Campervan v caravan holiday

[MaggieW]

Am thinking laterally about holidays for the future and wonder, apart from the obvious difference in cost, what are the advantages/disadvantages in owning and holidaying a campervan v. caravan for 2 adults and 2 children please.

The thing that has always put me off camper vans is that you have to pack everything up every time you want to go out. There again, you would always have somewhere to make a cup of tea and have food and somewhre to sit.

bump

Agree with Ineedsomesleep.

Unless you plan to take bikes with you to allow for visiting the local area or alternatively tow a smaller car, then everytime you want to go out for the day you will need to pack up everything and go in the campervan. Of course this won't be a problem if you are happy to stay onsite so to speak, although this would drive us as a family insane.

But the plus side of the camper means you can travel greater distances in more comfort than being cooped up in a car. If we were to visit Canada or NZ for example, then it would definitely be camper van for us.

The other consideration is storage - there seem to be alot of regulations regarding keeping a touring caravan on your driveway/side of the house etc (I think its the fire risk but am not certain) yet these don't seem to apply to campervans.

Caravan every time.

Camper

if you're talking mobile caravna (vs static) then towing may be an issue depending on your car.

Personally I'd get a folding camper or trialer tent. Advantages of both .

Where would you store a caravan - you can't leave it on the street

I have a campervan so am unable to be objective.

And they are more cool.

I have a VW Campervan and love it. Agree that you have to pack stuff up before going away but never found it that much of a problem, plus we have a "drive away" awning that we can leave stuff in while we go off.

Disadvantages I can see are;

lack of space in a campervan compared to a caravan. But awning does help! If you stayed on a campsite with no marked pitches I'd be worried about coming back to find I couldn't park right next to awning as someone had pitched a tent there.

Advantages - No towing. If you want to go Disneyland Paris you are allowed to sleep in a campervan in the carpark for 13euros. They even have showers and a loo block. We're planning on doing things this year like go to Legoland and sleep overnight nearby/possibly in the carpark which you can't do with a caravan.

We've found that rather than stay in one area we tend to move about a bit more, so have a few days in Devon then a few days in Cornwall. I think you have more freedom and flexibility with a van.

But you have to pay to tax it, insure it, mot it, repairs to engines/brakes/etc

I have done both, caravan first and later campervan

I never thought I would say this..but I prefer campervan

In the morning we put the beds away anyhow, the same as we would with a caravan -so it takes literally 5 mins to drive off if we decide to go soemwhere.

it great cos we can go out for a meal and have a glass of wine - then snooze, read a book, let dd play on the beach and swim and then get changed in the campervan. Then drive home later when the wine has deff gone out of our system.

It is great for stopping on the way somewhere and having a quick hot meal or cold salad - with ice cream for pudding - as a freezer above fridge.

when we went away in the caravan it was never so easy just to stop and pop the kettle on - for starts you are much longer, even with a 12 foot caravan and two foot between you cant find an easy 23 ft spot to stop.

We have a four bike rack on the back and we cycle a lot when away and have large panniers for food shops. If we need to do a bigger food shop - we take the camper and put everything away straight into the campervan cuboards and fridge.

europe is much better with a camper if you want free camping on route most towns have somewhere to camp for free and supply electric aswell. Caravans are not permitted to stop

Wotcha got James?

Hully A T25 VW Campervan - Westfalia conversion (beige and brown fittings, unfortunately, not the later nice grey and white).

It is perfect for us with the DSs at this age - the perfect way to get out of London for the weekend, see nature, play cards and let the DSs do a lot of running around with other DCs.

We've only had it a year but it's done about 10 trips, including France. We are working out all the logistics of what to take and how to store. I love the challenge of finding little things to fit in the little cupboards.

What was yours ?

Oh, I thought you meant a static caravan.

In that case, definitely the campervan.

James - first I had a VW camper (but years ago and forget details except that it was red..)and then had a giant thing with bunks and kitchen and shower etc for a couple of years recently which we took all over Yerp...twas fab. Except when we forgot to lock the fridge and all the contents flew out and all over the van - olives are particularly fun, or when I went to the loo en route and a lorry drove up v close behind and could see me through the window. Couldn't get up for hours...

I love those big ones with toilets and star trek seats - we went to California when DSs were 2 and 4 - drove from Santa Barbara to San Francisco along Pacific Coast Highway.

