Vintage Surfari Wagons rents out a fleet of a dozen restored VW buses from their Costa Mesa location, and they’re genuinely set up for dogs to come along. These aren’t tour buses—they’re vehicles you rent to drive yourself, which means your dog gets the whole experience: windows down, head out, the works. The buses themselves are the real draw here. Each one has been restored to capture that classic VW aesthetic, with the kind of character you won’t find in a standard rental car. You’re looking at a seriously nostalgic way to road trip down the California coast or up into the mountains.

What makes this work for dogs is straightforward: there’s actual room. A VW bus, even a packed one, has more ventilation and space than a sedan, and the open-window vibe means your dog isn’t staring at a closed window for hours. You can pull over easily when you need to, and there’s something about the whole setup that feels less rigid than renting a typical vehicle. The company explicitly welcomes dogs on their trips, which comes through in how they’ve thought about the logistics.

The real appeal is doing something different with your dog. Instead of fighting freeway traffic in a regular car, you’re driving a vintage VW bus down PCH or heading inland to explore desert towns and mountain roads. The bus becomes part of the story—people notice them, they’re inherently fun to be in, and your dog gets to experience the trip without being crammed into a small space.

If you’re planning a multi-day road trip in Southern California and want to skip the generic rental car experience, this is worth exploring. Just make sure you’re comfortable driving a manual transmission, since that’s what you’ll likely be handling. Head to their website for specific availability and booking details.