Why Runners Are Choosing Campervans Over Hotels

12th January 2025

Tee off in the morning. Watch the sunset from your camper door. This is the freedom of a campervan golf holiday done right.

More and more runners — from casual trail-lovers to serious marathoners — are swapping hotel rooms for campervans. Why? Because campervans offer something hotels can’t: total flexibility, better pre- and post-run routines, and access to the places that fuel our love of running — quiet forests, coastal trails, and sunrises without crowds.

Here’s why the open road is becoming the new running basecamp:

🚿 1. You can shower right after your run

No more waiting in a lobby or dragging sweaty clothes through a hallway. With a campervan, your shower is metres from the trail. Finish your run, grab your towel, rinse off — done. No extra travel, no rushing check-out.

❄️ 2. Cold drink. Fridge. Feet up.

There’s nothing like opening your van fridge after a long run and pulling out a cold can, protein shake, or fresh fruit. Stretch out in a camp chair, toss your shoes into a box, and watch the trees while you recover. No hotel bar needed.

🏃 3. You run where you want — not where your hotel is

Want to run at sunrise in the Calanques? The Monaco GP loop before traffic starts? Or a beach path on the Garden Route of South Africa? With a campervan, you sleep near your run — not a 45-minute drive away.

🧘 4. Less stress, more rhythm

Runners love routine. But hotels rarely match your rhythm. Campervans let you keep your breakfast the same, your warm-up calm, and your recovery under your control. Sleep when you're ready, cook what you know, and stretch outside — anytime.

📦 5. No gear limits

You’re not stuffing gels, shoes, rollers, and kits into a suitcase. You’re travelling with a foam roller, yoga mat, headlamp, race fuel, and more — all organised, accessible, and within arm’s reach when you need them.

🌍 6. You go beyond the race

Hotels are built for tourists. Campervans are built for explorers. Run the race — yes. But also: climb the hills nearby, drive out to a viewpoint, cook by a lake. The trip becomes more than a race. It becomes a story.

Whether you’re building up to a European finish line, running the Riviera coast, exploring clifftop trails and ancient ruins in Northern Greece, or logging miles near lions on the Garden Route — a campervan turns your run into a journey.

👟 Choose Your Own Run Style

Not every running campervan trip has to look the same. In fact, that’s the beauty of it:

• Race support trip: Bring your van and prep in comfort for a major race — sleep near the start line, keep your fuel cold, and recover on your own schedule.
• DIY micro-adventure: Grab a buddy (or two) and head out for a long weekend of sunrise runs and firepit dinners — no race required.
• Club or group tour: Share the experience with fellow runners by coordinating a group trip. Whether it’s 4 friends or 12 from your local club, we can help shape a route that works for everyone.

Whatever your pace, we think it’s more memorable with a campervan.

We’re seeing more runners choose the freedom of movement. And honestly? Once you try it, it's hard to go back.

👉 Explore our full collection of running holiday campervan experiences