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?

You can get some really lovely statics that feel more like a lodge or a small cottage than a caravan. I suppose they're an affordable holiday home for many. The only reason I wouldn't do it is because I like visiting different places and try not to go back to the same place twice. But I can understand why others choose it as an affordable change of scenery.

We have a touring van, but have given up holidaying in it for longer than a few nights as our family has grown and we enjoy a bit more luxury these days. Camping/ caravanning can be hard work! We've had lots of fun in it though when the kids were smaller.

People who enjoy them all stay at the same sites every summer and are friends who socialize with each other.

@olivepicanto love your comment. IYKYK!

Where is this please?
I'd like to try one. East coast with a sea view but not a haven type site.

Yep, but the poster you replied to there didn't and it was her I referred to.

We do a few a year. We can get a few days for a night in a hotel, we can use it as a base to tour around, we have much more space than on a hotel room and if we don't want to eat out, we don't have to.

We can afford much more expensive holidays, but the thought of spending thousands to sit around a pool doesn't appeal. If I'm away, I want to go away instead of sitting or laying somewhere that could, frankly, be anywhere.

Pretty pisspoor that some people don't have the imagination to realise that people are different and have different interests.

I totally agree. I think that caravans can be far too hot in summer even when it is a nice 20 degrees. Equally i find them to be freezing when it is raining even if it isn't that cold outside. When it rains at night the sound of the rain on the caravan roof keeps me awake. The last time i stayed in a caravan there were 2 toilets but the second toilet was useless. I didn't even have enough room to get my trousers down.

"I wouldnt mind staying in a hotel room if it wasn't surrounded by other hotel rooms"

When we were young and poor, we booked a caravan on a campsite, near the coast.
It was dreadful. The cutlery drawer contained a sad combination of plastic knives and forks. The requested linen packs hadn't materialised. The kitchen was covered in a good layer of grease, and the whole place stank of wet dog, cigarettes and feet.
Friends who rent out their luxury caravan, regularly have to report the theft of items from it. The first thing stolen this season was a supper tray. The second thing stolen was a hand soap dispenser.

Pretty pisspoor that some people don't have the imagination to realise that people are different and have different interests.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 hilarious.

So far, nobody has convinced me I’m missing out.

People just use caravans to have sex away from children - hence all the "if this caravans rocking, don't come knocking" signs that you see.

Hated statics: dirty, smelly, uncomfortable. Had to spend several hours washing up previous peoples plates, glasses, saucepans, oven, toilet etc. Screaming children and shouting parents. Loud awful 'entertainment', drunks returning when the bars shut.

Tents: damp, sleeping on the floor, no toilet, everything wobbling when eating/cooking, nowhere to wash up, nothing clean.

Loved towing caravans: Your own comfort, clean, easy to cook, fridge, own toilet and shower. No screaming children or loud music, friendly people, choice of sites, no rip off prices. Did it for 32 years UK and Europe.

I'm not sure anyone else is missing out on having a holiday near such a narrow minded bore.

I have friends who own a caravan. Their dc is autistic and massively struggles with change so it's the only way they can go anywhere - by providing the "same in a different place'.

This to me makes complete sense. But other than this I don't get it either OP. I do not enjoy camping.

I grew up with caravan holidays. I loved them as a kid. When I grew into a teen and conscious of my body I hated the pokiness and lack of privacy. I have never been in one since age 16. I had just begun full time work and told my parents I couldn't get the time off. It was a lie but they knew no better. So I stayed at home on my own for two weeks. Loved it.

My sister has always loved them and she and her husband managed a caravan park for many years. To be fair the caravans in their park were very different from the ones we stayed in as children.

My partner loves a Eurocamp caravan holiday. I do not. When I’m on holiday I do not want to be shopping, cooking and cleaning. I’ve been for the last few years but I have no wish to ever go again! So next year he’s taking the kids on his own and I’ll book myself an all inclusive somewhere. Like people have said - we are all different and like different things.

I grew up camping and hated it so much. I genuinely hated it, and I felt guilty for hating it because I knew it was expensive for my parents and it was the best they could do.

Fast forward 20 years, I am in a good financial position and can afford to take my kids away on the type of holidays I would have dreamed of… they want to go camping. They are fucking mad for it.

They go with the in laws to their caravan, they stay with their dad in tents. I will occasionally join them, but I really just fucking hate it so I’ve kind of marketed it to them as “dad time” and something special they do with their dad and his side of the family. I think it’s just one of those things - you get it or you don’t. I’m with you though, the second I scraped together enough money to not stay in a caravan or tent I never looked back.

You're not missing out.

It's the holiday of another person, a person who is different to you. You seem to think all people should enjoy the same things, but that's not how the world is.

Horses for courses.
Different strokes for different folks.
Each to their own.
Etc., etc.

We had a tourer then an older static followed by a brand new 3 bed 3 bathroom static on a beautifully quiet site.
Cumbrian coast about 200metres from the sea. Rural views from the decking.
Small friendly village where we knew lots of people. Couple of pubs, cafe and shop.
Wonderful fresh air, great walks with our dogs and peace and quiet. Was a distance to travel but went as often as we could and loved it.
Took the sofa out and had a beautiful bespoke chaise sofa made and new mattress on the bed. Slept better there.
Sold it a couple of years ago due to DH changing job. Miss the life so much.

How do you know they stay inside the caravan the whole time OP? Surely they walk/go to beach/sit outside with a drink at least?

We’re doing a Cornwall caravan break next year, it’s not our main holiday but it’s on a nice site with its own hot tub. I wouldn’t call it a holiday I suppose, but it’ll be a nice break. We’ve done Florida, Caribbean, all sorts of luxury trips (those are our main holidays) but it’s nice to mix it up.

I draw the line at camping though.

I think that whatever your theoretical budget, static caravans (to rent) represent good value for money for a particular type of holiday. If your accommodation is primarily a base, if you know you will be out and about come rain or shine, there is little point in spending a fortune on a luxury lodge, cottage or hotel.

If, on the other hand, your idea of a holiday is to spend a lot of time relaxing in luxurious surroundings, it would be worthwhile paying for one of the above

I am very much an out and about person on holiday, whatever the weather. I do love the aesthetic of a static, the cosiness and the close to nature feeling, but even if I didn't, I'd think it a waste of money to pay for something high end that I didn't plan to spend much time in.

You "wouldn't call it a holiday"? Whatever would you call it?

Do let me know, we holiday in Cornwall every year, I need to know if there's another word for our experience 😆

@AvengingAnglea break I guess? It’s only 4 nights, we’re paying for it out of our “fun money” pot as opposed to our holiday fund which we plan for and spend separately. Just semantics really, I assume when people go do weekend a city break it’s ok to not call it a holiday. It’s also off season so maybe that’s why I’m seeing it differently, it’s not a summer holiday.

My parents (who are 64 and 71) have a large touring caravan and love it.
We caravanned as children and I have many fond memories of it.

My parents van has all the mod cons you could wish for and they do weekends and longer trips in it.

If they do weekends, they do go out and about usually but sometimes remain on site while dad goes fishing. Mum joins him and they have a drink/picnic where he fishes.

I think for weekends they enjoy a change of scenery and a chance to relax. They also often meet other people when caravanning so it's nice for them.