We’ve done “it” 3 times now. Three times we’ve been on holiday with the camper and kids! America is one of our favorite destinations when it comes to camper-travels. We’ve been through West-America, travelled Mid-America and last year we went to Florida with the camper on our summer holiday. Lotte and Floris are big fans of the camper and lovingly call it “the campervan”. Floris even asked us if we could sell the house, buy a camper and just go on holiday all the time. I have to say I like the idea.
But let’s face it, that’s not really an option now. But it may be a good idea for our pension. Especially when you travel with kids, the camper comes with a lot of perks. On the other hand, there are a couple of downsides too. To make sure you can weigh the pros and cons against each other I’ve made you a list.
Pros of a holiday with the camper and kids
# You’ll see loads
For me this is the biggest advantage of travelling with the camper; you get around. Especially for parents of young kids it’s a huge hassle to travel around. Having to pack and unpack your suitcase the whole time or looking for a bottle or a diaper for instance. In the camper you unpack once and pack everything in again at the end, it’s terrific.
# In the middle of nature
If you want to see a lot of nature the camper is the best way to do so. When you travel by car you mostly sleep in hotels at night. In the camper you’ll be barbequing outside and having a glass of wine beneath the stars.
# Sleeping
Floris and Lotte aren’t exactly the best sleepers and they’re also rather sensitive when it comes to different environments. In the camper they have the same sleeping spot each night. If you travel from hotel to hotel it’s a gamble each time whether there is a cot, how clean it is or whether your child will be able to sleep in it. In the camper it’s the same bed every night. That’s sure to put everyone at rest, literally.
# Food & beverages
Eating out every evening can cost quite a lot. And it tends to be a lot less healthy too, so you’ll be having to run a couple of extra laps to lose those gained holiday pounds. In the camper you’ll always be able to have a stacked fridge, you have a microwave and in most cases even an oven. It’s lovely just to park the camper somewhere nice, put a couple of chairs outside and enjoy your homemade sandwich or salad. Going out every evening to eat with kids would be a huge challenge for me on holiday. In the camper I like to make a couple of dishes that I put in the freezer such as pasta or soup so the kids can have a nutritious meal each day.
# Me time
Say what?! The mothers and perhaps the fathers too will be able to identify themselves with this one. If you like to travel you may find out that travelling with kids can be a lot less relaxing at times. The best thing of travelling by camper is that you get to have some time and space to yourself! Put the kids to bed and try relaxing at the campfire with a good book.
# Camper driving = fun
Most kids, whether they’re young or old, don’t enjoy long distance travelling that much, but I bet they will enjoy driving in a camper! They think of it as one big adventure! In the camper they’re up high and see a lot. They’re often seated at the table so they can easily have a go on the iPad or make a drawing. Those long trips are not so bad all of a sudden.
# Pack & unpack
When we used to travel with just the two of us we both had a backpack we would throw in the corner at some hostel we used to stay at and you’d grab what you need from it every once in a while. Whenever you left you’d just zip the bag up and go. With kids and certainly little ones this is a lot different. You’re probably the one that packs and unpacks every time and that tends to be a lot of work. Having to look for that bottle or that clean diaper or checking and double checking if you haven’t forgotten something can be rather nerve wrecking. The camper will solve that problem straight away. You only need to unpack and pack your stuff once, love it!
# Peeing
Young kids will often have trouble holding up their pee. Does your kid need to pee while driving? Just stop the camper, let them have quick pee and drive on.
These are some of the most important advantages of a holiday with the camper. And like a wise man once said “every advantage has its disadvantage”.. you may need to overthink the cons of a holiday with the camper too.
Cons of a holiday with the camper and kids
# Cities or nature?
I believe the camper is genuinely suitable for travels where you have a lot of nature planned. We’ve been in the camper through Florida and I can tell you this has been quite the challenge at times. Like when we couldn’t find a parking space in Miami or when we got a ticket for parking in the center of Key West where it wasn’t allowed apparently.
# Flexibility
When I hear people say they wouldn’t want to travel by camper it often has to do with this: flexibility. It’s rather irritating to find out you’re out of bread and you need to go to the supermarket after you’ve just settled in at the camping… Actually this is not that bad. We always think about how our next day will look and if we need anything before we enter the camping. And if we do forget something it’ll only take 3 minutes tops for you to be ready to go; unplug the electrical socket, the water and sewage, throw stuff lying around in the sink and off you go.
# Gas-guzzler
Those campers are rather large units… So that means a lot of gas goes in them too. It’s true the gas prices are a lot lower in the States but the campers do guzzle op a lot too! Last year we had a 30ft Road Bear camper and when we were in the mountains or put our foot down on the gas a bit harder on the highway, going 1 on 2 or 1 on 3 was no exception. So when I fill up the tank and I need to pay 200USD sweat does break out a little I can tell you.
# Winter
Be sure to check what period you’ll be travelling in before you book a camper, and especially what season. Altitude can play a part in your decision making too. When it’s really cold with chances of frost it may be that your camper needs to be de-iced to prevent pipes from freezing over and doing any damage. This may mean you won’t be able to use water, so no toilet and shower too.
What do you think of a holiday with the camper and kids, do the pros outweigh the cons?
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