California: Volkswagen Vanlife

The California App by Volkswagen is your official digital companion for life on the road– built for adventure, exploration, and the freedom that comes with travelling in a campervan.

Whether it’s a spontaneous weekend getaway or a longer journey across Europe, the app helps you discover great campsites and pitches, plan your trips, customise your vehicle experience, and create memories that will last a lifetime.

And with version 5.0, the California App enters a whole new chapter. Completely redesigned and rebuilt on a solid new foundation, it now delivers a smoother, more modern experience– one that feels familiar, yet far more capable.

Here are some highlights:


🏕 Camping Spot Search–
Explore 40,000+ camping spots from all over Europe, all in one place. Use advanced filters to find exactly what you’re looking for, browse images and reviews, explore available features and activities, check pricing information, and much more. When you’re ready, add places to a trip or a collection¹, and get directions by syncing with the in-car app¹ or from your favourite map app.


🛣️ Travel Hub¹–
Keep track of your saved places and start shaping your next adventures with the Travel Hub. Never forget the interesting places you find by saving them to default collections like Favourites and Want to Go, or create custom ones to fit your needs. Create trips, set the start and end dates, and watch as the countdown tracks the days until the big event. Freely add, reorder, and remove destinations with just a few taps to make every trip just right. And, when you’re on the road, mark each place as visited to keep track of your progress.


🎛️ Vehicle & California Remote Control¹ ̓²–
On supported California campervan models, you can keep track of vehicle status and customise your experience right from your pocket. Featuring an all-new design, it’s now easier than ever to check your battery and water levels, raise or lower the pop-up roof, adjust lighting profiles and wake-up lights, monitor and control the heating system and the refrigerator box, and much more. How-to videos, user manuals, and self-checklists help you learn and apply the most important basics of your California– for example, to prepare it optimally for your trip. You can also keep track of important messages from your vehicle in the all-new notification centre.


🚐 In-Car App Integration¹ ̓²–
Travelling gets easier with our integration with the free California In-Car App that lives in the infotainment system of California campervans. While driving, passengers can view or control important camper-specific functions.


⭐️ Accessories, Lifestyle & Inspiration³–
The Discover tab is your go-to place to make your #vanlife even better. Get inspired with a selection of the highest rated camping spots around Europe. Get incredible tips for your next adventures with articles from the California Magazine. Find the perfect accessories for your California from our partners and explore the perks of the California Club.


Ready to hit the road?
Download the California App and begin your next adventure!


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¹ A free Volkswagen ID user account is also required to access certain features, such as saving camping spots, creating trips and collections, and connecting to the In-Car App. The Volkswagen ID has its own terms and conditions– you can learn more at https://vwid.vwgroup.io/.

² Please note that some app features are only available for specific vehicle models. For example, the Remote-Control functionality requires specific hardware that is only found in certain California campervan models.

³ Some app features are only available in select countries or regions. For example, the California Magazine, California Accessories and California Club are currently only available in some markets.

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We’d love to hear your thoughts about the app! You can share your comments, questions and feedback at california@volkswagen.de