Ever since my friends Bettina and Kyle started living their dream on the road, I always wanted to vanlife myself. So of course I had to say YES when Bettina asked me to join their vanlife trip with Cabanavan. My vanlife roadtrip with Cabanavan was an absolute dream and I will definitely do it again. Living on the road leaves you with feeling of freedom that I had not felt before. You wake up in surrounded by nature and enjoy the most gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. “Home is where you park it” is the perfect quote that summarizes my feelings towards vanlife.

In this blogpost I want to give you an overview of my experience traveling with Cabanavan. I will tell you how much it costs to rent the Cabanavan, what features the Cabanavan includes, where you camp with the van for free and how I liked the life on the road.

Where can I rent the Cabanavan?

You can rent and pick up your Cabanavan in Los Angeles or Seattle. Flights from Chicago to LA can be found for less than 100 $ roundtrip 🙂 If you want to read more about Chicago, check out my blogpost about this gorgeous city.

Both cities offer two pick-up locations:

Los Angeles: West Hollywood or Culver City
Seattle: Ballard or Capitol Hill

How does it work?

The booking process is super easy and is available through the Cabana App (available for Android and iOS) and through the website as well. Once downloaded the app you can go ahead and book and check in through the app – everything is super easy. Just pick the preferred travel dates, pick up and drop off locations and your van. The check-in process is also super easy and works through the app. You don’t have to check in at the counter, just drive to your pick up location, unlock the van with the app and start your rental. A physical vehicle key will be available inside the glove box of the driving cabin. Check out works the same way, also through the app and counterless.

What does the van include?

The van has everything you need to be honest and almost feels like a hotel room on wheels. It comes with

a kitchen (stove, fridge, sink, lots of storage for kitchen utilities)

bathroom with shower and toilet

a huge comfortable bed

storage for your clothes

a heater

a TV, and more!

Honestly, you really have everything you need to make yourself comfortable living on the road. Like I said, this was the first time for me living on the road and experiencing vanlife and I am so happy I tried Cabanavan. If you want to learn more about the Cabanavan features, check out the highly detailed FAQ section on their website. They answer all frequently asked questions that you might have.

Where can I camp and park my van?

There are several campgrounds or National Parks around the USA where you can park your van and stay the night. But usually, these campgrounds also come with additional cost per night. If you are looking to reduce your expense and save money you need to look for BLM- managed public lands where you can park for free. We used the iOverlander app to find campsites to spend the night at. Make sure to do a lot of research on campsites as well because the information on their might be outdated.

Cabanavan rates and current offers

The cost for a van without a kitchen per night depend on the time of year, but you can usually find one for $200 per night before taxes. These cost already include insurance, cleaning, and booking fees. The vans with kitchens are slightly more expensive. Book your van here.

In Summery

Overall, I really enjoyed living on the road for a while and would do it again anytime. The feeling of freedom that comes with it is makes it such a unique experience. I loved waking up with a view and being so close to nature, but still having the comfort of having a bed and a kitchen with you. If you love being outdoors and want to experience nature and freedom in a different way, make sure to try out vanlife!