So I’ve already asked some questions about this, but we’re planning a road trip up the east coast of the US for this summer. I was checking accomodation rates in Lonely Planet and my God the east coast is pricey. So we’re considering staying in campsites for part of our trip. We’re not sure if we should do it with a tent or rent a camper van though. Here are some things we need to consider:
We will be staying in cities as well. (Atlanta, Boston, NYC) I’m afraid a camper van will be a hassle when we’re in a city.
If we rent a camper van it will have to be one way as we’re planning to start in Atlanta and end up in Maine. (We’ll probably fly out from NYC.)
We’re going to rent a car anyway so maybe a camper can would end up being cheaper if we figure that into it?
At the moment I’m pretty sure that camping with a tent would end up being cheaper, but we’re not sure what we’d do with the equipment afterwards. We won’t have time to stick around and sell it on craigslist or anything. Do places take camping equipment donations? The stuff will only be a month old by then.
You can always call a Salvation Army or Goodwill in the city you know you will be ending in and ask if they take things like that. Camping equipment is usually a YES but a Tent may be a NO, due to size restraints. ( You can always donate it to either place and if they don’t use it, the guys on the dock ( receiving) grab it up for themselves (paying a nominal fee.)
Alternately use the internet to find the local boy sprout troop in the area you need to rid yourself of the camping supplies and give it to them, proper camping gear can be expensive and they are always open to donations.
Have you slept in either a camper van or a tent in the past? Sleeping in a camper is like a cheap motel. Sleeping in a tent is sleeping outdoors. You may have to deal with heavy rain, really hot temperatures, etc. etc. I wouldn’t recommend your first experience with living in a tent being a month long vacation.
Having said that, driving a camper around Boston will suck. Make sure your hotels have garages nearby large enough to take a camper.
Both are great points. A tent is not a camper which is not a hotel room. You have to have an inflatable bed and good shower facilities. If you have to wait in line or walk 1/4 mile it gets old quickly. Trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night is an actual trip. You will also have to strike the tent each day so setting it up will be part of the routine. I go camping once a year and after a week of it I am ready for civilization.
And Boston, wow, you have never experienced crazy until you drive there. Word of caution, a turn signal from a car at the curb is not a request to be let in. It’s an announcement of fact.
Twere it me, I’d go with renting a small RV. This way you get a toilet for the road, and save big on meals because you can cook. You also don’t have the hassle of using public facilities. Especially if you are traveling with kids!
I’ve looked intot his for traveling with the Celtling, and you can rent one with a small shower and toilet for 34 per night plus .32 per mile. Heckuva lot cheaper than hotels and restaurants. for a montht hough, you’d have to stay at a couple of RV lots along the way to empty and re-fill the various tanks. . . don’t know what that costs.
You don’t give much info, but the fact that you don’t already own camping gear, would tend to indicate that you are not prepared for a month of living rough. Just a guess.
When you say “camper van” I’m visualizing something like the illustration for “a small class B campervan.” If this is what you mean, I think this would be a good solution for you. Driving the van is very similar to a car, so you should have no problem there, even in the cities. The only time it might cause concern is in a parking structure with a low clearance, but they also make camper vans without the higher roof extension if that’s a worry for you.
I would much rather sleep in one of those than in a tent. You don’t have to worry about the rain and wind, and you don’t have to try to find a place to pitch your tent. Most Wal-Marts will let you park your RV in their parking lot overnight if you get stuck for a place to stay, but that won’t work with a tent.
For Boston/NYC I would not not not bring a camper (even Camper class B) into the City. Aside from the non-fun of driving such a vehicle on narrow, badly paved streets, parallel parking that bad boy will take a couple years off your life. Plus, in New York there are highways with low bridges, and depending on the height of your vehicle you might be restricted on where you can drive, making getting where you’re going even more complicated.
Instead, I would park in a secure location outside the city (at an airport park & ride in Newark, for example) and use mass transit to get into the city.
I would camp, but I like to camp. Buy a decent air bed and it will probably be just as comfortable as the beds I’ve seen in some campers.
If you’ve got a whole month, why not just drive back down so you don’t have get rid of the camping equipment or suffer the expense of a 1-way rental? I’m sure you could work out different routes up and down so you’re not seeing the same stuff twice. Or take your time going up and then do the drive down in just a couple days.
When inquiring about the costs of renting an rv/van, make sure to clarify that this will be a one-way trip. Rates are typically higher for a one-way trip and I imagine this could be especially so with a relatively rare vehicle like an RV.
If going the tent route, it seems feasible that you could buy the equipment, take a few pics, post an ad to CL in your destination city, and arrange for the actual sale to go through when you get there. Of course this would be rather dicey since if that buyer flakes out at the last minute you would be sunk. Not that I would want to go the camping route anyway.
Former Boston driver here: what is this “turn signal” of which you speak?
Actually, the Boston driving idiom is not so much crazy as different. But to the uninitiated (i.e. anyone with less than several months experience) it’s not far from crazy.
To the OP: A camper the size of a small-to-normal van will be something of a nuisance in a city, but manageable. Anything bigger will probably be a major hassle. But tent camping in a city is probably the most unworkable of these three options.
What about renting a SUV or a van? Depending on the SUV, you should be able to fold the seats down and lay down in the back. It might be a bit cozy, but a full-sized one shoult have plenty of room. A van might be even better. All you’d need would be some sleeping pads/air mattress and sleeping bags (or even just some blankets). No need to set up and take down a tent–just toss stuff in the back and go.
I’m not understanding the need to ditch the camping equipment. If you’re flying then it is return luggage. If you’re driving then it sits in your closet or under the bed for future use or resale.
I agree with blondebear. Renting just an SUV would probably suit your purposes and be more useful in the long run. Plus sleeping in one with an air mattress is no big hassle either. I highly recommend it.
That’s good to know that we have some place to give away the equipment - I’d hate to just throw it away after a month’s use.