Camper van holiday end of October

[Doireallywanttodothis]

Hello, first time poster 👋.

I’ve booked a camper van for me and the two boys, 6 and 4, (hubby won’t even entertain it 🙄) for the October half term. We went away in a 1974 VW van in August and had a lovely few nights - but the weather was great! This time I’ve booked a new VW Cali but the weather will obviously be a bit less helpful…

I’m looking for recommendations for stuff to do around the Whitstable and South Downs/Brighton area with children as I’m hoping to go to both these areas to see friends and also campsite recommendations on both areas would be very helpful.

And also just what I might not think about (as I’m a camper van newbie) for going away with two young children in one at the end of October - I may be mad!

Does it have some kind of fire pit abs have you got chairs so that you can hopefully sit around and toast marshmallows?

Warm PJs and wellies sound like a must as well

Oh and I don't know anything really about that area but I'd check that any campsite you book has heating in the showers. It might be very cold without it

Hot water bottles, thick socks and two duvets for each of you, and you will be fine. Our kids loved sleeping in the camper van when they were that age

Take hot water bottles pop them into the bed just before bedtime and you'll be nice and cosy.

Has it got thermal blinds? They make a massive difference. Sleeping wise, t-shirt, socks, pyjamas, fleece onsie and sleeping bag, plus optional blanket.

Take a plug in heater. Ideally low voltage. A halogen is probably your best bet.

I would expect it to have a heater. Does it have any kind of awning? If not, take stuff in stackable plastic boxes if you can so you put stuff outside without it getting wet (because there's never enough room in a camper with all your stuff, I have one!)
Wellies
Warm hoodies
Waterproofs
All the blankets

There is a really nice campsite between whitstable and herne bay-right on the prom.

According to this if it's a 20/21 model it should have a heater built in but I'd still pack an extra one, just in case.

Thanks all. It’s this one coolcamping.com/campervans/uk/england/south-east-england/buckinghamshire/milton-keynes/10454-parklife-campers/units/22897-buddy-vw-california-t61-ocean-4motion so I’m expecting it to be fairly bells and whistles and heating not to be an issue (but will make sure boys are very well wrapped up in the pop-top for bedtime).

It does have a swing out awning, but I wasn’t planning on renting the detachable one as I presumed it would be too cold in it to actually use it (and I’m a bit scared about putting the thing up and down). Similarly, I can rent a fire pit at the campsites we’re going to (and we did and used it every night last trip) but I just presumed it would be too cold to do that at the end of October.

Am I being too pessimistic in that regard or too optimistic that we’d be able to survive in the van all on top of each other for four plus days together without them 🥴?!

@superram - that sounds great, do you know what it's called?

We've camped in our campervan at the end of October in Wales where it was blowing a gale. The heater makes it toasty warm but definitely take blankets or a duvet and a nice fluffy towel to make the showers more bearable. We didn't use the awning tent as it was too cold and we were moving around each night to it's a faff to put up and put down regularly. It was great fun. We have two adults and two children and found it fine. Nothing better than snuggling up all warm inside looking out on all the poor Duke of Edinburgh Award teenagers in their teeny tents cooking beans on a light weight stove and keeping warm under the hand dryers in the toilet blocks!

Abs don't forget to pack the hot choc!

It definitely should have a heater, we have one! I would take a rubber door mat, there will be lots of ins and outs and will help keep inside clean. If you are going to a site with electric hook up, make sure you have the electric hook up lead, you can use the van without but won’t be able to make use of the 3 pin plug unless you are hooked up. Make sure the hire company give you a demo of putting the roof up and down, it’s dead easy, push of a button, but make sure you have windows open and keep checking the bellows is in when you are putting the roof down, also get them to show you how to do the downstairs pull out bed. It took a while to get to know ours and we got stuck with the bed one time, the strap thing needs a real good tug. Have loads of fun, we got ours when our kids were younger and had some great times.

I was meaning like the wind out type of awning, not the proper tent type. I just find it helps to have some kind of "porch" if it's raining, so you can keep things like wellies outside and put a small picnic rug under it. Makes coming and going much nicer and creates a bit more space.

And yes to hot choc, plus squirty cream and mini marshmallows!

Thanks all - very helpful suggestions here! Will definitely wind the awing out now and use that as a porch area with mat and box for wellies, waterproofs, etc..

And the hot chocolate was always given .

And the hot chocolate was always given

Didn't doubt it for a minute 🙂

To get the best use of the Cali, take a look at California Chris's YouTube videos. He explains all the features, electrics, heating etc.

Thank you @bestbefore will check them out.