Why Not Planning Made Our Road Trip Even Better

How Did We Plan for Our Month Away?

As a family, pre-planning isn’t exactly our strong point. We thrive on last-minute decisions and live for spontaneity! So, planning a whole month away in our campervan was always going to be a bit of a test.

Lewis’s approach was simple: “Let’s just book the first two nights, and we’ll sort the rest as we go.” I wasn’t so sure. My worry was that everything would be fully booked and we’d get stuck without somewhere to stay. But as the start date crept closer, we realised we didn’t want to spend hours searching for campsites when we didn’t even know where we’d end up each day.

So, what did we plan?

We sketched out a rough map with our starting and finishing points, marked the “must-visit” areas, and gave ourselves a vague idea of how many nights we might want in each place. The west coast of France, Hossegor and Biarritz, were at the top of our list, so we pencilled in around four to five nights there. Barcelona was also on my wish list — but everything else we decided to take as it came.

We’d been recommended the book Take the Slow Road by Martin Dorey, which gave us plenty of inspiration and practical tips. In fact, one of the campsites we picked from his guide ended up being one of our favourites of the whole trip.

The main focus before we left

The biggest thing we concentrated on was making sure everything actually fit in the campervan. Clothing pods, plastic storage boxes, and even a pop-up tent were used to keep things organised, so we weren’t constantly losing items.

Packing minimally was key — we wanted everything we needed without drowning in clutter. Lewis kept a running list to tick things off, and together we worked out what was truly essential. Overpacking was not an option, and I think we managed a really good balance.

Of course, the real essentials were less glamorous: insurance documents, roadside safety kit (a legal requirement in France), GB sticker and headlight beam converters, passports, and money. With those sorted, everything else could easily be picked up along the way.

Why not planning can open up a whole new experience

Of course, things didn’t quite go to plan. Barcelona never happened — there were peaceful protests taking place while we were nearby, and for safety (and respect), we chose to stay away. I was disappointed to miss out on the sights, but it didn’t take anything away from the overall adventure.

The best part about only booking the first two nights was the freedom it gave us. When rain rolled in during our time in Brittany, we quickly decided to head south to Bordeaux for better weather. That flexibility meant we could stay longer in the places we loved, move on quickly from the ones that didn’t quite click, and adapt easily whenever our minds changed about what we wanted to do or see next. This approach worked perfectly for us as different ideas emerged along the way.

The verdict

Not pre-planning meant we had to do a lot of research on the road — but because we were fully “in the zone,” it never felt like a chore. In fact, it became part of the fun.

If you’re planning a campervan adventure, I’d absolutely recommend this approach. It gives you the freedom to stumble across hidden gems, to change direction when you fancy, and to create a trip that’s truly your own.

That said, this approach does depend on the time of year. We were fortunate to travel in June when things were fairly relaxed, but by the end of the month, pitches were definitely filling up. During peak summer holidays, it might be harder to be as spontaneous, so a little more forward planning would be sensible.