Campbells Caravans: 5 reasons why we are considering buying a caravan

As a child we enjoyed countless caravanning holidays, travelling right the way across the UK, over to France and down to Spain for the Summer. I can still remember the excitement leading up to those holidays, the visits to Campbells Caravans, a store just a short drive from our home, to stock up on camping supplies whilst my Mum and Dad eyed up the latest model of caravan. Once my brother and I left home my parents traded in their caravan for a motorhome and every single time they get back from one of their trips I tell myself that one day, we will do the same.

It’s always been a big debate for us as to whether we could comfortably fit into a regular caravan and yet now, with Lewis almost 16 and reaching an age where he doesn’t want to travel with us the same, it simply leaves the 5 of us and all of a sudden our dreams of being caravan owners feel less of a pipe dream and more of a reality! I’ve been putting together a list of reasons why we are considering buying a Bailey’s caravan and it’s safe to say I can’t think of a single reason why we shouldn’t!

1. A home from home with Campbells Caravans

Caravans have come a long way over the years and the small, cramped little caravans I lovingly remember have fast been replaced with spacious and luxurious caravans that are a real home from home. When we recently visited the family friendly Campbell Caravans we couldn’t resist a peek at the caravans whilst we were there and I was so surprised at just how many mod cons they can offer these days! With Bailey caravans ranging from 2 to 6 berth they had plenty to offer even larger families such as ours and although Lewis may not always travel with us in the future, a 6 berth would allow us the freedom to make that decision on a trip by trip basis.

2. Cut holiday costs

Obviously being a family of 6 can be expensive when it comes to travel, especially when it comes to 6 flights and 2 apartments to fit us all in! Although the initial outlay for a Bailey’s caravan would be expensive, what we would save in just a few years would go a long way to recovering that cost! The great thing about having a caravan is that once you’ve got one, you can make your holiday as cheap or as expensive as you like. I know as a child we had weekends on standard camping sites with very limited facilities costing just a few pounds each night, and other times for our Summer holidays we would travel to 5 star sites in Spain. Both left me with equally fond memories and I would love that for my children.

3. Explore more of the UK

For us getting a caravan wouldn’t be as much about touring over seas, but more about seeing as much of the UK as possible. We are so lucky to live in a country that has so much to offer and although we have seen so much of the South coast over the years, we have a list a mile long of places within the UK we really want to see – South Wales, the Scottish highlands, Norfolk, just to name a few. I think caravanning gives you so much freedom to travel within your country and with such uncertainty in the rest of the world, I predict the good old fashioned UK holiday is going to make a real come back!

4. Pet friendly holidays

We’ve been lucky this far that when we travel our parents look after Oscar so we haven’t had to worry about leaving him behind. The older our parents get, and the more frequently they travel, there will come a point there is nobody here to have our dog and taking him along seems like the perfect solution! Compared to the number of pet friendly accommodation options within the UK, caravanning opens a whole world of choice for pet owners!

5. Years of enjoyment

Unlike saving for a holiday, once you’ve bought your caravan it’s yours to keep for however long you like – whether you use it once a year or ten times a year, the cost is the same. Campbells Caravans have a great range of pre-used caravans for those wanting to invest without the added cost of buying new, or exchange their existing caravan as their family grows.

I’m not sure at what point we will take the plunge as caravan owners but I do know that it’s something we are hoping to achieve in the next few years. Watch this space!!

** This is a collaborative post with Bailey Caravans **