Have you ever rented a campervan? As a van owner and weekend warrior, the things I love most about living in a van are the things I love most about going on vacation: disconnecting from the internet, feeling free and alive, forgetting about mirrors, and moving my body on walks and hikes. If you’re curious about van life, instead of committing to a big purchase, have you tried out the lifestyle for a vacation?
You’ve seen those Instagram snapshots of people drinking coffee with the back doors of their van open to a beautiful view of nature, but you might be intimidated by toilet talk and tiny showers. I’m here to tell you, you CAN be that person!
Renting a campervan on vacation allows you to fully immerse yourself in nature and fully disconnect from “real life”. As someone who never camped as a kid and is now a complete convert to van life, I know what it’s like to be intimidated by camping in a van. But I also know it promotes a sense of adventure and self-pride that radiates throughout life.
This guide will walk you through the ABCs of renting a campervan.
Research Where You Would Like to Go
Pick your country. In the US, there are tons of natural sights to see with a van. I’ve heard France has really nice campsites but lacks water hook-ups. Do some research about the general van life culture before choosing a location. Sometimes, it’s easiest to go within a few hours of where you live! My first-ever van trip was a mere two hours away in Idyllwild, CA, where my husband took me to see lilacs in the spring, because I was homesick for the East Coast (my kind of romance). The beauty of a van trip is not having to book a flight.
Research Providers and Read Reviews
There are big companies that rent vans, like Indie Campers, which operates globally, Road Surfers in Europe, or BunkCampers in the UK. Then there are country-specific operators like Campervan Norway or Arctic Campers in Norway. These companies usually have pick-up locations at the airport.
Choosing which company to rent from is important - if something goes wrong with your vehicle, you want assurances that your vacation will not be in jeopardy. Getting stuck somewhere due to a van malfunction can really impact your trip.
You’ll also want to read the reviews about the pickup and dropoff process - how long does it take? Was the van clean upon pickup? Do they provide amenities like sheets, towels, plates, and cups so you don’t need to pack them?
Finally, if you prefer to rent from a private citizen instead of a big company, you can use third-party affiliates like MyCamper in Europe or Outdoorsy in the US, which may offer more flexibility on pick-up. They do offer liability insurance as well.
Research and Budget for the Proper Insurance
We didn’t realize when we first rented a van in Ireland that a campervan is not considered a “car” but rather a “home”. So your personal automobile insurance likely will not cover potential damages. Be sure to review the insurance policies of the rental companies thoroughly before booking.
Before we left for our van trip in Ireland, we purchased insurance through the rental company. The staff told us that the number one thing that happens is side-view mirrors getting clipped. Sure enough, we were going down a tiny winding road in Ireland, and the van in front of us clipped its mirror from a passing car. While nothing happened to us, having the insurance sorted was a relief.
Understand the Basics of Managing a Van
The fun part about having a van is waking up at the trailhead, getting cozy and relaxing after a long hike, and opening up the back doors to read a book under the starlight. The icky part? Dealing with the logistics of managing life in a very small space. I’ll break it down here for you:
Water hookups - Your van will come with a hookup for clean drinking water. It’s very important you only use a hose and hookup for potable water so you don’t damage your water supply. Most campsites will have a water hookup you can drive up to.
Grey Water - All that clean water you added for showers, cleaning dishes, and brushing your teeth? It gets held in a grey water tank that needs to be regularly emptied. Most vans will have an alarm or monitor on the grey water tank to let you know when it’s getting full. Some campsites have drains you can drive over and simply push a button to empty the tank.
Black Water - This is the scariest part. Since our van at home doesn’t have a toilet, I fully admit my husband handles this! Most rental companies will let you purchase chemicals for the toilet that help break down the waste, preserve the pipes, and reduce odor in such a small space. Depending on the type of toilet your van has, they will guide you to the correct product to use. When you get to a campsite, there will be a black water or “chemical waste” disposal site. Do not be a jerk and dump your waste into a public toilet. There are also more environmentally friendly options for compostable toilets, if you so desire.
