Best van travel destinations
Best van travel destinations
Scenic coastal road pull-offs and open wilderness camper routes
Van travel rewards destinations with genuinely good road networks, scenic variety within reasonable driving distance and enough infrastructure, such as campsites, fuel and services, to support extended time on the road without constant logistics. The best regions for it tend to combine all three over a large enough area to justify the format.
The destinations on this list range from established van-life routes with decades of road-trip culture to newer destinations only recently opened up by improved infrastructure. Some suit a loop of a few weeks. Others could fill months without repeating a single stretch of road. Joining online forums dedicated to the specific route can also reveal genuinely useful, up-to-date advice from travellers who've recently completed it.
Researching overnight rules and seasonal road closures in advance avoids most of the problems that catch van travellers out, particularly in remote regions.
Lists by region
State/Prefecture in United States
California
Golden State of Endless Experiences
Bixby Creek Bridge opened in 1932 to carry Highway 1 across a Big Sur canyon. Its tall concrete arch is a favourite photo stop for road trippers. Van campers can stay at Kirk Creek Campground on a bluff above the Pacific. Grey whales pass close to shore here during their winter migration.
State/Prefecture in United States
Utah
Nature's dramatic red rock playground
Arches National Park holds more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches. Delicate Arch, a freestanding red sandstone loop, appears on Utah number plates. Van campers can park on public BLM land outside the nearby town of Moab. Canyonlands National Park is a short drive southwest of Moab.
Region in Mexico
Baja California Sur
Desert meets ocean adventure land
Bahía Concepción is a long bay with beaches right beside Mexico Highway 1. Playa El Requesón has a sandbar that leads to a small island at low tide. Campers park vans on the sand beside calm turquoise water. Mulegé, a small palm filled oasis town, sits just north.
State/Prefecture in United States
Oregon
Diverse Landscapes and Outdoor Wonders
A 1967 law called the Beach Bill keeps all of Oregon's ocean beaches open to the public. Highway 101 follows the coast for about 360 miles. Van travellers can camp at state parks such as Fort Stevens near Astoria. Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach rises 235 feet from the sand.
National Park in Canada
Banff National Park
Majestic Peaks and Turquoise Lakes
The Icefields Parkway runs 232 kilometres north from Lake Louise to Jasper. Peyto Lake glows a bright turquoise from a viewpoint just off the road. Van campers can stay at national park campsites along the route. Bighorn sheep and black bears often appear beside the highway.
State/Prefecture in United States
Alaska
Land of superlatives and adventure
A gravel bar about four and a half miles long reaches into Kachemak Bay near Homer. Campers park on the Homer Spit in paid beachside spots. Mountains and glaciers rise across the water from the windshield. Fishing boats and bald eagles crowd the harbour at the far tip.
Region
Patagonia
Untamed Beauty at the End of the World
Perito Moreno Glacier pushes a blue ice wall into Lago Argentino near El Calafate. The wall rises about 60 metres above the water. Van travellers cross the windy steppe along Ruta 40 to reach the region. Huge chunks of ice regularly crash into the lake with a loud roar.
Region in United Kingdom
Scotland
Mystic Highlands and Historic Castles
The Old Man of Storr is a rock pinnacle about 50 metres tall on the Isle of Skye. It stands among jagged basalt spires left by an ancient landslide. Van travellers can reach Skye by road over the bridge at Kyleakin. Glenbrittle campsite sits close to the Fairy Pools walking path.
Island in Australia
Tasmania
Wilderness, Wildlife and Wild Coasts
Orange lichen covers the granite boulders along the Bay of Fires on Tasmania's northeast coast. White sand beaches stretch for kilometres beside clear turquoise water. Van travellers can camp at simple coastal sites such as Cosy Corner. Freycinet National Park and Wineglass Bay lie further south along the same coast.
Region in France
Provence
Sunlit lavender fields and historic villages
Lavender blooms across the Valensole plateau from late June until mid July. Purple rows stretch towards the horizon beside quiet country roads. Members of the France Passion network can overnight at local farms and vineyards across the region. Sénanque Abbey near Gordes is another classic spot for lavender photos.
