Outside Lands 2027 RV Rental and Camping Guide

Which rental brands suit Outside Lands?

Two brands returned vans in our live San Francisco search for 4 to 12 August 2027: Travellers Autobarn and Cruise America. Both depots are across the bay in the East Bay, not in the city. Neither brand publishes an Outside Lands rule that we could find, and you will not be driving or sleeping in the van at the festival anyway, so the choice comes down to where you stay and what you do after the music.

• Travellers Autobarn (campervans and minivans): Minivan, Hitop, Kuga, Chubby, Hi5 and Beeva models sleeping 2 to 4, collected from 1997 W Winton Avenue, Hayward. Smaller vans are easier to drive and park in San Francisco and on the narrow roads of Marin. The depot is closed on Sundays, with pick-ups 10am to 4pm and returns 9am to 3pm, Monday to Saturday.
• Cruise America (motorhomes): Class C motorhomes with a toilet, shower and fridge: the Compact 21 ft (sleeps 4), Standard 25 ft (sleeps 5) and Large 30 ft (sleeps 7), collected from 5623 John Muir Drive, Newark. Pick-ups are 1pm to 4pm and returns 9am to 11am. Every model counts as an RV under San Francisco's two hour large vehicle parking rule, so plan on an RV park for every night in the city.
• Other Bay Area depots: Road Bear RV (San Leandro) and El Monte RV (Dublin) are also on our San Francisco page but returned no vans for these dates. Cruise America's website also lists a rental center in San Mateo (1899 S Norfolk St, phone (650) 577-9201) that did not appear in our search.

Compare depots, opening hours and live prices on our San Francisco campervan and RV hire page, or start a California coast trip from Los Angeles RV hire.

What does Outside Lands RV and campervan hire cost?

Rates in US$ from our live San Francisco search on 19 October 2026, picking up Wednesday 4 August and returning Thursday 12 August 2027 (8 nights, 9 rental days). Travellers Autobarn quotes per rental day and Cruise America per night. These are the discounted prices shown at the time of the search.

• Travellers Autobarn Minivan: US$46.33 a day (US$416.96 total), sleeps 4.
• Travellers Autobarn campervans: Hitop US$58.76 (sleeps 3), Kuga US$63.73 (sleeps 3), Chubby US$68.02 (sleeps 2), Hi5 US$79.38 (sleeps 4) and Beeva US$83.04 a day (sleeps 2), or US$528.80 to US$747.39 in total.
• Cruise America motorhomes: Compact 21 ft US$151.48 a night (US$1,278.26 total), Standard 25 ft US$163.93 (US$1,377.82 total) and Large 30 ft US$168.96 (US$1,418.05 total).

These rates leave out several costs:

• Festival tickets: Eager Beaver 3-day tickets for 2027 had sold out when we checked, and the 2026 festival sold out in June 2026, so sign up for updates on the official site.
• RV park fees: Candlestick RV Park lists US$135 a night (under 30 ft) or US$145 (over 30 ft) for two people, and Marin Park US$99 a night plus 10 percent tax and a US$8.25 booking fee, with higher rates during special events.
• Festival shuttle: the 3-day Eager Beaver Shuttle Pass was US$76 all in for 2027 and had sold out.
• Tolls: the Golden Gate Bridge charges southbound only, from US$10.50 for a two-axle vehicle on a one-time payment since 1 July 2026.
• Mileage, insurance excess, kits and extras vary by brand, so compare live totals for your dates.

Can you camp in an RV at Outside Lands?

No. The festival's 2026 FAQ said Outside Lands is not a camping festival and you cannot sleep in Golden Gate Park or your vehicle, with no exceptions. It also said there is no general event parking, that parking in the surrounding neighbourhoods is reserved for residents and strictly enforced, and that overnight stays in the park or in any vehicles are strictly prohibited. Check sfoutsidelands.com for the 2027 info page, which was offline in October 2026.

San Francisco rules for RVs and sleeping in vehicles

• Two hour limit on city streets: San Francisco Transportation Code Section 7.2.54, as amended in July 2025, bans parking RVs, motorhomes, trailers and any vehicle over 22 ft long or 7 ft tall on city streets for more than two hours. The city says these vehicles may be ticketed or towed from 1 November 2025. The exemption permit (Large Vehicle Refuge Permit) is for people living in large vehicles, not visitors.
• Two hour limit in parks: the Park Code applies the same two hour limit to these vehicles in any city park, including Golden Gate Park.
• No living in vehicles: SFMTA notes that vehicular habitation is illegal in San Francisco under Police Code Section 97.
• Smaller campervans: a van under 22 ft and 7 ft may still count as a recreational vehicle, so do not plan to sleep in any van on a San Francisco street.

Best RV parks near Outside Lands

• Candlestick RV Park, 650 Gilman Avenue, San Francisco: 111 sites with full hookups and pull-thrus, 30 and 50 amp power, about 9.4 miles (15 km) from the Polo Field. It lists US$135 a night for vehicles under 30 ft and US$145 over 30 ft (two people, US$5 per extra person), check-in and check-out at 11am, and a 7 day cancellation policy. The Muni 29 Sunset bus stops on Gilman Avenue and runs to Lincoln Way along the south side of Golden Gate Park.
• San Francisco RV Resort, 700 Palmetto Avenue, Pacifica: 150 sites on an ocean bluff, open year round, with 30 and 50 amp power on every RV site and sewer on standard and premium sites, about 10.5 miles (17 km) from the festival. Rates are on its booking page and no membership is needed.
• Marin Park, 2140 Redwood Highway, Greenbrae: 87 back-in gravel sites with full hookups, about 13.6 miles (22 km) from the festival across the Golden Gate Bridge. It lists US$99 a night plus 10 percent tax, notes higher rates for concerts and special events, and requires self-contained RVs. Its transit page lists Golden Gate Transit buses to San Francisco and the Larkspur Ferry nearby.
• San Francisco North / Petaluma KOA, Petaluma: full hookup RV sites and cabins about 41 miles (66 km) north, a better base for the wine country part of your trip than for festival days.

