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Original poster

Getting a VW California for weekends with young kids

74 replies

JMGSinging · 19/02/2025 10:04

We have two little boys DS4 and DS1. DH and I are thinking to buy a new VW California for weekend trips mostly in the UK whenever the weather forecast is good. We might use it for a couple of tours in France/Italy when the kids are older, but will continue to have holidays abroad if it’s over a week with flights/hotels. I heard that there is a long lead time for new van delivery. Just trying to gauge if weekend camping trips with two young kids is a good idea? How old do I have to wait for DS1 to become until we order the campervan? Thanks

OP posts:
worrisomeasset · 19/02/2025 10:24

You’d be able to get a VW conversion almost straightaway. It’s what we did 12 years ago, it’s still going strong. I can’t comment on the wisdom of taking a one year old as we didn’t get ours until DS had gone to university, but I’ve been to enough campsites to be able to guarantee your 4 year old will absolutely love it.

Original poster
JMGSinging · 19/02/2025 11:54

worrisomeasset · 19/02/2025 10:24

You’d be able to get a VW conversion almost straightaway. It’s what we did 12 years ago, it’s still going strong. I can’t comment on the wisdom of taking a one year old as we didn’t get ours until DS had gone to university, but I’ve been to enough campsites to be able to guarantee your 4 year old will absolutely love it.

Thank you! Do people get VW conversion from the dealership then convert it by a third party?

OP posts:
purpleleotard2 · 19/02/2025 12:07

You can buy an awful lot of hotel rooms for the cost of a California, £40,000 or so List Price).
That is approximately 650 nights in an Ibis / Travelodge.
Also the van has to sit outside and be taxed and maintained and insured all year when you will only use it for a few weekends in the summer and maybe a couple of weeks holiday, 40 weeks idle and 12 weeks use.
Expensive to use as a regular vehicle.
Good luck

dixon86 · 19/02/2025 12:21

It's very easy to wear rose tinted glasses when thinking about a camper van

I would hire one first and see how you get on before buying

Digestive28 · 19/02/2025 12:23

Do it! Loads of fun and helpful if you can have some friends who do the same.
But…agree with PP. Rent first to see if it’s for you and don’t need to buy new, just have a look around on auto trader etc as people convert VWs in all sorts of different ways so you need to find what suits (eg want a toilet, sink etc or you going to be ok campsites so don’t need it and value the extra space)

Digestive28 · 19/02/2025 12:25

When they were young we got a festival pop up tent next to van to store car seats and create a play area for them which helped hugely…small kids have lots of stuff, big kids are happy with iPads or running off to play in woods so a lot less to take

worrisomeasset · 19/02/2025 12:32

There are businesses that buy VW vans and convert them into campervans. Ours had already been converted but some companies will build them according to your desired specifications. This will obviously take longer! Ours was converted by CamperKing and we bought it from a campervan/Motorhome dealer nearer to us.
https://www.camperking.co.uk/

Other conversion companies are available!

worrisomeasset · 19/02/2025 12:37

purpleleotard2 · 19/02/2025 12:07

You can buy an awful lot of hotel rooms for the cost of a California, £40,000 or so List Price).
That is approximately 650 nights in an Ibis / Travelodge.
Also the van has to sit outside and be taxed and maintained and insured all year when you will only use it for a few weekends in the summer and maybe a couple of weeks holiday, 40 weeks idle and 12 weeks use.
Expensive to use as a regular vehicle.
Good luck

Our VW short wheel base conversion campervan is effectively our second car and is used to commute to work all year round. I’ve not noticed that its running costs are particularly onerous. We do have to pay a charge if we enter a low emission zone but that doesn’t happen often as there isn’t one nearby. Our van is diesel, I don’t know if newer petrol powered ones are liable for charges in such zones.

ohtowinthelottery · 19/02/2025 12:40

I would hire one first and try it out. It's a lot of money to spend on something you're not sure about.

GreyAreas · 19/02/2025 12:41

I know it's not the same as owning one but I concluded the same as pp, I could find one I like near me and hire it for trips six or seven times a year for 10 years and not have all the hassle and costs or need to garage it, and chances are we probably won't use it that often because we'll want to go on other types of holiday too.

