10 Magical Family Adventures You Can Only Have in a Campervan

Because Childhood Should Be a Little Bit Wild

Family holidays don’t have to be hotel buffets and fixed timetables.

When you travel by campervan, every day becomes a playground — and every night an adventure. Here are ten magical experiences that only happen when you combine a campervan with open space, flexible time, and a child’s sense of wonder.

1. Wake up beside a lake and eat breakfast barefoot

There’s something different about a morning when your kids are crunching into toast next to a still lake in their pyjamas. Campervan life means no reception desks, no shoes, no rush.

Combine with [Slovenia Alpine Lakes & Canyons]

2. Toast marshmallows with a mountain view

Find a campsite with fire rings or a wild spot with permission, and you’ve got the best dessert of the trip — especially when there are stars above and sticky fingers everywhere.

Combine with [French Alps Nature Explorer]

3. Watch the stars from your pillow

No blackout curtains. Just the moon through the skylight and the soft hush of trees. In the right location, stargazing becomes the bedtime story.

Combine with [Canadian Rockies Stargazing Route]

4. Ride bikes to an ice cream shop through the forest

Forests, flat trails, and Dutch bike lanes make this a daily ritual. The joy of independence (and sprinkles) is just a short pedal away.

Combine with [Duinrell & Netherlands Family Road Trip]

5. Camp beside wildlife

Whether it’s deer in the Alps or zebras at a South African reserve, watching animals from your van window beats any wildlife park.

Combine with [South Africa Safari & Coastline]

6. Build a dam in a stream beside your pitch

Kids find water. And stones. And sticks. And suddenly they’ve built something they’ll check on like a pet. It's the original screen-free fun.

Combine with [Austria Lakes & Outdoor Adventures]

7. Find your own secret swim spot

A gravel road. A path through the trees. And then… a clear, quiet pool you had no idea was coming. It’s the discovery that makes it special.

Combine with [Croatia Island-Hopping & National Parks Combo]

8. Surf three beaches in three days

No bookings, no timetables — just a van, a board, and a coastline full of options. You can chase the swell, nap with sandy toes, and warm up in your mobile base between sessions.

Combine with 'France Southwest Surf & Nature' from 445 EUR or 1290 EUR

9. Tell stories under a lantern in the van

At night, the van becomes a cocoon. Snuggle in, grab a torch or lantern, and invent stories about the dog you met at the lake. The best tales start on the road.

Combine with 'Ireland-Wild Atlantic Way Family Explorer' from 380 EUR or 1150 EUR

10. Wake up in a new world every day

One day it’s a forest. The next, a theme park. Then a beach, a windmill, or a ferry to a remote island. This is the joy of campervan life: constant discovery, no re-packing.

Combine with 'Duinrell: Stay, Ride, Swim' from 129 EUR or 469 EUR

Because Magic Isn’t Found on a Fixed Itinerary

This is more than a holiday. It’s freedom, curiosity, comfort, and chaos in the best way. And the stories you’ll bring home will last far longer than your tan.

👉 Explore our full collection of family holiday campervan experiences