Adults-only caravan holidays
Sometimes you need some time for the adults only. Whether you’re looking to mix up your usual holiday with a stay in a caravan or planning on leaving the kids behind for some quality time with your partner, an adults-only caravan break has many perks.
This guide will explore all the reasons why you should make your next caravan break strictly adults only, from no early bedtimes and more quiet downtime to the freedom to travel where you really want to.
Better yet, you’ll find that adults-only caravanning isn’t limited to just couples: friends, family and other assorted groups can also get involved.
Benefits of staying at an adults-only caravan site
As lovely as typical caravan sites may be, an adults-only caravan site has a unique feel, and more than a few benefits for guests.
1. There are no early bedtimes
Family-friendly caravan sites often have designated quiet hours that begin in the early evening and end in the early morning to help children to sleep through the night. To add to that, those of you who are travelling with kids (and especially younger children) will always be limited by an early bedtime.
You might not realise it, but that also means that you lose out on a few hours of evening activities. When you’re not restricted by early bedtimes or quiet hours, you’ll have more time to spend under the stars, sipping on evening drinks or chatting later into the night.
2. You’ll have more peace and quiet
On an adults-only caravan site, there are far fewer tantrums and tears, whether from your own kids or other guests’ children. The site is likely to be much more peaceful than a family-friendly alternative, where kids are often letting off steam throughout the day.
Those of you who are travelling without your kids are likely to find you have more opportunities for quiet downtime too. Kids can get easily bored during long periods of rest, so when you’re travelling without them, you’ll soon find that you have more time to unwind fully without having to pack out your schedule.
3. It’s easier to pursue your own activities
Whether it’s tackling a long-distance hike that isn’t designed for little legs or swapping out a family trip to the zoo for mastering a hobby like archery or windsurfing, you’ll have more time to do what you want to do. Adults-only caravan sites often run classes and activities that cater to adults, rather than children, such as yoga and meditation or sightseeing excursions.
You could finally read (or write) that novel you wanted to, spend the afternoon fishing or go birdwatching without worrying about any kids interrupting your activities or scaring off the local wildlife.
4. Enjoy better-quality sleep
It’s common for children to struggle with sleeping at night in a caravan, which can lead to restless nights for adult guests too. At an adults-only caravan site, you’ll only need to worry about your own sleep schedule because you won’t be disrupted by kids (either your own or other people's).
5. Have a few extra drinks
One other benefit to a caravan site designed for adults only is that there are typically fewer restrictions around alcoholic beverages. Family-friendly caravan sites might have a ban on alcohol and local restaurants or bars might have a ban on kids after a certain time (or even all day), limiting the time you spend at your favourite pub or on-site bar.
At an adults-only site, the rules are typically a little more relaxed, meaning that you’ll be able to enjoy a few more drinks and let your hair down a little.
6. Celebrate a special occasion
You might be celebrating an anniversary, planning a romantic getaway or looking for a quieter place to spend quality time with your friends and family. Often, it’s difficult to do this with kids running around and creating noise. An adults-only site is likely to be a more peaceful place to celebrate a special occasion, kindle a romance or develop your friendships.
7. Your activities could be cheaper
While the price of your holiday will also depend upon where you’re going and the activities you take part in among other things, staying at an adults-only caravan site has the potential to be cost effective. Often the caravans are smaller, and that’s reflected in the price of your holiday.
Those of you who are leaving your kids in the care of someone else will also have fewer mouths to feed and can cut down on extra costs like tickets to family-friendly attractions such as theme parks or family zoos.
8. Choose the campsite you want
If you have kids, you might be surprised to discover how much they influence your holiday decisions. Rather than seeking out a holiday park with family-friendly facilities, you’ll have the freedom to choose a site and a destination that appeals to you.
You might want to try out wild camping for the first time, book a campsite with a clubhouse or bar for your evening drinks or stay at a new destination surrounded by fewer family-friendly attractions.
Are adults-only caravan sites only for couples?
It’s true that an adults-only caravan site is a great place to kindle a relationship or have a romantic couples’ retreat. However, that doesn’t mean that other adults-only groups can’t have a great time at a caravan site that's just for the grownups.
While some adults-only caravan sites are designed with couples in mind, and may feature romantic activities, excursions or features, many caravan sites are designed for adult groups of friends or families too.
You should note, though, that some caravan sites and holiday parks have restrictions on accepting same-gender groups of adults, especially when all guests are under the age of 21, so you should check out whether there are any specific restrictions at your chosen caravan site.