I list out below a few helpful questions to ask upon booking and our personal experiences, state by state, during our travels along the east coast of the United States between May to October 2021.
When we researched how we were going to travel in our skoolie (school bus conversion), we read a lot of forums and Facebook posts stating all the trouble that they had finding places to park, getting skoolie insurance in Florida, getting titled as a motorhome, etc.
We haven’t had difficulty in these areas so I’m creating a Skoolie series to dispel the rumors and talk about it. I hope it helps others!
Table of Contents
Common Reasons Why Skoolies Aren’t Allowed in RV Parks
Unfortunately, there will always be private RV campgrounds that run their businesses as they see fit, even if it doesn’t make sense to a skoolie owner or blatantly prejudices against the community. If you’re curious what some of those reasons may be, read the Shocking Reasons Skoolies Aren’t Allowed in RV Parks.
We stayed at the Florida RV parks at the height of summer and in a popular tourist destination, the Florida Keys. We had no problem booking a reservation (other than booking last minute!).
Questions to ask when booking
Like I mentioned, all the parks we stayed at allowed our skoolie. The only issue we ever ran into was length restrictions – specifically, Acadia National Park in Maine restricted length to under 35 feet (I believe) and we were 37 feet.
Though disappointing that we couldn’t park inside the park, there were a significant number of other private RV parks we could stay at (& with shuttle service!).
We also recommend longer booking periods, rather than paying by day, because you get a discounted rate for weekly and monthly stays.
What is the maximum size rig you allow?
Do you have water hook-ups?
Do you have electric hook-ups?
Do you have laundry services?
Do you offer a Good Sam discount?
Options to staying in RV parks
Don’t despair if you ever do get turned down. Other than the embarrassment or anxiety related to being “broken up with,” skoolies tend to be built as resilient rigs. Ours was, anyway.
Boondocking is a solid option
We built our “land yacht” with the intention of allowing us to be off-grid and redundancies in case one electrical or heating source failed.
We added 6 solar panels to our roof, which allowed us to power everything except the air conditioning. We added propane as our primary heat source. We also installed 100 gallon fresh water & 100 gallon gray water tanks, so we didn’t have to refill as frequently.
You can camp for free overnight in Wal-Mart, Lowe’s, and Home Depots. Honestly, most commercial restaurants or parking lots tend to be cool with it. You can check with security ahead of time – they don’t really mind especially if you’re nice on the front end.
We frequently would get food at Buffalo Wild Wings and then park overnight. Thanks to the managers there!
Harvest Hosts & Boondockers Welcome
Harvest Hosts has now purchased Boondockers Welcome, so they are one and the same. We loved these services because they were more affordable or free with a purchase at a business (like a restaurant or bar).
We found many of our campsites like in North Florida and in a sunflower field in South Georgia using Harvest Hosts.
Harvest Hosts is website that brings together hosts that are RV & Skoolie-friendly to spend 1 night at their home or place of business.
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.
Thanks for following along with our journey and RVing adventures. – Ingrid & the HildeFam
As of 9 February 2022, US citizens can enter Sweden from the USA if you are fully vaccinated & 14 days have elapsed since your final COVID-19 shot. Accompanying minors under 18 are exempted from the covid certificate requirement. If you are not fully vaccinated, you may be able to enter through an EU or EEA country with no COVID-19 related restrictions; however, check with your airline & the country where you are being processed before departure because their rules may differ.
This article will be focused on tourists wanting to travel in Sweden, not those that are Swedish or EU residents, are students in Sweden, have work permits in Sweden, or have family that they are visiting in Sweden, etc.
Where can I get the most up-to-date travel information?
I recommend visiting the Swedish Police website at Polisen.se for most recent information.
If you’re a US citizen, you could certainly visit the US Embassy in Sweden’s website; however, they actually will refer you back to Polisen.se anyway.
Prior to our arrival in Sweden, I personally found the information on the Swedish Police website to be easy to understand and clear.
