An Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
California-based Caravan Outpost is using Airstream trailers as hotel rooms.The site has seen “fantastic” business since it first opened and weekends are now booked months in advance.Before COVID-19, about 40% of Caravan Outpost’s visitors were international.Americans have been ravenously buying up RVs since the start of COVID-19, creating billions of dollars of backlogged orders.An Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
Source: Insider
At the same time, instead of vacationing in big cities, travelers have been flocking to the great outdoors for camping and overlanding getaways.Tawny Ann De La Peña and her wife Raphaelle Buenafe camping at Beaver Bend State Park.Tawny Ann De La Peña
So it shouldn’t be surprising that these two trends have birthed the rise of a new in-between segment: “glamping” in stationed RVs, specifically Airstream travel trailers.
Airstreams at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
Source: Insider
Throughout COVID-19, companies like Autocamp — a chain of glamping sites with cabins, tents, and Airstream trailers — have seen bookings “exceed expectations” as people continue to flock to outdoor vacations with unique accommodations.An Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
Source: Insider
Autocamp may be one of the more recognizable brands, but it’s not the only company with an eye for the Airstream “silver bullet.” An Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
Caravan Outpost has a similar concept as Autocamp: use classic Airstreams travel trailers as hotel suites to create a luxurious “campground.” Airstreams at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
But instead of using Autocamp’s approach of opening locations in hotspots like Yosemite National Park and Cape Cod, Massachusetts… Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.@adventurebuddies42
… Caravan Outpost is comfortably located in Ojai, California, about a two hour drive from downtown Los Angeles, making it a destination for Angelenos looking for a reprieve from city life.Bikes at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
Shawn Steward founded Caravan Outpost with her serial entrepreneur husband Brad in 2015.Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
And so far, it’s been a success, piquing the interest of both Los Angeles natives and international travelers.
Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.@adventurebuddies42
Source: Insider
There are 10 Airstreams on the Outpost’s property, along with one tiny house.An Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
Source: Caravan Outpost
These accommodations on wheels then surround indoor and palm tree-lined outdoor common spaces that look like a reprieve from dense city life.Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
Source: Caravan Outpost
The warm weathered getaway has three Airstream options: deluxe, pet friendly deluxe, and family, which can all sleep up to four people.Airstreams at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
Prices generally start at a little over $200 per night.Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
Source: Caravan Outpost
This price may seem high, but you’re not paying for a basic bed inside a hotel room.Inside an Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
These hotel rooms on wheels function more like suites with a full bathroom …
Inside an Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
… a kitchen with a cooktop, a refrigerator and freezer, and a sink … Inside an Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
… a wardrobe, multiple sleeping spaces (although some are just converted couches) … Inside an Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
… and a dining booth.Inside an Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
Caravan Outpost’s travel trailer lineup also includes Airstream’s $145,500 Pottery Barn edition trailer, which some visitors have been specifically requesting.
Airstream
Source: Insider
A quiet benefit to using Airstreams instead of hotel rooms is that it attracts customers who are in the market to buy their own tiny home on wheels, Steward said.An Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
Caravan Outpost carries several Airstream models like the Flying Cloud and International, allowing customers to test drive life inside a specific Airstream before they spend over $100,000 on their own unit.
A Caravan Outpost Airstream in Ojai, California.@adventurebuddies42
But the initial decision to use Airstreams instead of all tiny homes or cabins wasn’t for this intention.An Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
The team initially wanted to create a traveling hotel that could pop up in different locations, Steward said.Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
That concept is now “on hold,” but the iconic Airstream look has continued to draw in travelers from around the world.Inside an Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
The Airstream may be an American icon, but the “silver bullets” have attracted the eyes of international visitors, which made up about 40% of the Outpost’s guests before COVID-19.
An Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
Besides international guests, the Outpost sees a pretty wide range of visitors, from solo travelers and remote workers … Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.@adventurebuddies42
… to East Coast dwellers looking for the California sun … An Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
… to families with children who are still remote learning.
Inside an Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
The Airstream getaway has even caught the attention of celebrities like Natalie Portman, Bradley Cooper, and Pink, Brad Steward told the Los Angeles Times.A Caravan Outpost Airstream in Ojai, California.@adventurebuddies42
Source: Los Angeles Time
In general, since the Outpost’s launch, business has been “fantastic,” according to Shawn Steward, who explained that most of its success has been through word of mouth.Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.@adventurebuddies42
The property was “booked solid” after COVID-19 restrictions were first lifted in 2021, she said.Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.@adventurebuddies42
And now, weekends get reserved several months in advance.Bicycles at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
“We’re pretty good in terms of just being able to book up pretty quickly,” Steward said.
Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.@adventurebuddies42
And, like other hotels, Caravan Outpost has also been seeing plenty of last-minute bookings, which has been bolstered by its proximity to a major city.Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.@adventurebuddies42
This general success has been encouraging to the Outpost team, which has intentions of expanding to other locations.Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
But unlike Autocamp, which is centered around its Airstream identity, Caravan Outpost doesn’t feel tied down to the Airstream look.An Airstream at Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
As a result, it doesn’t feel the need to duplicate its exact setup at a new location.A Caravan Outpost Airstream in Ojai, California.@adventurebuddies42
“People do love Airstreams, so perhaps we would keep the flavor of that,” Shawn Steward said.
“I would think if you loved the Outpost and you wanted to go to a new location because you love the Ojai location, that you would probably want a new experience.” Caravan Outpost in Ojai, California.Wannab Studios
Read the original article on Business Insider .
