrap, they gave us a tour of the facility and it really is astounding what they can create with the wrap materials.

The wrap is a 3M product with HP print technology & a laminated finish, so it is durable in all weather situations we will encounter on the road. The finish quality is outstanding – crisp, bright and long-lasting.

Contact Media 1

If you want to reach Media 1 for your own wrap or sign design, installation, fabrication, etc, their information is linked below:
- Email: sales@media1signs.com
- Phone: 407-331-6161
- Website: https ://media1signs.com
- Address: 501 Cornwall Road Sanford, FL 32773
June 20, 2021