As of 9 February 2022:
Fully vaccinated travellers holding vaccine certificates issued in one of the following so called approved countries/territories and the vaccine is EMA or WHO approved, can enter Sweden without a negative test at earliest14 days after the second dose. These vaccine certificates are technically compatible with the EU Covid Certificates. Which countries will be considered compliant and as a result be exempted, will be evaluated on a regular basis, and the list will be updated. Questions regarding the selection should be posed to the EU and the Swedish government.
Regular visa and passport requirements still apply.
To be considered fully vaccinated, the certificate must document that the holder has been given a single dose vaccine or the second dose in a series of two.
Non-fully vaccinated travellers, e.g. unacompanied minors, the partly vaccinated, or travellers with medical exemptions, are not exempted.The exemption is entirely connected to the vaccine certificate, not country of residence or citizenship.
Good news! This means that if you are a US citizen trying to enter Sweden from a country within the Schengen Zone or the EU, then there are no further restrictions related to COVID-19.
English translation
On the top right of the Swedish Police’s site is a button to change the language preference.
Do I need to Quarantine?
Please visit the Swedish Public Health Department’s website to get the best information.
The department recommends that you take a COVID-19 test as soon as you arrive to confirm that you are still negative for COVID-19, which seems totally fair to me! If the test is negative, you don’t need to quarantine.
Do I need a Tourist Visa?
According to Migrationsverket.se, Sweden’s Immigration Office, you may need to apply for a tourist visa prior to entry.
Plan in advance because border guards may not let you in without your tourist visa, a documented reason for entering the country during the pandemic.
Depending on when you come to visit, make sure your American passport will not expire during the time your Swedish visa is valid.
Do they wear masks in Sweden?
Wearing masks is not policed in Sweden.
Coming from the United States, it was a shock to see the majority of people unmasked indoors.
Since the surge of the Omicron virus, all public transport and buildings recommend that you avoid traveling during peak hours or rush hour, keep your distance and wear a mask in crowded places.
In public, I see a limited number of masks being worn, usually by the elderly or (I imagine) immunocompromised.
I would saw that Swedes keep their distance very well. Swedes as a population like personal space – this may feel like a broad generalization but if you ask Swedes, they may agree 🙂
Do they get vaccinated in Sweden?
Sweden has a higher vaccination rate than the United States with over 76% of the population being fully vaccinated. The majority of the population is in support of taking care of others, whether through being vaccinated and staying home when sick.
In my experience, I feel like Swedes are thoughtful of others on the whole – that everyone deserves respect and safety, within reason.
Paid sick leave
Additionally, workplaces are very accepting of sick days and employees are given many paid sick days.
Basically, if you feel sick, don’t come in and/or work from home.
This is unlike in the United States where many don’t have paid sick leave. It’s a completely different and refreshing mindset.
Easy access to healthcare
If you get sick in Sweden, visit 1177.se to schedule a doctor’s appointment or talk to a nurse by phone at any time. If it is an emergency, visit the hospital.
Cost of healthcare
As an American, you are not covered by Sweden’s free healthcare, but can instead collect your bill and send it back to your health insurance company back in the states for reimbursement.
You may also be able to ask them for a fee breakdown prior to the service being provided.
We hope you come to visit us. Thanks for following our journey. Happy New Year from the HildeFam.
We have quickly and easily insured our school bus conversion twice in Florida with no issues. The first time we insured our decommissioned school bus was the day before we bought her at auction, with all the seats and school bus markings. Next, we changed providers after we titled her as a motorhome and received better rates.
We read many articles and forums describing the difficulty some people had getting insurance on their skoolie or school bus conversion, and that just isn’t the case if you know who to speak with.
Insure your skoolie with an independent insurance agent
My biggest recommendation is to work with an independent insurance agent who understands school bus conversions.
We worked with two independent insurance agents, Marie Carney & Kelly Newsome, on different occasions to find us the best rates across all the automobile insurance providers in Florida.
