GoneCamper minivan campers are welcome in any campground. Save Money! Take advantage of the quiet tent sites.
Everywhere you travel you will find nice, quiet campgrounds. You have lots of options:
1. Private campgrounds, ranging from small parks in rural areas to huge camping resorts.
2. National forest campgrounds and campsites in national parks
3. State park campgrounds
4. County park campgrounds
5. Municipal camping areas, city parks and fair grounds.
There are many online and printed directories that list camping opportunities in your area. Check with state and local tourist info centers for maps and brochures. Check also with area RV dealers. You can even look up camping areas on Google maps.
KOA campsite designated for tents and small trailers, Glacier National Park
All these campground options have several things in common. First, there is usually a fee. Your cost to camp will range from as low as $10.00 per night in some minimal forest campgrounds (although we have found some FREE national forest campgrounds) to over $50.00 per night in camping resorts with lots of amenities.
Second, there is usually a range of campsite options. Most campgrounds have sites that are accessible to larger RV’s including motor homes and fifth wheel trailers. But most campgrounds - even the big, swanky RV resorts - usually have a few campsites set aside for tents and small trailers. These are often smaller sites around the perimeter of the campground. A "tent" site is what you need to ask for when you register.
GoneCamper fits in "tent campsites" - just WITHOUT the tent!
Likewise, most campgrounds have a range of fees based on the facilities that you require (that is, sewer, water, electricity and TV.) Your GoneCamper minivan conversion doesn’t need ANY facilities! You are self-contained and this means that while the big motor homes are paying $50 to $80 per night, you will probably pay $10 or $20.
You will still have access to water to refill your container, but the faucet may be a few campsites down from yours. You will still have access to the restroom, showers and laundry facilities (if any.) You will also have access to any other amenities like the beach, hiking trails, or maybe a swimming pool. And you will still have access to the trash receptacles so you can unload any garbage you have accumulated in the past days.
Note that some small National Forest campgrounds are reserved for “tents only”. This is because the campground is tight up against rocks or rivers and there just is not room for vehicles with trailers. Also, the roads into these campgrounds are narrow and may have low overhanging trees that prevent access for larger RV’s or even taller pickup campers. Of course, your GoneCamper minivan will slip through these obstacles with ease!
Manzanita Campground in the Coconino National Forest, north of Sedona, AZ
The bottom line is your GoneCamper minivan conversion will save you money and literally pay for itself because you can utilize the cheapest campsites available in every campground. A campsite designed for a tent will still have a parking place for your minivan – and that’s all you need! (We have sometimes paid for a tent site only to be assigned to a larger RV site, we assume to even out the usage of the campground?)
Two cautions about designated tent campsites: We usually decline the “walk-in” sites that require you to park in a small area and then carry everything to the campsite another 50 or 100 feet away. Obviously, you don’t want the kitchen in the back of the minivan to be 100 feet away from the picnic table and fire ring. And you probably don’t want to camp in the parking area that may be right along the main road through the campground. Secondly, if you arrive at your tent campsite sight unseen after being assigned by the office and find that the parking space is unusable because of a steep slant, simply drive straight back and ask to be relocated. Just explain that your kitchen in the rear of the van is unusable unless you have a level parking space.
A level parking spot - NEXT to the grassy tent area
One question that is asked, “What if the campground host asks why you don’t have a tent?” Just be honest, smile and say that you grew up and traded sleeping on the ground in a tent for a comfortable bed in the minivan. Everyone will understand! And if they insist that you must have a tent to use these campsites you can ask if a pop-up shelter qualifies – see Part Five for more ideas to increase the efficiency of your minivan camper, including carrying a pop-up dining shelter and/or toilet tent.
Finally, you may find some tent campsites include water and electricity in the overnight fee. Some campgrounds have sites that are suitable for small trailers and/or tents and ALL have water spigots and outlets. If that is the case, get your money’s worth. With access to power you can operate your laptop, charge all your devices and convert your 12-volt cooler to 120-volt AC overnight! To take advantage of this opportunity, carry a 25-foot extension cord, a small multi-outlet strip, and a 120-volt adapter for the 12-volt Coleman cooler. These items will take up little space in your miscellaneous tote.
Next, we will discuss “boondocking”, that is, camping in the back country without the facilities of a campground.
“Traveling Efficiently, Camping Comfortably, Living Frugally”
