Dolomites campervan beta

My wife and are going to be in the Dolomites for three weeks starting in late June.  We are thinking about renting a campervan.  Are there free places to park near trailheads?  What's the local vibe like?  Our other option is to rent a small car and stay in hotels.  We like the flexibility of the campervan incase the weather is bad so that we can chase good weather.  A van isn't cheap and if we end up paying to stay in campgrounds it might be cheaper overall to get a hotel and a small car.  Any thoughts?

I was there a couple years ago and there were campervans everywhere. They were in campgrounds and at pullouts and at trailheads. 

I have some experience doing both in the dolomites and prefer the flexibility of a camper van (I use a small vw caddy) and staying in huts.  The trailheads can be free or pay but often have an option/section for overnight parking along with an electronic meter where you can get a ticket for a few euros.  There are also many pulloffs especially around the passes, and you will see other people in campers doing the same.  The ones that don't allow overnight parking are generally marked.  Also the parking areas for the lifts often let you park overnight but these are usually not free.  The app park4night can give you a good idea of where pulloffs are in the area.  PM me if you want more beta.  

the van will give you more flexibility, the cheaper hotels will probably have no vacancy during holiday season on a short notice . Booking prior to your trip is a bit risky because of the weather. With a van, you can Just drive to where the weather is best. Some regions ( Pala, ... ) require better weather then more accessible places ( tre cime, sella..), so flexibility is key to making most of your trip. Staying overnight is possible in many nice spots, usually driving some way up a pass. 

It’s a freeforall for camper vans along the main roads, not exactly tranquil but free. You can stay in the Tre Cime parking for the (huge) entrance fee. Hotels are not super convenient IMO. Between pullouts, parking lots, and pricey campgrounds you will be happy and find easy vibes around the area in the van. Italy I find is in between France and Spain on the “no one gives a shit what you’re doing” continuum. 

Sweet!  We have a van rented.  Hoping we can get there this summer.