Original poster
JMGSinging · 19/02/2025 12:46

GreyAreas · 19/02/2025 12:41

I know it's not the same as owning one but I concluded the same as pp, I could find one I like near me and hire it for trips six or seven times a year for 10 years and not have all the hassle and costs or need to garage it, and chances are we probably won't use it that often because we'll want to go on other types of holiday too.

That’s a good point. Is it easy to hire, pack up and go spontaneously? We mainly want to use it when the weather is nice for the weekend for a night away, or even day trips when the social calendar is empty.

OP posts:
outdooryone · 19/02/2025 13:14

Best thing I did was hire one to try it out -then you know both if camping is for you, and what type of camper and what size you need.

Second best thing I did was not have a small VW camper with kids! There is no room to store things, cold up in the roof, no room to dress, no space to cook etc. You have to get out the camper to move things around...You really do need to rent to see if it can work for you, and consider that they are only going to get bigger. I cannot understand how people can do a week in a SWB or LWB VW Transporter with kids and a dog.

Third best thing was buy one ;-) I have a high top LWB Transporter - but it is just me, occasionally a friend. And for that it works.

As others are saying, it is not cheap. Purchase (even with slow depreciation) is large, then £365 road tax, £550 insurance, £80 breakdown, it only does 35mpg on diesel, £250-350 servicing, then you have site fees which vary from £20-60 a night (more for a family I would think). Do look at vans that are not VW, there is a huge 'scene tax' on them and you can get other brands at 20-30% less, and they are better vehicles. Add it all up and value is not a reason to buy one/.

But flexibility is. Mine lives most of the year packed and ready to go - I have all my bedding, some toiletries and dry foods etc in there, I literally fill up the water tank, pop in the fresh food and my clothes, and go...Last year (First year of ownership) I did 58 days in the thing at weekends and main holidays, let alone a huge number of cuppas at the end of hillwalking days or overlooking a beach.

But then I am single, kids old enough to have left home and have most weekends clear, and the ability to go with the weather on holidays. I only cook for one. I would not have had that flexibility when the kids were younger. I also live up north where an off-campsite stay is easy out of season...

worrisomeasset · 19/02/2025 13:47

JMGSinging · 19/02/2025 12:46

That’s a good point. Is it easy to hire, pack up and go spontaneously? We mainly want to use it when the weather is nice for the weekend for a night away, or even day trips when the social calendar is empty.

Show quote history

Why not hire one in May or June? If you find that you really, really like it, you’ll have plenty of time to have your own conversion by July, giving you all of the summer for your spontaneous trips.

Original poster
JMGSinging · 19/02/2025 14:30

outdooryone · 19/02/2025 13:14

Best thing I did was hire one to try it out -then you know both if camping is for you, and what type of camper and what size you need.

Second best thing I did was not have a small VW camper with kids! There is no room to store things, cold up in the roof, no room to dress, no space to cook etc. You have to get out the camper to move things around...You really do need to rent to see if it can work for you, and consider that they are only going to get bigger. I cannot understand how people can do a week in a SWB or LWB VW Transporter with kids and a dog.

Third best thing was buy one ;-) I have a high top LWB Transporter - but it is just me, occasionally a friend. And for that it works.

As others are saying, it is not cheap. Purchase (even with slow depreciation) is large, then £365 road tax, £550 insurance, £80 breakdown, it only does 35mpg on diesel, £250-350 servicing, then you have site fees which vary from £20-60 a night (more for a family I would think). Do look at vans that are not VW, there is a huge 'scene tax' on them and you can get other brands at 20-30% less, and they are better vehicles. Add it all up and value is not a reason to buy one/.

But flexibility is. Mine lives most of the year packed and ready to go - I have all my bedding, some toiletries and dry foods etc in there, I literally fill up the water tank, pop in the fresh food and my clothes, and go...Last year (First year of ownership) I did 58 days in the thing at weekends and main holidays, let alone a huge number of cuppas at the end of hillwalking days or overlooking a beach.

But then I am single, kids old enough to have left home and have most weekends clear, and the ability to go with the weather on holidays. I only cook for one. I would not have had that flexibility when the kids were younger. I also live up north where an off-campsite stay is easy out of season...

Thanks for all the insights! I think we will hire one and try it first. I also looked into motor homes which look fab inside but it’s probably too big to sit on the driveway and seems a bit daunting to take on a day trip. Your description of the flexibility is exactly what I hope to achieve with buying one and it’s almost ready to go when we feel like it.

