I'm a city girl who went on a camper van trip for the first time, and it was surprisingly better than staying in a luxury hotel

Anneta KonstantinidesNov 6, 2021, 17:44 IST

I recently explored California on a luxury camper van experience.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I recently went on Camp Hox, a three-day luxury camper van experience organized by The Hoxton hotels.
I spent two nights on a farm in Paso Robles, CA, with stops at famous taquerias and indie wineries.

I should've known my very first camper trip was going to be an adventure when, within the first five minutes, I almost got impaled by the snack drawer.

I was very bad at remembering to lock the drawers while our van was moving. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

But wait, let me back up a second. Our story begins with a camper van and the Hoxton Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

Me and Kristen ready to embark on our adventure. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

After checking in at the very chic lobby, Kristen and I said goodbye to the hotel. It was time to see our home for the next two nights.

Our Cabana camper van. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

After a quick tour of the necessities, we settled into our seats to enjoy breakfast before hitting the road.

Our breakfast burritos. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

It was almost time to hit the road, but not before we checked out the snack drawer.

The Camp Hox snack drawer. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

And Kristen and I cheered when we saw two bottles of fancy champagne chilling in the refrigerated drawer.

The Camp Hox refrigerated drinks drawer. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

As Donna Summer's "Sunset People" blasted from the car's speakers, Kristen and I screamed "Woo!" as we pulled away from The Hoxton.

Kristen said the van drove super smooth and easy. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

With our door properly closed, it was finally time to explore Camp Hox's carefully curated itinerary.

We only spent a few minutes at Zuma Beach. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

As the sun came out and the California sky turned its familiar shade of blue, I soaked in the scenic route.

Driving on the Pacific Coast Highway. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

After about an hour and a half, we pulled up to the next stop: La Super-Rica Taqueria in Santa Barbara.

La Super-Rica Taqueria Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

We followed our itinerary's advice and enjoyed our light lunch at East Beach.

Our lunch at East Beach. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Then we headed inland for our next stop in Santa Ynez.

The Santa Ynez General Store. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Our itinerary then guided us to Finley Farms Honor Stand, a small market on the side of the road filled with fresh produce.

Produce at Finley Farms Honor Stand. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Our final stop for the night was Windrose Farm.

Our campsite at Windrose Farm. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

As day slowly changed into night, we got to work on dinner.

Prepping dinner in the van. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

We set the table and dug in, toasting to our first night in the great outdoors.

Our dinner at Windrose Farm. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

After a good night's sleep, I could confirm that the camper van's bed was surprisingly comfortable.

The bed in Cabana Hannah was surprisingly comfy. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Kristen and I kicked off the morning by making a big scramble, complete with a few mimosas.

Breakfast on the farm. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

And since we are responsible adults, we added chips to the eggs to help line our stomachs before a long day of wine tasting.

We added chips to our eggs for important wine tasting safety. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

It was time to explore Paso Robles, and we kicked things off by heading into Tin City.

A winery at Tin City in Paso Robles. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

First up was Field Recordings, which was my favorite winery of the day.

Our tasting at Field Recordings. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

After some more wine and ice cream, we headed downtown for our last tasting.

Our tasting at LXV Wine. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Then we headed to The Alchemists' Garden for dinner.

Dinner at The Alchemists' Garden. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

After a long day of wine tasting, we passed out before 9 p.m., so Kristen and I got up early the next day for our last farm breakfast.

Our last breakfast on the farm. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

But we couldn't leave without trying the tub ...

A quick dip in the tub. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

... and a tour of Windrose Farm.

The agave plants at Windrose Farm. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Then we drove back to LA to spend the last night of our trip at The Hoxton.

Our room at The Hoxton. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

While I had found life in the camper van far more comfortable than I expected, I was still extremely excited to see the huge shower.

Our shower at The Hoxton. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

It was a gorgeous California day, so we headed straight for the pool to sip on cocktails and catch some rays.

Drinks by The Hoxton's rooftop pool. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Our Camp Hox trip was coming to an end, and I was surprised to find that I actually loved the camper van more than the hotel.

I won't lie, I already miss van life. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

After 10 years of moving all over the world for different jobs, Camp Hox helped me appreciate my native state in a way I haven't been able to in a very long time.

Camp Hox helped me appreciate California in a whole new way. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

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