Drew Meyer is either going to be mountain biking or kayaking this weekend, but he hasn’t made any firm plans. He doesn’t need to. Ever since he bought his minivan this year, he’s had it packed for camping and mountain biking on a moment’s notice, and he has a rack on top for his kayak.

This, after years of poking fun at his friends who drove minivans.

Mr. Meyer, 43, became a convert while renting one for a February business trip. “I got in and started driving and pretty much knew I was going to end up buying one,” he says. Before the trip’s end, he had a 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan picked out and financing secured.