California – CamperVan Experience
For a longtime, Rebecca and I looked into campervans for different trips around California or Utah. Finally, when realizing that there are not many options around Death Valley National Park, we opted for the full campervan experience. We got a campground spot at Furnace Creek, centrally located in the middle of Death Valley. Rebecca grew up camping, while I (Hanna) grew up day-hiking. Although I have camped before, I am not always keen on the idea of not showering for a couple days. Luckily, we took the chance, because our campervan experience in Death Valley was a blast.
The CamperVan Experience
After doing a bit of research on what campervan companies rent from Los Angeles, we decided to go with Lost Campers. We really liked how low profile these campervans were – they look like normal mom vans and do not scream “I’m a tourist!”. They also have a lower price point and decent pick-up location, both of which made us happy.
Their rental facilities are quite compact. I am impressed by how many vans they are able to service and maintain from this location! It took us about an hour to go over all of the rental terms, walk-around for damage, and demonstration of how to pull the bed out. I am glad we had this demonstration because it was nearly dark by the time we were unfurling our bed that evening.
Our campervan had a name: Chrissy Boy. Chrissy Boy did not have a sink or other fancy items, but did include all the necessities. I would not say that the van we had would be suitable for more than two people.
At a Glance
- Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars, would absolutely do it again.
- Location: Different companies have different starting offices
- Restrooms: Most do not have restrooms on board.
Highlights:
- Always have whatever you brought with you – change of clothes, snacks, etc.
- Park/sleep in the National Park, making it easier to dawn-patrol popular areas.
- Protected from the weather/wind and noise of campground shenanigans.
- Can pull out the bed and take a nap whenever.
Lowlights:
- Not as efficient with gas as the prius (haha).
One thing to note that I did not realize when I booked with Lost Campervans is the included insurance did not cover Death Valley National Park. We have other car insurance contacts, but this made me hesitant to even consider going to further locations like the Racetrack in Death Valley. I wonder if they have had too many issues with people going to Death Valley in the past. Also calculate your mileage before you book, we had to buy more than the 100/day that is included.
The CamperVan Experience
Chrissy Boy, our campervan, drove like a champ. One engine light did come on, but upon reading Lost Camper’s handy instructions, we were able to figure out that it was not an issue. It took us about 5 to 5.5 hours to get to Death Valley, which was expected with a couple stops. At first our campervan felt huge on the road, but we quickly realized we had decent agility. At the campground, we were among the smaller camping vehicles. Mileage is to be expected for this size vehicle.
On the day we went to Badwater Basin, Artist’s Drive, and did the Golden Valley Hike, the weather warmed up considerably then cooled way down as the winds picked up. I did two partial outfit changes during the day into cooler clothes, then warmer. It was amazing to have access to everything I brought with me for the trip.
At lunch, we were tempted to pull over anywhere to make ourselves a sandwich. Although tempted, we decided to drive back to our campground for a proper heated meal and a quick snooze. It was wonderful to have a full comfortable bed to get out of the weather for a moment. During our siesta, the wind started to pick up. Little did we know the wind would remain a constant through the rest of our visit.
Sleeping in the CamperVan
With the kitchen materials included with the campervan, we were able to create delicious, hot vegan meals during our trip. There was tabletop burner included (we provided the gas), pots and pans, plates and bowls, knives, forks, and spoons, and a variety of cups. One thing I would recommend bringing is a small amount of dish soap. Although there is a bucket, I am glad we stayed at a campground that had water available to wash our dishes.
The beds, which folds out at the seat level of the back seats. It is a thick mattress with a sheet. Once the proper pegs are in place, we stood at each door to make the bed with top sheet and blankets. We brought extra blankets, but the car held enough heat throughout the night that it was not an issue. The bed size seemed slightly smaller than a full-sized bed, which is super impressive, considering we were in a van! It felt a little like our feet were lower than our heads at the back of the van, but overall it was very comfortable sleeping experience.
One great thing about being able to close the van doors is that the sounds of other people moving around the campground were muffled. There are small curtains around the back of the van, but they do not fit the entire windows, so it made changing at night a little tricky. Lastly, when the bed is unfurled, it was not possible for us to sit fully upright on the bed. This was not an issue when sleeping, of course, but doing anything else while in bed provided us with an excellent ab workout!
Overall Thoughts
To my great surprise, I absolutely loved our CamperVan Experience. I loved having access to food and a bed at any time as well as being able to be already inside a National Park. We were able to spend way more time doing activities in the park (Badwater Basin at sunrise, Artist’s Drive and Artist’s Palette, Mesquite Sand Dunes, and Golden Canyon Hike to name a few), rather than driving out to an Airbnb for dinner or go to bed. I also loved not standing out with our CamperVan. As a California local, I don’t need extra attention to my vehicle. I am so glad we found a reasonable price with Lost Campers and had a fantastic long weekend in Death Valley National Park.
Where should Rebecca and I go for our next campervan experience? Let us know in the comments!
Happy Travels,
Hanna