Whether you’re on holiday from your job or visiting Australia from another country, hiring a campervan can be a great way to see the sites. It will have all of the amenities you’ll need while travelling on the road and plenty of room for the entire family. Here are five tips to help you hire a campervan for your next holiday.
Bump Up a Size
While a two-berth campervan may be all you need for a family of four, you may want to consider spending the extra money on a larger vehicle. It will allow you more room to move around, plus you and your spouse can take the larger berth in back and place the children up front to give you more privacy. Also, they won’t have to share a berth, which could prevent irritating squabbles.
Check Seating Arrangements
Before signing a rental contract, check out the seating arrangements in the campervan. Make sure it can safely accommodate an infant seat or a booster seat for a toddler, if you have young children. The children’s seating area should have three-point seat belts and the driver and passenger side seats should also have three-point belts for comfort and safety.
Book in Advance
Depending on when you’re travelling, you should arrange for the best campervan hire in Australia in advance. Go online to check availability, especially if you’re travelling during the peak summer season of December, January, or February. You should plan to book a campervan at least two months in advance and confirm the availability a few days before picking up the campervan from the rental agency.
Plan an Itinerary
Before taking off for the open road, you should have an itinerary planned and share it with friends or family, especially if you plan to visit them during your trip. Anything could happen on the road, such as a flat tire, running out of gas, or you just may want to spend some more time in an area of the country you’ve stumbled upon. Be sure to notify anyone you’re planning to visit about planned changes in your itinerary so they won’t worry or send authorities out to search for you.
Share the Driving
Don’t try to drive too much on your holiday. Instead share the responsibilities with other licensed drivers in the campervan. This will allow you to enjoy the passing scenery and relax while someone else is behind the wheel. A good rule of thumb is to pull over every three to four hours to stretch your legs to prevent fatigue, so you can switch drivers at that time.
These five tips can help you when it comes to hiring a campervan for a family holiday. With discounts you may qualify for, it will cost much less to hire a campervan than to hire a car, which requires spending your evenings in hotels. In addition, you can take food with you to cook on your trip to save the money you would have spent eating in restaurants for every meal while on the road.