Summer started with a bang this year after successive heatwaves brought difficult weather and disruption to well-meaning holidaymakers across the country. But there’s so much of the summer left, and so much good weather to come. Whether your staycation plans were kiboshed by the heatwave, or whether you’re yet to take your holiday, you may be planning your very own campervan holiday trip later this year.
Travelling by campervan can be cost-effective for families throughout the UK, taking away the need to book hotels and eat in restaurants during your trip. But it’s incredibly important to plan beforehand and create a checklist of all the essentials you need for the trip. So, what should you bring?
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Logistical, legal and emergency items
Before you get too carried away with packing, and all the pre-holiday excitement it can bring, you should take a moment to organise and prepare all of the important logistical and legal aspects of your holiday. Fundamentally important items are your driver’s license and insurance; is your campervan insurance up to date, or do you need to renew before you set off? Keep the manual for the campervan handy too in case of any vehicle issues during the holiday. You never know when it might be needed.
You should also collect all of the information pertaining to your trip. Print off your booking information for any caravan or campsite plots you may have reserved and print off your route to the sites in question as well. You may encounter phone or internet difficulties on your trip down, which could scupper your travel plans and check-in which is why a paper version of all the important stuff should be at the top of your list.
You should also check over your campervan, and ensure you have the necessary tools and equipment to keep it healthy during your trip. The hard shoulder is not a fun place to discover your spare tyre is missing! Putting together a simple emergency bag for breakdowns can also be a great stress reliever. Be sure to include tools, blankets, food, and water.
All the camping essentials
With the bare travel essentials sorted, you can move on to the more fun part – preparing for the camp itself! In bringing a campervan, your accommodation is mercifully sorted; no messing around with faulty pop-up tents or broken tentpoles. You may want to bring a pop-up gazebo or awning, though, to expand your shelter and create a cost outdoor space for cooking and relaxing.
Speaking of which, you’ll need camping chairs and tables to make your trip luxurious as can be! And with the weather so good recently, why wouldn’t you grab everything you need to catch the sun? Good fold-up chairs and tables store easily and make all the difference when it comes to your inevitable attempts at a campervan barbecue.
If your campervan doesn’t have cooking capabilities included, you’ll need a butane camping stove to heat your food – alongside crockery and cutlery with which to eat it. You’ll also need to stock up well on snacks and water before you set off. Water is especially important in the summer; dehydration is no joke!
Tumblers make it easy to stay hydrated and keep your beverage cold or warm. You can even customize your insulated tumblers to fit your taste or give them as gifts for summer campervan trips such as this. Take one with you wherever you go.
Planning your meals beforehand can be useful so you’re not packing more than you need. As with all holidays, be sure to pack your holiday garments for the trip. And because you’re travelling by campervan which doubles as a place to sleep and a place to cook, don’t forget to pack bedding and pillows.
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Everything you need for Fun
The real fun in a campervan holiday comes from the sharing of the experience – but it doesn’t hurt to bring some additional items along to increase the fun factor. For a family excursion, sports items are practically essential. Nothing beats a casual summer game of badminton on your own campervan plot! Playing cards are another camping essential. Playing a game of rummy while the summer rain beats down on the roof of your camper will soon be a core memory.
During the travelling part of your campervan holiday, consider bringing your laptops and handheld gaming systems along. While a holiday is a good way to keep the kids away from staring at the TV all day, it’s great entertainment to keep them occupied for the long drive.
So should you take a summer campervan holiday?
With everything packed and ready to go, there are fewer things to worry about when you’re finally on the road to begin your campervan holiday. Don’t forget to have fun and make loads of new memories with the family.
