Minivan camping isn’t glorified in the same way that Sprinter van camping is but that doesn’t mean people aren’t camping in them. Here are 8 impressive minivan camping rigs you have to see to believe.
1. The White Rhino
Kyle and Madison refer to their 2007 Honda Odyssey minivan camper as the “White Rhino”. It was built during the 2020 lockdowns here in the United States and you can tell right away that they spent a lot of time on the build.
They said they found their minivan build challenging but that didn’t stop them from stripping the entire interior out and creating something unique. The seats, sidewalls, and even the headliner were taken out and replaced with wood so that the interior actually looks like a miniature cabin.
The couple somehow managed to fit a kitchenette, a set of shelves, a couch that converts into a bed, and even a hanging plant inside of their van. They even gave it a sense of spaciousness and depth by using dark wood on the sides and painted wood on the ceiling. The sense of openness that this created is topped off with a nice bright vent fan.
This van’s kitchen isn’t just a water jug and a bowl either. They installed an actual kitchen faucet which operates using a water pump. Combine this feature with the light switch they installed and their build truly does feel like a full-size campervan.
See the White Rhino in the video below!
2. RenkLife’s Toyota Minivan Conversion
RenkLife was commissioned to turn a 2000 Toyota Sienna minivan into a mini motorhome complete with all of the amenities of a larger camper. They asked him for a full-size bed, running water, and a functional toilet that could be used inside of the van. On top of all of this, they only gave him three days to do it.
Amazingly enough, RenkLife was able to do all of this in three days and for just $350.00! He did this by creating a kitchen module at the rear, a bathroom module in the back, and a sleeping area in the center.
The sleeping area was built on top of a couch that folds down into a bed. This leaves less headroom than a floor bed but still leaves enough headroom that a person could comfortably sit on the couch without bumping their head. It also allows for storage underneath the bed, which is important in a small van build.
A folding table opens up in front of the bench to provide a small interior dining area in the van. This table easily folds away and goes underneath the bench when not in use.
The toilet sits just behind the bench but you wouldn’t know it at first glance. This is because there is a curtain that goes around it to provide privacy while in use and to keep it hidden when not in use.
Right upfront is an electric cooler that acts as a refrigerator for the camper. The nice aspect of having this upfront rather than in the back with the rest of the kitchen is that it can be accessed by the driver while driving. This means nobody has to pull over just to get a drink of water.
Move to the back and lift the hatch and you’ll find a kitchen, complete with a sink, a cooktop, a set of shelves, and even a mirror. This mirror allows the sink to double as a kitchen sink as well as a bathroom sink.
Take a look at RenkLife’s mini camper below.
3. Rob R’s Honda Minivan Camper
Rob converted his 2004 Honda Odyssey into a modular camper complete with detachable parts. What I like about this build is the fact that each piece is anchored into the vehicle. Once everything is fully installed, nothing can move around until it’s detached again.
The build consists of a lightweight wooden shelf, a bed that converts into a bench, and a small kitchenette. A 12-volt pump powers the kitchen sink and a large water jug acts as a gray water tank.
Rob used a set of AA batteries connected in a series to power the kitchen pump. I’ve done this with lamps before but have never seen anyone do it with a water pump but it makes a lot of sense.
Built into the kitchenette is a dining table. This table can be detached from the kitchenette when not in use.
Rounding out the build is an electric cooler and a house battery to power it.
As you can see, all of the items can be easily added or removed from the van. I thought this was impressive as you rarely see something this portable look so nice inside.
Take a look at Rob’s build in the video below.
4. Jay’s Versatile Minivan Camper
Jay’s minivan camper looks more like an adventure van than a minivan. It comes complete with a solar panel, a rooftop storage compartment, and an awning that stretches out into an added room.
This minivan camper was built inside of a modified 2003 Honda Odyssey. The modifications include Michelin Defender tires, an aftermarket transmission cooler, new struts in the front, and custom coil springs in the rear. These modifications are important for Jay as they provide support for the extra weight of the build and also give the van a bit of extra lift. A stock Honda Odyssey doesn’t come with much clearance, even for a minivan, so these mods were a great idea.
At the rear is a hitch carrier that holds Jay’s bike as well as some of his larger tools. On the top of the van is a 100-watt solar panel and a Thule Roof Box. While these are impressive add-ons for a minivan camper, they pale in comparison to Jay’s ARB awning and deluxe room combo.
The ARB combo is generally a $1,200.00 mod but it’s well worth the price. It provides Jay with an actual screen room that he can stand-in. Throw on the privacy barriers and he could even use the room to get dressed in.
