Let’s start at the very beginning… Before hitting that BOOK button make sure you have taken into consideration all your individual requirements before selecting the correct Motorhome. Will it cater for all your family needs? For sports enthusiasts, will it hold all your equipment? Ask yourselves these questions and check out the vehicles specifications before your confirm your booking. Remember the Motorhome should work for you, not you having to work for it!
Ok great so you’re all booked, everyone’s excited and looking forward to going away, but where are you going on your Road Trip?
This is where the planning comes in and it’s essential to spend the time to do this before you head off, especially for first timers. There’s plenty of time when you’re more experienced to be spontaneous!
No doubt every passenger has their own itinerary and it may seem daunting trying to please everyone, however with a little careful research and planning it’s just possible that you will be able to accommodate everyone. Not only this, the journey will be more relaxing and allow you to spend quality time in the places you love the most! This is why you have chosen a Motorhome holiday because it allows you do the things you want to do on your agenda.
Now you have decided what kind of trip you are taking you will need to have a basic idea of the length of time you will be travelling for and the areas, places, cities, attractions for example that you will want to visit, also let’s not forget stopovers. Here is where you should create a timeline or at the very least a rough guide as to how much time you want to spend at your desired destinations.
When creating your timeline you must remember NOT to do too much in one day and allow for any destination to take twice as long as it would by car. It would be sensible to try to limit driving to about 200 Km per day, especially with children. You will also want to allow for impromptu moments to stop and take family photos and capture breath-taking views.
Remember the more you want to achieve on your journey the more time you must allow to do it, to really enjoy it. Long drives need longer recovery times so this needs to be considered when deciding on the length of your vacation and realistically what you can achieve within that time.
There are some great apps and websites that will assist you with planning your journey and you can find these in “Really useful Road Trip Apps and Websites”
Have you thought of a budget? It’s really good to get an idea before you set off how much your vacation will cost, this way you can relax and not worry about any unforeseen expenditure. Along with fuel and tolls don’t forget to allow for costs such as campsites, self-catering food and costs associated with sightseeing and tourist attractions.
What to pack or not to pack that is the question? Our Motorhomes do have plenty of storage however consider the space you would like left to move around in dependant on how many of you there are. They also come with essential items as standard so make sure to check these beforehand so as to not double up on any unnecessary luggage.
Here’s a rundown of key things to remember when planning your journey!
• Allow enough time and don’t try to do too much in one day!
• Does one route avoid congestion areas and another take you on the scenic route?
• Allow for Tolls when calculating the cost of your journey
• Factor in your stopovers, where will these be?
• Allow for impromptu stops!
• Check for low bridges, narrow roads, or steep inclines & declines
• Make a note of campsites on route and Motorhome friendly Gas Stations
• Create a budget of expenditure and allow for hidden costs!
• Don’t over pack or double up – so check out what comes as standard on your hire vehicle
We think this information will help to get you organised and feel confident that you have the majority of things covered before setting off on your vacation. Hey who wants to have to worry about any extra stuff if you don’t have to!
Don’t forget planning your journey can be enjoyable too!
