Research shows that January time is particularly popular with holiday bookers – winter is in full swing, so some people are longing for a bit of sunshine. For others, it’s the best time of the year to book their holidays in advance and save a bit of money. Here are a few tips on how to plan a campervan getaway for your family!
Treat it like a road trip
Instead of rushing to the destination, enjoy the journey to the campground – make your trip fun and set off a few hours early. Stretch your legs and explore some of the sights that you’d typically drive straight past. Unless your family owns one of your own, a campervan hire can be a great way to have all the fun without making a financial commitment long term.
Get everybody involved
A trip shouldn’t just be for one or two people. Make sure everybody who’s going with you has something to do, especially children and pets. The most memorable holidays are the ones where everybody has their highlights and photographs of the things they love to do, so try to find a destination with activities for every person.
Of course, family activities also matter a lot. Having some experiences you can all share is a crucial part of any family getaway.
Do your research
Most people look up reviews of a particular town or city to get an idea of how well it suits their tastes but far fewer bother to look up what it’s like to visit in a campervan. The difference between staying at a hotel and staying in your vehicle can be huge, so make sure that you’re looking at opinions from people who were staying in the same conditions as you.
It’s worth researching the weather, too. Get a vague idea of how hot it’ll be and what kind of clothes you should pack. Even the most tropical areas can have weeks of heavy rain or snow at some points in the year, and wet parts of the world can be humid if you arrive during hotter months.
Don’t plan every step
One of the best parts about travelling in a campervan is the level of freedom it gives you. Keeping yourself tied down to a handful of scheduled events and stops is really undermining the point of having a campervan in the first place: you can pack up and go for a drive whenever you want, or visit that amusement park two towns over and still be back in time for an evening meal at your campsite.
Don’t use the campervan all the time
On the other hand, you don’t want to spend every waking moment (and, usually, sleeping moment) in your campervan. Try to find some places within walking distance of each other: they’ll let the whole family stretch their legs without needing to commit to a long hike.
Exploring on foot makes it easier to find some hidden gems, too. Most cities have back-street cafes and restaurants that you’d never see from the road, and plenty of shops are much more impressive on the inside than the windows and signs might suggest.
