Are Campervan Holidays For Me?

Well as my mother always taught me “Zoe you will never know if you don’t try”

Let me start by being completely honest, Campervan Holidays are not for everyone, but tell me what holiday is? What I can say is that of the 200 road trippers we had last year we only had one couple that curtailed their holiday and left not speaking (with each other) AWKWARD!! but that can happen in a 5 star All Inclusive in the Bahamas right??????

We always say you have to have 3 senses to hire a campervan

1. A sense of direction (Always helps and reduces the rows)
2. A sense of humour (This is a must! Don’t hire without one )
3. A sense of Adventure (After all isn’t that what life’s about?)

Ok so 2 out of three isn’t bad and is passable but if you don’t want to be ‘No Ordinary Mom or Dad’ and want to be supercool to your children and their friends (or is that just me?) then pull out a map, buy yourself a VW Camper T Shirt ( Dad ) and book your road trip. Many families who have given camper van hire a try have reported a positive effect on family bonding, yep until you try to take their phones away ARHH..

If you are a hiring as a couple then make sure you have been together long enough to know what you look like on bad hair (and face) day and know each others worst habits.  Mine is leaving my toothbrush in the knife section..it sends Mr W over the edge!!! Once you have ticked these boxes then take it from me it is the best holiday EVER! It can be as romantic as you please, with twinkle lights on board or you can muck in and be the best campervan team! It really is a good test if you can live together tooo..

If you have taken the big step then Campermoons are hugely popular! What a way to start married life, wet wiping and brushing your teeth over a portaloo, which when covered with a blankie makes an ace footstool.On a serious note, what could be more romantic than taking to the road less travelled, being closer to nature and eachother, I know the bottle of fizz we leave in the fridge for you.

Selling it am I? Of course I am talking about ‘Stealth’ ‘Wild Camping’ ‘Going Off Grid” which are amongst the best breaks away.  This is when all the senses mentioned kick in and you go into sensory overload.  All our girls have solar panels and top notch heating systems to keep you toasty and you really do wake up to the best views which are at a premium cost on any other holiday, but with Campervans they are absolutely free, Zilch, De nada. We promote responsible camping so please leave no trace and always be mindful of locals and the environment.  Look up Brit Stops, this is where everyone is a winner, you spend money in pubs and farm shops and they let you stay in the car park for free or a small charge..genius idea.

I know ‘Wild Camping’ isn’t for everyone which is why when guests hire our vans the majority of the time they book on to campsites (phew) and feel SUPER proud they have been SUPER organised.  This is an absolute must for trips such as the NC500 to ensure you get the best locations.

We have had some of the best holidays camping but you do feel rather smug when you pull into a campsite in the rain and there is no tent to put up…RESULT but whatever you do, do not make eye contact with someone putting up a wet tent, remember you were there once,  perhaps offer them a brew you can make in 2 minutes in your dry warm van or offer them an ice cold beer from the fridge in your dry warm van..Get the picture?

If your flying solo then you are your own captain, with all the space and duvet covers and no one to blame when you make the wrong turning.

So as you can see we welcome all kinds of road trippers which is one of the highlights of running your own campervan business.  It is priceless to see the excitement of the children when they see their holiday home, with some nearly bursting when they see Dixies disco lights in the roof where they will be sleeping (hide the remote control if you don’t want to be stared at it the morning) The smiles when the parents see how much you can pack into the fridges ( so the bottle of prosecco will fit in ) the relief when they see the space in the back of the Long Wheel Base girls Dolly and Dixie when they know they have packed way toooo much AND for those campermooners who see the mood lighting in the vans.

So is a Campervan Holiday for me or my family? To help you decide here are just a few questions from 2021 from fellow road trippers…

1. What are the most important items to pack?

Well don’t forget to bring your children or un tie your dog ( Have you seen The National Lampoons European Vacation ) but top of the list is wet wipes followed by van slippers/crocs (arh did I say that)/flip flops. On our website is an itinerary and you will see we think of everything, so don’t double up, we supply washing up liquid, we supply pots and pans and knives and forks ( Yes someone has brought their own )

• Where does the Porta Loo go?

You can hire ‘Portia’ who comes with a privacy tent for a small charge.  This is popped up next to YOUR van.  This is really handy for night time visits ( Don’t forget a torch ) when the toilet block is too far.  It also makes a great changing area and we pop a little mat on board and your first loo roll so its nice and cosy.  One family said it made a good ‘time out’ area when their son tried to drive the van, hmmm bit harsh. 

• How do you charge phones?

This is usually the young adventurers first question much to the frustration of their parents who have already told them that this holiday their would be less phone time.  There are USB and charging points in the vans and they charge up whether you are hooked up to the electric or not.  Leisure batteries in campervans are amazing but remember if you are not hooked up then the more you use the battery the lower it gets and if it drains too much then more important things like the heating will not work until you charge it up again.  Remember the fridge is working hard keeping the wine cold. We do have battery indicators which will alert you to battery levels.

• How do you charge Leisure Batteries?

The easiest way is when you drive.  The batteries charge whilst the engine is on.  Now this would come as a shock if one of you had an early night whilst the other was on their phone and you started to move the van.  However if you turn the engine on and run it this will also work.  However it is not good for the van to run to low, so use everything in moderation and keep an eye on the battery level which we educate you on.

• Why a campervan and not a motorhome?

Wash your mouth out! Actually I love all ‘homes on wheels’ but VW campervans are easier to drive, easier to park, easier to hide, easier on the eye, easier on the wallet, need we say more?

• Why do people keep waving at us?

When you hire a VW Camper you become a fully fledged member of the VDUB CLUB. As long as they flick you a wave and not the bird then welcome to your new family!

Will it sleep a family of 4 comfortably?

In short YEP! Fresh air and excitement = Tired wee children

So maybe your starting to think about this years holidays, with travel restrictions now lifting lots of people will be booking vacations abroad, who can blame them, have booked one or two myself but that means the campsites could be quieter, beauty spots less packed and roads less busy..just think maybe if you haven’t tried a camper this could be the year for a new adventure?