AIBU to not understand the appeal of caravan holidays?

[Pegasuspicious]

This is not aimed at people/families who can only afford a caravan type holiday. Or have young children who like to visit the beach, amusements etc.

I have a few friends and colleagues who absolutely love going to the caravan for a week or weekend. A colleague has one in a non-touristy area and says her and her husband (husband is retired, and their kids are well into adulthood) love going every other weekend. They don’t go to the beach or out and about, they stay in the caravan the whole time!

I just don’t get it. I find them pokey, uncomfortable and when you need to use the bathroom it’s like showering/shitting in a cupboard. Am I missing something?

Imagination

Yanbu static caravans are the worst. I don’t mind a caravan holiday when it’s a camper van you can drive anywhere and do a long road trip.

I grew up with caravan holidays, and so I love them.
They don't have to be "poky", there's some lovely static caravans that have balconies and stuff.
There's usually entertainment on a night or a pub or something.
YABU 😁

It gives you a sense of freedom you don't get with other holidays. 😇🤣🤣

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Maybe I should join “the club”?

I mean I would prefer a hotel to booking a caravan to stay in but if I owned my own , then I would 100% go everywhere in it .

My colleague owns a static caravan. And it’s just sat in a very small coastal town with nothing around it but one pub. Madness to me.

There’s something about simple living I suppose. We love to camp 3-4 times a year, it’s not really a break as it’s pretty exhausting but there’s something really relaxing about being outside in the middle of nowhere. It’s good for the soul.

Maybe they are satisfied with a simple charge of scenery. Unless I were walking or otherwise seeing the area, I think I'd prefer to stay home with all my home comforts, but I can also see that getting away, even just to a caravan somewhere, can provide a different kind of break. It's easier to forget about your responsibilities and worries knowing that fewer people can contact you or disturb your peace.

We regularly stay in luxury caravans near the sea: spacious, all mod cons, wrap around balconies, 2 bathrooms, 2 TVs, washing machine. We usually pay extra for a newer model, too. Most times, it is like moving into a new bungalow for a week.
Small, cheap caravans in the middle of a field - I wouldn't touch with a barge pole.

I wouldn't mind a bit if it was a static caravan that belonged to me and was in a beautiful location, or a campervan (also mine) to drive all around in. But the caravan holidays I had as a child were very off-putting - a week in a static caravan that was horribly damp, dirty, and smelly. That grottiness has meant I've never wanted to caravan as an adult. I never minded the pokiness though, that was fun and novel!

Id much rather do that than go abroad. It reminds me of happy childhood camping fun but as an adult Id need a comfortable caravan. I do tend to use campsite showers and loos though rather than a chemical toilet.

Nothing insightful to add, but your description of bathroom facilities made me laugh. And pretty much sums up why that type of break is just not for me.

I used to feel the same. Most likely because we weren’t a caravan family when I was wee.

I have mixed feelings now. We’ve had some
amazing holidays in a caravan. However you need to pay for decent ones as otherwise they are as you describe.

On our next caravan holiday the master bedrooM has an en suite, the main loo has a full sized bath, we have a dishwasher, decking and sea views. We’ve been before and the beds are so comfy.

Get what you pay for I suppose.

I feel the same - uncomfortable and no privacy. I decided many years ago it wasn't for me. If money is the issue then I'd much rather just not go on holiday. But we are all different and I know lots of people love camping and caravanning. Just not me.

😂

Love caravans, especially static caravans, all the wee nooks and crannies, clever use of space, like being in an adult Wendy house (as we used to call them). Love everything about them.

It's a bit weird that you think this needs to be in AIBU. Surely you realise people have different tastes, backgrounds and interests?

Agree! And nothing is ever actually comfortable. The "sofa" is just a narrow bench with a cushion. Not actually something you can curl up on with a book for the afternoon and doze off.

I suppose some monster of American motorhome that costs hundreds of thousands might be different, but your average UK caravan? Nope. Don't get the appeal at all.

Eh? You know this is just... not true. Surely. Although I suppose if you hate caravans you might not know.

So anyway, this is just not true.

I am incredibly jealous of anyone who has a holiday home; even if it is a pokey little static in Rhyl.
I would love to own my own towing van/camper or static somewhere, we would be there every Friday after school and come home late Sunday night: for us a change is as good as a rest. It will still feel like a holiday to us, and a holiday I can go on every weekend? That’s luxury!!

We have always enjoyed going to Haven with the children. So I do like Caravans but it wouldn't be my choice to own. For the price you pay to buy own caravan somewhere, you can go for many great holidays in different places. Each ot there own though, we are all different.

This. I grew up with caravan holidays, the mobile ones not static and I hated it as a teenager. I go without holidays rather than staying a tent or caravan.

Yes you are missing something - the imagination to realise that other people might just enjoy different things to you.

YANBU in the scenario you describe 😆

We tend to stay in static caravans when we go away in either UK or European holiday parks. It means we have lots of amenities (pool, kids entertainment, shop, restaurants/takeaways etc) on site, although we do go on day trips etc, but we can do our own cooking if the kids are tired, everyone has their own bedroom, there's a seperate living area and we pay for ones with a terrace too so get some outside space and we choose sites close to the beach.

But (big but!) we have young kids so it's the sort of holiday that's perfect for them (see also: Butlins). I don't think I'd feel the same if it were just us adults!

My parents have a static caravan on the east coast. Since retiring, they spend most of their time there, coming home for maybe 1 or 2 days a week. It’s a far cry from the very first caravan they owned over there when we were little (that didn’t even have a toilet). It is MASSIVE. Full kitchen with all the mod cons, decking area, reasonable size bathroom, good sized bedrooms, comfy sofas, etc. They have wifi set up, a decent tv and then they have their friends (the other caravan owners) that they go out with for a few drinks in an evening.

For some they might decide they can afford multiple trips away to a caravan rather than a single trip abroad. Have you seen the caravans that your friends/colleagues go to, or are you making assumptions based on a stereotype?