Think of it like the team behind it does, as “the Airbnb of camping.”

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Courtesy of The Vanlife App
The Vanlife App founders Breanne Acio and Jessica Shisler
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The creators of The Vanlife App, a one-stop shop for van conversion enthusiasts to connect, pick out safe camping locations, and share resources, have announced the addition of a feature they’re touting as the “Airbnb of camping.”

Called Camp Share, the feature enables land and homeowners to make anything from privately owned lots and yards to driveways or even glamping set-ups available for camping reservations, thus eliminating the angst that can so often accompany the search for a reliable boondocking location.

(Having personally stressed on past trips about deciphering exactly which Walmarts allow overnight car camping, this development is one I anticipate will be immensely helpful.)

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The Vanlife App developer Sēkr launched the initiative in response to an explosive increase in camping activities in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, a time when app founders Breanne Acio and Jessica Shisler saw the pandemic recalibrate priorities of would-be travelers in ways that threw a wrench into the once-easy-to-navigate camping landscape.

“This feature was born out of our community’s need for safe locations to park and stay at the beginning of the pandemic,” Acio said in a release. “So many public and private campgrounds closed and left thousands of people with no place to go. We built the Camp Share feature to help increase the number of safe options for road travelers.”

Having each spent the last few years on the road, Acio and Shisler built the feature primarily with the self-contained, prepared camper in mind. The response by property owners, meanwhile, has been a pleasant surprise in spite of the pandemic, Shisler said.

“We thought most people would want to list their properties using Camp Share for a fee but we are finding that the majority of hosts are listing their sites for free because they want to help the community and meet other travelers,” The Vanlife App co-founder and COO said in the release.

“That’s really the heart of Sēkr: helping people find places to camp while building community.”

Acio and Shisler, who first launched The Vanlife App in 2019 to streamline the outdoor adventure experience, indicated that nightly prices using Camp Share can range anywhere from $10 to $200, depending on the accommodation.

For more information, visit The Vanlife App website or visit Vanlife on Instagram.