{"id":37293,"date":"2022-02-21T11:24:59","date_gmt":"2022-02-21T10:24:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eurocampings.nl\/blog\/?post_type=listing&p=37293"},"modified":"2024-11-15T12:47:18","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T11:47:18","slug":"early-booking-or-spontaneous-camping","status":"publish","type":"listing","link":"https:\/\/www.eurocampings.co.uk\/blog\/listing\/early-booking-or-spontaneous-camping\/","title":{"rendered":"Early booking or camping without an itinerary?"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

So many campers, so many styles. Whereas one person books a pitch for next year straight after a lovely holiday, the other doesn\u2019t plan a thing and travels around for a few weeks with no set itinerary. And that\u2019s completely fine. Whether you are still debating between the security of <\/strong>early booking or the freedom of a spontaneous camping holiday, we have made a list of the pros and cons for you.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Why you should book early<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you would you like to go camping with your whole family in the high season and on top of that, at a popular campsite, then we advise you to book in time. And simply because others do the same and those campsites soon fill up. That is true for the summer months of July and August but also for popular holiday periods such as the May holidays and Pentecost. You may think this mainly applies to large family campsites with leisure pools<\/a>, playgrounds or\u00a0private sanitary facilities<\/a>, but even if you want to go to a great little campsite<\/a>\u00a0with your children in the summer, you would be smart to book a pitch in time.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
\"Campsite

Campsites with a lovely swimming pool are extremely popular in the high season.<\/p><\/div>\r\n

<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you would you rather go on holiday in the low season, you can usually take your time when it comes to booking. But if you want an affordable camping holiday using\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0CampingCard ACSI, it is advisable to book in time. Some campsites have a maximum number of pitches available for users of this camping card, meaning you could miss out on a pitch in the low season too.<\/p>\r\n

Grab yourself a great spot<\/h2>\r\n

If you want a lengthy stay or a spacious spot in the shade or even in the sun with a lovely view, close to the pool or perhaps as far away as possible from the playground, these are all reasons to book your pitch at a campsite in time. Don\u2019t forget to let the campsite staff know your preferences when you book a pitch or accommodation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In some popular regions, there is almost no avoiding booking early for the high season. Consider \u00a0\u00a0Istria, Lake Garda, or even the Dutch Wadden Islands. And certainly if you would like to camp on the waterfront. However, you can take a chance on a last minute or a vacant pitch at a little campsite further inland.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
\"hiking

Mark out a few great hiking routes in advance.<\/p><\/div>\r\n

<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Booked? You can start planning! Check out what activities there are at the campsite and in the area. Find out what lovely beaches, towns, sights, museums and restaurants are in the vicinity. You will be able to find a lot of information on the campsite website, under the campsite reviews or on travel blogs. Or you could even buy a regional hiking or cycling map in advance and select a few nice routes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Early booking gives peace of mind<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Campers increasingly want the assurance of getting their favourite pitch at their favourite destination and are booking even earlier\u00a0compared with previous years. When booking, pay attention to the campsite\u2019s cancellation terms and conditions. By now, most campsites keep in mind the possibility of cancellations due to the corona crisis.<\/p>\r\n

A viable alternative is booking your pitch or accommodation via a booking site.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Why you shouldn\u2019t book early<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Although the cancellation terms and conditions are generally more favourable than before the corona crisis, you are still setting your holiday in stone as it were when you book early. If you reserve a pitch for three weeks in July at a campsite in the Ard\u00e8che, it\u2019s tricky to spontaneously change plans. If you don\u2019t like the campsite or the weather is against you, then there\u2019s a big chance you will just have to make the most of it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Bonus tip:<\/strong>\u00a0If you don\u2019t like the camping pitch or encounter another practical problem at the campsite, try and solve it with the staff or campsite manager first. Many campsite owners are very accommodating.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
\"Camping

If something is bothering you, don\u2019t hesitate to inform reception.<\/p><\/div>\r\n

<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If your definition of camping is freedom, following your nose and making unexpected discoveries, then an early booking is probably not your thing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Camping without an itinerary: The pros<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Camping without an itinerary gives a sense of freedom. You decide how long you drive on any given day, where you will spend the night and how long you\u2019ll stay. It\u2019s easy to follow the nice weather or even your new camping friends.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

You decide how free you make it. You could choose to book some overnight spots in advance and see how the holiday pans out in the meantime. It can be reassuring to know that you won\u2019t have to sleep on the side of the motorway. It can therefore be handy to book in advance if you want to camp near a popular location or tourist spot and you want the assurance of a pitch.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
\"spontaneous

Don\u2019t want to drive any more but you do want to make a campfire? That\u2019s not a problem.<\/p><\/div>\r\n

<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you like the campsite, you can often spontaneously book additional overnight stays, certainly in the low season. With a bit of luck, they may upgrade you to a better camping pitch. If it\u2019s not your ideal place, then it\u2019s only for one night and you can travel on the next day. You may even discover places off the beaten path, which can result in wonderful experiences and meetings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Use a camping app<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Mobile phone, smartphones and\u00a0camping apps<\/a><\/span> have made it much easier to go camping without an itinerary. If you have done enough driving for one day and are looking for a campsite nearby, then a camping app shows you what\u2019s available in the region. And you can call the campsite at the touch of a button. If your French, Spanish or German leaves something to be desired, a translation app will help you on your way.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"Looking<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you are unsure whether camping without an itinerary is for you, read the experiences of tent camper Tom<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0campers Mich\u00e8le and Sanne<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Camping without an itinerary: The cons<\/h2>\r\n

In the high season, it can be hard to find a spot at popular campsites or in favourite camping regions. That can even apply to places with ACSI CampingCard discounts in the low season. You can often find a place for a small tent or motorhome for the night, but if it\u2019s busy, they are not always the best pitches.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
\"beautiful

Spontaneously discover the best camping pitches.<\/p><\/div>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Early booking discount or last-minute discount?<\/h2>\r\n

Is it cheaper to book early in the year using a special offer to get the most favourable pitch at a campsite? Or will you take a chance and wait for a last-minute offer at a sunny holiday destination? We can\u2019t give you a definitive answer either way and, on top of that, you need a bit of luck. Just pick the deal that best suits your holiday style and budget and enjoy your camping holiday.<\/p>\r\n

How do you prefer to camp?<\/h2>\r\n

Do you like to plan your holiday in advance, or do you choose your destination at the last minute? Or do you combine both camping styles? We are interested to hear your reactions and tips!<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So many campers, so many styles. Some reserve a spot for the next year immediately after a great holiday, while others travel around for a few weeks without planning. And that is just fine. Are you still hesitating between the security of early booking or the freedom of a spontaneous camping holiday? We list the advantages and disadvantages for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":36751,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"listing_type":[1398,9802,9740],"class_list":["post-37293","listing","type-listing","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","listing_type-camping-info","listing_type-campingcard-en-2","listing_type-tips-en","listing_location-camping-in-the-netherlands","listing_location-united-kingdom"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocampings.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/listing\/37293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocampings.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/listing"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocampings.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/listing"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocampings.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocampings.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37293"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocampings.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/listing\/37293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":54403,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocampings.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/listing\/37293\/revisions\/54403"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocampings.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocampings.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"listing_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocampings.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/listing_type?post=37293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}