Are you ready to rent a van for your road trip but aren’t sure where to start? Between van rental platforms like Outdoorsy and van rental companies across the country, there are A LOT of rental vehicle options!
But that’s the fun part–researching which van will fit all of your needs (and gear). Maybe you like the idea of renting a custom, DIY van from a private owner. Or maybe you’d feel more comfortable in a fleet van rental from a company, so you know exactly what you’re getting.
In any case, this guide will walk you through basic questions to first ask yourself before renting a Class B campervan. From there, you can tailor your van research more quickly. Let’s dive in!
Van Research: Questions to Ask Yourself
As you start researching the perfect rental van, ask yourself the questions below to help narrow it down:
Do you need a 4×4 camper van rental?
Do you want a campervan rental with a bathroom?
How many people will be traveling in your camper?
What camping accessories will you require?
Will you need a one-way van rental or will you backtrack to your pickup location?
Once you have those answers, you can start perusing vehicle rental platforms or find a campervan rental company near you. Which leads us to…
Will You Rent Through a Van Rental Platform or Company?
The biggest difference between peer-to-peer van rental platforms vs rental companies is that you’re communicating with the private owner of each van on a rental platform, but communicating with the company if renting from a van rental company.
P2P van rental platforms will have a much more diverse pool of van rentals (with a much bigger price range) than camper van rental companies. Customize depending on your preferred van make and model, amenities, cost, pet-friendliness, nationwide pickup location, and more.
The risk is that the platform only covers basic things such as insurance and tracking your communication with the owner. Everything else is left up to the van owner to decide–so you want to make sure you’re working with a responsible, respectful and communicative van rental host.
A van rental company will have a select rental fleet, with limited options on make and model, amenities and price range. But they’re more likely to have multiple locations if you want to take a one-way road trip. And they’re more likely to offer luxury amenities or unlimited mileage. You can also rest assured knowing their vans are professionally maintained, unlike a private van owner whose word you just have to trust.
Peer-to-Peer Camper Van Rental Platforms
Van rental platforms are the AirBnB of the camper van world. They give you the chance to experience living in any type campervan you can imagine. These platforms allow van owners to rent out their vehicles at their own set prices with their own amenities. Most of these platforms also list rentals from RV dealerships.
Oftentimes, van owners will offer extra camping gear for an additional fee (or for free if they’re really cool). Popular amenities include camping chairs, bike racks, a portable toilet, sleeping bags–basically all the gear you can think of!
Outdoorsy
Outdoorsy is first on the list because 1) I rent out my van on it so I’m slightly biased and 2) it is the largest platform that’s the most focused on Class B campervan rentals. It offers towable vehicles and Class A and C motorhomes, but it’s best-known for the Class B campervans, such as Ford Transits, ProMasters, Mercedes Sprinters, Chevy Expresses, Ford Econolines, etc.
It’s also the only platform that offers insurance on vehicles 20+ years old, so you can REALLY get that vintage van rental if that’s what you’re looking for. Think old school Volkswagen Vanagons…
RVShare
RVshare is another popular van rental platform that focuses on Class A, B and C campervans. You can find anything from huge Winnebagos to newer Mercedes Benz Sprinters on RVShare. RVShare and Outdoorsy are similar platforms with slight differences in filtering abilities when van rental hunting. As its name suggests, RVShare has more vehicle listings for big Class A motorhomes or Class C motorhomes, vs. the smaller Class B campervans.
RVezy
RVezy is another great van or RV rental platform that allows you to search by towable RVs, motorhomes, pet-friendly RVs, deliverables RVs or even stationary RVs. The website even helps you with buying an RV, if you decide to go that route.
Other Camper Van Rental Platforms
There are lots of rental platforms out there! RVnGo lets you filter searches by ADA compliant/wheelchair accessible vans and RVs. HipCamp offers everything from RVs and vans to cabins, campsites, treehouses and glamping. GoCamp prides themselves on only offering high-quality, well-maintained vans that must include all sleeping, eating, cooking and camping amenities.
Where To Find Vacation Van Rentals Near You
I’ve put together a comprehensive list of van rental companies located on both the east and west coasts. Since van life is a lot more popular on the west coast, there are far more van rental companies in the west than in the east. Right now, my list only covers New England, but I will expand this list to all 50 states!
California
California is a mecca for van life. Not surprisingly, it has loads of van rentals, whether they’re from a big ‘ol cookie-cutter fleet company or a handcrafted campervan rental company.
San Francisco & Los Angeles
Rental Van Companies with Multiple US Locations
Check out these camper van rental companies that have multiple locations across the country. These are great options for travelers who want to take a one-way road trip (and not backtrack to their original van pickup location).
Escape Campervans
Escape campervans claims the title of the largest camper van rental company in the country. It has van rental locations in all of the “hottest” van life spots and offers a range of campervan builds. From super-compact Ford Transit Connect vans, to full-size Ford Transits with pop-top roofs, and even a Jeep camper with rooftop tent options. The best part: each van is painted in a funky, tie-dye color which is custom-done by the Escape team!
The Escape campervan rental company has physical locations along the pacific northwest and the east coast, including:
Seattle, WA
Portland, OR
San Francisco, CA
Los Angeles, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Salt Lake City, UT
Phoenix, AZ
Denver, CO
Chicago, IL
Orlando, FL
New York City, NY
If you’re ready to go international, Escape Campervans also has locations in Calgary and Alberta, Canada!
