Hiring a motorhome and going on the road with kids

[MrsP]

Feeling very disappointed with the price of overseas family holidays I thought why not hire a motorhome and do a bit of a road trip. We have a two year and a three year old and thought perhaps head to Cornwall stopping for a few days in Dorset on the way. Has anyone had any experience of motorhomes, where can we hire one, which model would be the most suitable, what about campsites. Are we being a bit mad?

[Zo?]

Hi MrsP

We have a campervan & undertook our first family trip to Europe last summer with a nearly-3 year old. We all loved it! Our daughter was beyond excited & loved making friends with other children at campsites & going off for showers with her little spongebag.

Take plenty of activities you can do in a confined space - we also took a teeny portable DVD player which was v handy. You can get reductions at UK campsites if you join the Camping & Caravanning Club, as well as access to 'members only' sites, which really are not as saucy as they sound! They are basically smaller sites with fewer amenities - we like them as they tend to be quieter but won't have all the kid-targeted stuff like playgounds/pools etc.

Our van is quite small (a VW) but, with an awning, was plently big enough for the 3 of us, bikes, boats etc. Campervantastic is based in Forest Hill & hires out campers - not sure about Motorhomes.

You're not being mad at all. Camping with littlees can be fantastic fun & we can't wait for the weather to perk up and go off adventuring again. Good luck!

Zo?

[candj]

I don't think you're mad at all, such a great idea and a great way to see the country. Plus it's handy that you can stop for a few days and let the kids run around.

My parents took me when I was 2 on a camper tour across the US and (apparently) I loved it.

[MrsP]

Thank you for your encouragement, having thought about it a bit more, I'm feeling quite excited and totally up for it - the road beckons!

[SteveT]

My kids loved holidaying in my brothers caravan so when he was about to sell it they insisted I bought it.

We put up with it for about four years and then they said 'isn't it titchy' finally it had become too small and I breathed a sigh of relief when I eventually rid myself of it.

Everything was soooo pokey I loathed it, but they loved it, as it was rather like living in a wendy house.

The disadvantage of the camper-van is that you are driving a truck on holiday, not a car.