Cold toes, deflated sleeping pads, flapping nylon walls: tent camping isn’t always relaxing. No wonder one survey found that interest in vanlife among campers grew from 8 percent to 14 percent in 2018. And with travelers now looking for more socially distant and self-sufficient ways to hit the road, RV and camper rental companies like RVshare and Outdoorsy are citing 650 and 450 percent increases in bookings, respectively, since the start of April compared with the same time last year. Want a taste of sleeping in a warm vehicle? Start with one of these rental companies.
Red Rocks Base Camps
Located in Moab, Utah, will tow a cozy teardrop to the campsite of your choice.
North Shore Vans
Owner Chris Detchon retrofits with beds and kitschy Hawaiian style, then sends you off with beta on how and where to camp respectfully on Maui.
VanGo Durango
offers Volkswagen EuroVans to explore the San Juan Mountains of Colorado or the deserts of the Four Corners.
, , and
Like Airbnb for RVs, vans, and trailers, these sites let you rent privately owned camping vehicles, though quality can be a bit of a gamble.
Explore Rentals
This rents AWD and 4WD setups like the Tacamper, a Toyota Tacoma with a superlight pop-up over the bed.
Escape Campervans
These are available from 13 locations in the U.S. and Canada.
AlaskaVans
Take one of oceanfront camping on the Kenai Peninsula or into the mountains of Denali National Park.