Why travel with a Camper?
If you are a nature lover, love feeling ultimate freedom, prefer to improvise, you’ll love traveling with a Roadsurfer camper! Below, I’ll state several advantages of traveling with a camper:
– It can be more affordable. That’s right, traveling with a camper can save you some money. You’ll essentially carry your vehicle and your house with you. You can also buy food at the supermarket and cook in your camper. You will notice how much you’re saving in countries where sleeping and eating out is more expensive.
– Ultimate freedom. One of the great advantages of traveling with camper is the freedom that a vehicle like this gives you. Being able to move wherever you want and decide where you are going to spend the night, even last minute, is amazing!.
– Ability to connect with nature. One of my favorite things about traveling with a Roadsurfer camper is how easy it is to connect with nature. Being able to wake up next to a river while listening to the sounds of nature is breathtaking.
– Flexibility and being able to improvise. If you are planning a trip in a camper, you can decide the route at last minute since you will travel with your vehicle and home. Suppose that you have bad luck and are stuck with bad weather at your destination, nothing happens! You’ll have flexibility to change the destination the same day of the trip. This is an advantage that only traveling with camper can give you.
– A unique experience. If you have never traveled with a camper before, you have the opportunity to live an unforgettable experience for the first time. You already know that first times are always special, so it will be a trip to remember. Trust me!
What is Roadsurfer
Roadsurfer is a camper-rental company. It was established in 2016 by 5 friends with the objective to provide travelers with a possibility to live a unique experience to travel with a camper through Europe.
The company opened its first headquarters in Germany, where it was established. Over the past few years, the company has branched out to other countries in Europe: Switzerland, Portugal, Sweden, Italy, Netherlands, Great Britain, France, Belgium, Austria and Spain.
In fact, there are approximately 50 headquarters spread throughout Europe. However, Roadsurfer wanted to expand even more and, this past June, they decided to open an office in the United States. Which city did they pick? Los Angeles! Is there a better place than the West Coast to plan a road trip with a camper? It seems like an amazing plan to me.
What’s in Roadsurfer’s fleet?
One of the unique aspects about Roadsurfer is the fact that they have several camper models in their fleet to choose from. This will allow you to pick a type of camper that best suits you. We rented a Volkswagen Ocean and Volkswagen Beach. Both campers were amazing!
Below, you can see the exact camper models in Roadsurfer’s fleet. You can see detailed photos of each camper on their website.
- Mercedes Marco Polo.
- Ford Nugget.
- Volkswagen Ocean & Volkswagen Beach.
- Roadhouse: Van ideal for 4 passengers, with stove and bathroom.
- Couple Condo (only available in USA).
- Road House XL (only available in USA).
Advantages of renting a Roadsurfer camper
Below, I’ll share several advantages of renting a Roadsurfer camper:
1. Unlimited mileage. One of the great advantages of renting a Roadsurfer camper is that they offer unlimited mileage. Other companies have a set limit of kilometers/miles per day, which may impact your trip. With this German company, you can drive as many kilometers/miles as you want.
2. Fully equipped campers. Roadsurfer campers come fully equipped. Apart from what the camper itself brings, you will find a box with kitchen utensils (dishes, cups, coffee maker, pot, pan, kitchen cloth, etc.). In addition, they give you the possibility of renting a potty, bedding sheets, more chairs, children’s chair, etc.
3. Fair price. Roadsurfer not only offers a good service and product but they also have very competitive prices. It is possible to rent a camper from €55 per night (Europe) $179 (USA). In addition, once on their website, if you subscribe to their newsletter, they will give you €50 off towards your first rental.
4. The price includes two drivers and comprehensive insurance. One of the things I like most about Roadsurfer is that two drivers are already included in any camper rental. In this way, you will not have to pay an extra fee for having more than one driver. On the other hand, the price includes comprehensive coverage with a €1.500 (Europe) and (USA) deductible for damages and civil liability insurance. It is also possible to upgrade the coverage, lowering the deductible to €800 or €0.
5. Cancellation policy. It is possible to modify the reservation free of charge up to 48 hours before the start of the rental. It is also possible to cancel the reservation in exchange for a voucher.
