Indy 500 2027 RV Rental and Camping Guide

Which rental brands suit the Indy 500?

One brand returned RVs in our live search from Chicago for 25 May to 1 June 2027: Cruise America. Neither Cruise America nor El Monte RV publishes an Indy 500 rule that we could find, so tell the brand you plan to camp at the Speedway and get any conditions in writing.

• Cruise America (motorhomes): Class C motorhomes with a toilet, shower and fridge, shown as the Compact 21 ft (sleeps 4), Standard 25 ft (sleeps 5) and Large 30 ft (sleeps 7). All three fit inside a 20 ft by 40 ft IMS RV space. Chicago pick-ups are from Franklin Park, near O'Hare, or East Dundee.
• El Monte RV: has a depot in Glen Ellyn and its own Indy 500 camping guide, which says generator use is free and unlimited on its rentals. It did not return vans in our search for these dates, so check the Chicago page for your own dates.
• Choosing a size: the Standard and Large cost the same in our search, so a group of five to seven gains space for no extra nightly cost. A tow car needs its own vehicle pass from IMS and must fit in the same space.

Compare live prices and depots on our Chicago RV hire page.

What does Indy 500 RV hire cost?

Rates in US$ from our live Chicago search on 19 October 2026, for a hire picking up Tuesday 25 May and returning Tuesday 1 June 2027 (7 nights).

• Cruise America Standard 25 ft: US$115.34 a night (US$873.93 total), sleeps 5.
• Cruise America Large 30 ft: US$115.34 a night (US$873.93 total), sleeps 7.
• Cruise America Compact 21 ft: US$149.70 a night (US$1,114.44 total), sleeps 4.

These rates leave out several costs:

• Mileage: Cruise America charges per mile, estimated up front at 100 miles a night at 39 cents a mile, with any unused miles refunded. The round trip to the Speedway alone is close to 400 miles (640 km).
• Kits: a vehicle kitchen kit is US$125 and a personal bedding kit US$75 per person at Cruise America.
• Generator: Cruise America charges for generator hours, which matters in lots with no power.
• Camping: IMS camping passes are sold separately and IMS does not publish the price on its camping page. Raceview Family Campground lists US$45 to US$80 a night for two people.
• Race tickets: sold separately by IMS, with 2027 tickets going on sale in autumn (fall) 2026.
• Insurance excess, one-way fees and extras vary, so compare live totals for your dates.

Can you camp in an RV at the Indy 500?

Yes. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) sells its own RV and pull behind camping passes for race weekend, in lots around the track. Each pass covers one vehicle in one space, and an RV space is 20 ft by 40 ft, according to the IMS parking and camping policy. Your RV, or your tow vehicle and trailer together, must fit inside it. The details below come from the IMS camping page, which still showed the 2026 race in October 2026, so check it for 2027 changes.

IMS camping lots

• North lots: Lot 1A (Georgetown Road, between Gates 9 and 9A), Lot 1C (30th Street, west of Georgetown Road), Lot 4 (25th Street and Georgetown Road) and Lot 4 Premium (Georgetown Road, north of Gate 9A).
• West lots: Lot 2 (across from Gate 6), Lot 5 (north of Gate 1), Lot 6 (off Meyers Drive) and Lot 9 (north of 20th Street).
• South lots: Lot 3G (16th Street, across from Gate 12) and Lot 3P (16th Street, east of Polco Street).
• The Coke Lot: Lot 1C is the lot local media call the Coke Lot, known as the party end of race weekend. Lots 1A and 1C need camping wristbands, and IMS says campers must stay in their own site from 1am until the public gates open.

Power, water and dates

• Power: IMS lists 30 and 50 amp power in Lots 3P, 4, 5 and 6, supplied by United Rentals from Thursday to Sunday. Lots 1A, 1C, 2, 3G and 9 list no power, so plan to dry camp there.
• Water and waste: there are no water or sewer hookups. Service Sanitation runs RV pump outs and non potable water fills from 6am to 6pm, Thursday to Saturday, but not on race day. Showers are in Lots 1A and 2 only. Dumping waste or wastewater is banned.
• Dates: four day passes cover Thursday to Sunday, with check in from 7am Thursday and departure by noon Monday. In 2026 fans could stage from 3pm on the Wednesday in Lot 1C or the Main Gate Lot, and early entry was not allowed. For 2027 that should mean Thursday 27 May to Monday 31 May, which matches the 27 to 30 May wristband dates in the policy revised on 30 September 2026. IMS has not yet confirmed 2027 camping times.
• Passes: an RV pass includes six wristbands, and the passholder can buy up to 10 more. A Class A or Class C motorhome can add a vehicle pass for one towed car. Golf carts, ATVs, scooters, e-bikes and drones are banned, and campfires must be in a raised fire pit or grill.
• Price and sales: IMS does not publish camping prices on its camping page, and every race weekend lot showed SOLD OUT for 2026. Local station WRTV reported the 2026 campgrounds sold out on 9 March 2026, against 7 April in 2025. IMS says 2027 tickets go on sale in autumn (fall) 2026, so call the IMS Ticket Office on 317-492-6700.
• Qualifying weekend: IMS also sells three day Lot 2 RV and tent camping for qualifying weekend (22 and 23 May 2027), without power or showers.

