At Emm-Bee, motorhomes are what we do, possibly to an unhealthy degree.
We have decades of experience, we know pretty much everything there is to know about motorhomes (if we do say so ourselves). We dream about motorhomes.
However, like you, we too were once motorhome novices. It’s a little hard for us to cast our minds back that far, but we’re going to have a go and see what tips we can think of.
What would we have liked to have known starting out? What are the best tips for the motorhome novice?
Go to motorhome shows
You might think that big expos aren’t your thing – you like the idea of a motorhome holiday, but don’t want to spend a Saturday in an exhibition centre with hundreds of enthusiasts.
We understand this, however the benefits of attending can be huge.
You get to to see numerous new models from the best brands up close and personal.
You can have a look at all the latest gizmos and gadgets, there’s bound to be something that will make your next trip even more enjoyable.
Happy because they’ve just bought a motorhome? Possibly
Then there are also superb talks – from how to find the best locations and hidden gems, to cooking tips, or how to make a holiday and nature adventure for the kids.
You can also often have a go at driving, for example learn advanced driving tips from experts, or master tricky parking manoeuvres.
Finally, there’s the fact that if you do chat to a few others there you might just learn some of their best locations, you might hear about some wonderful places to visit and park up both at home and abroad.
Don’t dismiss motorhome shows, you don’t have to go to many, but one show every year or two will prove time very well spent.
Don’t stress about driving a motorhome
Easy to say you might think… However, motorhomes are a genuine delight to drive. Yes, they are bigger than a car and so reversing into a narrow parking space might seem more stressful, but then how often does that happen? How often do you need to do tight manoeuvres in a motorhome?
More likely, you’ll be driving it facing forward, on a fairly major road, with a superb driving position, great view out the cab and you’ll be in charge of what’s on the playlist.
Country lanes or narrower roads aren’t a particular problem, can we be slightly glib – when you’re in the bigger vehicle others tend to get out your way, they are the ones to squeeze in by the bushes to let you pass!
And for those of you who think you might have to do some tight reversing moves, maybe just on to the drive at the end of a great holiday, parking cameras come as standard on most new motorhomes and are an easy install on any vehicle that doesn’t have them.
Go with the flow
One of the great advantages of being on a motorhome holiday is that you have freedom.
You can go where you want when you want and stay for however long you want (within reason – and how understanding your employer is might be a factor if you push this to extremes).
If you are a relative novice you might want to have most or all of your trip booked – not just any crossings if you’re heading abroad but also the sites you’re going to stay at. What happens though if you find one of the sites is so wonderful you want to stay longer? You can do, the money wasted on the booking for another site might seem a price worth paying.
Similarly, if you drive past the most wonderful place to stay the night, that too is an option, or you might hear of a great place from a fellow motorhome owner.
The more you motorhome, the more you’ll realise that you can be impulsive. Impulsive doesn’t have to be leaving things completely in the lap of the Gods, it might be having one night booked in an area you want to stay in for a while, you’ll then use part of the next day to let serendipity help you find somewhere that bit harder to find.
If you’re heading abroad, the ability to play it by ear is greater still, with thousands of free places to camp and a whole culture of towns embracing motorhome holidaymakers (not literally, those of us who aren’t so tactile will be pleased to hear).
There is a great acceptance in Europe that motorhome holidaymakers spend money in the town, their business, even if just buying a few groceries of popping in to a cafe, helps the area. That means accommodation is made affordable, some great sites are often completely free.
Use it, lots
Motorhomes lead to holidays that are magical, full of adventures, relaxation or whatever you’re looking for.
Using your motorhome for the main summer holiday is obvious, but don’t limit its use to just a week or two per year.
Go on city breaks, go somewhere just because you’re got nothing on this weekend. At a loose end? Rather than the hassle of trying to book a late deal hotel, and finding the rates are extortionate, you could drive anywhere and have a holiday. You could head to the coast, or a quiet, wooded area, or the other end of the country.
Every time you use the motorhome you are getting value for money and also doing something that elevates a bog standard weekend into a great one.
Don’t pack light!
If you’re going on a package holiday, or driving in the car, or even have a caravan, space is limited (or you’re limited by weight in the case of a caravan).
With a motorhome, you have licence to pack loads – the best crockery, all the entertainment for you and the kids – be that tablets, board games, books or every bit of sporting equipment known to man.
A motorhome is a home from home, in fact many of them are more luxurious than the typical home – with great finishes and loads of beautiful touches.
A good motorhome holiday is a mix of exploring, using the motorhome as transportation, but also using it as somewhere you can relax and unwind in. If the weather turns, you want to feel snug and happy spending a fair few hours in it, you don’t want to sit there wishing you’d packed something to pass the hours.
Those are five tips for the motorhome novice. A final one would be to shop around when looking for a new or used motorhome.
If you want to browse, or even just get some honest advice, please do get in touch with us at Emm-Bee. We have something of a reputation for being a leading UK expert in these great vehicles.
