The San Francisco Chronicle: The Sprinter Van Obsession

The West Coast may well be ground zero for #vanlife, with nearly 3 million hashtags on Instagram alone. (Think gorgeous, unencumbered young couple living out of a Volkswagen bus, cruising up and down the Pacific coastline.)

But over the past few years, another #vanlife phenomenon has gained enthusiasts. Enter the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van. Case in point: #sprintervan and #sprintervanlife have a combined total of more than 100,000 Instagram tags.

In Marin County, Sprinter vans have become a coveted status item among the well-heeled, adventure-seeking weekend warrior set. Or, thought of in another way, the version of #vanlife that accommodates a middle-aged man or woman and his or her growing brood.