Van living is taking social media by storm. From the times of caravans and gypsies to today’s decked-out modern motorhomes, the idea of spending extended periods in your vehicle is not a new subject; however, it is gaining more and more traction every day on major social media sites like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. With all these articles, photos and blogs popping up, the #vanlife is becoming an unavoidable subject.
But what’s all the fuss really about?
New Age Travel and Services originated as a way to share our love of van living and the freedom it offers travelers. So, without further ado, here is a list of our top reasons to try your next holiday in a campervan.
Convenience
Campervans are self-sufficient in that you can live out of them without hassle or hookups. If one of your goals is to “get away” whether on your own or with a loved one, having a fully off-grid campervan is an obvious pick.
Motorhomes or trailers can also help you get away but are typically limited to campgrounds alongside lots of other people. Not to mention, RVs and motorhomes can be a pain to set up, take down, and empty. With a campervan, you can throw your clothes in the back, grab some snacks, and hit the road! When you get to your destination, just put the car in park and you’re done.
Take a quick peek at our van camping packing list for some tips on what to bring on your vacation. You may also find it helpful to browse what we include with each of our rentals.
We design our campervans with convenience in mind. The water tanks are not attached to the vehicle, and therefore do not require emptying in designated areas. Further, each van has a solar system, battery and inverter for electricity.
In addition, campervans are easy to drive. Our vans are 9ft tall, 6 ft wide and 20ft long; whereas, RVs are 8ft wide and can range between 28-45ft in length.
The early bird gets the worm
Campervans can be extremely helpful in being that lucky, early bird as you can park closer to your best hiking destination.
Hiking can sometimes be synonymous with early morning adventures. Some adventures involve an early start to a long day. Other times, you might just want to avoid crowds. Most Calgarians leave the city around 8 am with a typical commute from Calgary to Banff of 90 minutes. If you were to camp at a designated area directly on the mountain and wake up at 8 am, you are already 90 minutes ahead of schedule! You’ll be at the base, finishing a warm dinner before the other hikers make it back to their cars.
Save money
Road trips can be expensive; the costs of road food, renting a vehicle and paying for hotels along the way add up. In contrast, campervans can help you save money by meeting those needs and offering budget-friendly solutions. For instance, you won’t have to pay for the overpriced Airbnb because your car has a bed in the backseat. You can use the kitchen appliances and fridge to cut down on restaurant costs. You can go for the less expensive campsites with no hookups. Or even better, you can cut costs by boondocking and not even pay for a campsite.
Camping for free
“Boondocking” or “freedom camping” is an easy way to cut down the price of your holiday without cutting down on quality.
Camping in National Parks is pleasing on the eyes, but not so much on the wallet. While it is possible to camp in national parks, those require making reservations, printing permits and paying the campground fees. On the other hand, with a self-contained campervan, you can camp in crown land for free, without reservations, and enjoy equally spectacular (if not the same) views. Crown Land is land owned by the government and typically located bordering the Canadian national or provincial parks. There’s no shortage of it, either, as it comprises approximately 89% of Canada’s land area. This does mean you’ll give up the utilities found in campgrounds, but with fully off-grid hotel rooms on wheels, you might not even notice.
If you are parking your campervan in crown land, please keep a couple of things in mind:
Road Conditions: crown land is generally accessed by old, irregularly maintained foresting roads. As these roads can be muddy, avoid getting stuck by looking up the road conditions in advance. “FreeRoam” is a helpful app to use prior to travel which indicates road conditions.
Safety: cook and dispose of any grey water a minimum of 100m (or 330ft) away from where you’re sleeping.
Impact reduction: camp at least 100m (or 330ft) from water sources or lakeshores.
Conscientiousness: Keep these areas pristine by carrying out all that you carry in.
Regulations: if you have any questions on the rules on public camping in Alberta, you can find the answers here:
Find solitude
Some of the best places to park your campervan are off the beaten path. Consequently, it’s rare to run into other people when random camping. Standard campgrounds cater to a maximum RV size of 30 feet, which means your campsite (whether tenting or RV’ing) is about the size of your RV with a little wiggle room. Crown Land, which is easily accessible by van, has no max! Going into these remote areas allows for solace from the city crowds and enjoy some of the solitude nature allows so freely.
In the end… Do what you want
Driving a campervan and trying to come up with a plan has a spectacular sense of freedom in it. Just think about it: where would you want to go if you were no longer limited to a location based on hotel availability or costs? Who would you want to go with when you can spend countless hours of quality time with no interruption?
Why New Age Travel and Services?
If you’re in the market for a campervan hire, or would like to know more about campervan rentals please feel free to contact us at Newagetravelandservices@gmail.com or click here to get a quote. We pride ourselves in our knowledge and expertise in the field and area.
Unlike some companies, our vans come fully stocked with the essentials included at no extra charge (bedding, shower, toilet, BBQ, propane, kitchen supplies, and an electric cooler). We further offer a wide range of add-ons such as foldable mountain bikes, a 10 x 10 shelter, a projector TV, a portable wi-fi modem and more.
Our vans are all uniquely designed, and well tested. Before and during the season, we will take trips in each of the vans to test and optimize them. Our intimate knowledge of each van helps us help you should you ever have a question while on the road. When you book with us, you get 24/7 customer service with a smile.
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