When it comes to camping, there are many different ways to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. From the most luxurious RV or “glamping” yurt to a simple sleeping bag under the stars, there’s certainly no shortage of choices across the spectrum.
Naturally, here at Rocky Mountain Campervans, we are partial to the Middle Way: camping in a van. It has all of the best aspects of both, with none of the drawbacks. Here are a few of the key reasons why camping in a van is the best way to get the most out of your trip.
Easy Driving and Maneuverability
If you’re the type who prefers to experience the great outdoors with a bit of indoor respite, the first thing that comes to mind may be an RV or 5th wheel. However, these behemoths can be challenging to drive, get in and out of campgrounds, and in the case of 5th wheels, extremely dangerous to reverse.
Camper vans, on the other hand, are just as easy to handle as a large car or truck. Since the last thing you want on your relaxing outdoor adventure is to be stressed about getting a small moving house where you want to go, vans are an awesome choice.
Easy Parking and Expanded Range
Just as they are easier to drive, campervans are also easier to park, which in some situations can be a challenge in larger vehicles. Another reason that parking is one of the major campervan advantages is that it also vastly expands the range of where you are able to camp.
With an RV, you are mostly limited to certain kinds of campgrounds, hookups, and only certain types of roads that are compatible with a vessel of their size. A camper van will allow you to get into all the nooks of the wilderness, to find the hidden gems of true seclusion, relaxation, and discovery which are scattered all around our great American parks.
Price
This one is straightforward enough, the fact of the matter is that renting a campervan is not only easier and more convenient in many ways, it’s also a fraction of the price of renting a larger recreational vehicle. Once again, this middle-way approach allows you to enjoy the luxury of shelter without taking such a hit to the wallet.
Shelter from the Storm
It (almost) goes without saying that one of the chief advantages of vanlife is that it’s a more economical and practical solution to the problem of how to have shelter in the great outdoors. While tent camping can be fine when all is sunshine and cool breezes, you never know when unexpected inclement weather may occur.
Additionally, the wide sweeping fluctuations of temperature that occur in the drier climates out West could have you shivering in your sleeping bag and sweating in your tent, all in one day; but with a van, you’ll always be comfortable in your spaceship on wheels.
I could go on, but I think these four reasons encapsulate it quite well. To summarize: camping in a van has all of the benefits of both worlds, the luxurious and the spartan, in one neat package. This is why we choose Vanlife, my friends.