Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
# vanlife takes off
take pictures or selfies; they want to sleep or cook anywhere,” he says.
The company, which got its start in 2001 in New Zealand, where van enthusiasm has been brewing for years, rents custom-designed vehicles decked out with just about everything a traveller could need on the road: a sink, kitchen and cookware, refrigerator, gas stove, bedding and more.
Menon says that the vehicles are popular because they’re easy to manage and less intimidating than an RV (recreational vehicle), and they’re especially sought after for multi-day festivals such as Burning Man and Coachella. JUCY vans can sleep two inside, and a tent on the roof can sleep two more. They’re also affordable – daily rates range from $45 to $120.
Escape Campervans, which opened in Los Angeles in 2009, has more than 500 rentals available there and at seven other US locations (Las Vegas,
San Francisco, Seattle, Phoenix, Denver, New York City and Miami) with plans to open in Atlanta and Vancouver, British Columbia, this year.
The artist-painted vans – Ford E-150s and Dodge Caravans – can sleep four comfortably (and five snugly) with the addition of an optional rooftop tent, and come with a queen-size bed, bedding and all the kitchen and camping basics. Rates range from $57 to $130 per day, depending on the season and trip length. Katie Hubbard, director of marketing at Escape Campervans, says the primary age group of renters is 24 to 35, and the US market is still getting acquainted with the van-rental option. About 60% of Escape Campervans’ customers are international. Their goal is generally the same: Get off the
The company has two types of vans that sleep two to five people (with the addition of a rooftop tent), and rates range from $109 to $139 per day. The larger version resembles a cosy apartment, with a built-in kitchen that includes a refrigerator, propane stove, heater, LED lighting and bedding. “We basically built the vans that our parents wanted to travel in,” Lopez says.
Wolski and Lopez can also act as trip planners, offering suggestions on routes, hikes and side trips.
One popular journey that customers take is “the Mighty Five,” a 1 450km Utah trip that includes Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.
Basecamper Vans, like all other companies in this report, charges an additional fee after drivers exceed 125 miles or 201km a day. That, in part, is because of the wear and tear on the vehicle. But it also fits the van-life philosophy, which is to relish and revel in the scenery, rather than blast by it.
“The best part of camper van travel is that it’s not big enough to hang out inside (one) all day,” Wolski says. “You have to get out and wander around the brilliant and wild lands around you.” – The Washington Post beaten path and explore the open road on their own schedule without juggling all the gear.
“We like to make it easy so that everyone gets to focus on the fun parts, like where to go and what to do,” Hubbard says. “Everything else is kind of taken care of.”
Matt Wolski and Jen Lopez launched Basecamper Vans in Salt Lake City to give people a taste of van life while exploring the great outdoors.
“The reality is, full-time (van life) is kind of a pain. But having a little nibble for a week or two every year is really fun,” Wolski says.