Power Sources - your van will likely have multiple power sources. There might be some things powered by gas, others by electricity, and others by solar. Make sure you understand how to switch everything on and off before you leave the parking lot of your rental company!
To Wild Camp or Not to Wild Camp
“Wild Camping” generally means camping without a campsite and can apply to both car camping and van life. When planning your trip, you can decide if you’d like to try wild camping or book some campsites in advance. In high season, campsites can fill up quickly depending on where you’re going. I love wild camping because campsites can feel crowded and defeat the purpose of a restful, nature-filled retreat. However, there are many benefits to staying in a campsite, like safety and access to amenities.
It’s important to research in advance if wild camping is even permitted in the place where you are going. In areas of supreme natural beauty, violations can land you with very hefty fines or an unwelcome knock on your door at night.
When we rented a van in Europe, we planned to stay at a campsite with an electric plug-in, water hook-ups, and grey water disposal every third night. We find we can usually go without these conveniences and wild camp in between. Private campsites can be about $30-$50 per night, and county campsites even less.
If you choose to wild camp, there are applications you can use to research safe places to park. In the US, we use iOverlander. In the UK, we’ve used Park4Night. Of course, if you do wild camp, it’s always important to leave no trace.
A third option, a mix between an official campsite and wild camping, has become more popular in recent years. This is choosing to pay for a low-cost membership fee and browse private homes or businesses that allow campervans. These include Harvest Hosts in the US, where you can stay at breweries, farms, and wineries, FrancePassion in France, or Nomady in Switzerland. This can be helpful if you want a safe place to stay and a few amenities without the crowds of a campsite.
How to Pack for Van Life
In van life, everything needs a home, or things become a disorganized mess really quickly. When you have such a small space, you need to prioritize the essentials. Here are my tips for packing for van life:
Use packing cubes - The cubes can live in tiny compartments, and you can easily sort what’s dirty, warm weather, cold weather, etc.
Pack your hiking shoes and sneakers in plastic bags - they will get muddy quickly
Dustpan and brush - most campervans will come with this in your rental, but I like to brush out the van multiple times per day to reduce dirt getting all over your campervan.
Comfortable Athleisure and FlipFlops - If you’re staying at a campsite, sometimes you need to run outside, and you don’t want to do so in your PJs or underwear :)
Bougie sheets - in most cases, you can rent sheets from the campervan company. If you can spare the room in your suitcase, it’s nice to have high-quality bedding and blankets to make your space more cozy. Our van at home has my favorite quilt, and we stock blankets for cold evenings or cuddling after a cold hike.
A swimsuit - you never know when you’re going to find a really great swimming hole and be enticed to take a dip.
Good quality headlamps - truly necessary if you need to leave your van after dark
Data for your cell phone or a good quality GPS - If you’re in Europe, you can get an e-SIM for the country you’re traveling to, so that you can always have a GPS for directions.
When you check in, Make Sure Everything is Working Properly
Since you’ll be living in this rig for the duration of your rental, make sure you know how it works before you leave the parking lot. Try turning on the heat for those cold nights. If you plan on cooking, try using the stove. If you rented sheets, make sure you have all of the right parts.
Enjoy The Great Outdoors
Once you pull out, there is nothing left to do but enjoy. The best memories I have of our time living in Europe are our van trips. We listened to audiobooks written by authors of the countries we were visiting, took random dips in the ocean, and woke up with sheep grazing on the beach. There is nothing like disconnecting to make you feel more present and alive on your vacation.
If you’re interested in reading more about why I love van life, check out these posts:
Van Life - Weekend Warrior (how I got started van camping on the weekends)
Van Life Principles - Behind the Scenes of our Van
Van Trip to Ireland (saunas, sheep, surfing…)
Van Trip to Scotland (craigs, lochs, glens…)
And a lovely post from one of my favorite travel writers, Natalie Compton, about van life in the Balkans.
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