Campervan and motorhome holidays in Wales

Breakfast is sizzling on the hob, the hearty scent mingling with the sea air that drifts in through your kitchen window. All you need now is a little Beach Boys breakfast radio. You start the engine and sit in the driver's seat with a map and a cup of tea. Looking out over the dashboard, puffins catch flight as they dive from the clifftops. They roam freely, as do you.

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is an obvious place to start for a campervan holiday in Wales. Or perhaps the coves of Anglesey and surf beaches of Llangennith, Porth Neigwl/Hell's Mouth, and Freshwater West. Inland the monolithic landscapes of Eryri (Snowdonia) and the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) rise up into view from behind the wheel.

Campervan trips are blissfully simple to prepare for, making them ideal for short breaks, a week away or longer. Most campervans will sleep a family of four in comfort. If you have a larger group, you might pick a motorhome, or just book two campervans.

As long as the fridge and the petrol tank are well-stocked, you are good to go. That means less time messing around getting to where you want to be, particularly if you love the great outdoors. You can wake up at the foot of one mountain, hike up it, then drive to the next for the following day. You'll appreciate not having to pack away a wet tent after a night's rain. In the evening you just sit out on a folding chair and take in the Milky Way above your beachside campfire.

Roof bars, roof boxes, rear ladders and bike carriers mean you could carry several surfboards, bikes, mountain gear, or whatever else takes your fancy for your trip.

For pure nostalgia, pick a refurbished classic VW: They enjoy dawdling at lower speeds, forcing you to slow down and really take in what is around you. There are a lot of different VW models to pick from, but some have seating for up to seven people during the day, then at night a main bed plus a couple of extra bunks, as well as a pop up roof, allowing head room and even an extra sleeping area. A drive-away awning (tent) can also be fitted if you're struggling to travel light or need even more bed space.

Motorhomes are modern, larger campervans, usually sleeping up to six in greater luxury with larger seating areas, storage, built-in oven cooking facilities, inbuilt toilet and shower, plus more than one double bed.

If you don't have your own campervan, here's a list of hire companies to get you started on your Wales road trip. We've also got a useful list of friendly campsites to base yourselves at for your campervan adventure.

Once you've got the campervan sorted, it's time to make some plans. There's often high demand for campervan sites across Wales particularly in summer, so make sure to check availability and book pitches in advance to avoid disappointment!

Please do not park your campervan anywhere other than a designated camping site - campervans parked in unauthorised locations cause strain on local services and infrastructure, and can damage natural habitats.

Need some ideas for your trip? We've got loads of itineraries for short breaks in Wales - how about discovering The Coastal Way with a two day trip from St Davids to Aberystwyth? Or exploring off the beaten track in North Wales? 

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