Festival camping in a van: The complete ultimate adventure guide

Tent camping at a festival has its charms - until it rains, or you realise you forgot a pillow, or you're trying to sleep while the bass from the main stage rattles your bones at 2am. A hired campervan or motorhome changes everything. You still get the full festival experience, but you come home to a real bed, a working kitchen, and a hot shower when you need it most.

Whether you're planning a big summer music festival with your mates, a weekend away with the family, or your very first festival as a van camper, this guide covers everything you need to know. From choosing the right van on Camplify, to setting up camp like a pro and making it home in one piece, here are 20 tips to make your festival van hire trip one to remember.

Planning Your Festival Van Hire Trip

1. Choose the right van for festival life

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Not every van is built for a festival weekend, so think about what you actually need before you book. A comfortable double bed is non-negotiable after a big day on your feet. A fridge and stove means you can prep meals in camp rather than spending a fortune on festival food every single day. Aircon or a fan will save you on a hot summer afternoon when the campervan ground turns into a sun trap.

Other features worth looking for:

• Solar panels or a well-charged leisure battery (most festivals don't offer powered sites)

• USB charging points or an inverter for devices

• A decent stereo for the pre-party at camp

• Levelling ramps or chocks (festival grounds are rarely flat)

• An onboard toilet or shower if you want to avoid the festival facilities

With over 14,000 privately-owned RVs listed on Camplify, you can search by features and location to find exactly what you need. Just send the owner a message before you book to confirm they're happy for their van to be used at a festival. Most are, but it's good form to check.

2. Understand what's included in your hire

When you hire through Camplify, comprehensive damage protection and nationwide roadside assistance are included with every booking. That means if something goes wrong on the way to or from the festival; a flat tyre, a breakdown, etc. you're not stranded. The 24/7 support team is just a call away.

Before you head off, have a quick look at what the hire includes in terms of linen, camping furniture, kitchen gear, and extras. Some Camplify owners kit their vans out with everything you could want; others keep it minimal. Knowing what you've got means you know exactly what to bring.

3. Read the festival's vehicle and camping policy

Every festival is different. Some have dedicated campervan zones with specific size restrictions; others treat all vehicles the same and you’ll be parking in a field with everyone else. A few festivals don’t allow motorhomes at all, or charge a separate vehicle camping fee on top of your ticket.

Read the T&Cs before you book anything. Key things to check: maximum vehicle dimensions, whether generators or grey water disposal are permitted, arrival windows for vehicle campers (many festivals only allow van campers to set up during specific hours on the day before), and whether you need a separate camping ticket on top of your entry pass.

4. Get a proper handover from the owner

One of the real advantages of hiring through Camplify is that you collect from the owner directly. They know their van inside out, and a good handover means you're not trying to figure out how the water pump works at midnight in a field somewhere.

This is your opportunity to ask about anything you're unsure of: how to connect the water, how to level the van, how the leisure battery charges, and what to do if something goes wrong. Most Camplify owners are genuinely happy to help. They love their vans and want you to have a good time. And if something comes up later, they're a message away.

5. Pack smart with this festival van checklist

Use our road trip packing list to make sure that you don’t forget anything important.

Your hired van will cover the big stuff; bed, kitchen, shelter. This list covers everything else you'll wish you had:

• Bedding and pillows (confirm with the owner whether these are provided)

• Camping chairs and a small table if not included

• Plenty of drinking water

• Portable power banks, fully charged before you leave

• A portable speaker for campsite pre-drinks

• Sunscreen, lip balm, sunglasses

• A small backpack or bum bag for inside the festival

• Bin bags

• Baby wipes (a festival essential)

• Paper towel and hand sanitiser

• A camping lantern to save the van battery at night

• Medications and toiletries

• Snacks and drinks to stock the fridge before you arrive

6. Go can or cask, not glass

Most festivals prohibit glass within the event grounds for safety reasons but you can still keep plenty of drinks chilled in the van fridge for when you're back at camp. Stock up on cans or boxed wine before you arrive. You'll thank yourself when everyone else is queuing at the bar.

7. Sort your tickets before you leave home

Sounds obvious, but triple-check everything before you pull out of the driveway. Many festivals require both a standard entry ticket and a separate vehicle camping pass. These are sometimes issued separately, and arriving without one or the other can mean being turned away from the camping ground entirely. Even if you've got the van already loaded up.

8. Charge everything before you leave

Power banks, laptops, phone cables, portable speakers - charge the lot the night before. Festival grounds are notoriously light on power points, and running the van's leisure battery down on phone charging is a quick way to end up with a warm fridge and no lights. Arriving with everything fully charged gives you far more flexibility once you're there.

