What Are Campervan Rentals?
A campervan acts as a self-propelling RV that gives the owner or renter both sleeping accommodations and transportation. Some people also call campervans “caravanettes” or “campers.” All of these terms refer to vans that have gotten fitted out with a coach body that one can use for accommodation purposes.
Some people use the words “motorhome” and campervan” in an interchangeable manner. You can use the word “motorhome” to refer to vehicles that are bigger than a campervan. A few differences between the two types of vehicles do exist.
Many RV experts would say that real motorhomes are more comfortable than true campervans. It’s not that campervans have to operate as an uncomfortable mode of transportation. It’s just that these vehicles are more known for their compact size, the ease with which you can move a campervan, and their lower costs.
Campervans often don’t come with many of the amenities that other types of motorhomes do. For example, many campervans don’t have showers and toilets. They may also not have a physical separation between the cab and the living area.
A lot of campervans contain a kitchen with a gas, battery, or electrically powered refrigerator. These vehicles also have a grill that can get powered from a battery or AC power that you can get from a campground. If you decide to rent a larger campervan, you could get a space heater, a water heater, a portable toilet, and air conditioning.
Can You Rent a Campervan?
If you’re considering purchasing a campervan, you can try one out for size by choosing to rent a campervan for weekend trips. You could get an RV to test out whether you want to buy one to use permanently. You can also just rent a campervan for a special occasion or trip.
While you can rent from a chain RV outlet, this option has a few downsides. When you work with a chain dealer, you might not get the exact campervan model you want. You’ll also have less flexibility when it comes to negotiating rental prices and other costs.
When you work with a peer-to-peer RV website, you will work only with people who actively want to rent their campervans. You’ll also have a lot more legroom when it comes to negotiating your rental prices and other associated prices. Since you’re searching for a vehicle on a website, you can also keep looking until you get the model and all the amenities you want.
When you work with RV owners from around the country, you also have options when it comes to picking up your campervan rentals. Your first option involves picking up your rental from an RV owner who lives in your local area. If you’re traveling across the country, your next option involves flying to the vehicle owner’s location and driving the remainder of the way to your vacation destination in the campervan.
How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Campervan?
A lot of factors go into determining the cost of a campervan rental. The first factor you will have to consider is the cost per night. In the peak travel months of July and August, the prices for a rental can vary widely.
You will also want to put some thought into how many miles you will travel. This is because you pay by the mile. Most RV owners will charge you between .35 to .45 cents a mile when you rent from them.
You will also need to multiply the number of days that you plan on renting the campervan by the daily rate. Once you do this, add this number to the mileage times your cost per mile. That’s the amount that you will pay to the RV owner.
Let’s say that your nightly rate is $109. If you multiply the number of miles you traveled to the cost per mile, you’ll get your rate. In this example, a five-night trip at $109 per night, added to the product of a 500-mile trip at .35 cents a mile, would equal $720.
Another cost that you may need to consider when renting a campervan is the generator. However, this cost doesn’t get too big in the grand scheme of your trip. You might pay more in the summer months as you use the air conditioner.
Why You Should Rent a Campervan For Weekend Travel
Some of the main advantages of choosing to rent a small campervan include maneuverability and size. If you’re on the road and you see something of interest, you’ll probably want to jump out of the van and explore to your heart’s content. Impromptu explorations get a lot harder when you’re traveling with a larger vehicle.
It’s also easier to park campervans when you’re out on the road with your family. When you’re driving a longer vehicle, it can be a pain to look for good parking spots. You’ll also have to deal with height, which is why campervans are a better option if you find yourself needing to park in underground garages during your trip.
If you’ve never driven a motorhome before, you might worry about taking it out on the road for the first time. First-time RVers will not have to worry as the learning curve is a lot less steep for campervans than they are for other types of camping vehicles. If you have a driver’s license, you know enough to drive a campervan competently.
If you’re thinking “how do I rent a campervan near me?” your best bet is websites that connect RV owners to RVers. You’ll get in contact with a friendly RV owner who will tell you all that it will take to get their campervan out onto the open road. You can also search for your desired model and amenities from among the thousands of featured vehicles.