From Tesla Owner to Explorer: How Car Camping Changed the Way I Travel

by Ryan Greene

 

From Owner to Explorer:

For nearly two years, I was just a simple Tesla owner. Our Model Y was a fantastic daily driver, but I hadn’t yet realised it was actually a mobile hotel sitting right on our driveway. That all changed when we decided to take the plunge on our first-ever 20-day Tesla camping road trip around Europe.

What makes that trip even more special is that it was actually our honeymoon. We got married in July of 2024, and after not traveling for so long, we wanted to visit as many countries as possible. We only had the budget to fly and stay in one location, so we decided to go Tesla camping instead to get more bang for our buck. We stayed in hotels for two cities along the way (Berlin and Paris), but we camped for the rest of it. We fell completely in love with the camping community and the people we met, and we also filmed daily vlogs of the entire journey.

The real "aha" moment hit me on day four in Berlin. We were walking down from our apartment in the beautiful Prenzlauer Berg district, and there was our Model Y, sporting its Scotland flag on the back. It sat there looking like it completely belonged, and it struck me: we drove this car all the way from Central Scotland to Germany. We had no fixed itinerary, just a one-way ticket through the Channel tunnel under the sea, with France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy still ahead of us.

It completely changed my perspective on travel. I used to think you had to hop on a plane to somewhere exotic to really see the world. But having the car with us unlocked experiences you simply can't get in an airplane or a hotel lobby. It saved us hours of navigating public transport, and on an ambitious road trip, that time saved is everything. It was the ultimate gateway drug into a new kind of freedom.

Conquering the Winter Slump:

When we returned home, the post-trip blues set in. During those depressing, dark days of the bleak Scottish winter, I started telling myself a lie: I believed I had to drive all the way back to mainland Europe or visit nine different countries to have a "real" adventure. One or two nights closer to home just wouldn't be enough.

Eventually, as the light at the end of the winter tunnel started to glimmer, I decided to push past my own fears and self-doubt. I needed to hit the reset button. I packed the car, kept things simple, and drove out to the beautiful yet moody Loch Earn.

The days were short, the skies were grey, and the rain was falling—but the feeling of freedom and hope was immediate. I was forced to experience the elements and the slight discomfort of being wet outside, but slipping into the back of the car with the Tesla climate control keeping things perfectly warm was a revelation. I realised I didn't need a designated campsite with facilities to do this. Wild camping away from the crowds, with nothing but the car and a destination, felt like an even bigger adventure. That one night away transported me right back to the magic of our European road trip, proving that you can find that reset just an hour or two from your own front door. It even encouraged me to stay on at Loch Earn for a second night to really immerse myself in the solo, wild experience.

Leveling Up with Fruble

Testing out different routines and working with new gear has been a huge part of finding ways to squeeze even more enjoyment out of each trip. When we first started, my wife Rebecca could sleep absolutely anywhere. Even with just our Exped Megamat Auto mattress chucked in the back over the folded seats, she slept fine. I, on the other hand, spent those nights slowly sliding down the slope of the seats, constantly waking up to readjust.

So, I was incredibly excited to test out the Fruble Ultralite sleeping platform at Cobbleland campsite. The setup was brilliantly simple—just slotting the pieces together with no glue or screws required—and it completely flattened out the sleeping portion of the car. When we threw the Exped mattress on top, I stayed perfectly in place all night.

Later, during a trip to the impressive Lawers Dam at Glen Lyon, I decided to run a little experiment. Viewers of our channel had been asking if their Snuuzu mattress (my personal favorite for maximum comfort) would work with the Fruble Ultralite. Since both products are designed to iron out the slope in the Model Y, combining them was a game-changer. Not only did I get an almost perfectly level surface, but the extra height boost at the rear of the Tesla created this super cool lookout spot.

The Morning Ritual

Because of that elevated platform, the bottom of the bed now acts as the perfect perch to let your legs naturally dangle off the edge. This has entirely transformed my mornings.

When I wake up, I just look out the window, open the Tesla app, and press the trunk button. I can lie back while the trunk slowly lifts, welcoming me with an amazing view. I’ll sit up, shoogle forward to the back of the car, and get that first hit of fresh air. After wiping my eyes and stretching out, I hop out and head to the frunk—which acts as my dedicated camp kitchen.

I’ll turn on my gas burner, boil some water, and pour it into my cup for either a Yorkshire tea or just some simple warm water. Then, I return to my sitting position on the bottom of the mattress to soak in the sights. From this spot, I’ve watched eagles catch thermal elevators, seen geese fly over the River Dee, and gazed out at rolling hills and mountains. These are million-dollar views that I get to experience entirely for free, all because I discovered Tesla camping.

What’s Next & The Driveway Challenge

Even though I’ve been on this journey for a few years now, it feels like the surface is barely being scratched. I always thought hiking would be nice to take up one day, but I never really took the steps toward it. Now, I find myself camping in locations literally surrounded by hills, mountains, and trails. It almost feels rude not to explore what is quite literally on my doorstep!

This year, I’m challenging myself to start bagging my first Munros here in Scotland, before venturing further afield to the wild moors and tranquil lakes of England, and the jaw-dropping mountains of Wales. Eventually, the plan is to return to mainland Europe to explore both familiar and new countries, and to chase that ultimate freedom of going wherever you desire at a moment's notice.

If you have yet to give Tesla camping a go, I want to leave you with this: it is completely okay to feel anxious about sleeping in your car or heading out into the wild solo. It is a totally normal feeling. I had to get over my own fears and self-doubt to get to this point. The idea of it can feel stressful, but with a solid plan, a good checklist, and a few baby steps, it is an adventure that is accessible to almost anyone.

You don’t need to jump into the deep end like we did. Give it a whirl on your driveway at home just to see how it feels. Because if you give it a try and it clicks with you even half as much as it did with us, you are in for a life-changing experience that will stick with you forever.

 

Adventure logged by Ryan - meet Ryan and Rebecca!

About Ryan and Rebecca

Ryan and Rebecca run the YouTube channel The Greenes (@thegreenesgowild), where they document their Tesla road trips and wild camping adventures. Through a mix of cinematic landscapes and genuine, fly-on-the-wall vlogs, they aim to show just how accessible and comfortable exploring the outdoors in an EV can really be. When they aren't exploring the Scottish wilderness or navigating European highways, Ryan also shares incredibly in-depth, honest reviews of the best Tesla camping gear to help others hit the road with confidence.