I went on my first trip in a camper van for 10 days. Here are 7 things I'd do differently next time

• I traveled by camper van for the first time during a 10-day trip around California and Oregon.

• Next time I go on a van-based journey, I'll leave pets at home and hit the road solo.

• I'll also make advanced reservations, pack more strategically, and spend more time in nature.
  

I got a taste of van life during my recent road trip through California and Oregon, and the experience taught me a lot.

I learned a lot about what to do (and what not to do) when traveling in a van.

I recently took a 10-day road trip through California and Oregon in a Sprinter van. After I returned, I used my newfound knowledge about RV travel to reflect on how I could've improved the experience.

Here's what I plan on doing differently on my next van trip.

Being spontaneous was fun, but in the future, I'll plan activities ahead of time and reserve parking in advance.

When we were on the road, we had to search for vacant parking spaces along the way.

My friend and I had no issues securing same-day reservations at RV parks, but I would've liked to have them locked in before we hit the road.

Booking last minute could've easily gone awry. Many of the places we called only had one space left, so the fact we secured a spot every night we needed one was sheer luck.

I'd prefer to have peace of mind knowing that I have a place to park and sleep every night rather than hoping to find a vacant spot along the route.

Next time I stay in this type of accommodation, I'll travel alone or with a partner instead of with friends.

Most of the time, I prefer to travel alone so that I don't have to compromise on my plans.

Regardless of the destination or mode of transportation, traveling with friends brings inherent challenges.

Van travel creates a unique dynamic since you drive, eat, and sleep in the same small space, which can feel cramped with multiple people. Staying in a hotel room with friends is more manageable because you're likely not spending much time there, apart from when you sleep. 

Exploring in a van with friends also requires a lot of compromises. People might have different opinions about where to stop, what to do, how to split costs, and other minuscule details, like what temperature to keep the vehicle.

I typically like to travel alone, and I'd prefer to do so in this type of accommodation. That being said, I'd make an exception for a partner in the future.

I feed off of the energy in cities, but I want my next trip to be more nature-focused.

One of the most special nights of the trip was when we camped at Mount Hood.

I love city life and enjoy any opportunity to immerse myself in an urban jungle. Since I live on a laid-back Hawaiian island, it's nice to have an occasional change of pace.

Part of a van trip's allure is the freedom to drive anywhere, so spending the majority of this trip in a city, which we did, felt like a mistake.

One of the most memorable nights of our trip was at Oregon's Mount Hood. We sat around a campfire enjoying good food, great company, and the sounds of the wilderness. I wish we had more nights like that one.

Traveling with a dog wasn't a problem, but it complicated our trip logistics.

The dog was well-behaved and didn't cause trouble, but it would've been easier to travel without a pet.

Traveling with a dog wasn't as much of an inconvenience as I anticipated. In fact, she was well-behaved whenever we were on the road and also provided protection.

We did have to factor her into all of our plans though.

We took pet restrictions into consideration, made a few extra stops to ensure our canine companion got proper exercise, and occasionally left her with people we trusted. The latter was only possible because we had friends and family members who lived along our route.

Hitting the road without a pet would've simplified the trip logistics and streamlined our journey.

If possible, I'll find a van with a built-in bathroom.

It would've been nice to have a bathroom in the van.

Although there weren't any bathroom emergencies during our road trip, an onboard toilet would've been a welcomed amenity. We had the option to bring a bucket for human waste but decided it wasn't worth the maintenance or space inside the van, which was the right call.

In order to have a full bathroom, I'd likely need to rent a larger RV, which would be pricier than the Sprinter van, and I'd have to empty the water tanks. However, the convenience might be worth the extra expense and work.

I overpacked for the trip, so I'll be much more discerning and picky about the clothing and supplies I bring next time.

I brought a lot with me on the road trip but didn't end up using a lot of the items in my bag.

I tried to be very intentional about what I packed.

Since we weren't entirely sure what we would need on this trip, we brought a little bit of everything. The items in my bag ranged from kitchen supplies to toiletries to winter clothes to heavy bedding. A lot of it went unused.

Though it was reassuring to have everything and anything we might need in the van, our belongings made the small space feel cluttered.

Plus, there were still a few things that I didn't bring but would make room for next time, such as appropriate hiking attire and a comfortable pillow.

When I was packing for the trip, I decided to forgo these items and subsequently had to borrow them from my travel partner. I also lucked out by finding free hiking shoes the day before we hit a trail.

Next time, I'll only bring clothes and supplies that are absolutely necessary.

Rather than stopping for one or two nights at a bunch of spots, I'd opt for more extended stays in one or two destinations.

Next time I travel by van, I'll spend more time in each destination.

We definitely took advantage of the freedom and mobility that the van gave us, but moving around so much made each stop feel fleeting. 

Instead of spreading myself thin, I'd like to take my time thoroughly exploring one or two destinations.

I prefer slow-paced travel, which is why I stayed in each city I visited for at least one month on my last road trip.

Immersing myself in different communities and cultures is my favorite aspect of travel, so I'll give myself more time to do so on my next van adventure.