Our First Campervan Trip: Lessons From Our First Night in the Van
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Lessons From Our First Night in the Campervan
Taking our first trip in the campervan felt like a milestone we’d been building toward for months. It was exciting, slightly nerve‑wracking, and full of the kind of tiny lessons you only discover once you’re actually out on the road. Like most first‑time campervan adventures, it wasn’t perfect, but it was memorable, meaningful, and exactly what we needed to feel more confident about vanlife.
If you’re planning your own first campervan night in the UK, here’s an honest look at what went well, what surprised us, and what we’ll carry forward into future trips. (Oh, and the lesson have kept coming on every trip so far, so there’s much more to add soon!)
The Drive: A Reminder That Shorter Is Better
We learned our first lesson before we even arrived. The drive was longer than ideal for a simple overnight stay, and just to make thing more eventful, one of our dogs barked in his crate almost the entire way there! It was one of those moments where you look at each other and think, “Lesson learned!”
For a first outing, shorter drives really do make everything easier, especially if you’re travelling with dogs. They settle faster, you settle faster, and the whole trip feels more relaxed. The next time, we chose somewhere closer! If you’re travelling with dogs in a campervan, it’s definitely worth planning regular breaks and easing them into longer journeys.
We did bring a foldable soft‑sided crate for the dogs, which helped both contain them safely on the drive and once we arrived to set up. It’s one of those small things that made the van feel calmer, especially when we were still figuring out our routine.
🛍️ Helpful Product: We bought this foldable dog crate for the van from Amazon. It’s easy to put up and down and really sturdy for the price. They come in different sizes, and the large size holds our two dogs (6kg each) perfectly.
Arriving After Dark: The First Setup Challenge
By the time we reached Wharfedale Caravan and Motorhome Club Site in Yorkshire, the daylight was fading fast. Most campsites keep lighting low to preserve the peaceful atmosphere which is lovely once you’re settled, but not ideal when you’re still learning how everything works.
Setting up for the first time in the dusk felt like a mini adventure in itself. We took the dogs for a walk around the site to stretch their legs and shake off the drive, and that helped us settle too. We met a few friendly campers along the way, which instantly reminded us how welcoming the vanlife community can be.
We’d originally planned to walk into Grassington, but with the light disappearing, we decided to save it for another trip. Parking in Grassington did prove to be a nightmare when we drove in for food, so walking really is the best option when you stay at Wharfedale. You can see our Wharfedale CAMC review inside our Yorkshire Dales Campsites article.
Keeping It Simple: No Cooking, Just Comfort
Because it was winter and our VW California Beach is still in its original factory setup with the rock and roll bed, pop‑top and no built‑in kitchen, we decided not to cook on this trip. Any cooking would have been outdoors, and with the cold creeping in, it felt easier to keep things simple.
We packed snacks, breakfast bars, and easy bites for the day, then treated ourselves to a chippy tea in Grassington. It kept the evening relaxed and low‑stress (finding parking excluded!), and honestly, it was perfect for a first night. For a first campervan adventure, it was a great reminder that you don’t need a fully fitted kitchen to enjoy van life and that simple planning goes a long way.
Adjusting to Life Without Screens
One of the most unexpected moments came later in the evening when we realised we didn’t quite know what to do with ourselves. We’re so used to TVs, phones, and constant background noise that the quiet felt almost strange at first. We actually sat looking at other saying what do we do now?!
We had packed board games and card games though, and after about an hour, we settled into a slower rhythm and talked, laughed, and were just present. Seeing my son relaxed and genuinely enjoying the simplicity of the night was one of my favourite parts of the whole trip. It reminded me exactly why we bought the van: connection, calm, and time together. I’ve got the most lovely picture of him howling laughing but he won’t let me put it on here. Such a wonderful memory though!
Honest thought: I don’t think I, personally, realised how on the go I constantly am. I never stop. So the forced relaxation was something I really struggled with that night. It’s much easier now, but sometimes I still have to remind myself it’s ok to do nothing and it’s ok to just ‘be’.
🛍️ Helpful Products: A few examples of games we take are OK Play, Uno and Genius Square, but we’ll do a separate post about travel games soon 🙂
Sleeping Setup: Pop‑Top Lessons Learned
We started the night with the pop‑top roof up, but it quickly became clear how much colder it can feel in winter. Eventually, we decided to lower it to keep the heat in, which worked much better.
Putting it down in the dark was a learning curve. Despite having a bungee cord around the pop-top (if you’ve not got one, GET ONE!), part of the canvas caught in the mechanism, and I had to grab a torch and fix it from outside. Thankfully, there was no damage, especially after having only that week having some previous holes patched by the dealer, but it was a good reminder to take your time when setting up or packing down, especially in low light.
Once everything was closed up, the van stayed warm enough that we didn’t even need the 12V heater for the campervan we’d brought along. That was reassuring for future cold-weather trips. (For info, it was about 7 degrees Celsius overnight). As an aside, we knew it was unlikely to heat the entire van, but got it for taking the edge off if the temperature really dropped, as we just have 12v sockets in our van.
🛍️ Helpful Products: These are the VW Pop-Top Bungee cord and the 12V Heater we bought from Amazon.
Morning Condensation & Practical Takeaways
Like most campervan owners, we woke up to condensation in the morning, totally normal, but something we wanted to manage better going forward. We since invested in a condensation cloth but you can also buy a small moisture vacuum for colder seasons.
The trip also highlighted a few things we’ll tweak next time:
- Arrive earlier to avoid setting up in the dark.
- Choose shorter drives for overnight stays.
- Bring a better condensation solution.
- Ease the dogs into longer journeys.
- Keep the evening simple and screen‑free.
None of these were big issues, just gentle lessons that make the next trip smoother.
🛍️ Find some of our favourite campervan and travel essentials in our Amazon Shops:
Amazon Shop: UK 🛒 | Amazon Shop: Outside the UK 🛒
Was Our First Campervan Trip Worth It?
Absolutely. Our first campervan night was full of tiny challenges, but also full of special moments: laughter, learning, and that growing sense of freedom that comes with vanlife. It reminded us that you don’t need perfect plans or constant entertainment to have a great time. Sometimes, it’s about being together, embracing the imperfections, and enjoying the journey as it unfolds.
And the best part? That was just the beginning! If you’re just starting out too, have a look at our beginners guide to life on the road.
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The Wander Station work with affiliate advertising programs to provide income for our site. This article may contain affiliate links. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