The huge benefit to working with an independent insurance agent is she is not restricted to working with one insurance company. This saved us a lot of time because she did the research on which insurance providers would insure a school bus conversion, whether the conversion has not started or if it is fully complete.
The added benefit of working with an independent agent is you may also be able to bundle your car, motorhome and home policies together. We did this with our skoolie & car, which saved us money and just the headache of paying different providers.
Insurance agents that insure Skoolies in Florida
Marie Carney, Vystar Insurance Agency
Direct 904-594-5464; Brightway Service 888-254-5014
Insurance companies that insure school bus conversions
What insurance providers actually insure decommissioned school bus conversions and skoolie motorhomes?
Here are a list of insurance companies that I’ve come across that may insure a school bus conversion. These providers may vary state to state, and the list is not specific to Florida.
This is who we’ve insured our skoolie for the past two years. Our independent insurance agent bound a policy with Progressive Insurance. The terms were reasonable and our detailed below.
This is a breakdown of our personal school bus conversion insurance policy with Progressive.
What questions did our insurance agent ask before insuring our skoolie in Florida?
What is the cost & rating base on skoolie insurance in Florida?
Total annual policy amount: $1,011
Rating base: $20,000
We paid the annual policy up front – we didn’t have the option to split the payments into smaller periods with this provider. We went with minimum coverage on the policy.
Are you living full time or part time in your school bus conversion?
We were planning to or already living full time in our policy, and the insurance wanted to make a distinction for this on our policy.
What are the coverage & liability thresholds to insure a skoolie?
Our policy covers:
personal liability like medical payments, loss assessments and storage shed contents
What evidence did we provide our insurance agent to show we were a motorhome?
We sent our agent:
Our Florida title and registration
Provided her with our VIN number
Since we are titled as a motorhome in the state of Florida, the process to insure our skoolie was the same as insuring a “normal” motorhome.
Progressive, at the time we bound, actually had a drop down option for school bus conversion.
This may come in handy if you do modifications like a roof raise on your bus tiny home.
FAQs on Binding Insurance on a Skoolie in Florida
Can I insure my school bus conversion if I am not yet titled as a motorhome?
The short answer is yes. We purchased our decommissioned school bus in Tennessee and we received a temporary Florida insurance policy with Allstate Insurance, which allowed the insuring of a vehicle that wasn’t titled as a motorhome.
The cost to insure our school bus was reasonable though more expensive than after we completed the conversion and titled it as a motorhome.
How do you retitle a decommissioned school bus as a motorhome in Florida?
The process to update our school bus title from “bus” to a “motorhome” was really simple in Florida. Read this blog on how we did it and the forms we used to do it in about 10 minutes.
Does a skoolie insurance policy cover personal possessions?
It depends on if you elect personal property coverage on the skoolie insurance policy or purchase a separate policy for personal property in your rig.
Check your current school bus conversion insurance declaration page to determine if there is personal property coverage on your policy. If you don’t have coverage, then you can contact your insurance agent to create a policy, like a renter’s insurance policy, that will cover your belongings and personal property like appliances in case of loss.
Can I obtain a motorhome coverage on my skoolie if it isn’t titled as a motorhome?
No. To obtain motorhome or RV coverage, you must have your school bus conversion titled as a motorhome.
If your decommissioned school bus is still being converted into a motorhome, you can and should have insurance on it. Check with an independent insurance agent that is knowledgeable about RVs and skoolies. I’ve referenced a few above.
Does my school bus conversion need to be inspected before getting insurance?
It depends state-to-state, honestly. Personally, we’ve insured our skoolie twice, once before the conversion was complete and it was titled as a motorhome with Allstate and then after with Progressive, and we never had to have it inspected in Florida.
How much does school bus conversion insurance cost?
We pay just over $1,000 for an annual motorhome school bus conversion policy with Progressive in the state of Florida (2021-2022). Our skoolie is titled as a motorhome in Florida.
We were previously insured in 2020-2021 with Allstate before our decommissioned school bus was even built out. That annual policy cost was about $1,200.