Brilliant

When we retire that's what me and DH are going to do - get a dog and become nomads (do nomads dislike composting toilets though ? )

Ivykaty - that's what I love too - the fact that you can go somewhere, and even if you aren't staying over, you've got your own little "beach hut" to have a cuppa and change into your shorts.

So did we...dc were 4 & 3 and we drove from Monterey back down to LA. Also went to Death Valley and Vegas and Yosemite and King's Canyon and Grand Canyon (where toilet froze). Was great. We also did New York down to Florida in one of the A classes with a slide out - and we too plan to hit the road in the smallest manageable van (with dog) once the dc go to uni/prison/whatever. I want one that you can use like a car so that we can visit Italian hill towns rather than circling them and imagining...Perhaps we'll all meet up somewhere as snowbirds.

Hully wow - what a coincidence ! Want to go back to see the big trees. We had plans to go to Yosemite but of course had no conception of the distances involved and not enough time ... would love to do New York Florida, too.

Did you go to the Aquarium at Monterey ? - has left DS1 with an obsession with all sea creatures, especially jellyfish.

Our van would be great as a 2 person. We are planning to get some middle seats and get rid of the car soon.

James (Sorry OP, but at least you're getting a flaavour of the camper life...)

We paid our respects to General Sherman, he certainly is a fine fellow and no mistake. No aquarium - by that point we were desperate to get south, we got stranded in Yosemite when snow closed all the passes and we weren't allowed out without chains (which we didn't have). DH queued for three hours in the snow at the monopoly Yosemite shop and managed to get some while me and the dc read Horrid Henry in the van and waved supportively. I have to say I am now fully conversant with topographical map reading. We got out just before they shut the last pass.

We did one other trip from Texas to LA travelling all along the border.

Can't wait to get back and do it all again. Bloody RL.

we had thsi quandry last year. you get more bang for your buck with a caravan. but we went for a camper because

we could park it on the street which is better for impromptu trips or even day trips to the beach.

you can stop at supermarkets adn places without having to kerfuffle with a caravan.

it is wonderful to potter round and then stop had make a cup of tea and lunch in teh van.

you always have towel and clothes handy.

i could go on. it really depend on how you want to use the camper/caravan

Thanks for all that - the get up and go aspect of the campervan appealed to me, but wondered if I was missing something with the caravan. How old are you DCs Jamiieahmt so I can compare and contrast with mine? How do you get on with DCs going to bed and then you being able to stay up and enjoy the rest of your evening without disturbing them too much?

And what campervan would you buy if, like me, you're a campervan virgin?

If you want a campervan as opposed to a motorhome then I'd recommend either a VW T25 or a Fiat Ducato. I've got a VW T25 and I love it, they're all between 1980 and 1990 though so getting on but appreciating in value. An old van does not mean its knackered, you get plenty with new engines in.

Fiat Ducato's are newer, bit bigger and have more space, features. They often have showers and ovens in whereas a T25 will have a hob and grill and a fridge and sink but no shower or oven. Fiat's are more expensive been newer and tend to depreciate in value.

You can get VW T4s and T5s which are newer and more expensive than T25s but they're smaller.

we did touring van when i was younger, and get to borrow my mums motorhome now (a campervan would be one without a cocktail cabinet )

if you have a freestanding awning with motorhome, you don't have to pack up to drive around - and it really depends how much you'd want to drive about. Most of our holidays involve choosing a site with plenty in walking distance, and not moving - though we quite often take the car too.

benefts of a motorhome - great for

*smaller sites (easier to maneouvre) with dificult access more possible
*touring in europe easier
*overnighting easier
*much more pleasant drive (no snaking)
*reversing possible!
*motorhomers are a friendly bunch and you often get invited into other peoples vans for a nosy.
*no planning restraint on where you can park it (as it is a vehicle, there are some houses that caravans can't be parked outside of)
*just turn the key and drive....(ok, turn the key, wait for the diesel to come alive, then drive..)

if you have a friend with a motorhome who is willing to lend (even if they didn't let you drive, just parked up for you and let you get on with it) you could get a feel for it.

i think look around as many as possible to get an idea of the size and layout you want before you buy - think about sleeping space as well as daytime chilling areas.

don't forget - good weather is not a given!

whichever kind of unit, i recoend the camping and caravanning club membership as it more than pays for itself in terms of deduction from the rates of its sites.