Travel is a bucket list item for a lot of people. Whether you’re determined to explore every state in Australia or you have an international mindset, there are a lot of ways to get to your destination. One way to enjoy the whole trip is to travel in a caravan. Air travel can be expensive and spending hours trapped in an airport isn’t fun. A car trip allows you to see more sights along the way, but staying in hotels and eating in restaurants all along the way is exhausting and costly. Buying or renting a caravan gives you your own space for sleeping and eating and allows you the freedom to go just about anywhere. For those new to caravan travel, here are five tips to get the most out of your trip.
1. Don’t Drive After Dark
It can be tempting to fill every day to the fullest when you’re on holiday, but the reality is that driving around in a caravan after dark isn’t easy. If you have reservations at a campground, get there before dark. Campgrounds aren’t always well-lit and it can be difficult to navigate unfamiliar territory in a large vehicle. Also, the later at night it gets, the less alert you are which makes for dangerous driving conditions for you and others. Plan ahead to arrive to your final destination before dark to keep your trip safe.
2. Do Wake Up Early
Since you’re out and about, take advantage of a local vista and get there before dawn. Watching the sun rise over a new place is inspiring. Then, since you’re up, get to your destination of the day as soon as it opens. Driving around in a caravan has a lot of advantages, but finding an easy place to park isn’t one of them. Get to where you’re going early to have your choice of parking spots.
3. Don’t Do DIY
No holiday is totally free, so when you’re trying to curb expenses, it can be tempting to DIY a lot of things. That’s a great strategy when you decide to rig an awning to create an outdoor dining space, but it’s dangerous to do that with power plug for your caravan. A caravan plug isn’t designed to connect to traditional outlets because your caravan draws more amps than it can handle. Modifying a lead to connect where it shouldn’t is illegal and a significant fire hazard. Caravan safety requires access to an outlet with the correct amperage or a power adapter that slows the draw of your caravan to safely charge from a traditional outlet.
4. Do Take Breaks
If your style of travel is to see as much as you can in the limited amount of time that you have, that’s great. However, it’s still important to take breaks. When it’s time to eat, pull over at a restaurant or at a safe place where you can prepare and eat a meal. If you’ve been driving for several hours, pause to nap or get some exercise. Breaks are important to keep you focused and driving safely. Plus, allowing yourself breaks gives you the flexibility to stop and explore interesting places along your route as they appear.
5. Don’t Over-Schedule
Pack in the activities, but be realistic. Especially if you have to be back to work or the kids have to be back to school on a certain date, build in a time buffer. Account for hang ups like traffic, bad weather, and break downs. Otherwise, you run the risk of needing to rush at the end of your trip which will cause you to feel stressed instead of relaxed.
A caravan road trip is a great way to spend a holiday. Be smart and safe to get the most enjoyment out of your trip.
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