Visiting Sweden during Christmas? You’ve got to try these Swedish Christmas foods!
Traveling during Christmas time is one of the best times to experience foods that you’re only get once a year. Check out our 5 Strange Swedish Christmas foods you’ve got to try on your visit.
My family moved to Sweden in 2021 and I grew up traveling here to visit relatives during the holidays.
I’ve become a bit obsessed with my heritage and some of the more unique food choices, especially the ones during jultid (“Christmas time”).
Table of Contents
Strange Swedish Christmas foods
1. Pepparkakor and Blue Cheese
Pepparkakor & blue cheese pairing
Swedes love the salty and sweet combination (like salty licorice), which may explain why the combination of pepparkakor and blue cheese is popular.
Pepparekakor are thin gingerbread cookies.
When you shop in the grocery stores around Christmas (Jul), you’ll often see ädelost (blue cheese) in tubes laying strategically next to pepparkakor, so you can easily take this flavor combination home with you.
Are blue cheese and gingerbread worth the hype?
It depends on who you’re asking. My husband would strongly disagree, but he also doesn’t like blue cheese. If you want a good laugh, you should watch the video where I surprise him with this pairing. I personally enjoy the combination of sweet with salty (and stinky).
I like to let the video do the talking – his reaction still brings a smile to my face.
Pepparkakor and blue cheese | 5 Strange Swedish Christmas foods you’ve got to try
2. Julmust
Julmust
Julmust is a Christmas staple in every Swede’s household.
My cousin once told me that the sales of Coca-Cola drop drastically during the winter season and julmust sales spike.
Obviously, I don’t know how true the numbers are; however, it definitely feels true to me based on what I see in grocery stores and in homes that we visit during this time of the year.
There has been a renaissance of julmust – you can now find several brands or brewers that carry their own version of the soda.
I tried one that had been barrel-aged for 6 months in oak (ekfat), but I still prefer the good-ol’ classic.
What does julmust taste like?
The flavor reminds me of a spiced Coca-cola. It’s definitely got some citrus flavor with vanilla and spices like cinnamon and ginger. Depending on the brand, you may find more bubbles or less.
Eric tried some for his first time and approved, if you’re curious.
3. Julsemla
Semla Bun
Swedes love their semla buns. They are most commonly seen around Easter, and they even celebrate the national “Semla Day” on Shrove Tuesday (Fettisdagen).
A semla bun is a leavened bun filled with a sweetened almond or marzipan paste on the bottom and unsweetened whipped cream on top.
A “julsemla” is extra special. Saffron is added to flavor the dough and sometimes a little cardamom.
During the Christmas season, you’ll see saffron added to a lot of baked goods in Sweden. If you’re American, you can relate the appearance of saffron in Swedish baked goods to the appearance of Christmas items right after Halloween.
Semla buns are a lot of fun to eat because it’s like opening a present and finding more and more inside the further you go. The bun isn’t very sweet, but the filling makes up for it.
Make Julsemla
If you want to make your own julsemla, here’s a recipe to follow.
Lussekatter
4. Lussekatt
Lussekatt or Lussebulle is probably the most classic Christmas bread, and you’ll see them everywhere around the winter holiday.
It’s made of leavened bread infused with saffron and flavored with raisons or currents. It isn’t very sweet, except for the flavor pops from the dried fruit.
You’ll want to eat this with coffee while the bun is still warm from the oven! The smell of saffron is fantastic.
These are especially fun to make and share. The dough can be shaped into many shapes or braids, and it’s easy to work with. If you like baking, the kids would love this one.
Make Lussekatt
If you want to make them yourself, here’s a good recipe.
5. Glögg
I saved the best for last: Glögg!
Glögg
Glögg is Sweden’s version of mulled wine, but better in my humble opinion.
You’ll want to heat up your red wine, sugar and spices and let them meld together.
The spices are usually star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, and orange zest Once ready to serve, put the warm wine in cozy mugs then add blanched almonds and raisons.