6. Dogs are welcome! If you want to take your furry friend on a trip, you can! Roadsurfer allows it. You will only have to pay an extra fee of €79 (Europe) Free (USA). During the trip, don’t forget to cover the seats and the area where your furry buddy will sleep.
My experience and review of Roadsurfer’s camper
If you don’t know anyone who has rented a camper with this company, don’t worry. Below, I’ll share my sincere experience and opinion of Roadsurfer.
My experience renting a Roadsurfer camper
As I mentioned prior, we’ve rented a Roadsurfer camper on two separate occasions. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed both trips. The first trip was to Switzerland and the second one was to France.
The pick-up time for all rentals is between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Both last summer and this summer, we asked them to please let us know if it was possible the pick up the camper earlier. They were very kind on both occasions, as they let us go well before 2:00 p.m to pick up our camper. If you are also interested in picking it up earlier, you can request it in advance and they will notify you if possible.
In our case, we went to pick the Roadsurfer camper up at the Madrid garage, the largest one in Spain. Once you arrive at the headquarter, you’ll go through the office to provide your documentation, pay the €800 security deposit and fill the rest of the paperwork. Then, they will take you to your camper. At this moment you will discover the color of your vehicle!
If it’s the first time renting a Roadsurfer camper, the staff will be ready to help you. You can also watch tutorial for each specific Roadsurfer camper model. They are extremely useful if you aren’t familiar with the design.
Once everything is ready, it’s time to start your trip! Everything usually turns out fine but if you have any problems, you can contact Roadsurfer by email or by phone. On our first trip we had no problems. On our second trip, we had issues with the bed lights and they took care of us immediately.
I remind you that it’s important to take care of the vehicle. The camper has several doors, drawers, buttons, etc. Always use everything carefully. Take care of the camper as if it were yours.
You can return the camper between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. It is very important that you return your camper completely clean and damage-free. Tidy everything up, sweep the floor, clean every stain, etc. Upon return, they’ll inspect the vehicle very well and if you return it messy, they will charge you €100 out of your €800 deposit for cleaning expenses.
My review of Roadsurfer camper
Do I recommend renting a Roadsurfer camper! My answer is a, YES! Notice the capital letters? That should tell you something!
Every Roadsurfer camper is in immaculate condition and rentals are fairly-priced. The staff is very nice and helpful, the website and rental process is very intuitive and straight-forward. There are only pros to renting a roadsurfer camper, no cons!
I am certain that I will continue renting Roadsurfer campers!
Where to sleep with your Roadsurfer camper
A common doubt many people have when renting a camper for the first time is where to sleep. Can you sleep anywhere? Is it better to go to campsites? Are there alternatives to sleeping in nature? The reality is that this depends on the country. Each place has its own regulations for freedom camping.
It’s true that in countries like Norway or France, you will find plenty of camping facilities in nature. In countries like Spain, not so much. This should not hold you back however. There are always places where it is allowed.
If you are embarking on a long trip, I recommend varying between freedom camping and campsites. Sleeping in the middle of nature may be more attractive, but from time to time, it is great to go to a campsite and use the services and amenities it offers.
Freedom camping: Sleeping in nature with you Roadsurfer camper
The best option, if you seek a magical experience and also want to save some money, is to go freedom camping. Of course, you have to be very careful since you cannot camp everywhere. That is why it is important to know the laws and regulations of the place where you are planning to camp.
If you want to search for places to camp in nature, I recommend using the app “park4night”.
Sleeping at a campsite
Another good option is to spend the night at a campsite. These are usually affordable and include services such as electricity, water, bathrooms, etc.
Roadsurfer spots
Roadsurfer recently released an app called Roadsurfer spots. In it you can find private properties where you can camp.
I would say that it’s the perfect mix between freedom camping and sleeping at a campsite. On the one hand you make sure that you are going to sleep in a place where it is allowed and that has certain services and, on the other hand, these spots are much more peaceful than campsites, since there aren’t many people, in addition to being more in touch with nature.
We decided to sleep in one of Roadsurfer’s spots on our last trip. It was a very wise decision. We slept in goat farm deep in Normandy’s country side (France). The hosts were very nice and gave us a little tour of the farm. They also offered cheese tasting.
I hope that this article reviewing my experience with a Roadsurfer camper has been informative and very useful to you in planning your next adventure. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to leave it in comment section or send me an email. Until next time, travelers!
