Staying Connected On The Road (5 Best Places to Connect to Free Wifi)
Staying Connected On The Road (5 Best Places to Connect to Free Wifi) : As an 80’s baby this whole wifi on the road thing is truly amazing. I’ve had a lifelong dream of getting paid to be me. Maybe it was too much Real World. I don’t know, but either way technology is helping me live my dreams. (I also have the dream of being the singing voice of a Disney princess, but that’s for another blog).
With the continual incline of online careers, more and more people are finding it possible to work from anywhere in the world. With my list of the 5 best places to connect to free wifi on the road, you’ll be able to travel, explore, connect, and earn a living!
(connected to YMCA wifi at a park. Also enjoying miso soup cooked van life style)
Laundromats - When I worked a conventional 9a-5p I hated doing laundry. I was so tired from the long days that washing clothes was just one more thing to wear me down. Now I look forward to laundry day. Minus one establishment in Eugene, Or., every laundromat we’ve visited has had exceptional wifi. Put a couple loads in the wash, and get to working, or playing, or whatever it is you do when you log on to the web. Try to get all your work done between washing, drying and folding, and when you leave you can adVANture away with no worries. Clean laundry to boot.
Coffee Shops and Cafe - Every city has at least one coffee shop or cafe with the wifi to write home about. If you are only looking for a place to upload videos most places will do. If you require a strong, fast signal like I do, I recommend doing a search before settling down. I usually type “Best wifi in ______ near me” or something like that. Once I find a spot that I like I always buy something. And if the wifi is majorly awesome, like Kreuzberg Coffee in San Luis Obispo, Ca., I’ll go back and buy something else before I leave as a thank you for allowing me to work on the road so easily and worry free.
Starbucks - This one is a no-brainer. Starbucks and wifi go together like peanut butter and jelly. When I first started van life this was my go to spot for connecting. (I now prefer laundromats and coffee shops for the stronger, secured network. Which is why they were listed first.) Depending on what location you’re in the signal could be anywhere from super lame, to how awesome is this!!! If your online work requires privacy (like the online voice lessons I teach) you should definitely test the range of the wifi in the parking lot. If you can get a parking spot in front of the store you’ll probably be in luck. You can pop up a window shade and work from the comforts of your van, or whatever type of vehicle you’re traveling in. Just note that while the signal may work well in the store, bars drop real fast once you exit through the doors.
YMCA’s - If you’re on a work vacation you may be staying in a hotel each night. If you’re a working musician, or van lifer like myself, you may be living in your vehicle. This means you’ll need a place to shower each day. Or every other day. Whatever floats your boat. In addition to pools, clean bathrooms, saunas, child care, and socialization, most YMCA’s have wifi. A regular routine for my family, while on the road, is to wake up. Hit the Y. And, hit the Yfi. Get it! Most YMCA wifi signals will only work in the building so if you require privacy this may not be the best option, but other than that I consider the YMCA an all in one stop. If only they had laundry services! Note**There are no YMCA full gym facilities in the state of Utah. Plan to visit another establishment for wifi if you find yourself in Utah.
Libraries - The library is great for so many reasons. I personally consider libraries to be one of our Nation’s most valuable assets. Our son can play. We can print documents. Enjoy AC in the summer, and connect with the people in the neighborhood. You can get a good feel for the community by the way it treats its library and each branch is going to have a completely different vibe. Some allow dogs. Some have multiple floors. Some have an entire wing dedicated to children. Most have wifi. Be sure to check ahead of time whether you will be able to conduct business on their network. Most libraries have filters on their systems that may interfere with what you need to get done. Social media, emails, photo uploading or movie downloading should be fine.
Hapy to have wifi so I can teach from the road!