Book early: SFMTA expects about 75,000 people a day at Outside Lands, and these parks also serve summer visitors to the city.

How do you get to Outside Lands from the San Francisco depots?

All the rental depots are in the East Bay. Mapping estimates for a car put the Travellers Autobarn depot in Hayward about 32 miles (52 km) and 52 minutes from the Polo Field in Golden Gate Park, and the Cruise America depot in Newark about 43 miles (69 km) and just over an hour. Allow longer in an RV and in Bay Area traffic. From Hayward, Candlestick RV Park is about 29 miles (47 km) and San Francisco RV Resort in Pacifica about 28.5 miles (46 km).

• Do not drive to the gates: the festival has no general event parking. In 2026, vehicle access to the west side of the park was limited from 8pm on the Thursday until 11pm on the Sunday, with several park entrances closed.
• Muni: wristbands include all-day Muni fare (not cable cars) on your festival day. SFMTA ran extra N Judah trains and 5R Fulton Rapid buses to Fulton and 30th Avenue, and a 5X Fulton Express from Fulton and 30th to Civic Center BART after the music, about 10pm to 11:30pm in 2026.
• Festival shuttle: the official Shuttle Pass runs from the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium at Civic Center to the South Gate, starting 11am daily, with the last shuttle to the festival at 8pm and returns until an hour after the music ends. Parking is not included.
• Rideshare and bikes: the 2026 rideshare zones were Balboa Street and 30th Avenue (north) and Irving Street between 25th and 27th avenues (south). Free bike parking and Lyft Bike valets sat near the North and South gates.
• Gates: the North Gate queue starts at 26th Avenue and Fulton Street and the South Gate at Martin Luther King Jr Drive and Metson Road, with an ADA entrance at 36th Avenue and JFK Drive.
• Flying in: the festival says SFO is about 30 minutes from the site and Oakland Airport about 50 minutes.

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

9 day Outside Lands and Northern California RV trip

Dates follow our search, collecting on Wednesday 4 August and returning on Thursday 12 August 2027. Drive times are mapping estimates for a car, so allow more in an RV.

Day 1: Wednesday 4 August, East Bay to San Francisco

Collect your van in Hayward (pick-ups 10am to 4pm) or your motorhome in Newark (1pm to 4pm), stock up on food, then drive about 40 to 50 minutes to Candlestick RV Park or San Francisco RV Resort in Pacifica.

Day 2: Thursday 5 August, settle in

Leave the RV at the park and explore the city by Muni, or walk the Pacifica coast. In 2026 the festival box office at Marx Meadow (25th Avenue and Fulton Street) opened 1pm to 7pm on the Wednesday and Thursday for ticket pickup.

Days 3 to 5: Friday 6 to Sunday 8 August, Outside Lands

Take the bus or a rideshare to the gates each day and leave the RV parked at your RV park. In 2026 gates opened at 11am, music ran noon to 10pm, and re-entry was not allowed, so pack for the whole day.

Day 6: Monday 9 August, Golden Gate Bridge and Marin

Cross the Golden Gate Bridge (about 22 miles or 35 km from Candlestick to Marin Park) and visit Muir Woods. Driving there needs a parking reservation at GoMuirWoods.com and the roads are steep with sharp turns, so in a large RV consider the shuttle from local ferry terminals, which NPS says runs only at certain times of year. Stay at Marin Park.

Day 7: Tuesday 10 August, Point Reyes and the coast

Spend the day at Point Reyes National Seashore. There is no car or RV camping inside the park, so stay at the Petaluma KOA, about 28 miles (45 km) from Marin Park.

Day 8: Wednesday 11 August, Sonoma and Napa wine country

Tour Sonoma and Napa Valley wineries with a designated driver, then return to the Petaluma KOA for a second night.

Day 9: Thursday 12 August, return

Drive back to the East Bay, about 63 miles (101 km) to Hayward or 73 miles (118 km) to Newark. Cruise America returns close at 11am, so leave early or spend the last night closer to the depot. Travellers Autobarn takes returns until 3pm.

Outside Lands RV tips

• Book the RV park before the RV. There is no camping or vehicle sleeping at the festival, so secure a site at Candlestick, Pacifica or Marin Park first.
• Never park the RV near the festival. RVs and vehicles over 22 ft or 7 ft tall face a two hour limit on city streets and in parks, and neighbourhood parking near the park is reserved for residents.
• Use your wristband on Muni. In 2026 the wristband covered all-day Muni fare on your festival day, so you do not need to tap your Clipper card.
• Plan around depot hours. Travellers Autobarn in Hayward is closed on Sundays and Cruise America returns close at 11am, so do not plan a Sunday night return after the last set.
• Pay the Golden Gate Bridge toll. It is charged southbound only and there are no cash booths, so ask your rental brand about its toll program or make a one-time payment within 48 hours.
• Pack for a full day. Outside Lands is cashless (cards and digital payments only, apart from the 21+ Grass Lands area), and re-entry is not allowed, so bring layers and everything you need.