Traveling by camper van. Do you remember when I thought I might want to move to another country? Well, I’m not so sure about that anymore. But the idea did lead me to another dream: buying a camper van and owning a small house somewhere. I imagined spending most of my time exploring in the camper, returning to the Netherlands every now and then. It sounded like the perfect lifestyle.
The only problem? I had never actually traveled in a camper van before. So before making any big decisions, it seemed like a good idea to find out if camper van life was really for me.
Traveling by Camper Van
It didn’t take long before I convinced Charlotte from Charlie’s Travels to join me. Heading out on my very first camper van trip alone felt a little intimidating. These vehicles are big, and they definitely look impressive when you’ve never driven one before.
I rented a camper van from a company here in Almere and chose a Sunlight Cliff 600. It’s what’s known as a camper van (or Class B RV in the U.S.), making it much smaller than the larger Class C or Class A motorhomes you also see on the road.
There are countless places where you can rent a camper, but I wanted to keep things simple and stay close to home. One of the reasons I chose Booij was that they take plenty of time to explain how everything works, and their fleet consists of relatively new vehicles.
Off to Denmark
We decided to travel during the shoulder season and spend two weeks exploring a country that wasn’t too mountainous and wasn’t too far away. Denmark turned out to be the perfect choice.
We picked up the camper van on Thursday and headed north on Friday morning.
Driving the camper took a little getting used to, but our Cliff – as we quickly nicknamed it – handled beautifully. After just a few minutes behind the wheel, it already felt surprisingly natural. It had only 10 kilometers (about 6 miles) on the odometer, so it was practically brand new!
Driving a Camper Van
Driving a camper van isn’t all that different from driving a regular car, as long as you pay attention to two things: its width and its height.
The height is especially important once you leave the highway and start encountering tunnels or low bridges. We only ran into one situation where our camper turned out to be too tall for a tunnel with a 2.60-meter (8.5-foot) clearance. Fortunately, Denmark clearly marks height restrictions, so we never had any real problems – you just have to stay alert.
Living in a Camper Van
The Cliff 600 is a fairly compact camper van, which means two people can’t really move around inside at the same time. Living space is limited, so if you’re traveling with someone you don’t know very well, I personally wouldn’t recommend a camper van.
Charlotte and I have traveled together many times before – whether it was a weekend in Paris or visiting Thomas Dambo’s giant wooden trolls – so we already knew we’d get along in a small space.
Advantages of Traveling by Camper Van
Traveling by camper definitely has its pros and cons. These were the biggest advantages for me:
- Potentially cheaper. Traveling by camper can cost less than flying, especially on longer trips. Personally, though, I didn’t think the savings were particularly significant.
- Flexibility. This is probably the biggest reason people choose a camper van. It’s especially true during the shoulder season, when campgrounds aren’t fully booked. If you don’t like a place, you simply move on to the next one, your home travels with you.
- Outdoor living. Because space inside is limited, you’ll spend most of your time outdoors. That’s wonderful in good weather, although it can quickly become a disadvantage when it rains.
- Everything with you. Your bed, refrigerator, bathroom, and kitchen are always close at hand.
Disadvantages of Traveling by Camper Van
Of course, there are downsides as well.
- Limited living space. Exactly how cramped it feels depends on the type of camper you rent, but space is always limited.
- High rental costs. We paid €1,600 (round $ 1800) for two weeks of camper rental. On top of that, you still have campground or camper stop fees, which ranged anywhere from €20 to €50 ( $22 to $ 55) per night.
- Less convenient without bicycles. You can’t easily drive a camper van into a small town or city center. That often means relying on public transportation or walking. It’s also why we frequently chose camper stops instead of campgrounds, since they’re often located closer to town centers. The downside? Many camper stops are basically parking lots.
- Very little privacy. In a relatively small camper van, there’s simply no private space.
There are plenty more pros and cons to camper travel, of course. If I’m being completely honest, I found the disadvantages outweighed the advantages.
Did I enjoy the experience? Absolutely. I’d happily rent a camper again someday. But overall, I found the lifestyle more limiting than I had expected.
It’s Not Quite as Perfect as Social Media Makes It Look
These days, social media is full of dreamy camper van content. You see people waking up in breathtaking locations, enjoying endless freedom, and camping wherever they please.
Reality is a little different.
Wild camping is prohibited in many places (at least it is in Europe), and those spectacular sunrise views are often replaced by waking up in a parking lot overlooking the local soccer field.
That doesn’t mean camper travel isn’t enjoyable, far from it. Like I said, I genuinely had a great time. But will I be buying a camper van or setting off to travel the world in one? Probably not.
Personally, I prefer the flexibility of traveling by car, like we did on our road trip from New York to Miami. I also love discovering charming boutique hotels and cozy bed & breakfasts, like that wonderful little place we stayed in Charleston.
It’s a Personal Choice
In the end, it all comes down to personal preference.
Some people absolutely love the camper van lifestyle, while others prefer a little more comfort. My advice? Give it a try at least once before deciding whether it’s for you.
