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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Motor home aficionados?

16 replies

MelanieCheeks · 08/05/2018 23:29

DH has long wanted to go on a motor home trip. I am unconvinced.

Tell me what the fun bits are. Ps we would be bringing a dog.

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clairethewitch70 · 08/05/2018 23:33

Just bought our first motor home last week. I love it. An home from home. It is great having all your own things with you such as your own bed and toilet. Lots of campsites let you take your dogs. I have even seen pop up beds for them in a camping shop.

Downside is the eye watering cost of them. Go to a show (we went to the NEC and ordered it there) to get a feel for them and your preferred layout.

SubtitlesOn · 08/05/2018 23:59

Go to any of the shows around the country, some are better than others

Go to dealers and just explore them (although don't buy from marquis or Brownhills) IMHO but go and explore them

NEC ones are best cos they have all manufactures there but you will have to wait until autumn for next one or next Feb

Go to hire one before buying if never had one

We have dogs and have a steel crate fixed securely to the floor by the dealers, so safety is very important - I would make sure there is plenty of room for moving around inside when stationary

Loads of FB groups for MH

If you get one look up BRITSTOPS and. Get the book, which are fab SmileSmileSmileSmile

Original poster
MelanieCheeks · 09/05/2018 06:20

We are planning on hiring one this year as a trial.

So what do you DO all day in one?

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elastamum · 09/05/2018 06:29

We have a large motorhome and a dog. Have just been walking in the peak district all weekend. We have been all over Europe in ours. We have skied off it in the winter and in the summer! We carry pretty much everything we need. Sun loungers, gas barbie, satellite TV for wet days. We love it!

SubtitlesOn · 09/05/2018 10:14

If you think of it like being a huge snail - travel then eat and sleep Smile

You travel to wherever you want then stop at your destination and do whatever it was that you went there

If you have previously been holiday to cottages - you do the same in a MH but can move around more often to new locations or stay in same spot - you choose that is the point SmileSmileSmile

Glad you are renting one first Smile

What do you like doing on holiday?

Obviously dog walking but what else?

Original poster
MelanieCheeks · 09/05/2018 22:11

My holidays tend to be city breaks, which is why I'm struggling to picture myself in this one. I loathe camping.

I like running, with the dog, so I guess we could do that most days. But getting her clean and dry might be tricky. Museums or shopping are probably out if we can't leave dog. We will have DHs son with us too, and he has mobility limitations so long walks or mountain climbing are out. But building sand castles ok.

I'm stressing about practical things like cooking. Finding a meal that we all like, that can be prepared with minimal equipment. Or else finding a dog friendly pub that does food in walking distance.

I can bring books and knitting, and remind myself that tea and wine will be on tap. Board games I guess.

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SubtitlesOn · 09/05/2018 22:54

As far as cooking goes ---

We have a full sized fridge/freezer --- which runs off gas/electric plug in/solar power from panel on roof

Full sized 3 ring gas hob

Grill and single oven both on gas

We chose not to have microwave cos we wanted the slower pace that didn't need everything food wise to be reheated/cooked in 2 minutes

Not sure what else you need really cooking wise

SubtitlesOn · 09/05/2018 22:55

Never done that before

We have full sized fridge/freezer

SubtitlesOn · 09/05/2018 23:04

Ours also has a shower that you attach from garage on the outside for washing the dog then use micro towels to dry

But in all honesty, think if you actively hate camping it might not be the best purchase but rent one and you might be converted

What happens at the moment with the dog when you go on city breaks?

Why does your DH want to buy one?

SubtitlesOn · 09/05/2018 23:07

BRITSTOPS is a kind of club with a book with places like pubs that let you stop over in their car park for free and take dog into them if you want for meal

It is great way to see uk and Ireland SmileSmileSmileSmileSmile

There are also ones in Europe or Aires in France and others in other countries that can't remember name of arm

All of these are free SmileSmileSmileSmileSmileSmileSmile

Original poster
MelanieCheeks · 10/05/2018 06:35

We aren't at the "buy one" stage just yet!

He's always wanted to try it as a holiday. As a motorbiker I think the freedom to go where you please appeals to him.

Dog goes into kennels for short breaks, but we've been looking at ways she can come with us on holiday.

Thanks for the useful links, I shall do some research.

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clairethewitch70 · 10/05/2018 11:11

We have joined Britstops, and I can vouch for it

Original poster
MelanieCheeks · 11/05/2018 17:41

I've joined Britstops, looking forward to perusing the book!

I also managed to create a fantasy image of me and the dawg heading off in a VW campervan on a Friday night to do a new parkrun on a Saturday morning. This is never going to happen, but at least I have a visual image I can relate to.

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Furball · 12/05/2018 06:58

If you join Caravan Club -quite alot of their sites are near somewhere or even on somewhere like say Longleat, or Burford or Chatsworth, Tredegar near Cardiff, Bristol City Centre, York City Centre, London etc, loads by the coast,their list is literally endless, and they also have affiliated sites in Europe, so every summer we pootled round France. Ok you pay sat £50 a year to join but you know the site will be clean and spacious and have good + clean amenities.

We did it for many years and loved it, stopped last year when ds then 15 got to 6'2" and literally outgrew it.

We used to take our bikes and go off somewhere. Great in France when you can cycle to a patisserie etc Cake !!

Obviously you have different logistics in your family - but pace of life slows down and it's amazing how you can spend a morning just pottering around in your own doings! and it brought us much closer as a family being lumped together playing cards etc of an evening.

Food, - the last one we had had no oven or microwave, just a 2 burner hob and we did fine on that. We also had a small camping Cadac gas bbq which did a multitude of things. But if it was raining - I can recommend M & S tinned Currys, Chilli and Steak in gravy

  • honestly don't knock em till you tried them Grin

We also took it for day trips to motor racing events and when it finished and everyone was queuing out the car park - we be sat eating hot soup with crusty bread and then going home after all of that had died down.

Yogagirl123 · 12/05/2018 07:24

You are wise to hire one first, I wish we had done that!

We brought a brand new one a few years back. It was fun at first but we got bored of it very quickly.

The main drawback for us was that sites were always booked up, unable to go spontaneously etc.

If it’s a large motorhome you really need a small car or bikes etc as well as the sites are usually out if the way.

Also set your sav nav for a larger vehicle/motorhome, not much fun having to do a 100 point turn, if you end up on a very narrow road!

We had a 5 berth motorhome and sold ours after a year. I know a lot of people love it, but it wasn’t for us. Pleased we tried it though.

Original poster
MelanieCheeks · 12/05/2018 07:27

All great tips thanks.

We are in Ireland, unlikely to be crossing the sea this time.

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