Once you finish the cup, find a spoon and you’ve got a slightly-boozy snack. You’re welcome!
Make glögg
Are you ready to make your own? Check out this recipe!
Have you tried any of these strange Swedish Christmas foods?
What are your thoughts on our 5 Strange Swedish Christmas foods you’ve got to try?
Have you been to Sweden at Christmas time and tried any of these foods? What are your favorites?
Do you like our Swedish trips?
Read about our Swedish adventures in Gävle and Sandviken!
Fortunately, we did and you can do it too! A number of farms offer this experience, and we were lucky to find one in Pitts, Georgia, USA through the Harvest Hosts platform. We were craving peace and quiet, mixed with a little whimsy, and we found that by glamping in a sunflower field, courtesy of Oliver Farm Artisan Oils.
What to see in Pitts
We will be honest… there isn’t much to see in Pitts besides the sunflower fields at Oliver Farm & The Station 31072, but that is all you need to recharge your batteries!
Pitts is a really small town – according to Wikipedia, there were 308 residents as of a 2000 census. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in culture.
How to travel to Pitts, Georgia
After a quick overnight in Valdosta (where we met our first YouTube subscriber – we only had 800 subscribers then!), we drove 1.5 hours to Pitts, Georgia.
We drove about one hour on I-75 northbound from Valdosta to GA-159 N (exit 84). We traveled northeast on GA-159 N for about 20 minutes to get to The Station 31072 in Pitts, Georgia.
The Station 31072 & Oliver Farm Artisan Oils
As you come east into town along 7th Ave W, you’ll find a modern-looking converted gas station, The Station 31072. The 31072 comes from the town’s zip code.
The Station 31072 is owned and operated by the Oliver family. This family also owns Oliver Farm Artisan Oils, and you can find their products for sale in the shop.
The building is a former gas station. Though the pumps are gone, you immediately recognize what it once was, and you’ll be amazed at what it has become.
Sunflower field in Pitts, Georgia
As you walk in, you find the cashier desk but turn right and you enter a large room (the former garage) with roll-up doors that can be opened on cooler days. The main room is sectioned off by tables holding wares from vendors across the state of Georgia and the rest of the United States.
Along the back wall, they have a sampling station where you can try the Oliver Farm Artisan Oils alongside locally-sourced crackers, breads and jams.
Ingrid’s favorite table was the pickle table. She is a sucker for pickled okra, and they didn’t disappoint. We picked up a bottle of the Oliver Farm pecan oil, too many pickles, some sweet treats like a locally-made fluffer nutter sandwich cookie, ice cold water and ice cream. The summer heat was brutal!
Staying overnight in Sunflower Fields
After we finished our shopping at the station, we followed the owner down a clay dirt road a few miles away. We shared the space with no one and there were sunflowers on all sides of us. We parked our bus between an old pecan tree and an old storage shed.
We spent the evening doing long walks down the dirt road and doing selfies next to sunflowers. The kids had a blast running around and mom & dad knew they were safe to play.
The weather cooled off during the evenings and we felt comfortable without the air conditioning being on. This place had no electrical or water hook-ups; however, the owner did have hook-ups at The Station back in town (another RV was camped there).
Visit Oliver Farm Artisan Oil & The Station 31072 in Pitts, Georgia, USA
We highly recommend stopping in to The Station 31072 for some food and then touring the farm. Depending on the time of year, they host different activities like photo shoots. We arrived in June and the sunflowers were just beginning to open. Check out the spectacular sunflower field photos on Oliver Farm’s Instagram.
I’ll include contact information below. Please contact the owner(s) or their representatives to schedule a field tour.
How to locate the The Station 31072 & Oliver Farm Artisan Oil in Pitts, Georgia
Address: 110 7th Ave W, Pitts, GA 31072, United States Phone: +1 229-648-6110
We found The Station 31072 & Oliver Farm Artisan Oils 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.
Read this blog to learn more about Harvest Hosts & Boondockers Welcome camping platforms.
How do you get a membership discount with Harvest Hosts?
