Is Overland Expo East Worth It? A First-Timer's Honest Review

Howdy folks! We had a lot of questions before our first Overland Expo East — what does it really cost, what's the camping like, and just how gross are the bathrooms? So we recorded our whole first-timer experience as a conversation, answering everything we wished someone had told us. Here are the highlights; the full recap is in the video above.

What It Really Cost

We went with the general admission weekend pass with camping. For the both of us, the total came to $334.31. Food is on top of that — we packed our own breakfasts and dinners and bought lunch from the food trucks, which were genuinely good (burgers, chicken pot pie, gyros, fresh-baked cookies, plus a coffee truck and a bar). Fair warning: it's a captive audience, so expect to pay a premium.

The Camping Situation

It's primitive festival camping, and the parking attendants actually asked about our setup and were accommodating about where they put us — we lucked into a spot close to the exhibit field. Some camping areas are a serious walk from the main event, which is why you'll see folks on mountain e-bikes and even a OneWheel. There's a shuttle if you land way out in the field. We arrived Thursday around 5:30 — a half hour before cutoff — with no trouble getting parked.

Quiet hours exist on paper; in practice, you'll hear people having a good time. Pack accordingly.

The Porta-Potty Surprise

Our biggest worry turned out to be the biggest pleasant surprise. Porta-potties were scattered throughout the camping areas — the closest was under a 30-second walk from our site — and they were the best-maintained porta-potties we've ever seen. Crews made rounds all day emptying, cleaning, and restocking, and each one had a handwashing station with running water, soap, and paper towels. We feared being downwind; we never smelled a thing. (We still brought our own shower setup — that's the video where we figured out our one-gallon-shower routine for this exact trip.)

Vendors, Classes, and the Gear Temptation

If you can imagine a piece of overlanding gear, it's probably on display somewhere — from scrappy DIY rigs to the big brands. We left with a head full of ideas and one big purchase: we took advantage of the show deals and upgraded to an ICECO APL35 12V refrigerator (our trusty old Alpicool went to bless Sydney). There are also classes, discussions, and experiences — you can even demo side-by-sides and motorcycles.

Would We Go Again?

Yes. We had a great time and got lucky with beautiful weather — but learn from the horror stories we heard: past rainy years turned the fields into a mud pit, with rigs needing to be towed out. Pack rain gear and mud boots regardless of the forecast, and be ready for Virginia's October temperature swings: we cooked in the afternoon sun and bundled up at night.

Gear From This Trip

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this article and its video is for entertainment/educational purposes only. By following any advice from this article, video, or any provided links, you do so at your own risk. Please consult with a professional before attempting any construction, plumbing or electrical work.