Priory Rentals regular Tom, shares his latest family adventures in one of our motorhomes. Tom has 2 kids so knows all about the chaos of school holidays, but in a Priory Rentals Motorhome he has a lot of fun with the whole family…
As any parent knows, travel plans start with one big restriction: the school calendar. With our two kids, Freya (8) and Bobby (4), we plan our motorhome trips around the school holidays. It’s all part of the fun… and chaos.
From experience, we’ve learned it’s best to start planning about four months in advance, especially if you’re aiming for a destination with family-friendly facilities. Holiday parks with pools, entertainment, and kids’ clubs fill up fast during peak times.
Easter Adventures: Why We Chose Week One
This Easter, the kids were off for two weeks, but we figured the second week, coinciding with Good Friday, would be hectic on the roads. So we aimed for the first week of the holidays for a more relaxed getaway.
No matter your family’s travel style, whether you’re into waterslides and entertainment, or prefer peaceful fishing lakes and mountain hikes, there’s a campsite to match. We use Pitchup.com to help narrow down the options.
Destination: Newquay & Hendra Holiday Park
This time, we set our sights on Newquay, and stumbled across Hendra Holiday Park. It looked perfect. It’s over 5.5 hours away, but we actually enjoy the journey, using it as a chance to discover new places along the way.
Knowing the kids broke up on Friday, April 4th, we coordinated our 5 days of annual leave to make the most of it. We collected our motorhome from Priory Rentals around midday on Friday.
They were brilliant, explaining how to use everything from the lighting and heating to all the extras like the TV, cooker, and electronic step (a godsend for my dodgy knee).
Packing Up and Hitting the Road
We pre-loaded the essentials before collecting the kids from school. Their faces lit up—pure excitement. They explored their new home-on-wheels, packed some last-minute treasures, and settled in.
One highlight? The motorhome’s “boot, unreal storage space. We managed to fit:
- 3 bikes
- 1 motorbike
- 2 scooters
- An air fryer
After dinner, we got the kids into their PJs (Freya was busy colouring, Bobby was sulking), strapped everyone in, and hit the road by 6:30 PM, once the traffic died down.
Top Tip for Parents
Kids grow fast, and so do their bikes! Instead of constantly buying new, we use Active Lancashire to trade in their old ones for upgraded versions. Saves a fortune.
First Night: Somewhere Near “Baaarrrth”
After the excitement settled and traffic eased, we were off by 6:45 PM, heading straight down the M6 past Birmingham. I aimed to reach somewhere near Bath, but wasn’t sure how far we’d get.
That’s where the Park4Night app comes in handy. Around midnight, we stopped at a quiet pub car park called The Retreat. Perfectly peaceful.
Exploring Bath (The Next Morning)
Waking up to two bouncing kids, we headed into Bath. After circling the Royal Crescent and realising the city wasn’t exactly motorhome-friendly (yep, my bad), we made for the Park & Ride instead.
With a quick detour to the Bath Racecourse (I’m a racing fan), we found the Park & Ride ideal, huge car park, only £7 return for the whole family, with regular buses into the city.
In Bath, we:
- Visited the Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein (amazing but terrifying basement!)
- Took a scenic walk along the riverbank
- Bought fresh fruit from local markets
- Watched boules and a violinist (not great, but bless her, she played on)
- Skipped the Jane Austen museum – just not our vibe
Planning ahead made all the difference. From choosing the right week, to using tools like Pitchup, Park4Night, and Active Lancashire, we created a trip that was exciting, manageable, and memory-filled.
Stay tuned for the next post: Hendra Holiday Park – Full Review & What We Loved (and Didn’t)!