Wandervans
Wandervans offers van conversions built on different models of the Ford Transit. You can go with their “Big Van” rental, which features a raised-roof and more than enough space for two people. Or opt for their compact “Small Van” rental, built on the Ford Transit XLT (a passenger van without a raised roof). Wandervans has locations in:
Boise, ID
Coeur d’Alene, ID & Spokane, WA
Phoenix, AZ
San Francisco, CA
Duluth, MN
Salt Lake City, UT
Las Vegas, NV
Wandervans lists a range of road trip adventures in all of its locations as well! From national park, music festival, glamping, hiking, skiing, mountain biking and SUPing recommendations, they want to make sure you have a good time.
Native Camper Van Rentals
Native Camper Van rentals have a great West Coast presence. Their vans are built on different models of the Dodge RAM Promaster. Their biggest van, “The Biggie”, boasts a raised roof, solar power, queen bed (memory foam mattress), and dine-in kitchen. Or you can opt for “The Smalls”, if fuel efficiency and low costs are the most important to you. The Smalls is built on a Dodge RAM Promaster City, the compact version of the Promaster. Native Camper Vans has locations in:
Denver, CO
Salt Lake City, UT
Las Vegas, NV
Los Angeles, CA
Travellers Autobarn
Travellers Autobarn offers anything from super tiny minivan campervan rentals, to raised-roof Ford Transit conversions. They have really flexible options, such as free unlimited miles and different pickup and drop-off location deals. They mainly have locations on the west coast, including:
Los Angeles, CA
San Francisco, CA
Seattle, WA
Las Vegas, NV
Denver, CO
They also partner with some campgrounds across the west coast and offer 10% discounts.
Van Craft Rentals
Van Craft rents out a range of camper van styles, from big ‘ol Mercedes Sprinters to their new compact Nissan NV 200 van conversions. They even offer rooftop tents you can add to your van for more sleep space and a chance to stargaze! Van Craft has locations in:
Salt Lake City, UT
Denver, CO
San Diego, CA
Boho Camper Van Rentals
Boho van rentals are built on new Dodge RAM Promaster vans. As their name suggests, their vans have a sleek and chic exterior, with a boho-vibe, wooded cabin interior. They have van rental locations in:
You can also buy a customized camper van through Boho, if you’re ready to fully commit to van life!
Britz RV Rentals
Britz is mainly focused on Class A and C RVs– not Class B campervans. So they don’t exactly fit the mold of this article, but they’re a great (worldwide) option if you want a big, comfortable RV to rent!
Britz offers rentals across New Zealand, Australia and the USA! Their website states, “All vehicles are 4-berth models, guaranteed 2020-2021 models and equipped with large permanent rear and cab-over beds.” Britz offers certain add-ons such as camp chairs, awnings, generators and more. They also offer certain one-way road trips! They have USA locations in:
Denver, CO
Las Vegas, NV
Los Angeles, CA
San Francisco, CA
Seattle, WA
New York, NY
Orlando, FL
Britz also shares epic road trip itineraries to some of the most beautiful US national parks, making it that much easier to plan your trip.
Rental Vans for One-Way Road Trips
A one-way road trip means you pick up the van rental in a different location than you drop it off. One-way road trips are great for those on a tight schedule, who don’t want to lose a day or more just backtracking to their original pickup spot. You’ll also save money on fuel costs and mileage.
But one-way road trip rentals typically include an additional fee and are usually only available between cities with major airports. Most platforms or rental companies that offer one-way road trips only do so between cities within the same state, or neighboring states. Very few offer cross-country options.
Van Rental Companies That Offer One-Way Road Trips
I found a handful of campervan rental companies that give you the option to drop off a van in a different location than you picked it up. These include:
Van Rental Platforms That Offer One-Way Road Trips
Technically, van rental platforms are at the mercy of each private van owner on whether or not they want to offer one-way rentals. The following van rental platforms give you the option, but also make it clear that you have to confirm a one-way rental with the van’s owner.
4x4 Van Rentals
If you’re looking for an AWD or 4WD van to rent, there are a handful of van models that offer 4×4 drivetrain to look out for. You can get a full breakdown of these vans in my 4×4 Adventure Vans article, but here’s a quick list of 4×4 models:
Winnebago 4×4 Revel
Storyteller Overland Beast Mode
Airstream Interstate 24X
Oasis Sienna Campervan
Sportsmobile Classic 4×4
Modvan CV1
Vandoit Quigley 4×4
Thor Motor Coach Sanctuary
Pleasure-Way Rekon 4×4
Your best bet on finding these for rent is using a peer-to-peer van rental platform like Outdoorsy or RVShare. You can also go directly to the manufacturer’s website to see if they rent them there. ***Except Oasis Sienna Campervans, which are exclusively built-out by Oasis Van Rental company.
But heads up, 4×4 van rentals cost more than your regular FWD or RWD vans. They are also unnecessary for van life 99% of the time, unless you plan on doing extreme hardcore off-roading or winter van life.
Summing It Up
Are you ready to start hunting for your dream road trip campervan? I hope this guide gets you started on the right foot! Just remember, it’s not the amenities or even necessarily the destinations that make road trips memorable–it’s who you get to share it with and all of the little nuances in-between!