Touring Caravans

Are you on the lookout for a touring caravan? Not even sure what a touring caravan is? Well you have come to the right place.

We have all the information you need whether you are looking to buy your first touring caravan, replace an existing one or just find out more about these great mobile homes.

What is a touring caravan?

This might be the first question you are asking if you are still new to the idea of owning a caravan (or travel trailer as the American's call it). Rest assured if you do not know what a touring caravan is then you are not alone.

Basically a touring caravan is a home that can be towed behind a car. It has wheels on the bottom and an attachment at the front to allow it to be attached to a cars towbar.

In other words a touring caravan is exactly the same as a normal caravan it's just its full title.

How does it differ to a motor home or static caravan?

Well a motor home is a vehicle and not just a trailer. In other words a motor home is also a car, it has a drivers compartment permanently attached to the front to allow the motor home to br driven wherever you want to go. It can not be removed from the vehicle.

A static caravan is, as the name suggests, a home that cannot be moved without very specialist equipment (a lorry!). It has no wheels and certainly cannot be moved by a normal car.

Therefore a touring caravan differs from a motor home because it can be attached to any vehicle. It differs from a static caravan simply because it CAN be towed by a normal car.

What car do I need for a touring caravan?

This depends a lot on the size of your touring caravan. If you have a large caravan then you will need a larger, more powerful car. If you have a small caravan then you can get away with a smaller, less powerful car.

However, it is recommended that for any size touring caravan you use a car with an engine size of at least 1.6 litres. Anything less and you may find your journey slow, going up hills virtually impossible and complete lack of economical use of fuel.

What types of touring caravan are available?

There are a wide range of touring caravans to choose from. From funky small and modern through to extravagant large family mobile homes.

The right one for you will depend on how often you wish to use it and how large your family is. Retired couples or those without children usually find that the small 1-2 berth touring caravans are the most suitable. Couples with 2 or more children often opt for the larger 6 berth touring caravans to give them extra space, however you can buy them with up to 9 berth!

Remember what we said about cars though, the larger the caravan, the larger the car you will need to pull it!

Where to go in a touring caravan?

There are all sorts of places you can go with a touring caravan. Many campsites around the country cater for touring caravans, providing electrical points and toilet emptying facilities for mobile holiday makers. There are even specialist touring caravan parks and touring caravan sites you can visit.

In fact you are not just limited to the UK. Thanks to the channel tunnel you can now easily drive around Europe and sample different cultures and scenary with a touring caravan. Caravan holidays are popular throughout Europe so you will not be stuck for somewhere to camp for the night.

In fact, your imagination is about the only limitation!

The great thing about owning touring caravans is that you can regularly get away from your normal life and experience new surroundings. Little planning is needed and it is not unknown for owners of touring caravans to make a last minute decision to go away for the weekend.

How much do touring caravans cost?

This depends on how much you want to spend. Used touring caravans can be bought from under a thousand pounds. Your local newspaper or even ebay is the best place to look for second hand touring caravans.

If you want to buy new touring caravans then they can cost you anwhere up to and beyond £20,000. It all depends on your budget and requirements.

Stereotypes of caravan holidaymakers

Although caravaning holidays are a joy to behold there are many people (usually those who have never been on one) who are stuck on certain stereotypes when it comes to touring caravans.

Much of this has been brought on by the new age travellers (often referred to as gypsies) who chose derelict ground in and around cities to settle down for a few months before ineviatbly being moved on by the local authorities.

However, you have to remember that there is a big difference between choosing to live in a touring caravan permanently and just using one for your holidays. There is nothing wrong with caravan holidays (no matter what Top Gear might say!) and if you enjoy it then you should not worry about what others think.

So, if you want to buy touring caravans we say go ahead and enjoy yourself!