Planning a campervan trip can feel overwhelming at first. Where should you stay? What do you really need to pack? Which apps are useful? And how do you find good places to stop when travelling with children?
Over the years, we have learned that a little preparation makes campervan travel much easier — especially when travelling as a family.
This page brings together the resources I use to plan our own campervan trips, from packing and campsites to routes, activities and useful travel tools.
Start with my free campervan packing list
Packing for a campervan trip is very different from packing for a hotel holiday. There is always something small that is surprisingly useful once you are on the road.
I created a printable campervan packing list based on what we actually take on our family trips. It covers the campervan essentials as well as useful things for travelling with children.
Enter your email below and I’ll send the packing list directly to your inbox.
Plan your campervan route
One of the things I love most about campervan travel is the freedom to change plans along the way. I still like to have a rough itinerary before we leave, though.
I normally decide on a few places that we really want to see and then leave some flexibility between them. This works particularly well with children because you can slow down when everyone needs a quieter day or stay longer somewhere you really enjoy.
If you are looking for inspiration, you can start with my campervan road trip guides and itineraries.
You can also browse my destination guides for France, Spain, Sweden and other parts of Europe.
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Find places to stay
Finding a good overnight stop is one of the most important parts of planning a campervan trip.
Depending on the destination, we use a mixture of campsites, campervan areas and simple overnight stops. When travelling with children, I often look for places with a little extra space, playgrounds, swimming possibilities or an easy walk into town.
I share the places we have stayed whenever they are useful in my individual destination guides.
You can also use campsite and campervan platforms to find stops along your route.
Rent a campervan
You do not need to own a campervan to enjoy this way of travelling.
Renting can actually be a great way to try campervan travel before deciding whether it suits your family. It also makes it possible to fly or take the train to another part of Europe and start your road trip there.
I recommend comparing several rental options because prices can vary considerably depending on the destination, season and type of campervan.
Book activities along the way
We rarely plan every activity before leaving, but I like to have a few ideas ready — particularly for cities and popular attractions.
Walking tours, boat trips, cable cars, museums and family activities can make a road trip much more varied, and booking ahead can sometimes save a lot of time during busy periods.
If you like guided tours but need more flexibility because you travel with kids, a self-guided VoiceMap tour can be a good solution because you can follow a pre-made tour while keeping your own rhythm. Your kid needs a diaper change, sees a playground on the way or is tired? No worries, you can just take a break and continue when you are ready.
Useful campervan apps
A few good apps make campervan travel much easier.
We use them for finding campsites and overnight stops, planning routes, checking tolls, looking for fuel stations and discovering things to do nearby.
I have collected the apps and tools that I find most useful in my campervan guides.
Campervan travel with children
Travelling by campervan with children is not always effortless, but for us it is one of the easiest ways to travel as a family.
You can carry much more than on a flight, prepare food whenever you need it and adapt the itinerary around naps, playground stops or bad weather.
If you are preparing your first trip with your baby, you may also find these guides useful:
I share the things that worked for us, what we pack and the little practical details that can make the trip much easier.
My favourite campervan gear
After many campervan trips, there are some things that have become part of our standard packing list.
Some are practical campervan essentials, while others simply make travelling with children more comfortable.
I have put together my favourite campervan gear and the things we genuinely use on our trips.
More travel planning resources are coming
I am gradually adding more printable resources, maps and trip-planning tools to Time Off Around the World.
My aim is to make planning a family campervan trip simpler, while still leaving enough flexibility for the spontaneous moments that make road trips so much fun.
If you would like to hear when new resources become available, you can join my email list below.
Happy planning — and I hope your next campervan trip becomes one of those journeys you keep talking about long after you get home.