Moving from Caravan to Motorhome

I'm also basing my opinions on past experiences JayEss.  I remember the fun my sister and brother in law had with their little campervan, trundling off with their two boys to French campsites. Sometimes they managed to squeeze in a tent too but they never managed to fit their labrador in, she had lovely holidays with friends!  

Sometimes we had joint holidays, we all stayed in a rented cottage once and shared the van in the day time for outings etc. As their boys got bigger the tents became more important, two in the van, two in the tent and later groups of friends joining in too with their vans and tents, teenage surfing holidays etc.

But the difference for all of us was they could have very long holidays and we had short ones. So if you've got the time and inclination owning a small campervan or a larger version it will be a great way to enjoy all sorts of venues near and far. The same goes for a caravan (and the dog!) It's as JayEss says, a case of finding something that suits everyone involved.

Here's one who's moved to a MH, David, and not once in 3 years have I mentioned choosing a site to suit the need for secondary transport. The reason being is that, for us, there is no need. We use the MH as outlined by Brue. Simple. However, as Jay has said, a family size MH is a different matter.

Our M/H is 6.4M long and 2.2M wide and so far I have not found anywhere where we cant go with it , ok sometimes you have to wait in a passing place to let other traffic through, and will often look at bus routes, as if the bus can get through then I can ...............

out and back, day after day, covering the same roads....no thanks.

Doesn't quite work like that for many BB.  

We spend 5 days on a site and there are 4 major points on the compass. No need to keep going down the same road. 

I can't understand why anybody wishes to watch television BB and requires a satellite dish lest they miss out on their daily dose of TV but we are all different. 

David's MH looks nice but I could not get it onto my drive if I wanted. Husky's I could but I require a caravan of about 5.4m internal. I would not get that out of Husky's van I suspect in a suitable layout. 

It's what suits the OP, their 8 year old and the spaniel.....it will be interesting to hear what they think about our comments? Hope it has been helpful. 

a & j, interesting (knee jerk?) response....

when we visit a town or city, i wish to park in the place i am giving my custom to....not a dozen miles away....

this doesnt stop us cycling many more than a dozen miles to see somewhere else....

we called into Avranches on the way back from Spain....it could have easily been somewhere else.....but we just drove into town, parked at the aire (mh only, im afraid) did some exploring then a lovely lunch before setting off again for the ferry.....lovely town, but didnt see any caravans.

amazingly, the aire at Avranches is at Avranches....

i love it when sites like the one at Bishop Sutton call themselves 'Bath' when its 13miles away and 30 mins even in a car.....

so when i visit Bath, i park in Bath

im not suggesting that having a caravan is somehow bad, just not for us, we prefer to stop where we want, not where site planners say we should.....and we dont wild camp (much)....

obviously each to their own but i wish folk wouldnt suggest that MH users are hindered in 'getting about and visiting places' .....this is just not the case.

however, if the OP is used to jumping in the car for even the shortest trips then im sure staying with a caravan might be the thing to do.

i wish him luck in his quest....and you in yours

Why is the "palaver" of an awning an issue as they are an optional "extra" to put up if needed,we have an omnistore wind out awning on our caravan the same as motor caravans,which we extend as "needed"with the same detachable sides that can be used for a longer stay 

obviously each to their own but i wish folk wouldnt suggest that MH users are hindered in 'getting about and visiting places' .....this is just not the case.

Depends whereabouts one wishes to visit. There are many towns and villages where parking would be extremely difficult with a large motorhome. People assume that there is some hindrance in getting out and about visiting people when motorhomers frequently say that they choose a site where they can manage without the motorhome. 

When I visit Bath I will not be spending the day there but will be moving on after a few hours. The likes of the CC site at York holds absolutely no interest for me for that reason I suppose. 

As stated in numerous threads about motor caravans on this forum,continental Europe with one is by far more suited to them ,than this overcrowded little island, with more and more restrictions being introduced  to diswade  motor vehicle use,  and "out and back every day on the same road/roads will be the same where ever you are if pitched for a few days,in the same spot