Renting a car for a roadtrip from Vancouver? Try a Campervan!

Canada is an enormous place… There are infinite places to explore especially on the west coast. Beaches, mountains, prairies, deserts… Canada has so much to offer. When you throw the USA into the mix, the list of places you can visit becomes a bit overwhelming! However, with a vehicle, you can zip around to these places relatively quickly and enjoy what North America has to offer at your own pace. Most people think first to rent a car and find separate accommodations. But let me introduce you to a different concept… a CAMPERVAN! Accommodations and transportation in one!

Accommodation

Car Rental

Renting a car can be a great option especially if you are an international traveller to Vancouver! However, all accommodation has to be separately arranged. That can be AirBnb’s, hotels, motels, etc. The quality and price can vary significantly based on numerous factors. It is important to look at seasonal pricing and also the location of where you are looking to visit. For example, nightly prices in Banff and Tofino can hit the upward ranges of $500/night. Destinations with high volumes of tourists will drive up prices as you can see in the chart below.

The main benefit of hotels and separate accommodations is the space. It is no secret that a hotel room is bigger than a van! However, space sometimes costs an arm and a leg for your vacation! Below is an average accommodation price chart of various times of the year for popular locations. Prices can be slightly lower/higher. This is simply what you can expect when visiting these places for a couple nights.

*prices taken from Expedia.ca for 2 person, 1 room accommodations

Q Campervan

The main benefit of renting a campervan is you truly have a home on wheels. You want to stop by a lake for lunch and cook? You can have that. You want to have unbeatable bedside views of the ocean, mountains, and beaches? You can have that too. The flexibility of where you stay for the night is incomparable with other accommodations. Home is where you park it.

Oh! I almost forgot to mention… Q Campervans are PET-FRIENDLY!

Packed with character and love, Q Campervans have everything you need for both transportation and accommodation. We have gotten comments that our vans are better equipped than some Air BnB’s. With a fridge, cooktop, full-size bed with linens, outdoor shower with towels and faceclothes, complete cooking supplies, cleaning supplies, sink, plenty of storage, porti-potti, and an electrical system that you can run any household appliance on… Q Campervans are fully-equipped for any adventure.

Here are the average costs of a Q Campervan for those same dates. If you notice, the price of a van is the cheaper than accommodations alone (chart above), just wait till you add the cost of a rental car on top of that!

Cost

Car Rental

Now lets add in the price of a rental car on top of the price of accommodations. Not only is it significantly more expensive, but requires much more planning and research when booking your trip. Below is average prices of a sedan and SUV rental.

Q Campervan

The results are in! Here is the cost of a Q Campervan compared to the cost of a rental car and accomodations. On average it is between $100-$220 cheaper to rent a fully-stocked van for your next road-trip. Prices are before insurance for both a campervan and rental car. Of course there are other costs associated with each option, but my goal is to compare the bulk price for both.

Flexibility

Car Rental

Rental cars are extremely quick in transportation between destinations and points of interest, but again you are limited to where you have booked accommodations. Wherever you are staying for the night determines where you can go, where you can eat, and the flexibility of your days. Don’t get me wrong, having a rental car makes your flexibility in your trip very comparable to a campervan, but the freedom of movement is slightly more restricted

Q Campervan

Now imagine if you can bring your “home” with you. Want to stay shorter/longer in a certain destination? Want to bring your food with you and cook at the base of your hike? Don’t want to worry about check-in/check-out times? This is a huge reason to rent a van. You aren’t restricted by accommodations, because you have ultimate freedom!

Comfort

Car Rental

This point is all based on preference. If you are not adventurous or don’t enjoy “glamping” as you would in a campervan, then booking separate accommodations with a rental car is probably the best decision for you. Hotels and Air BnB’s offer a level of comfort and privacy that no campervan will be able to compare to. Full bathrooms and large spacious sleeping arrangements are the benefit of this option. This is strictly personal preference.

If you are adventurous but really want to “Glamp” with everything a hotel room would have… then it is better to rent an RV or trailer. Just keep in mind that these will cost a lot more than a Q Campervan and restrict flexibility in terms of what campsites you can stay at and where you can park. It is not uncommon for a large high roof campervan, motor-home, or RV to cost around $400/night.

Q Campervan

There is no doubt that a hotel room will provide more comfort than a campervan in terms of space. If you don’t like small spaces, don’t rent a campervan. However, with a memory foam mattress, heated blankets, and roof fans, there is no doubt that a Q Campervan at night can rival that of any other accommodation. Furthermore, most of our vans have swivel seats and box chairs that make sitting inside very easy. Connecting with nature and being able to explore places with a mobile home is more-so what a van has to offer. With this in mind, if your main goal is extremely high levels of spacious comfort on your road-trip, a campervan from any company probably isn’t for you.

Experience

Car Rental

A car rental is a more conventional and comfortable way to experience Canada but lacks the flexibility, experiential, and convenience of a campervan. If most of your attractions and destinations are “urban” like exploring restaurants and the towns/cities themselves, then a rental car is definitely the better option. If that is the type of trip you are planning, the benefits of a campervan are essentially negligible.

Q Campervan

If you are looking to experience nature right outside your door, have complete freedom for your entire trip and unlock your adventurous personality, then a campervan will be perfect for you! It is sometimes hard to explain how amazing it is to stop anywhere and cook, sleep, or relax… Whether you are surfing at tofino, hiking the mountains of the Rockies, or exploring the beaches of Vancouver island, a campervan will allow you to authentically experience these destinations. A mini house on wheels is simply a different experience. The trend of vanlife went viral for a reason, and it is here to stay!