Finding Places to Stay While on the Road
The difficulty of finding a place to stay while on the road will be dependent on where you are and your budget. I spent summer out west in Arizona and didn't have to pay for campsites, but now that I’m in Florida, I’ve paid for the majority of them. This is due to the difference in land availability, population, and the season. Vanlife is also more common out west so it is easier to find more places that others have stayed at. I am going to talk about how to find both free and paid sites to stay at because both are great options.
iOverlander
Price: The app is free and most sites listed are free but established campsites can be included as well.
This is a big one for vanlife, you’ll probably see it mentioned in most blogs, videos, etc. IOverlander is an app that provides free campsites, parking lots, and street parking options. It also shows some showers, places to fill up water, and dump sites. I used this frequently while I was out West because a lot of the places are reviewed by others living in vans and it’s nice to see what there experiences have been. The app itself does take some getting used to but overall I never had a bad experience using this tool.
Google Maps
Price: Depends on what site you are staying at- could be a parking lot or an established campsite.
If you want to find an established campsite, you can easily search campsites in the area, I have found most of my Florida sites with a simple Google search. You can find some free sites by searching Primitive Camping but those are more sparse.
National Forests
Price: usually free but some require a cheap camping permit
National Forest usually allow primitive camping, you just need to check the website for more information about what is allowed. Typically they allow you to stay for up to 14 days within the national forest. None of the ones that I have stayed at have bathroom or water facilities so you have to fend for yourself.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Price: Free
Similar to the National Forest land, BLM usually allows primitive camping and doesn’t offer facilities. The locations are posted on their website and the amount of land available varies per state.
Hipcamp
Price: sign up is free but site prices vary
I was just recently introduced to HipCamp and am currently staying at my second HipCamp location. I tend to compare it to Airbnb because it connects hosts with travelers. A lot of the sites are unique; last week I camped at a winery/vineyard and this week I am staying at a farm, surrounded by horses, chickens, sheep, etc. I will most likely use HipCamp or WWOOF to find all of my sites down south because they are more abundant than the free sites.
WWOOF
Price: The year long membership is $40
I personally have never stayed at a WWOOF site due to working while on the road, but I know a bit about how it works and would like to utilize it in the near future. Essentially, it allows you to connect with a host and work on their farm for a few hours a day in exchange for food and housing. I am hoping to utilize this in the near future because I think working on a farm is a great way to meet locals as well.
Parking Lots
Price: Free
I have spent a decent number of nights in parking lots because they are quick to find when I am moving around and not sure what town I’ll end up in for the night. My go-to place is Cracker Barrell, most locations have RV parking so they are fully aware that folks stay the night in the parking lot. There are often RVs and other Vans whenever I am there. I have also stayed the night parked at Walmart and Planet Fitness.
I have never had a bad experience staying in a parking lot, but I try to keep a low profile by getting there as late as I can and avoid getting out of my van.
