8 Brilliant Festival Road Trips to Discover by Campervan or Motorhome
There is something rather special about travelling to a festival in a campervan or motorhome.
You are not simply driving to an event, spending a few hours there and heading home. Instead, the festival becomes part of a much bigger adventure. You have your own comfortable bed, somewhere to make breakfast, a fridge for your favourite food and drinks, and the freedom to explore the area around you.
At 365 Camper Hire, we think that is one of the best things about hiring a campervan or motorhome. You can choose somewhere you have never visited before, find an event that interests you and turn it into a proper road trip.
So, if you are looking for inspiration for your next getaway, here are seven fantastic festival destinations to put on your travel list.
1. Brighton – Make a Festival Weekend of the Seaside
Brighton is one of those places that works brilliantly for a campervan adventure because there is far more to discover than the event itself.
The Brighton Festival takes place across the city and brings together theatre, music, dance, comedy, literature and a wide variety of performances. It is a great excuse to visit the city, but we would suggest allowing yourself extra time to explore.
Spend an afternoon wandering through The Lanes, head down to the seafront, explore the independent shops or simply enjoy fish and chips by the sea.
And if you are hiring a campervan from 365 Camper Hire in Hampshire, Brighton is an especially appealing destination for a short break. You can be on the road relatively quickly, without committing to a long-distance journey.
Why go by campervan?
A campervan gives you the freedom to turn a festival visit into a two- or three-night break. Rather than rushing home after the final performance, you can enjoy another morning exploring the Sussex coast.
2. Hay-on-Wye – Books, Hills and a Brilliant Welsh Road Trip
If your idea of a great weekend involves books, interesting conversations, beautiful countryside and plenty of independent cafés, Hay-on-Wye deserves a place on your list.
The town sits close to the English-Welsh border and is famous for its bookshops and literary festival. The Hay Festival brings together writers, artists, musicians, thinkers and performers, creating an event that feels rather different from a traditional music festival.
But the real attraction for a campervan or motorhome trip is the surrounding area.
The Brecon Beacons, now known as Bannau Brycheiniog, are within reach, while the Wye Valley provides plenty of opportunities for walking, cycling, photography and simply enjoying the scenery.
Why not arrive a day early, explore the countryside, enjoy the festival and then stay for another night before heading home?
That is the beauty of travelling by motorhome.
3. Exmoor – Turn a Festival Visit into a Nature Escape
For something completely different, point your campervan towards Exmoor.
The Exmoor Nature Festival is a great opportunity to combine an organised event with one of Britain’s most beautiful landscapes. The area is known for its open moorland, dramatic coastline, woodland, wildlife and dark skies.
This is the sort of trip where you may find yourself spending less time worrying about the festival timetable and more time enjoying the journey.
Take a walk across the moor, visit one of the area’s picturesque villages, explore the coastline or simply find a beautiful campsite and enjoy the peace and quiet.
For couples looking for a relaxing getaway, Exmoor could be particularly appealing. For families, it offers plenty of opportunities to get outside and discover somewhere new.
And because your accommodation travels with you, you can change your plans if you discover somewhere you want to explore for longer.
4. Whitby – A Festival with a Seaside Road Trip Attached
Whitby is another fantastic destination where the journey can be just as enjoyable as the event.
The Whitby Fish & Ships Festival celebrates the town’s maritime heritage with food, entertainment, music and activities, but you don’t need to be a festival fanatic to enjoy a trip here.
Whitby itself is packed with character.
Explore the harbour, walk along the seafront, sample some local seafood and climb the famous steps towards Whitby Abbey. If you have more time, follow the coastline and discover some of the smaller seaside towns and villages nearby.
Travelling by campervan also gives you the opportunity to explore the Yorkshire coast at your own pace.
You could arrive for the festival, stay for a couple of nights and then continue your journey north or south rather than simply turning around and heading home.
That’s when a festival weekend starts becoming a proper campervan adventure.
5. Chelsea – A City Break with a Difference
Not every motorhome adventure has to involve remote countryside.
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is a brilliant example of how you can combine a city visit with the freedom of motorhome travel.
Chelsea itself is one of London’s most attractive areas, and the flower show brings together spectacular gardens, plants, floral displays and horticultural inspiration.
