Camping, Recreation Vehicles, and Travel

The Best Camper Vans I Ever Saw

Is it time to hit the open road?

Camper bus at a campground on the shore of Lake Constance in Germany. © Randy Runtsch.

A close friend suffers from a mild form of stir-craziness. About once every six months, he wants to switch jobs, tour the United States in a camper van for a year, or both.

The author toured Portugal with two sons and a daughter-in-law in this camper van in December 2018. © Randy Runtsch.

I admit that I suffer from stir-craziness, too. While my wife is a homebody, I like to hit the road and explore. Still, I doubt I will ever leave home to tour the country for a year.

Military truck with California plates and a travel trailer mounted on its bed. Seen in Grand Marais, Minnesota, along the shores of Lake Superior. © Randy Runtsch.

But if I decided to tour the country, I would want to do it in a camper van that meets these criteria:

• Comfortable driver’s and passenger’s seats with expansive views of the road and surrounding scenery
• Air conditioning (but only for driving)
• Cook indoors in a fully upright standing position
• Bed for two that’s comfortable and easy to set up
• Dining table and bench for two that’s…