Setting up at the festival campsite

9. Pick your spot carefully

It's tempting to park as close to the action as possible, but there's more to a good campsite than proximity to the stage. Think about:

• Whether the ground is level (crucial for sleeping and the fridge working properly)

• Whether you're at the bottom of a slope (rain drains downhill)

• Whether it's grassy or muddy (soft ground can mean a bogged van)

• Access to facilities; a short walk to water and toilets beats a very long one at 3am

• Your exit route; if you want to leave early, park where you won't be boxed in

10. Position the solar panels as soon as you arrive

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Most festival sites don't offer powered camping, and generators are usually banned. If your hired van has solar panels, get them positioned to catch maximum sun from the moment you set up. This keeps the leisure battery ticking over throughout the weekend, meaning your fridge stays cold, your lights stay on, and your devices stay charged without running the engine.

If the van doesn't have solar, make sure the leisure battery is fully charged when you collect it and be mindful about what you run. A fridge draws power continuously, so avoid also running aircon and lighting at the same time when you're not actually in the van.

11. Level up with ramps or chocks

Festival grounds are fields, not caravan parks. You're rarely going to find a perfectly flat spot. Sleeping on a slant is uncomfortable, and a fridge that's not level doesn't work properly. Ask the owner if the van comes with levelling ramps or chocks, or bring your own.

If the back of the van is lower than the front, place the chocks behind the rear wheels and reverse onto them. If the front is lower, place them in front and drive forward. It takes five minutes and makes a real difference to how well you sleep.

12. Make your van easy to find

Once a festival campground fills up, it becomes a sea of vans, and finding yours at midnight when you’re tired and it’s dark is genuinely stressful. A bright flag on a pole, a distinctive string of lights, or even a pair of colourful thongs hung somewhere visible will mark your spot from a distance. It sounds ridiculous. It works.

At the festival: Making the most of your van base

13. Sort the keys situation before it becomes a problem

If you’re going to the festival with a group, figure out the keys arrangement before you split up. Ask the Camplify owner if there’s a spare set. If not, nominate one person to be the key holder and make sure everyone knows who that is.

Never leave keys in the van, even if you’re just ducking away for a bit. A bum bag or a hidden pocket in your festival outfit is the safest place for them.

14. Lock up every single time

Festival grounds are busy and not everyone there is trustworthy. Get into the habit of checking every door and window before you leave the van, and never leave anything valuable visible inside.

15. Turn everything off when you’re not at the campsite

Before you walk away from the van, take 30 seconds to do a quick sweep. Lights off. Devices unplugged. Aircon or fans off. The fridge can stay running, but everything else should be powered down. You'll have a much better time knowing the leisure battery will last the weekend rather than finding a flat van when you come back for a rest.

16. Keep It Clean

Festivals can be muddy, dusty, messy affairs. The van doesn't have to be. A bit of discipline throughout the weekend means you're not handing it back looking like a disaster zone or paying an extra cleaning fee.

• Leave shoes at the door; a bin bag or plastic box at the entry step works well

• Lay newspaper or a cheap mat on the floor to catch mud and dust

• Change out of festival clothes before climbing into bed

• Skip the glitter - it goes everywhere, gets into everything, and is nearly impossible to clean out

Heading Home After the Festival

17. Dispose of waste properly before you leave

If your van has an onboard toilet or grey water tank, use the disposal facilities the festival provides before you drive out. Most festivals that accommodate campervans will have a grey water dump point on site. Don't drive off with a full tank planning to deal with it later.

18. Leave early or late

The post-festival traffic jam is a miserable way to end a good weekend. Your two options are: set an early alarm and get out before the rush (easier said than done, but surprisingly satisfying), or wait it out at camp; have a coffee, a quiet breakfast, pack up slowly, and leave once the chaos has cleared. Either beats sitting in a queue of campervans for two hours.

19. Plan a stopover or extend your road trip

You've already got the van for a few days, why rush back? If your hire period allows, plan a stopover on the way home. A night at a caravan park with a hot shower, a proper meal, and an actual power point to charge everything is a great idea after a big festival weekend. Check the Camplify blog for road trip itineraries and campsite suggestions near wherever you're heading.

20. Return the van the way you found it

Fill the fuel tank back to where it was when you collected it and give the van a clean. Camplify owners are real people sharing their own vehicles, and returning the van in good nick means they're happy to have you back, and happy to be part of the community. It's just good form.

Ready to hire a van for your next festival?

Make your next festival camping experience a great one. You can collect your hired van directly from the owner for the full road trip experience, or opt for delivery to your festival campsite if you'd rather skip the driving altogether. Either way, you're getting a privately-owned vehicle with an owner who genuinely cares how your trip goes and not a fleet car from a rental yard.

Search available vans on Camplify and filter by location, dates, and features to find the right setup for your festival.