VANCOUVER -- Cruising around in a van has become a preferred way to travel for several free-spirits and according to Instagram, Vancouver is the best place to do just that.

The city topped the list as being the most popular location in the world for Instagram users who post about #VanLife.

The first hashtag highlighting the nomadic lifestyle of "van life" was posted eight years ago. It's now been used on nearly 6.5 million posts.

It has become its own community on social media, with the notion that "home is where you park it," insurance provider Budget Direct said in its post about the ranking.

Budget Direct worked with content creator NeoMam Studios to analyze 25,000 Instagram posts, identifying the most popular destinations among motorhome nomads.

Vancouver nabbed the first spot by a landslide. There were 236 posts using the hashtag in Vancouver, with Los Angeles trailing behind in second place with just 52 posts.

The third spot was claimed by the picturesque Alberta town of Banff with 49 posts. Richmond, B.C., also made the top 20 list, but was much further down claiming the 18th spot, with 24 posts.

  1. Vancouver, B.C.
  2. Los Angeles, CA
  3. Banff, AB
  4. Venice, Italy
  5. Portland, OR
  6. San Diego, CA
  7. San Francisco, CA
  8. Moab, UT
  9. Yellowstone, WY
  10. London, UK
  11. Milan, Italy
  12. Yosemite Village, CA
  13. Denver, CO
  14. Munich, Germany
  15. Gold Coast, Australia
  16. Bend, OR
  17. Hamburg, Germany
  18. Richmond, B.C.
  19. New York, NY
  20. Asheville, NC