At a restaurant its easy to decide if you BYO or not. But when it comes to caravanning, there’s a big investment involved.

So we’ve mapped out the pros and cons of hiring an onsite caravan or bringing along one of your very own.

Going the BYO route

There are strong arguments for towing your own caravan. Most of them come down to what Mel Gibson referred to as “freedom!”.

• There is a bunch more space for your belongings.
• Say goodbye to sharing because you can bring along your own cooking utensils, food, and bed linen. Here’s our handy guide to what you’ll need to bring.
• You’ll save money by booking a vacant caravan site rather than booking an onsite van.
• Peak season isn’t your problem because there will be more vacant sites to park the caravan than cabins or vans to rent.

With great freedom though, comes great responsibility, so here are some negatives to consider.

• Towing a caravan can put extra strain on your vehicle.
• Towing a caravan will chew up petrol at a much faster rate.
• Finding parking for a long vehicle in town centres can be stressful.
• Think of the reversing!

Also, not everyone can drive a big beast (Read this article to find out if your car can pull a van), so what are your other options?

Advantages of booking an onsite caravan

Staying in onsite vans has its pluses:

• If you want to do some off-road driving, then taking a four wheel drive rather than an entire caravan will allow you to get more adventurous.
• While onsite van costs are higher than site only fees, the maintenance and upkeep of the van is not your responsibility.
• It’s simple, convenient and low stress.

At the end of the day, it’s about choosing what’s right for you.

Contact individual caravan parks to check their availability and facilities.