Top tips to enjoying a touring caravan holiday

Touring caravans provide a change of scenery and not only that, but you can decide on the budget you want to spend on your getaway. These are the best top tips if you want to enjoy a Touring Caravan holiday as a family, a couple or by yourself. From time to time we read impressive stories of people who leave their seemingly perfect lives to experience something new and become one with nature on their own, as a couple, or as a family in a caravan. If on the other hand you prefer a fixed place to live and work, touring caravans can be a great option for an extended break, and it gives you the freedom to roam anywhere for as long as you’d like.

Holiday for one

What to do when travelling alone? You might have the opportunity to do and see whatever you want without having to worry about other people’s preferences or having to change your plans last minute. Solo travelling is becoming more popular for people of all ages as a challenging and rewarding adventure, just following your instincts. But if you like to explore the great outdoors it doesn't mean single travellers have to live the experience completely alone. There are dozens of groups and clubs for people who like to hit the road. Caravanning is popular in European countries too, and touring caravans give you the opportunity to cross borders and meet new people around the world. The Caravanning and Motorhome Club have a discussion group to chat and share advice for solo caravanning & touring. You can find more information here.

Touring Caravans for couples

Choosing the perfect caravan can sometimes be easier than choosing the perfect partner, but sharing an adventure can be much more fun than roaming alone, making it the perfect excuse for an extended tour. Couples breaks, honeymoon by caravan or luxury caravan trips are all trending in 2018.

What do you need to start caravanning?

Here’s a checklist of things you may wish to consider for your first-time touring caravan trip.

1. You need to know what your car can tow and check your driving license for towing
2. Find a good place to pitch up
3. Learn to tow your caravan and adjust the hitch height
4. Have a look at some basic touring caravan accessories and caravanning care

How to budget for a caravan trip?

There are many unknowns when planning a caravan trip together, but a lot of the big cost can be calculated ahead of the journey, for example:

1. Plan the route and duration: daily fuel consumption can be calculated ahead with a map and your vehicle consumption
2. Getting the right caravan insurance in case of a breakdown (does your policy include European cover?)
3. Food: It might even be worth designing your own menu, using a combination of basic easy-to-prepare recipes and fresh ingredients, for those days you plan to cook in the caravan
4. Accommodation: check the prices of the caravan parks or find the camps where you can pitch up for free throughout your journey
5. Family caravanning

A touring caravan is a great option for families to have an alternative holiday home on wheels, and you may be able to plan each journey as you go. Many UK campsites have Wi-Fi these days, which can help keep children occupied during the quiet times, especially if you’re a first-time family caravanning. Often adults recall the best holidays as the ones they spent with their families on a caravan holiday!

What are the top tips for caravanning with kids?

If your children are used to a routine, then it might be worth planning your trip around their bedtime, dinner times and parking in places they would thrive in. Unsurprisingly, lots of children prefer the idea of spending unstructured time with their families and spending good quality time together. If caravanning as a family is your perfect holiday, there are several caravan associations in the UK and each runs its own local event where you can get to know other families.

Did you know?

According to the NCC (National Caravan Council), 50 million nights are spent in a caravan each year in the UK and they’ve estimated that more than half million touring caravans are in use in the UK. Even after Brexit. Brits are Europe’s biggest buyers of touring caravans and the UK market is the second in the world. What is clear is that the best thing about caravans is the life outdoors; embrace the fear and leave your routines behind. Have you been on holiday in a touring caravan this year or are you planning to do it? What would be your top tips? Share your opinion with us on our Twitter and Facebook. Links: thencc.org.uk/our_industry/statistics bbc.co.uk/news/business *The opinions and views expressed in the above articles are those of the author only and are for guidance purposes only. The authors disclaim any liability for reliance upon those opinions and would encourage readers to rely upon more than one source before making a decision based on the information.