A trailer or a motorhome?

Both campers and caravans have their staunch followers. But when making a choice, it's best to consider not only personal preferences.

A motorhome is a house on wheels. Everything you need should be inside. You can drive it anywhere in the world, as long as ... the motorhome will fit there.

Contrary to the living space in a motorhome, you can detach the caravan from the car, leave it on the campsite, and then explore the area by car, forgetting about the heavy ballast. However, if you intend to move often, the problem may be both frequent disconnection and connection of the trailer, as well as driving with a trailer, e.g. on the narrow streets of tourist towns. So what to choose?

When is a better trailer?

It depends primarily on the form of relaxation you prefer. If you are going to one particular campsite, a trailer will be more convenient. You can then set up the caravan on the campsite, and you only need a "passenger car" to explore the area or do shopping. As one of the supporters of caravans wrote on a forum, "it's hard to move to the supermarket with the whole house", and this could be necessary when traveling by motorhome.

There are other advantages as well. You don't have to pack all your belongings or even clear plates from the table to go to the store or to explore the area. Everything can be left as it is without any unpleasant consequences. Since the rides around the area are done with a passenger car, it also means lower fuel consumption. And last but not least, such a car will be easier to park.

It is also worth remembering about the costs. Both the purchase of the caravan and its maintenance will usually be cheaper compared to the motorhome.

The choice of a trailer, however, is not without its drawbacks. Traveling with a trailer is slower and in many situations more difficult. In addition, popular caravans are often much worse equipped than motorhomes. Many lack water and sewage tanks, not to mention the luxury of a shower. Of course, it depends on what price range the trailer you are interested in comes from.

More about the types of caravans available on the market can be found in the ABC Caravanning section.

When is a better motorhome?

If you're having a hard time keeping one seat warm for a long time, choosing a motorhome may be better. When you move from place to place, it would be a bit of a hassle to set up the trailer every day, to reconnect it the next day and move on.

Riding a motorhome is usually easier and faster when you follow a comfortable route. In addition, you can easily spend the night almost anywhere - if necessary, you can easily sleep in the parking lot in front of the supermarket.

Another important advantage is the possibility of attaching an additional trailer to the motorhome, e.g. for a boat. This will not be possible when traveling with a caravan.

Problems will only arise when you want to drive on local roads and visit smaller towns. You will not drive a motorhome everywhere, and driving such a "delivery van" around the city can be difficult at times.

This problem can be solved thanks to a bicycle or a scooter. Many motorhomes have a special mini-garage where such a vehicle can be placed. Then the car can be left at the campsite, and for small purchases you can ride a two-wheeler. However, one scooter will not help if you want to go to the city with the whole family ...

Costs can also be an issue. Since the purchase of a motorhome is usually not cheap, and the costs of its maintenance are associated not only with operating fees, but also with more expensive insurance, it is worth considering how many days a year the vehicle will be used.

While a passenger car, after disconnecting it from the trailer, you will drive every day, the motorhome will probably be standing in the garage and waiting only for special occasions. So maybe an alternative to buying a caravan should not be buying a motorhome, but e.g. renting it? Different solutions are worth considering.

There are several types of motorhomes available on the market and the exact fittings are described in the ABC Caravaning section.