Lately, it seems like you can’t walk down a street without spotting a campervan, they have become the new trend and it is time to join in! New to campervan holidays? Have no fear, simply follow our 5 step guide to heading out on a campervan road trip, where we inform you of the things to consider for your holiday. Then let the freedom of the open road begin!
1. Pick your vehicle
Considering that you’ll be spending most of the trip in this vehicle, it is a pretty important decision! You’ve decided to travel by campervan, but you still have a lot of choices left. Will you go for a more spacious and large motorhome, such as a Swift? Ensure you feel comfortable driving a larger vehicle, and that you have the necessary driving license for this. Or would you prefer something a little cosier and easier to maneuver? Then you should look to a Volkswagen campervan or a Mazda Bongo.
Consider which amenities you’d like. Do you require a toilet and shower? Your first answer may be OF COURSE! But think further. If you’ll always be on campsites that provide these, you could go for a smaller and cheaper vehicle and utilise those available facilities. Less cleaning for you as well! Do you want cooking appliances? If you plan to wild camp you may want to aim for something with a solar panel to ensure sufficient charging opportunities.
Decide where you will rent from. You may want to consider a sharing platform as this allows you to rent from a private owner, for a cheaper price than a rental company would offer.
2. Choose your destination(s)
Where will you go in your gorgeous van? Will you head to one place and spend your time truly exploring it, or will you tick off as many places as possible and enjoying the freedom of a campervan? You can take this decision in two ways. Either you plan your holiday and do the appropriate amount of research prior. You make all the decisions prior so that you can focus on enjoying the open road and activities. This is ideal for those that find decision making stressful and enjoy planning a holiday almost as much as taking it! But if you’re someone who feels restricted by that, or yearns a holiday without strings attached, you may prefer to take your holiday in a more spontaneous manner. Maybe plan the final stop, or simply the first one, and then take it as it comes. Go where you feel like when you wake up that morning, let yourself stay somewhere as long as you’re enjoying it and finding things to do.
3. Start packing
One of the perks of taking a campervan is that you’re less restricted with packing. You’re not set to a specific size or weight, and can bring any of the comforts of home. Furthermore, you’re able to unpack once and keep things tucked away in your van, instead of constantly unpacking and repacking. It can be easy to forget items in the excitement of packing, so be sure to write a checklist or find one online as a guide. Then you can check this before departure.
4. Prepare your playlist
A road trip demands an awesome playlist, it is simply not negotiable. Relying on the radio can be risky, especially if you’ve got particular music taste or plan to head abroad. So always have a backup. You could find a readymade playlist online to download, or one of the ones provided by Spotify. Alternatively, you could accept the daunting challenge and create your own playlist. Be sure to consider vibe, ability to sing-a-long and that it is long enough to avoid multiple repeats. Also be aware of your travel buddy and their music taste, playlist selfishness is not acceptable behaviour for a road trip and a bad start to your trip!
5. Get the best roadtrip snacks
A hangry travel buddy is a bad one. Avoid this at all costs by ensuring you have sufficient road trip snacks to keep all satisfied. Aim for a mixture of tastes and types, with something salty on offer as well as sweet and savoury, so that all cravings can be soothed. Try to avoid only packing junk food, as this will result in energy drops and eventual fatigue. You can find some healthy road trip snacks here. Also focus on adequate hydration! Dehydration is dangerous while driving and will also result in lower moods and energy, so have a bottle of water and a spare in case of anything.
Follow these 5 steps and you are assured an amazing road trip, one for the memories! But the biggest road trip tip? Enjoy the journey and not only the destination! Take in the good with the bad and aim to accept everything as part of the adventure. Don’t sweat the small stuff, but focus on the beauty around you and how incredible it is that you can take this trip. Start the 5 steps by checking out your campervan hire options.