OP posts:
GreyAreas · 19/02/2025 15:40

I do have van envy, everywhere I go I see these beautiful campers. I hope you find what works for you.

faffadoodledo · 19/02/2025 15:43

We bought a T6 panel van (smaller than a California I think) from a VW dealer and got it converted with a specialist.
But we did it after the kids left home. It was invaluable for moving their stuff to and from universities!

We have used it quite a lot camping a deux. Prioritised the bed size and worked the rest of the design around that. We just have a fridge and cubby storage, and take a camping stove to use under the awning.

Not sure I'd have dared camp with two small children in ours, but as I say I think it's slightly smaller. And we do manage to to also accommodate a very large and hairy golden retriever.

faffadoodledo · 19/02/2025 15:44

Oh and we don't have a pop top.
And we prioritised insulation. Very important for keeping out the cold or heat!

faffadoodledo · 19/02/2025 15:45

Also (a tip from surfer friends) we got a tailgate which opens upwards
Rather than two back doors. Gives us shelter if we're having to fossick around on the back in the rain!

mitogoshigg · 19/02/2025 15:49

Just get a tent, so much cheaper. You can get air tents now do you don't even have to put poles in though our normal vango tent takes 20 minutes to put up including bedroom section and bedding. It packs down very small, fits into any car as we usually travel by motorcycle! £500 will set you up unlike a camper van at £50k

SantasLargerHelper · 19/02/2025 15:51

Caravanning is an amazing way to being up children imo. We have 3 boys and got a very cheap caravan off Ebay when the eldest was 4, youngest 18 months just to see how we liked it. We loved it. It's the perfect way for them to have outside freedom in a safe environment. Really sociable, they make friends and play out the whole time. We went away every weekend if we could. Not too far, but really explored the local countryside.

We then got a vw conversion to pull the caravan to give us more flexibility. Oldest is now 23 and they all still happily come away with us occasionally.

outdooryone · 19/02/2025 15:51

faffadoodledo · 19/02/2025 15:44

Oh and we don't have a pop top.
And we prioritised insulation. Very important for keeping out the cold or heat!

So true! My high top means I am warm enough down to about -7 when the water tanks start to freeze. I can put the heater on, but like all diesel heaters it makes a noise and fan. On a site I plug in a wee electric oil radiator, and that keeps me toasty warm to below freezing.

bowchicawowwow · 19/02/2025 16:11

We don't have a VW but we have had motorhomes for the last 10yrs. I can promise you that you won't use it as much as you think you will. It's not easy to be that spontaneous, packing up bedding, food, gas etc all take time. Not all campsites accept children and winter camping in the UK isn't much fun. Overseas is better, we drive to France / Italy / Spain for the summer.

mewkins · 19/02/2025 16:24

I've never owned a caravan or a camper but a few years ago we rented a camper van for two weeks for a European camping trip. It was hot as hell in there and I don't think any of us slept properly for two weeks. The bed of the California took up the whole space and is actually quite high so it feels like the ceiling is very close to your face (made worse by the mega heat). Ds was 7 at the time and hated sleeping up in the roof with his sister who it turns out sleeps like a whisk. Every 2 mins she'd roll over and the whole thing shook. If any of us needed the loo in the night we'd all have to wake up. I can imagine it's even trickier when it's wet outside.

On the other hand a caravan I can get on board with (my partner refuses). More space for everyone and you can go off for the day in the car. It seems like a much better option in terms of space with little ones.

faffadoodledo · 19/02/2025 16:46

I think your title about weekends rather than holidays means you're being realistic OP. We've had holidays in our van -
Memorably a very damp one to the Hebrides. Lovely holiday, but the van smelt distinctly mushroomy at the end of all that dampness!
We now have one or two nights away locally. And since we live in Cornwall, it's lovely. Just being off grid for a couple of days and walking from the campsite is so relaxing.

ohtowinthelottery · 19/02/2025 17:09

Your DCs are 4 and 1 and they probably don't have much of a social life at weekends atm. Fast forward a few years to when they've got birthday parties, sports practice/matches and other social activities and figure out exactly how many free weekends you think you'll have to go away. From my experience, very few!