RV parks near the Speedway

• Raceview Family Campground, 3380 N County Road 1000 East, Brownsburg: about 7 miles (11 km) west of IMS, open only for race events. It has 265 sites with 30 or 50 amp power (about 50 to 60 ft long) and 400 plus primitive sites, with free water fill, a dump station and showers, but no water or sewer at the sites. Rates are US$80 a night for 50 amp, US$62.50 for 30 amp and US$45 for primitive, for up to two people, with a two night minimum for the Indy 500. Its 2027 Indy 500 dates were not yet listed. Call (317) 852-5737.
• Indiana State Fairgrounds campground, 1202 E 38th St, Indianapolis: about 8 miles (13 km) from IMS, with full hookup sites from April to October. You must book before you arrive. Race week rates were not published, so email camping@indianastatefair.com or call (317) 927-7503.

Off site, you still need a way in on race day, because IMS day parking only takes vehicles that fit a 10 ft by 20 ft space. Use a rideshare, taxi or the IMS race day shuttle.

How do you get to the Indy 500 from Chicago?

Indianapolis Motor Speedway is in the town of Speedway, on the west side of Indianapolis. From the Cruise America depot in Franklin Park it is about 194 miles (312 km), and from El Monte RV in Glen Ellyn about 196 miles (316 km). Mapping estimates are about 3 hours 50 minutes for a car, so allow 4 to 5 hours in an RV with a fuel stop. Indianapolis is on Eastern time, an hour ahead of Chicago, so you lose an hour driving south.

• Route: from Franklin Park, take the I-294 Tri-State Tollway south (a cashless toll road), the I-80/94 Borman Expressway east into Indiana, then I-65 south for about 130 miles (208 km) to Indianapolis and on to the Speedway. IMS links turn by turn directions for each camping lot from its camping page.
• Pick-up times: Cruise America hands over RVs from 1pm to 4pm and closes on Sundays and holidays, and El Monte RV hands over after 1pm on weekdays and closes at weekends. A Tuesday or Wednesday pick-up gets you to Indianapolis before camping opens on Thursday.
• Arrival day: IMS camping check in starts at 7am on the Thursday. In 2026 fans could stage from 3pm the day before in Lot 1C or the Main Gate Lot, entering via Polco Street.
• Race day: IMS works with Google Maps and Waze on road closures, and says cars can be held for up to an hour after the race while pedestrians clear. Rideshare and taxis use 10th Street and Polco Street on race day. The race day shuttle runs from Indianapolis International Airport and downtown (402 Kentucky Avenue) from 7am, with returns until two hours after the finish.
• Leaving: IMS campers must leave by noon on the Monday, which is Memorial Day, when both Chicago depots are closed. Plan to return the RV on the Tuesday.

Compare depots and live prices on our Chicago campervan and RV hire page.

8 day Indy 500 RV trip from Chicago

This plan uses a hire from Tuesday 25 May to Tuesday 1 June 2027 and four nights of IMS camping. Drive times are mapping estimates for a car, and camping dates assume IMS repeats its 2026 Thursday to Monday pattern.

Day 1: Tuesday 25 May, Chicago to Indianapolis

Collect your RV in the afternoon, stock up on food, water and ice, and drive about 194 miles (312 km) south on I-65. Spend the night at an RV park near Indianapolis, and book it ahead for race week.

Day 2: Wednesday 26 May, Indianapolis and staging

Fill the fresh water tank, empty the tanks and buy supplies. If you have a Lot 1C pass, IMS allowed staging from 3pm on the Wednesday in 2026, so check the 2027 rules.

Day 3: Thursday 27 May, move into IMS camping

Check in from 7am, set up in your 20 ft by 40 ft space and collect your wristbands. Pump out and water fill services run Thursday to Saturday.

Day 4: Friday 28 May, Miller Lite Carb Day

Spend Miller Lite Carb Day at the Speedway. Book a pump out and water fill for Friday or Saturday, since neither runs on race day.

Day 5: Saturday 29 May, Legends Day

A slower day around the Speedway. Stock up on ice and water before the race.

Day 6: Sunday 30 May, race day

The 111th Indianapolis 500. Walk from your campsite to your gate early, and stay put after the finish while traffic clears.

Day 7: Monday 31 May, Memorial Day

Leave your IMS space by noon. Drive north and stop for the night near Chicago, or at Indiana Dunes on the Lake Michigan shore.

Day 8: Tuesday 1 June, return

Empty the tanks and return the RV in the morning return window (9am to 11am at Cruise America, before 10am at El Monte RV).

Indy 500 RV tips

• Book your camping pass first. IMS campgrounds sold out on 9 March in 2026, about a month earlier than 2025, so buy the pass before the RV.
• Measure your rig. IMS RV spaces are 20 ft by 40 ft, and a tow vehicle and trailer must fit together. A 30 ft Class C motorhome fits within the 40 ft length.
• Plan for dry camping. Lots 1A and 1C list no power, and there are no water hookups anywhere. Pump outs stop on race day, so arrive with full fresh water and empty tanks.
• Choose your lot for the vibe. Lot 1C, the Coke Lot, is the party lot. Families may prefer a lot with power and showers, or a park such as Raceview.
• Watch the depot hours. Chicago depots close on Sundays, weekends or holidays, and race weekend ends on Memorial Day, so plan a Tuesday return.
• Plan for storms. IMS tells campers to watch the weather and have their own severe weather plan, and to carry a working carbon monoxide detector when running a generator.