Travelers flock to Savannah, Georgia, to see its picture-perfect scenery – like a time capsule of years past with carefully preserved architecture.
21.07.2023 - 08:11 / roughguides.com / Hayley Spurway
A van trip can be an exciting, rewarding, and, at times, thoroughly testing way to travel as a family. After a month on the road with a one- and three-year old, Hayley Spurway learned some valuable lessons about family van life.
At the end of a wet Cornish summer we decided to load up the van, hop on the ferry to Roscoff and head south, imagining life on the road to be filled with freedom, sunshine and adventure. However, driving through the night accompanied by waves of whinging from our uncomfortable little travellers trying to sleep in their car seats, I quickly realised that – despite countless weekends away in the van – when it came to long distance van-tripping we were mere virgins. Our vehicle wasn’t even kitted out to house a family of four, its creature comforts consisting of just a rock-and-roll bed. Yet, a month later, invigorated by adventures from France to Portugal and back, we’d somewhat nailed the art of life in our roving tin can.
If you’re planning a family van trip anywhere in the world, here are a few factors to take into consideration.
Hayley's kids enjoy breakfast in the van
Do you want a full-blown motorhome (maximum space and amenities, cumbersome to park, slower and more expensive to run than a medium-sized van), a fully-equipped campervan (the convenience of a stove, sink, fridge, beds and storage solutions in something little bigger than a car) or are you happy to throw a mattress in the back of a van (not so nifty for storage, seating or organisation)? Setting off in an unconverted VW T5 wasn’t the best-laid part of our plan – it would’ve been much wiser to invest time and money into decking out our wheels to suit the living and sleeping requirements of a family before embarking on our adventures.
Although – with a little ingenuity to stop him slipping into the foot well – one of my boys was happy to bed down on the front seat, while the other tucked up in the rock-and-roll double with us, a pop-top or high top van with room for two children to sleep in the roof space would’ve been more comfortable and practical. As well as the obvious drawbacks to our sleeping arrangements, once the kids were in bed the only space for the adults to relax was outside – fine in balmy Med climes, not ideal in gales and rain. An attachable awning is another solution to creating more living and sleeping space, but these can be time consuming to erect (opt for the pop-up type) and you need space to pitch them.
Just because you’ve got your own wheels and there are no excess baggage charges, don’t cram the van with vast piles of toddler paraphernalia and leisure gear. The less junk you have to shuffle around in order to eat, play and sleep, the easier life on the road will be. Essentials include a
Travelers flock to Savannah, Georgia, to see its picture-perfect scenery – like a time capsule of years past with carefully preserved architecture.
A female passenger who tried to fly to a resort with her French Bulldog ended up abandoning the animal in a parking lot when staff refused to let the pet on board, officials said.
Mary MacCarthy and her 10-year-old daughter, Moira, had just deplaned at Denver International Airport when two Denver police officers met them at the gate, calling them by name and notifying them that they had been reported for suspicious behavior.
This series of articles about credit cards, points and miles, and budgeting for travel is brought to you in partnership with The Points Guy.
There’s something so beautiful, so meaningful, about distilling an adventure down to everything that you need and nothing that you don’t, keeping the focus on manageable ways to get outside and get outside often. If it’s easy, if you have the trappings at your fingertips, you’re more likely to take advantage of the real prize: spending quality time in nature.
Georgia’s oldest city, not to mention the first capital, was established on the Savannah River in 1733 and, for nearly 300 years, has beckoned visitors to the Spanish moss-lined trees and charming homes. It’s one of the nation’s biggest ports, and its hospitable locals helped earn the nickname the “Hostess City.”
Laird Hamilton is best known as an American big-wave surfer and pioneer in the world of action water sports. In addition to his affinity for the water, Laird is labeled as an inventor, author, stunt man, model, producer, TV host, fitness and nutrition expert, husband, father, and adrenaline junkie. At 6’3” and 215 pounds, Laird is unique in the way that he balances flexibility and strength. A renowned innovator and guiding genius of crossover board sports including tow-in-surfing, stand-up paddle boarding and hydrofoil boarding, Laird is the essential Water Man, continuously pushing the limits and expanding all possibilities. Over the last decade, Laird has transcended from surfing to becoming an international fitness icon and nutrition expert. As co-founder and Chief Innovator of Laird Superfood, he has been able to take his nutrition expertise and create delicious, plant-based better-for-you food products that are accessible to all. Partnering with his wife, professional volleyball player and TV personality, Gabrielle Reece, Laird created Extreme Performance Training (XPT). XPT is a unique and powerful fitness training and lifestyle program featuring unique water workouts, performance breathing, recovery methods, high-intensity and endurance training for people of all fitness levels and backgrounds.
By traditional measures, Alaska Airlines is a carrier of decidedly modest size, even after its acquisition of Virgin America. Its own flight network is small, compared to those of American, Delta, and United. And it’s not a member of one of the three global airline alliances.
If the European Parliament has its way, U.S. citizens will no longer be able to visit Europe with just a passport. The parliament has called for a requirement that U.S. citizens get visas to visit the European Union.
DNA technology is increasingly changing the way we view the world, and now it may be changing travel. If you’ve ever considered taking a DNA test to uncover your heritage, or have gone down a records rabbit hole to find your ancestors, you can now physically follow your roots to the far-off destinations they’ll point you to.
Tucked between Vancouver Island’s pristine waterways, lush forests, and rugged wilderness is some downright delicious coastal cuisine. Chefs, distillers, and purveyors here rely on locally grown ingredients to infuse their creations with the flavors of the destination itself.
A low-battery warning popped up on my phone just as a flight attendant announced that we would be on board the plane for a while.