Keep an open mind when travelling by camper. If you see something interesting, stop. If your neighbour at the campsite tells you about a wonderful hike they went on the day before, it is worth considering extending your stay too, and perhaps trying the same. Allow yourself to enjoy the freedom a camper gives you.
PLAN
Although it may seem that on a camper trip you can camp just about anywhere (after all, your bedroom is on wheels!), it is best to think in advance about where you plan to set up camp. You will have less stress on the road if you know in advance where you will stop for the night.
If you cannot make an exact plan, mark possible stopping points along your route. Once you have this information, you can spend all your time on the road driving, and when you need somewhere to spend the night, you can choose whichever place is most convenient at that moment.
TRAVEL COMPANIONS
Travel with people you really like, because you will be spending the whole trip in a small house. If you are going on this trip with family, relatives or friends, make sure you really do like them. If conflicts arise when you spend time together at home, they are likely to arise on the road too.
THE LIST
Find out what is included in the rental and make a list of what you will need on the trip. Compare the two; this will make it easier to decide what you are still missing.
When you receive the camper, inspect it carefully. Make sure everything you expected is there. If something is missing, don't be shy about asking. Once you have the keys, check your list, reassess your needs once more and then go to the shop. A little preparation before the trip is especially important, because after driving quite a distance you may realise that, for example, you have no disposable towels in the middle of a forest, and that is certainly not how you imagined starting your camping trip.
Don't forget the basics
Yes, you have a house on wheels. But no, you don't want to waste your holiday driving around looking for somewhere to buy a corkscrew or a tin opener. To make sure you have everything you might need on the trip, use a packing list prepared in advance. A few suggestions of what you may need: baby wipes, a good knife, a chopping board, food containers, a small broom, air freshener, shampoo, sun cream. Get everything you need before the trip so that later you can give all your attention to having fun.
FOOD
Plan which meals you will cook. You don't want to realise at 8 pm, after a whole day on the road, that you haven't eaten yet. To avoid a rumbling empty stomach or dinners of nothing but sandwiches, do a little preparation before the trip. Work out how many meals you will need and decide what you want to eat. Remember to take the size of the fridge and freezer into account, and choose meals that are easy to make, such as chilli soup, roasted vegetable slices, fried potatoes, scrambled eggs or pasta. Choose tinned soups, or pack enough home-cooked food to last at least a few days.
You don't need to plan exactly what you will eat every day, but with everything you need to hand you can be sure you won't go to bed hungry, and with a few breakfast options you can wake up thinking about the new day's adventures.
Before the trip, go to the supermarket with a shopping list. Of course there will be shops along the way, but if you are touring parks, museums or beaches, you won't want to waste time in a shop.
EXTRA SNACKS
Travelling by camper, you can afford to go to more remote places, which means there probably won't be a large choice of shops nearby. So take care of this in advance, so that you don't run short of anything when you go hiking in the forest. Before you leave civilisation behind, take some extra snacks, for example sandwiches, biscuits and fruit. Choose foods that are easy to take with you on hikes, bike rides or e-scooter rides. Don't forget the treats you might crave late in the evening by the campfire.
CLOTHING
You have quite a lot of space in a camper, but think about it: do you really need three swimsuits and four jumpers? Take only what will actually be useful on your trip. Also remember to pack sportswear that doesn't restrict your movement.
You should plan in advance where you will keep your shoes while you are in the camper. You will probably have walked through forests, climbed over rocks or crossed sand dunes, so they will be dirty. You don't want to feel sand in your bed. So do yourself a favour and keep them out of the way.
Of course, you may need them in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning, so it is best if they have a place of their own. Your camper will stay clean, and you will be happy when you find them easily in the morning.
Clutter causes stress. So at the start of the trip, find a place for your things. If you are travelling with children, we recommend giving each child a shelf of their own, where they can put their belongings and take as many toys as will fit on it. Let it be their own space, which they look after themselves. If the shelf is full and they really want a new toy, they will have to decide what to keep and what to give up.
CAMPSITE
Although a camper gives you more freedom than travelling with a tent, it is still important to think carefully when choosing where to camp. When you go looking for a spot for your home, remember a few things. You should find level ground. This will save you from waking up in the morning slumped against one side of the camper. Also try to stop away from any campsite lighting that will stay on all night and disturb your sleep. If you have the chance, try to choose a spot from which you can see the starry sky, or, if the campsite is on a beach, choose a spot with a view of the ocean; if you are in the mountains, look for a spot with a view from the mountain.
Campsites come in all shapes and sizes, so don't be afraid to walk around a little and look for the best spot for your little home on wheels. Some of them even have their own websites with layout plans and photos, so you can choose the right one when booking in advance.
SPOTLIGHT
Being in a camper doesn't change the fact that you are still camping. Keep a torch handy for checking on unwanted wildlife at night after the day's travelling.