Jay uses his room to house his outdoor kitchen. This kitchen consists of a large foldout table with a set of propane appliances set up on top. These appliances include a Coleman Stow-and-Go Grill and a Coleman Powerpack Single Burner Grill powered by a Wellington propane tank with a splitter.
I like the fact that the ARB awning room can be used on its own without the room as well. This makes it great for times when you’re just making a short stop but still want to get some shade.
Move past the room and into the van and you’ll immediately be greeted with Jay’s power system. This power system comes complete with a wide range of outlets and is powered by a battery bank.
Since the van uses propane for cooking and a low-power Dometic fridge for cooling, it doesn’t use a lot of energy. As a result, the battery bank is charged solely through the rooftop solar panel and a 50-watt fold-out solar panel.
Step past the power system and you’ll find a chair that folds out into a bed and a small table that can be used to hold a laptop. This leaves ample space for a storage shelf and any extra gear that Jay might want to bring into his van.
Believe it or not, there is even more to Jay’s build, but we’ll save that for you to see in Jay’s video below.
5. Marie’s 2-Story Minivan
What do you get when you combine a minivan camper with a rooftop tent? A two-story camper!
This van of Marie’s was previously a rental van that she purchased used from a company named Jucy. I’ve seen these vans before and I think they’re great. What I like about this van camper is the fact that it provides all of the functionality of a teardrop camper without the hassle of having to actually tow a teardrop camper.
The van provides a sleeping compartment up top through the use of a pop-up roof tent. This leaves the center of the van open so that it can be used as a living room or as an additional sleeping area.
At the rear is a kitchen that can be accessed by popping the rear hatch of the van. This gives you a teardrop camper-style kitchen complete with a sink, a fridge, and a burner to cook on.
You can see Marie’s van in the video below.
6. Josh’s Ford Transit Connect Camper Van
It seems like most minivan camper builds are built inside of older minivans. This isn’t the case with Josh’s camper van conversion. He built his inside of a 2019 Ford Transit Connect.
Josh’s van tour starts at the roof, where he shows off the minivan’s 300-watt power solar system. This system is comprised of three separate panels that sit in front of a Max-Air Vent Fan.
Moving inside, you’ll notice that the van has a sleek and modern feel to it. This was created through the use of carpeted walls and black furniture.
A bench-style cabinet at the front houses a small dry toilet and a console in the center houses the kitchen area. This kitchen area comes complete with a fridge, a sink, and a microwave.
Across from the kitchen is another bench that can act as a couch or a bed.
See the build in the video below.
7. Shen Ye’s Sienna Minivan Camper
Shen Ye’s minivan camper is even newer than Josh’s build. This micro camper was built inside of a 2020 Toyota Sienna.
At first, I thought building out a camper in such a new van was a crazy idea but Shen’s practical build is easy to install and easy to remove so he doesn’t risk devaluing his new vehicle. You’ll notice that Shen does this by going with a wooden box frame build similar to the one Rob used earlier.
The wooden box frame folds down into a platform that can hold two separate 25″ wide folding mattresses. When the bed isn’t in use, it can be folded up to create a bench.
A fridge and a sink with a water pump sit at the back of the van. This provides the same teardrop style experience that the Jucy camper provides.
Power is provided to Shen’s electronics through a Jackery 1,000 power station. This easily powers the mini-fridge, Shen’s phones, and his cameras. The Jackery is easily charged through the van’s cigarette lighter so he has power regardless of whether or not the sun is shining.
Take a look at the build below!
8. Far Beyond Ordinary’s Unordinary Van
Far Beyond Ordinary’s minivan camper is one of the few minivan campers I’ve seen that you can stand up in. This was accomplished through the creation of a DIY poptop that he created on the roof of the van.
The popup roof was created using coroplast panels for the sides and a solar panel for the roof. This helped keep the roof lightweight and also helps power the camper’s electronics.
Interestingly enough, the van’s interior doesn’t have many modifications associated with it (besides the hole that was cut in the ceiling of course). The original side compartments were all left intact and a traditional bed will not be found inside of the camper. Instead, you’ll find a camping hammock that can be put up or taken down in an instant.
Plastic bins provide storage for the van and some hanging lanterns provide the lighting. When the owner wants to cook, he just pulls his hammock down and replaces it with a folding table and a cookstove. A simple mini-fridge located behind the driver’s seat holds the camper’s food while a small bucket with a Luggable Loo lid at the rear acts as the camper’s emergency bathroom.
See this amazing minivan camper that you can stand inside of in the video below!
Your Minivan Camper
Are you thinking about getting a van to go camping with? What do you think the best minivan camper is for camping?
Email me your thoughts!
