Who doesn’t love a cheeky adventure with close to no costs involved?
If you could extend your outdoor expeditions to overnight stays, without the need to carry all your equipment including a tent, would you?
The sense of independence without all the baggage attached to your back, car-camping is a tempting option if you’re willing to take your chances and go for a car camping adventure!
For us, 2021 will surely be a year of car camping and we will not have to rely on paid accommodation for most of our travels.
So, how exactly do we define car camping and how are we getting ready to have the best experience possible?
Car camping
What is car camping?
Any time you’ll be spending the night in your car sleeping, either inside or in a roof tent, you’ll be car camping.
It’s more affordable than a motorhome and can be done in most of the medium or bigger cars you see on the road everyday. Moreover, if the terrain you’re exploring is rough, a car is much more suited to conquering the gravel roads and sneaking through narrow streets than a campervan or motorhome.
Also, car camping is much more stealthy, so with appropriate equipment, you should be able to spend your night in a variety of locations without the worry of being discovered!
Tips for car camping
There’s a couple of precautions to consider when you’re camping in a car. You need to remember, that in a lot of places car camping is either illegal or in a grey area – so be careful and respectful towards the neighbourhood you’re staying in. No matter if it’s a forest, a random parking lot by the cemetery or a truck rest-stop.
Think about car camping as wild camping. We have an article on wild camping tips, but here we will share more tailored advice from previous car camping excursions to Croatia and Georgia.
- Check all liquids (oil, coolant, screen wash) before leaving
- Keep a spare pair of gloves (or “borrow” a couple pairs of single-use plastic ones on your next visit to the petrol station when you…)
- Fill up the tank - and avoid anxiety of a lack of petrol stations. You can also save some time and money by going to a cheap petrol station instead of searching for one on the way
- Pitch late and pack early. Yes, you might end up eating in the darkness. Sorry!
- Get a nice table light you can also hang on the open boot rim. It will help you navigate through your evening routine during the night.
- Close all your car doors and windows before sleeping, if you sleep on the roof. Keep a gap in one window if you sleep inside to avoid condensation
- Keep the car keys within reach (you can have them on a lanyard on your neck)
- Have spare bin bags for all the rubbish you create cooking and snacking on the way. Oh wait - did somebody say ‘road trip snacks’ (link)?
- Stay organised by keeping your belongings in crates or boxes. One box for the kitchen equipment, one box for the clothes, another box for electronics etc.
- Make insulated window covers to retain temperature inside your car, especially during colder months. Here we got Ethan’s guide on making your own window covers (link)
What is the best car for camping?
Honestly, the best car for camping will be one you already have. Give it a couple of tries before you get a vehicle completely kitted out and dedicated to camping adventures. Unless you own something really small like a Peugeot 107, then we recommend buying or renting out a roof tent (your car needs to have railings). Make a test setup at home by folding down your seats, putting a mattress, pillow and a sleeping bag to get a better understanding of how it’ll feel when you’re staying away from home.
Even a very modest car can be a great choice for camping, so don’t hesitate and just give it a go! It will most likely be better than you expected it to be.
If it’s a diesel and you plan to camp in the winter months, you can mount a diesel heater inside and enjoy the cosy nights just like at home! It’s definitely a good idea to pick a diesel over petrol engines, especially for longevity and fuel efficiency. And the warm nights, of course.
Summary
So, will you try car camping this year?
The incredible independence, the convenience and the ease of setup are all excellent reasons to give car camping a go in 2021.
Who knows, maybe you’ll love it enough to carry on and go on a full-blast adventure for a couple of days?
We loved our road-trip in Croatia, where we explored the whole country in an old (but feisty) VW Golf with a roof-tent.
