If you’re thinking of going on a road trip with your caravan or motorhome, it’s important to be prepared. Having a route planned will help you avoid pitfalls such as traffic, roads unsuitable for motorhomes or even just getting lost. We’ve put together some handy tips for planning the perfect route to ensure your road trip is as enjoyable and stress-free as possible.
Online route planners
One of the best route planners available online for motorhome owners is provided by Michelin, which allows you to select a ‘caravan’ option when planning your journey to avoid routes unsuitable for caravans. Breakdown cover providers such as the AA and RAC also have their own free online route planners. All three planners also display a wealth of useful information such as where to expect traffic delays, nearby restaurants and even places of interest such as National Trust sites.
Caravan and Motorhome Club
Caravan and Motorhome Club provide a host of excellent resources for caravan owners, including a handy list of overnight rest stops, perfect for planning where to spend each night on your trip. You can also find details of caravan sites all over the UK, with local directions including which roads have specific weight, width or height restrictions. Their site also has its own dedicated route planner, which is free to use even for non-members, and you can download GPS co-ordinates for all club sites and points of interest.
Navigation units
Satnav devices are another way to plan the route of your trip, allowing you to plot the quickest route possible as well as avoiding toll roads or highly congested areas. Snooper Ventura is the perfect choice - dedicated for caravans and motorhomes and engineered by Snooper using award-winning Ventura navigation. Remember to make sure your satnav is updated with all the latest maps before setting off on your road trip.
Planning your stops
Knowing when and where you are going to take breaks will help break the trip up into manageable chunks, and also avoid the stress of trying to find somewhere to eat when everyone’s hungry. Looking to stop and fuel up with the perfect pub lunch? Check out goodpubgrub.com to find the best pub food nearby. Tripadvisor and foursquare remain two of the most popular methods of finding great places to eat in places you’re planning to stop off at.
Inspiration for places to visit
Justgo.uk.com have some great suggestions for three-week long road trip holidays in the UK, specifically geared towards caravan or motorhome owners. Featuring a host of interesting sites and locations to visit, check out their 21-day road trip for families here, or their one for adults here. If you fancy driving to the seaside, the Telegraph have compiled a list of 20 of the best coastal campsites in Britain, from the Isles of Scilly to Penzance. For road trips overseas, head to Acsi.eu, Europe’s leading camp site specialists. As well as camping tours and discount cards, they also have their own range of apps for finding the best campsites across the continent.
Planning your documentation
Before heading off for a new country, be sure to do your research on any documentation, such as visas and emission stickers, needed for the trip. For example, in France, you will need an emission sticker before entering Paris, Lyon and Grenoble. You can read about the emission sticker on our blog.