Considering a campervan rental for your next adventure? We’ve got some compelling reasons why renting a campervan is the ultimate way to travel—offering freedom, flexibility, and unforgettable experiences on the road.
Ever dreamt of waking up by the ocean one morning and under the stars in the mountains the next? That’s the magic of campervan travel—and once you experience it, you might never want to vacation any other way.
If the idea of renting a campervan feels a little intimidating, you’re not alone. But trust us, it’s easier (and more fun!) than you think—and we literally have all the resources you need to make your trip a success.
Why you can trust us about campervan rentals
If you’re new to this blog (welcome!), we want to share a few reasons why you can trust us about all things campervan-related:
- We have personally built 3 campervans from scratch.
- We have traveled all over the US in our own campervans.
- We have rented vans all over the world, in New Zealand, Iceland, Scotland, and Ireland.
Now do you understand why I said we’re obsessed!?
I mention all of this to let you know we have a lot of personal experience on this subject. We truly know what we’re talking about and in this article we’re sharing our expertise with you.
Also, we simply love connecting with others who are interested in RV and campervan adventures, so let’s be friends!
Let’s dive into why choosing a campervan rental for your next adventure is more than just a good idea—it might be the best travel decision you’ll ever make.
1. You have ultimate freedom
With a campervan, you have more flexibility than if you are staying in hotels.
Do you like a place? Stay longer.
Want to move on more quickly? Go for it.
Got a local tip and you want to switch up your route completely? Consider it done!
While having campground reservations is recommended at least a day or two in advance, you have the ability to have a less rigid route.
2. You get to wake up in amazing places
I think one of the main reasons to travel in a campervan is the ability to wake up next to the ocean or in a National Park or on a forest road in the mountains.
The best part is you don’t have to choose just one – you can have ‘em all. You can wake up to a different view every morning.
In our campervan adventures we’ve camped at music festivals, woken up to million dollar ocean views, and gone to sleep in the forest under the stars.
But don’t think for a minute that every night we spend in a picture-perfect setting though. We’ve had our share of city camping, Walmart parking lots, and overpriced campgrounds, or worse…
In a campervan, you’ll learn quickly that there is nothing better than finding that perfect spot to spend the night. And you come to appreciate it even more because not every night is like that.
3. You can save (lots of!) money
Renting a campervan is like having a car, a hotel, and a kitchen all in one place.
Sure, the total cost per day isn’t cheap, but consider what it would cost to book a hotel room, rent a car, and eat out for every meal.
Most likely, renting a campervan will save you quite a bit of money. If you are a budget traveler, renting a campervan is definitely the way to go.
4. It’s more comfortable (and less work) than tent camping
We love camping. Being in nature is therapeutic for both of us, and we know we’re not alone.
But I’m not gonna lie, some of the stuff that comes along with tent camping can be off-putting.
Don’t get me wrong, we love a good backcountry camping experience where we sleep in a place only accessible by hiking in, and we’re not giving up tent camping anytime soon.
But sometimes camping can be a lot of work:
- There are times I don’t feel like going through the effort of gathering all our camping equipment to pack up in the car, knowing we’ll only have to unpack it and clean it all in the end.
- And I’m also not a fan of taking down a tent after a rainstorm. I mean, is anyone?
- Oh, and there are some days when I just don’t feel like sleeping on the ground (no matter how nice our sleeping pads are).
None of these things are an issue in a campervan. You’ve already got all the equipment you need in one place, so you’ll be ready to start the engine and hit the road. Rain or snow won’t be an issue. And you’ve got a perfectly comfortable mattress to sleep on.
Boom! All issues you may have with traditional camping are solved. Think you don’t like camping? Think again.
5. Minimize your impact
Sure, traveling in a vehicle that uses gas is not without a footprint, and #vanlife isn’t going to save the world.
But I can confidently say that living in a van for 3 months seriously shifted our perspective on how each of our choices impacts the environment and the communities around us.
It’s hard to understand just how much electricity and water you use on a daily basis until you shrink your access to it. For instance, when you only have a small tank of water, you suddenly become mindful of every single drop you use.
There’s no more 15-minute showers or water wasted while brushing your teeth or doing the dishes. With limited space to store food, it’s easy to ensure you’re not wasting much.
And the same goes when you have limited power. You think about how you’re using it rather than mindlessly leaving electronics running.
→ Interested in minimizing your footprint? We learned a lot of ways to lessen your impact while in a campervan and put together some tips for an eco-friendly road trip.
6. Get off the beaten path
One of the reasons we love road trips is that we can see a place with a whole different perspective than we would if we didn’t have our own mode of transportation.
We can stop at roadside cafes or random berry picking farms or hot springs that aren’t on the map. We can follow signs to a hidden lavender field (note to self: ALWAYS follow signs that lead to lavender fields!).
And while road tripping in a car is great and all, you can get much more off-the-beaten-path in a campervan that allows you to go off the grid.
7. You get to test and grow relationships
I’m not going to gloss over it: Living in a tiny space with another human being can be a huge test to your relationship.
It’s hard to have your own space, privacy or alone time when traveling by campervan, so it kind of catapults your relationship into a new level that many people choose never to breach (and potentially for good reasons).
You’ll have to get close, like really close, pretty quickly.
But if you can get through living in a space this small with someone else, it’s a testament to the strength of your relationship.
→ Psst! Before moving into a van with a partner, ask them these questions. You’ll thank us later!
8. It’s the adventure of a lifetime!
Traveling in a van means you kind of shift your priorities. You have very little space, so you really can’t buy much. The most important thing becomes creating memories, and with a home on wheels, you’ve got all sorts of adventures at your fingertips without really having to try to find them.
Suddenly even mundane things become memorable. Finding a spot to shower becomes an adventure. And cooking dinner with an epic backdrop is a memory that’ll be burned into your mind forever.
It’s pretty impossible to have a boring trip in a campervan.
You’ll be telling your grandchildren about this adventure. ’Nuff said.
Where to find campervan rentals around the world
Trying to figure out which company to rent a campervan through can be a daunting task.
We’ve done it 5 times (and counting!), so we know how overwhelming it can be the first time.
Our go-to place to find the best campervan rentals in a particular destination is Motorhome Republic. This is an aggregate (kind of like what Booking.com is for hotels or what Discover Cars is for car rentals) that rounds up all the options in one place so you can easily compare them.
We really like using their filters because you can input the number of travelers, and other important features like “automatic transmission” and amenities like a toilet or shower.
Additionally, you can choose to display options within a price range or filter by highest reviews, making it a really handy and user-friendly tool.
We’ve also done the work for you and rounded up the best campervan rentals (by company) in popular destinations all over the world. Check out our campervan rental guides below for more information!
- Best USA Campervan Rentals
- Canada Campervan Rental Guide
- Scotland Campervan Rental Guide
- Iceland Campervan Rental Guide
- New Zealand Campervan Rental Guide
- Ireland Campervan Rental Guide
- UK Campervan Guide
- Italy Campervan Rental Guide
- France Campervan Rental Guide
→ Psst! Be sure to read our guide on what to look for in a campervan rental before you make a booking!
Don’t miss the chance to grab our campervan rental packing list!
These are all our favorite items that we always pack for a campervan trip anywhere in the world. In the coming weeks, we’ll also send you bonus tips on road tripping and traveling around the USA.
Enter your email and we’ll immediately send our Campervan Rental Packing Checklist to your inbox (totally FREE).
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We want to hear from you!
Are you looking for a campervan rental for your travels and still have questions? Leave us a comment below and we’ll do our best to get back to you!