Are you looking to enjoy a motorhome holiday in the future? Motorhomes are a wonderful way of exploring any area, particularly right here in the UK. The flexibility they offer while allowing you to bring some beloved home comforts along is an attractive proposition to many when considering future holidays. Whether you want to head out on an exciting road trip or drive down to a picturesque campsite, the freedom, privacy, and excitement of a motorhome makes time away feel like a great adventure. If you are tempted by a motorhome getaway, in this guide we have presented a handful of top tips to make your holiday the wonderful occasion it deserves to be.
Plan your routes
Planning is the first part of any successful venture and it is no different when it comes to your motorhome holiday. Even if you are planning a road trip and want to explore scenic roads, it’s a good idea to have your routes mapped out beforehand. And for those simply heading cross country to a campsite, knowing the best route to take will save unnecessary headaches on the road. Your holiday should be all about relaxing so the last thing you want is to be stressed out before you even get to put your feet up! It’s also a smart idea to have a backup route to your chosen destination, just in case you run into road works or an accident.
For those who are heading on an epic road trip and want to explore multiple locations in their motorhome, Phil and Izzy of the motorhome travel blog The Gap Decaders, recommend the following tip for planning your route: “Agree a few ‘anchor’ dates and places. This may be a particular mountain you want to climb, a boat to catch, a site you’re booked in to or an attraction you have tickets for. You should always have two anchor places and dates; your start and finish points!”
Karen, from the family travel blog, Mini Travellers, has the following advice when it comes to planning a motorhome journey, stemming from her family’s time in Alton: “Think about where you are going to drive to and choose carefully. Motorhomes are big and not suitable for all roads! We had to drive down some roads that weren’t really motorhome friendly in Alton and I know roads that are a lot smaller than those.”
Make sure to get insurance
Before you set out on the road, you also want to make sure you purchase temporary motorhome insurance so that you are legally covered and protected. This is the last types of thing anyone wants to think about when planning a holiday but once you have sorted your insurance out, you can get on the road with the peace of mind you will truly need to relax. If you are borrowing a motorhome for your trip, temp cover is a great option, meaning you won’t have to adjust your existing annual policy and you can be insured for the exact amount of time you need. So, get this out of the way early on and then get planning all those fun bits and pieces that make holidays so exciting.
Bring the entertainment
While there is plenty of fun to be had enjoying the views, heading out on hikes, and exploring your destination of choice, it’s never a bad idea to bring along some entertainment for your holiday. With possible long hours on the road, lazy days on the beach, or downtime during the evening before bed, it can be nice to relax with a good book, play a game, or watch a TV show. If your motorhome holiday is going to be a family affair, making sure that the kids can entertain themselves will be particularly important, so don’t forget to bring along a favourite toy or two or a tablet so they can watch a film when on the road.
Know the size of your motorhome
For those new to motorhome holidays, make sure that you are fully aware of your vehicle’s dimensions before getting on the road. After all, motorhomes are large and won’t fit where some regular cars can. Knowing your motorhome’s size is one of the top tips for beginners from Lars and Shelly of the travel blog Lifejourney4two: “Know the height, width and length of your motorhome. You don’t want to get stuck under any bridges and you’ll need to know your length because some campsites can only take certain length vans. In some European countries, when road works are carried out and temporary lanes are used, the width of the lanes is displayed on signs beside the road.”
Pack sensibly
One component of holidays that we can never escape is packing. Some of us are more adept at this than others but packing sensibly will play a big role in the overall success of your motorhome holiday. Think about the time of year you are travelling and what the weather might be like. If you are holidaying in the UK, rainy spells should be prepared for. Why not bring an awning for your motorhome? Not only does this provide further shelter once you are parked up but it can be a lovely thing to sit under and receive a bit of protection from the sun on those baking hot summer days.
Packing lightly is also advised, there is only so much room in your motorhome after all and the last thing you want is to feel cramped because you brought more than you need. Motorhome resource Out and About Live share the following packing advice: “You’ll need to add kitchen and dining ware, as well as your bedding, clothing and any outdoor gear – like chairs and barbecues – to your motorhome. Be mindful of weight. Only pack the minimum amount of stuff you need.
“Some top weight savers are to pack melamine mugs and plates, and microfibre towels in the washroom. As well as being super light, these also take up a fraction of the space of a conventional towel. They also dry rapidly.”
In the interest of saving space, why not give packing cubes ago? They are a super tidy way of packing clothes in your suitcase and take up hardly any room at all. Packing cubes are something that Kerri from the travel blog Beer and Croissants has used during her motorhome travels:
“I am now a packing cubes convert. Having used them in suitcases before, I took them with me on our latest motorhome trip. What a breeze it made unpacking and keeping things organised in the motorhome. I simply kept the cubes up in the storage space above our bed, making them easy to access each time we needed them. I would highly recommend them for long motorhome trips as it would be seriously annoying to have to keep diving around bags and suitcases every day.”
Choose the right campsite
You can get all your ducks in a row when it comes to your motorhome but if you haven’t selected the right campsite to stay at, your holiday won’t be the perfect occasion it should be. So, doing your research beforehand and not simply selecting the cheapest thing you come across, will be a good idea. Think about what facilities you are after and what type of holiday you are seeking. If you are searching for something by the sea but that also has plenty of on-site entertainment and facilities, make a list of some options, read the reviews, and make an informed decision. Some sites will be far more suitable for children than others, for example, and some might not be pet-friendly if you wanted to bring your dog away with you.
Maintain your routine but adapt it
Holidays can be a great opportunity to say goodbye to the same old routines and break out of the monotony of everyday life. This should certainly be a component of your motorhome break but if you are travelling with children, keeping some semblance of a routine will be beneficial. By putting the kids to bed at a certain time, for example, you can allow yourself some alone time to relax, talk, eat dinner, and enjoy your time away without having to worry about the little ones. Of course, bedtime can be a little later than usual but maintaining a routine and adapting to holiday circumstances will benefit all involved.
Relax
This is our most obvious tip but something that many lose sight of. With all the planning and organising that goes into a holiday, it can be easy to forget that you are heading away to relax. So, once you are on the road, let go, chill out, enjoy this time off spent with loved ones and leave work behind. This is your time away, embrace it, you deserve it. Normal life can wait until you get home, this is a time to treat yourself. Do yourself a favour and don’t check your work emails, enjoy the freedom that a motorhome brings and explore your destination of choice with positivity.
SEE ALSO: Future UK Road trip: Every attraction you need to visit
Top tips for going on a motorhome holiday
- plan your routes
- make sure to get insurance
- bring the entertainment
- know the size of your motorhome
- pack sensibly
- choose the right campsite
- maintain your routine but adapt it
- relax
Motorhome holidays can be truly wonderful getaways, giving you so much scope for exploration and adventure while still being able to enjoy great facilities at lovely campsites all around the UK. We hope the above tips have proven useful and got you excited about the prospect of your time away.
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