How to Make the Most of a Caravan Holiday

Caravan holidays are unique in the way that they provide the best of all holiday worlds. You have a comfortable base from which to stage days out and explore the region, you have the freedom to eat what you want, when you want with no hotel or B&B schedules to adhere to and you often have all the electrical comforts of home to keep the kids occupied during down times or bad weather.

If you`ve never tried a caravan holiday, you`re in for a treat.

Modern Luxury

Those who are new to caravanning are often surprised at the high quality of furnishings and fittings. People often comment, on returning home, that the caravan was better equipped and more luxurious than their own home.

Static caravans on commercial sites are particularly high quality; although so too are modern, privately owned trailer caravans.

A modern static caravan is well-designed to make the most of the limited space available. Though they can be large, with multiple bedrooms, they`re still likely to be smaller than the average house. Still, you`ll find comfortable sitting rooms with sumptuously upholstered seating, fitted kitchen areas with all the modern conveniences you`d expect in a contemporary kitchen, along with a dining area. Depending on the size and style of caravan, the furniture may be fitted or moveable. Either way, you`ll find it`s perfectly suited for its purpose.

Hot and cold running water and flushing toilets are, of course, standard, as are fitted wardrobes in bedrooms. You`ll find ingenious storage solutions packed into every conceivable nook and cranny so there`s not a single wasted inch.

Holiday Preparation

Whether you`re taking a caravan holiday at home or abroad will dictate how much luggage you can carry, but if you`re holidaying in your home country and driving to your location, you can truly make your home from home.

Your caravan will likely have a TV, but check to make sure. If you`re taking children, take along the games console and a selection of games to keep them occupied on rainy days or those times when you`re not around to entertain them.

Make your holiday into a bonding family time by taking board games or decks of cards and use them. Even though you`ll have familiar electronic entertainment, just being on holiday in different surroundings often means you`re willing to try things you wouldn`t normally try at home. Sitting round the table, playing cards or a board game draws the family together, sharing laughs and jokes. It`s an experience that can have benefits that last beyond the duration of the break.

Take food. Pack enough basic food to last at least for the first day. Being able to put the kettle on and have a snack as soon as you arrive helps you settle in, explore your caravan, unpack and unwind after the journey. Don`t add pressure by creating a need to go food shopping as soon as you arrive. Your caravan may be well-equipped, but that doesn`t extend to food.

Set Boundaries for Kids

Caravan sites can be hugely exciting places for children. Many have on-site entertainment facilities like bars, restaurants and swimming pools, or games areas such as mini-golf or bike hire and adventure swing-parks or climbing frames.

Setting boundaries for children, especially younger children, lets them know where they can and cannot go. Make it plain they`re not to go to the pool alone, or enter bars and restaurants without your permission. Naturally they`ll want to explore and possibly make friends with other children staying on the campsite, so make sure they know where to go and what to do if they lose their bearings during the early days on the site. Kids, however, are natural explorers and within a couple of days will know their way around better than you.

If you can carry bikes along and the site allows it, then do so. Biking around a site is faster and more fun for kids and a ready ice-breaker to help them make new friends.

Get Set to Explore

You`ll sleep well in your comfortable caravan bed, leaving you refreshed and relaxed each day, ready for exploration trips in the surrounding area. If you`ve chosen a beach location, alternate the days on the beach with trips further afield into nearby towns.

The reception area of the caravan site will have plenty of brochures detailing what`s on hand nearby. From attractions for kids to local history, art and museums there will be a wealth of entertainment right on your doorstep. Planning the next day`s excursion as you sit comfortably in your own dining area is one of the joys of caravanning.

Let everyone have their say and alternate who gets to choose what to do and where to go. This is especially important with children. Let them have a say and allow them their choice even if it`s not your idea of ideal entertainment. Remember, it`s their holiday too.

Make it plain to all the family members that give and take means sharing. You`ll be living in quite close quarters for the duration of your holiday, so setting a few ground rules, preferable before you even leave home, can ease tensions and improve harmony.

Domestic Duties

Self-catering holidays involve the normal household tasks. Caravan living is charming, snug and comfortable and even more so when it`s kept spic-and-span during your stay.

One way of sharing the chores is to have a family rota. Take it in turns to share cooking, washing up, sweeping or hoovering. Leaving it all to one family member is unfair can lead to arguments.

If it helps, write a rota on paper and pin it up in the kitchen. Everyone then knows what their job for the day is and can get on with it without prompting, which is another thing that can lead to arguments.

Alternatives to Caravans

Amongst the variations on the caravan theme are boating holidays from companies such as Hoseasons. If you prefer to keep your feet dry and want something more solid than a caravan, maybe Hoseasons lodges will provide your perfect holiday home. Fabulous locations and perfect privacy and convenience all work together in caravanning for an unforgettable holiday experience.

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