Unlock Affordable Adventures: Campervan Rental Road Trip Tips!

Taking a campervan road trip frequents people’s bucket lists, and it just might be on yours. So what’s the holdup? Not sure how to have an affordable trip and keep expenses low? Look no further; we’re here to present affordable rental options for road trips in a campervan! 

The Smalls: 

Here at Native Campervans, we offer three different van options, with The Smalls being by far the most affordable campervan in the fleet, with prices as low as $80/night. These vans sleep two comfortably and offer the same amenities as the others. They have almost all the gear you need for a road trip, with pillows, blankets, stoves, kitchen utensils, and much more. These are also great as an introduction to vanlife. With endless road possibilities, this is the perfect place to start. 

Mileage packages

To help you have an affordable campervan rental experience, we offer a unique way to keep the price of miles down! With mileage packages, you can save money and prepay for your miles. You just need to determine which package fits your itinerary best. There are three options; the first is included with all campervan rentals and gives you 100 miles per night (free!). The other two options are better suited for those who want a large itinerary offering the choice of 200 miles per night or 300 miles per night. Whatever package you do choose, we will always put you in the most cost-effective option post-trip. And the best part about these packages is that you can take the vans anywhere within USA and Canada without penalties! 

Availability and seasons 

These two are big factors when it comes to the cost of campervans. If you want a cheap campervan rental, you’ll want to play around with the time of year you rent the van, which mileage package fits your itinerary best, the length of the trip, and a few more deciding factors. By fiddling around with these options, you might land yourself a cheaper campervan rental! If you want to explore pricing options, check out this page! 

Extra Budget-Friendly Ideas: 

There are lots of ways to keep costs down on a campervan trip besides the vehicle and mileage options. You’ll want to consider activities, campsites, and food expenses since these will be your next most considerable predictable costs. 

• Look into National Park Passes, or state park passes. For a higher upfront cost, you will be able to see more and save a lot in the end. National Park Passes are around $80; you can buy them at any National Park or online. They also last a whole year. Thus, the upfront cost to visit them is usually around $40 for an entrance fee. It pays for itself if you visit two or more parks in a year. State parks are usually around the same.

• Free campsites or dispersed campsites are a great way to cut costs on a road trip. For instance, Instead of spending $20 per night on a place to park, there are many places to park for free! When finding these free campsites, there are a few tools you can use. Freecampsites.net, recreation.gov, and The Dyrt App are great assets to use when trying to locate free campsites on public lands. To learn more about dispersed campsites, read this article. 

• If you are staying at free campsites, be prepared with the necessary gear. Most of the time, these free campsites are just a plot of land with no amenities. The Bureau of Land Management or Forest Service operates these amenities. For this purpose, you will need to bring ample water, knowledge on how to dispose of waste and bodily waste, and effectively practice “Leave No Trace.” Check out this blog to learn more about the gear you will need. 

• Preparing and cooking meals will always be less expensive than eating out every single meal. With a stove and kitchen setup included in The Smalls, making meals is not only cost-effective but super convenient! Additionally, If you need help with what meals to cook, check out this article on five easy dinner meals. 

We hope this gave you some tips on how to have an affordable campervan trip in your campervan rental! Frequent road-trippers agree that these budget-friendly tips and tricks are tried and true.