A Reverie guide to van camping 101
One of the best things about van camping is that you can park and sleep ALMOST anywhere. Camping at developed campgrounds or in dispersed campsites offers the most traditional camping experience, sometimes with water and electric hookups at your site! This is always great because you can book amazing spots in gorgeous National Parks in advance so you know exactly where you will be ending your day.
Personally, we prefer more primitive campsites called boondocking or dry camping, which offers few amenities (and often none) our well-equipped camper van is PERFECT for this. A great resource to find great sites is The Dyrt, a user-generated directory with lots of filters to find the perfect place to stay. With solar panels and 20 gallons of fresh water to last you for days on end if you manage your resources well, Alma can get you off the grid and into adventure with little sacrifice in comfort. No matter where you camp, pack out all trash and follow the rest of the Leave No Trace principles anywhere you decide to pull up for the night.
On a longer van road trips where getting to the destination is the priority, there are plenty of options for overnight parking lot camping. Many casinos and retail stores (Walmart, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, and Cracker Barrel) allow free overnight parking for self contained vans. A great place to seek out options is Campendium!
