Planning Your First Camping Adventure: Top Tips to Get You on the Road
Going on a camping trip is a dream many people have had, but for most, it remains a dream. As idyllic as it may seem, once you look into planning your first trip, it can seem a very daunting task. A simple idea for a cheap trip away into the countryside seems to become vastly complicated as you try to figure out where to stay, what to take, and how to sustain yourself without the luxuries you have at home.
Even though many people are put off by the planning, scheduling your first trip can actually be relatively simple – and that’s what we’re going to explore in this article. Let’s look at some tips to get you on the road for your first proper camper trip!
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Your Chariot Awaits: Reaching Your Destination in Style
Virtually anyone who has dreamed of a road trip has envisaged themselves in a classic Volkswagen camper van – and with good reason. These vans enrich your trip greatly far beyond a standard tent in a field, and given the extra space and security you gain in using one, they open up your options to a much wider variety of locations.
Most importantly, there’s no need to break the bank and buy your own – VW camper hire is the perfect option if you want to try out this type of holiday for the first time.
Deciding Where to Go and how to plan
Even if it isn’t as hard as you might think, there are still quite a lot of things to consider when planning a road trip. Undoubtedly the most important, though, is deciding where to go: this will dictate how and why you do everything else, so knowing your exact route, the time it takes to get there, and how long you’ll be staying, is a must before you hit the gas.
Have a long think about what sort of holiday you want. Do you want to be surrounded by nature? Do you want to meet other people or have a more solitary experience? Do you want more of a relaxing holiday or one filled to the brim with adventure?
Get a cheap folder to store everything in, and have a separate sheet for anything and everything you can think of: maps, budgets, safety information, food lists, checklists for necessities, and so on.
You could also try using a road trip planning website to do the majority of this for you if all that seems too much hassle.
Staying Safe
Firstly, make sure your vehicle is fit for purpose. If you’re renting a camper van then it’ll already be serviced, but this is something you need to check if you’re using your own.
Most safety concerns, though, pertain to where you’ll be staying. For your first time, it’s best to use a website to locate a properly registered camp site: this way, you ensure a safe, respected environment for you and your family to stay in, and there’s always usually help on hand should you need it.
Camping holidays can be incredibly rewarding, and you needn’t be afraid of the seemingly bewildering amount of planning that goes into them. Provided you’re methodical in your preparations, you’ll have the time of your life!