Top tips for an awesome motorhome holiday in peak holiday season
It’s called “peak season” for a reason. The weather’s generally warmer, tourist attractions are brimming with visitors, and the scenery is at its finest. However, with busy travel periods come large crowds and more vehicles on the road. To ensure you have a stress-free motorhoming experience on your peak season road trip, we’ve compiled some helpful advice.
General tips for motorhoming during peak periods
Book ahead of time: Campgrounds and holiday parks can get booked out quickly during peak times, so planning your itinerary in advance and locking in campsites before your trip will ensure you don’t rock up to find you have no place to stay.
Get a self-contained campervan: To avoid spending every night at crowded holiday parks and campgrounds, you can hire a self-contained motorhome. Having facilities on board will let you freedom camp and provide you more flexibility over the course of your trip.
Get off the beaten track: Instead of heading for the places you know will be busy, try to get away from the crowds by exploring less well-known destinations. You’ll have a more peaceful experience and get to see parts of the country most people tend to miss.
Be strategic: Travelling in high season means inflated prices, but that doesn’t mean you need to have an expensive holiday. Instead, budget carefully before you set out and try to spot areas where you can save. Cook your own meals instead of eating out and use handy apps like GasBuddy to find the cheapest nearby petrol deals.
Be patient: With so many people on the roads, things can get crowded. Give yourself more time to get places than you think you will need and keep your wits about you. Keep in mind everyone has the same goal in mind - to have a wonderful holiday.
Motorhoming in the busy season in the United States
The busiest time to take a motorhome holiday in the United States tends to be during the months of June through to August. However, this differs depending on where you’re travelling. Travellers who wish to experience the colourful autumn leaves on America’s east coast, for example, will flock to New England during September, October and November.
Top tip: Road rules, including speed limits, vary from state to state. It’s easy to focus on other motorists when driving in the busy season, but don’t forget to pay attention to road signs so that you don’t accidentally break the law.
Motorhoming in the busy season in Canada
Canada’s high season takes place during the summer months of June through to September, while peak ski season is December through March, with lots of people flocking to popular ski resorts such as Whistler.
Top tip: Make sure your vehicle has winter tyres if you’re driving a motorhome in Canada during snow season. Although not legally required in most provinces, they’ll help to ensure the safety of your passengers as well as other motorists.
Motorhoming in the busy season in the United Kingdom
The long nights and warm weather of summer make the months of June through August the most popular time to visit the United Kingdom. You can go to cities like London and Edinburgh in your motorhome rental and check out festivals and rooftop bars. Also, cultural and historical sites extend their opening hours and Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast has never been more appealing during this season.
Top tip: If you are road tripping through countryside areas of the UK, be aware that the roads are very narrow and windy. Take extra care when navigating these stretches by slowing down and keeping an eye out for other drivers.
Motorhoming in the busy season in Australia
Australia’s high season runs from December to February, coinciding with the period of the warmest weather and the summer holidays for school and university students. With the hot weather also comes the wet season in the tropical north of the country, making peak season in the Northern Territory and northern Queensland the dryer months of June through August.
Top tip: You’ll likely be covering vast distances on your Australian road trip, often on long and straight stretches of road. To combat the effects of tiredness, take regular breaks every hour or so and switch drivers regularly.
Motorhoming in the busy season in New Zealand
There are two high seasons in New Zealand: The summer months from December through February, and the peak ski season from June to October. Summer is when you can expect all the Great Walks to be booked out, campsites to be jam-packed and the roads filled with fellow RV travellers and kiwi holidayers. In winter, travellers head to the South Island’s snow sports hotspots like Queenstown and Wanaka.
Top tip: The roads in New Zealand are windy and narrow. Locals are used to them and often speed. When you can, pull over to let other cars pass.
For more advice on booking during peak season, contact our friendly and knowledgeable customer care team.
Image: James Shook (Own work), CC-BY-SA-2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Do you have any other tips for travelling in a motorhome during the holiday season? Share your best advice by leaving a comment.
