While you might make every effort to plan your whole vacation down to the last minute, the beauty of a campervan trip is the fact that you don’t need to be so time strict on yourself. Sure, there will be the must-do experiences that can’t be missed and we advise if you’re travelling in the peak periods you book your vehicle and campsites ahead. Here’s our quick guide for the first-time rookie ‘campervanners’…

DO

Get lost: This is how you find those hidden treasures! Throw your guidebook out of the window, drive where you want and stop where you want. And then when you actually do (and quite by accident) get lost, you can say it was all part of the ‘unplan’ of unbridled freedom and independence

Change your mind: Make a plan – and then break it. You get to be you at your most flaky and indecisive. Let the road be your guide!

Let your hair down: Roll the windows down, stick your tongue out and pretend you’re a dog

Check the camping regulations for each country

Freedom camp where permitted: It’s a benefit of carrying your bed with you!

Pre-book the things you don’t want to miss: High season can get busy!

Pack your luggage in soft bags instead of suitcases

Familiarize yourself with local road rules!

DON’T

Leave your licence at home: Should be obvious. For some reason, it isn’t. National Drivers’ Licences should do, but check when you book

Have a plan: if you have too much of one, you may miss the magic

Under-estimate driving distances and times: Everything looks smaller on a map

Attempt undercover car parks: Open top might be cool in a convertible but your camper might struggle to pull it off

Drive on the beach: Campervans are HEAVY and you will sink like a stone into the sand. Not a good look

Forget to pull your curtains at business time

Shower: Wild swim instead. Yeh, we’re talking to you, princess! Forgo a powered site and a fancy shower block once in a while for a bracing morning swim or a bare-chested strip wash in a lake or river

Forget to download all your best driving music: Think 1980s family holiday, power ballads and anything with a dirty bandana and an epic guitar solo

Now you’ve got the list it’s time to hit the road traveller! Head to our campervan page for more info and inspiration.

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