I tried living in a luxury camper van for a weekend during the winter, and I'll never do it again

Frank OlitoJan 25, 2021, 20:25 IST

I spent a weekend in a camper van.Frank Olito/ Insider

I rented a camper van for a weekend to take a small road trip to Philadelphia and to see how I like van life.
The heat in the van broke, the electricity ran out, and the bathroom was too small.
In the end, I learned I could never live in a camper van full time because they are not real homes with working systems.

Throughout the last few years, I've caught myself several times fantasizing about quitting my job, breaking my lease, and embarking on an aimless and endless road trip in a camper van.

In my daydreams, I could picture myself traveling along the coasts, parking next to the sea, and opening the back doors onto picturesque landscapes. I dreamed of seeing the world and doing it in a camper van - just as a record number of people have done since the start of the pandemic.

To see if van life is really for me, I found a Mercedes Benz Sprinter that was turned into a luxury camper van on Outdoorsy, a site that is like Airbnb for RVs. I decided to rent the van for a weekend in January for $1,770 and to take a small road trip to get a taste of van life.

By the end of the weekend, I was surprised to learn that I was eager to get home and excited to never step foot in another camper van.

The van arrived at my Brooklyn apartment Friday morning, and I was instantly intimidated by the size of it.

The exterior of the van. Frank Olito/ Insider

Once I stepped inside, I saw that the van was even more luxurious than I expected.

The kitchen. Frank Olito/ Insider

Right next to the kitchen, was the bathroom, which I instantly feared because of its size.

The toilet. Frank Olito/ Insider

In the back of the van, there was a seating area that folded down into a bed.

The benches convert into a bed. Frank Olito/ Insider

Finally, we embarked on our road trip late Friday night and headed toward Philadelphia.

My friend driving. Frank Olito/ Insider

After a terrible traffic jam that delayed us a full hour, we arrived at the spot where we would be spending our first night: a Cracker Barrel parking lot.

The van at Cracker Barrel. Frank Olito/ Insider

Almost instantly, my friend and I felt how difficult it would be to move around the small space.

It was cramped in the van. Frank Olito/ Insider

After struggling to maneuver ourselves in the van, I decided to eat dinner outside so that I could feel some openness.

Eating dinner outside. Frank Olito/ Insider

After the arduous task of making the bed, my friend and I ran into our first major issues.

Watching "The Bachelor" moments before the outlets broke. Frank Olito/ Insider

After a horrific night's sleep, I ordered a comfort breakfast from Cracker Barrel.

Eating Cracker Barrel. Frank Olito/ Insider

Later that day, we drove to a campground just outside of Philadelphia in New Jersey.

The van at the campground. Frank Olito/ Insider

While in the city, I took advantage of my time away from the cramped van.

Philadelphia. Frank Olito/ Insider

After spending the day shopping and eating our way through Philadelphia, I arrived back at the van to find even more issues.

Bundled up in the middle of the night. Frank Olito/ Insider

After my night of no sleep, I called the owner again, and he told me to just turn on the gas stove for heat.

The new heat source. Frank Olito/ Insider

Turning on the stove gave me the idea to cook a meal in the van and that night we cooked taco bowls.

Prepping a meal at the sink. Frank Olito/ Insider

After the meal, it was, unfortunately, time to use the bathroom for the first time.

I could not fit in the bathroom. Frank Olito/ Insider

Later that night, I dressed in my five layers again and got ready for another freezing night.

It was time to endure another cold night. Frank Olito/ Insider

The next morning, my friend and I raced home eager to get rid of this van.

Leaving the campsite. Frank Olito/ Insider

Throughout the weekend, I tried to remind myself that van life is less about the van and more about the freedom that it affords you, but my counter is: At what cost?

Interior of the van. Frank Olito/ Insider

In some ways, I'm disappointed that van life isn't for me, but I'm glad I learned this lesson before I pulled the trigger on a new lifestyle.

View from the van. Frank Olito/ Insider

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