Touring Caravan Vs Motorhome: Which Is Best for You?
Caravans and motorhomes essentially let you go to many of the same places and do many of the same things, so a week's holiday to the Lake District or other UK destination will be fundamentally the same if you are looking at driving there, parking up and enjoying a week or so relaxing.
The big difference comes when you want to move around a bit more or simply 'park up and camp' in a more remote location, as this is where caravans and motorhomes really begin to act completely different.
A motorhome gives you a greater amount of freedom to move from place to place and stay at a number of different locations within a relatively short space of time, whereas a caravan is better suited to being left in one location and used effectively as a holiday home for the duration of your stay.
Of course, don't forget that you can still explore the immediate area with the car you used to tow the caravan! In fact for many people this is the big advantage of caravans over motorhomes, the fact that you can unhitch the caravan and drive around in a more compact 'normal' car, rather than exploring in a larger motorhome.
Some motorhomers do tow small cars such as 'smart cars' but generally this is only possible on larger, more expensive 'vans.
Caravans however are generally much cheaper to buy, and cheaper to insure, so if you are looking for the cheapest way to holiday in the UK then a caravan might be the best bet.
If however you want the freedom of being able to camp (providing legal to do so) wherever you like, and up sticks and move whenever you feel like it, then a motorhome may be the better option.
The internal finish and luxury of caravans and motorhomes are often very similar, for instance a £18,000 caravan and a £40,000 motorhome may actually have a very similar level of bathroom, kitchen and sleeping facilities.
This may seem unfair when looking purely at the price, but remember that a motorhome is a holiday home and towing vehicle all rolled in to one, and if you add the price of your car on to the price of the caravan the values start to look much closer.
Of course motorhomes have a much higher upper limit when it comes to luxury and in turn price, in fact some would argue the sky's the limit, with new motorhomes entering the market at ever higher prices and levels of specification every year.
However for most people a £250,000 motorhome, often referred to as American 'RV's' or 'Recreational Vehicles', just aren't within their price range, and in fact would be completely inappropriate for what they want to use their motrohome for i.
e.
holidays and weekends away.
Motorhomes are also popular with people who have limited mobility or physical disabilities, as motorhomes require much less 'setting up' than a tourer which obviously needs to be distconnected form the towing vehicle.
It's also worth remembering to factor in insurance costs, and that unlike caravan insurance, motorhome insurance is a legal requirement just like car insurance, so it's something that needs to be arranged before you can drive away in your new purchase.
However most dealerships will be able to provide brochures and information on the insurance options that may be available to you, which is also true for caravan dealerships.
In summary, the decision boils down to how you intend to use the vehicle.
If you simply want an affordable way to spend holidays in the UK and Europe then a caravan is a fantastic choice, and one which still gives you a huge choice of destinations to choose from.
If however you want the freedom to be able to move campsite at short notice and spend time at a number of different locations during your holiday, or want to do a little more 'wild camping' whilst away, then a motorhome may be the better option for you.
The big difference comes when you want to move around a bit more or simply 'park up and camp' in a more remote location, as this is where caravans and motorhomes really begin to act completely different.
A motorhome gives you a greater amount of freedom to move from place to place and stay at a number of different locations within a relatively short space of time, whereas a caravan is better suited to being left in one location and used effectively as a holiday home for the duration of your stay.
Of course, don't forget that you can still explore the immediate area with the car you used to tow the caravan! In fact for many people this is the big advantage of caravans over motorhomes, the fact that you can unhitch the caravan and drive around in a more compact 'normal' car, rather than exploring in a larger motorhome.
Some motorhomers do tow small cars such as 'smart cars' but generally this is only possible on larger, more expensive 'vans.
Caravans however are generally much cheaper to buy, and cheaper to insure, so if you are looking for the cheapest way to holiday in the UK then a caravan might be the best bet.
If however you want the freedom of being able to camp (providing legal to do so) wherever you like, and up sticks and move whenever you feel like it, then a motorhome may be the better option.
The internal finish and luxury of caravans and motorhomes are often very similar, for instance a £18,000 caravan and a £40,000 motorhome may actually have a very similar level of bathroom, kitchen and sleeping facilities.
This may seem unfair when looking purely at the price, but remember that a motorhome is a holiday home and towing vehicle all rolled in to one, and if you add the price of your car on to the price of the caravan the values start to look much closer.
Of course motorhomes have a much higher upper limit when it comes to luxury and in turn price, in fact some would argue the sky's the limit, with new motorhomes entering the market at ever higher prices and levels of specification every year.
However for most people a £250,000 motorhome, often referred to as American 'RV's' or 'Recreational Vehicles', just aren't within their price range, and in fact would be completely inappropriate for what they want to use their motrohome for i.
e.
holidays and weekends away.
Motorhomes are also popular with people who have limited mobility or physical disabilities, as motorhomes require much less 'setting up' than a tourer which obviously needs to be distconnected form the towing vehicle.
It's also worth remembering to factor in insurance costs, and that unlike caravan insurance, motorhome insurance is a legal requirement just like car insurance, so it's something that needs to be arranged before you can drive away in your new purchase.
However most dealerships will be able to provide brochures and information on the insurance options that may be available to you, which is also true for caravan dealerships.
In summary, the decision boils down to how you intend to use the vehicle.
If you simply want an affordable way to spend holidays in the UK and Europe then a caravan is a fantastic choice, and one which still gives you a huge choice of destinations to choose from.
If however you want the freedom to be able to move campsite at short notice and spend time at a number of different locations during your holiday, or want to do a little more 'wild camping' whilst away, then a motorhome may be the better option for you.