State/Prefecture in Australia
Western Australia
Sunset dunes and crystal coastlines
Ningaloo Reef runs close to shore for about 260 kilometres along the Coral Coast. Whale sharks gather off the coast from roughly March to July. Snorkellers can swim to the reef from the beach at Turquoise Bay. Van travellers can stay at campsites inside Cape Range National Park.
Region in Portugal
Algarve
Golden cliffs and azure waters
Cabo de São Vicente marks the southwestern corner of mainland Europe. A working lighthouse stands on cliffs about 75 metres above the Atlantic. Many van travellers park in nearby Sagres and walk out for sunset. Fishermen dangle long rods from the cliff edge into the surf below.
Region in Spain
Andalusia
Flamenco, Moorish Palaces and Sun
Setenil de las Bodegas has streets running beneath huge rock overhangs. Whitewashed homes are built straight into the cliff above a narrow river gorge. Van travellers can link it with other white villages along the Pueblos Blancos route. Tapas bars in the shade of the rock serve cold drinks.
Region in France
Brittany
Coastal charm meets historic Breton villages
Carnac has more than 3,000 standing stones arranged in long rows across open fields. Many of them were raised over 5,000 years ago by Neolithic farmers. Motorhome aires with water and waste points are common in Breton towns. Nearby beaches on the Quiberon peninsula are an easy drive.
Mountain Range
Alps
Majestic peaks echoing alpine serenity
The Route des Grandes Alpes runs about 700 kilometres from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean. It crosses passes such as the Col de l'Iseran at 2,764 metres. Van travellers can overnight at village aires in the valleys. Snow closes the highest passes for much of the winter.
Island in Canada
Vancouver Island
Untamed Beauty and Coastal Charm
Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park holds Douglas fir trees up to 800 years old. Some of the giants reach about 75 metres. Vans reach the island by BC Ferries from the mainland. Highway 4 continues west past the grove to the surf beaches of Tofino.
Road in South Africa
Garden Route
Scenic vineyards and coastal cliffs
A suspension bridge hangs over the Storms River mouth in Tsitsikamma National Park. Big Indian Ocean waves crash on the rocky shore below. Campervan travellers can stay at the park's Storms River Mouth camp close to the water. Forest trails nearby lead to quiet lookouts over the coast.
Island in Norway
Lofoten
Dramatic Peaks and Northern Lights
Red fishing cabins called rorbuer line the water in the village of Reine. Steep granite peaks rise straight from the sea behind them. Van travellers drive the E10 road across bridges that link the islands. Racks of drying cod stand along the shore in spring.
Mountain Range in Italy
Dolomites
Majestic peaks echoing alpine serenity
The Great Dolomites Road links Bolzano to Cortina d'Ampezzo over high mountain passes. Passo Pordoi, at 2,239 metres, sits beneath the pale walls of the Sella group. Van travellers can base themselves in valley villages near the passes. Sunset turns the rock pink in a glow called enrosadira.
Road in Iceland
Ring Road Iceland
Scenic loop through volcanic landscapes and waterfalls
Route 1 circles Iceland for about 1,330 kilometres. Skógafoss drops 60 metres over a cliff beside the road near Skógar. Campervans must overnight at official campsites such as the one at the base of the falls. Icebergs float in the Jökulsárlón lagoon further east along the road.
Road in United Kingdom
North Coast 500
Scenic cliffs and rugged coastlines
The Bealach na Bà climbs to 626 metres above sea level near Applecross. This narrow single track road twists through steep hairpin bends above deep glens. Smaller campervans handle the tight turns better than large motorhomes. The full 516 mile North Coast 500 loop begins and ends in Inverness.
Landmark in Australia
Great Ocean Road
Coastal cliffs and turquoise waves
Returned soldiers from World War I built the Great Ocean Road by hand between 1919 and 1932. It winds about 240 kilometres along Victoria's southern coast. Van travellers can stop at the Twelve Apostles to watch limestone stacks glow at sunset. Wild koalas often sit in the eucalyptus trees near Kennett River.
Region in Chile
Carretera Austral
Endless Patagonian horizons under starlit skies
Route 7 runs about 1,240 kilometres from Puerto Montt to Villa O'Higgins. Much of it is gravel with several ferry crossings. Van travellers pass hanging glaciers, turquoise rivers and the Marble Caves at Lago General Carrera. Basic campsites are easy to find in many small villages.
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