Find the best overnight spots for you and your van
Despite what you see on social media, not all overnight stays in a campervan are gorgeous sunsets over lakes or woodland. It’s not at all unusual to find yourself nestled between HGVs on quiet industrial estates or truck stops. It’s a sad fact that in the UK, parking overnight wherever you want is, if not illegal, then frowned upon by local residents. And no one wants a self-righteous busybody interrupting your evening with ‘You can’t park there…’
Whether you like to plan your road trip and book everything in advance, or prefer the ‘figure it out as you go’ approach, here are five of the best apps we found to help you find places to stay overnight in the UK and Europe in your campervan — from wild parking spots and free lay-bys to established campsites and private pitches. Most have a free option (with ads) but all offer a better experience with a paid subscription.
Top Campervan Overnight Stay Apps
Park4Night (£9.99 annual cost)
- Best all-round overnight spot finder (UK & Europe)
- Community-driven database of free parking places, wild camping spots, aires, lay-bys, car parks and campsites ideal for overnight stays.
- Useful filters, reviews and photos help you decide where to stop.
- Works well for spontaneous overnights from Scotland to Spain.
Searchforsites (£7.99 annual cost)
- Best official stopovers & campsites across Europe
- Excellent for motorhome stopovers, French aires, Italian area di sosta, German stellplätze and campsites, with tons of searchable listings.
- Great offline support and sat-nav integration since all data can be downloaded.
Campercontact (£17.99 annual cost)
- Best for reliable campsite & service details Europe-wide
- Extensive database of motorhome service areas and overnight stops across Europe (many with facilities like electricity and water).
- Ideal if you prefer structured sites with services rather than just wild parking.
iOverlander ($60-$100 annual cost)
- Best for wild camping & community insights
- Crowd-sourced global map of free or low-cost camping and parking spots — useful for finding lesser-known wild camping places.
- Includes additional useful info like water refill points and reviews.
StayFree: Vanlife Wild Camping (£12 annual cost)
- Best free & scenic wild-camping focus
- Large database of wild camping sites, parking spots, RV parks and campsites added by users and the app’s community.
- Lots of filters to find spots by setting (e.g., lakeside, forest), perfect for scenic overnight stays.
Bonus (UK-Focused Options)
- BritStops – UK network of friendly free overnight stops at pubs, farms and vineyards (often with support for local spending).
- Campsites & Caravan Parks UK app – A huge list of campsites across the UK, useful if you prefer conventional campgrounds.
Tips for Campervan Overnighting in UK & Europe
In the UK (especially England and Wales), wild overnight parking isn’t always legally permitted, so official stopovers and campsites are your safest bet. You’ll also be able to stock up on water, recharge batteries, enjoy a lengthy hot shower, empty your travel loo etc.
In countries like France, Germany and Scandinavia, apps like Park4Night and Searchforsites excel at locating aires and stellplätze where overnight stays are common.
If you are planning an off-grid overnight stay, make sure you have enough water with you for cooking, drinking, washing up, and washing you. A LifeSaver Jerrycan can be filled from any fresh water source - rivers, lakes, streams or dodgy standpipes - and holds 18.5 litres - plenty for a night or two. For solo trips, the smaller LifeSaver Cube might suffice. Simply fill, pump, drink.
For advice on which solutions might suit you best, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Useful sources
https://ourtour.co.uk/home/finding-great-uk-motorhome-campsites-and-stopovers
https://www.searchforsites.co.uk