If you are travelling from Hampshire, Surrey or Berkshire, London can be an easy destination to overlook because it is so close. But having a specific event to visit can give you the perfect reason to spend a few days exploring the capital.
Rather than booking an expensive city hotel, you can have your own accommodation with you and build a wider trip around the event.
You could spend one day at Chelsea, another exploring London’s museums and attractions, and perhaps finish with a relaxed breakfast before heading home.
Top tip: Always check the latest event and campsite arrangements before travelling. Some London events have specific parking and access restrictions for larger vehicles.
6. Edinburgh – Make the Journey Part of the Adventure
If you have never taken a campervan or motorhome to Scotland, why not make a festival your reason to go?
Edinburgh is a superb destination for a longer road trip, and family travellers may particularly enjoy the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival.
But don’t limit your trip to Edinburgh itself.
The great thing about having your own accommodation is that you can build a route around the destination. Depending on how much time you have, you could stop in the Yorkshire Dales, explore Northumberland, visit the Scottish Borders or spend a few days discovering the Highlands.
The journey north becomes part of the holiday rather than simply a means of getting somewhere.
And that’s one of the reasons we love campervan travel at 365 Camper Hire.
You don’t have to decide that every minute of your holiday needs to be planned.
8. Northern Ireland – Make the Balmoral Show Part of a Bigger Adventure
For something a little more adventurous, why not take your motorhome further afield?
The Balmoral Show in Lisburn is Northern Ireland’s largest agricultural event and combines animals, food, entertainment, shopping and family activities.
For a UK motorhome adventure, travelling to Northern Ireland also gives you the opportunity to experience somewhere completely different without flying.
You could combine the event with Belfast, explore the Causeway Coastal Route, visit the Giant’s Causeway or simply take your time discovering the coastline.
For 365 Camper Hire customers considering travelling to Europe, Northern Ireland can also be a great introduction to taking a hired motorhome further afield.
And once you have discovered how enjoyable a longer motorhome trip can be, you might find yourself planning something even more ambitious next time.
7. VanLove Festival – A Festival Made for Campervan Lovers
If you want a festival where the campervan is very much part of the experience, VanLove Festival is one to put on your list.
Held at Thruxton Race Circuit in Hampshire, VanLove brings together campervans, motorhomes, converted vans and people who simply love life on the road. There is live entertainment, food, activities, vehicles to explore and a relaxed festival atmosphere that makes it ideal for a weekend away.
For customers of 365 Camper Hire, there is an added bonus: it is right on our doorstep.
Rather than travelling hundreds of miles to discover the campervan lifestyle, you can hire a vehicle from 365 Camper Hire in Fleet, load up and head to Thruxton for a weekend of enjoying everything that makes campervan travel so much fun.
It is also a great opportunity for anyone who has never hired a campervan before.
You can experience what it is like to have your own space for the weekend, cook breakfast in your campervan, sit outside with a coffee and wake up at the festival rather than worrying about getting home after the event.
And if you are thinking about buying a campervan or motorhome in the future, VanLove is a great place to see how other people have set up their vehicles and get inspiration for your own adventures.
Why not make a weekend of it?
Arrive early, enjoy the festival, meet other campervan enthusiasts and then take your time heading home. You could even add an extra night somewhere in Hampshire or the surrounding countryside.
For 365 Camper Hire customers, VanLove is a perfect example of how you don’t have to travel to the other side of the country to have a memorable campervan adventure.
Sometimes the best road trips are right on your doorstep.
Why Festivals Work So Well with Campervan and Motorhome Hire
The biggest advantage of using a campervan or motorhome for a festival isn’t necessarily the festival itself.
It is the freedom around it.
You can arrive early. You can stay an extra night. You can explore the surrounding countryside. You can stop somewhere interesting on the way home. You can make your own breakfast rather than searching for a café first thing in the morning.
And, perhaps most importantly, you have a comfortable place to come back to at the end of the day.
For first-time renters, festivals can also be a great way to experience campervan travel without committing to a long holiday.
Hire a campervan for a long weekend, discover somewhere new and see whether life on the road is for you.
Make Your Festival the Start of the Adventure
At 365 Camper Hire, we don’t think a motorhome holiday should simply be about getting from A to B.
The best trips are often the ones where you discover somewhere you weren’t expecting to find.
That might be a beautiful campsite in the countryside, a small coastal village, an independent café, a spectacular walking route or a viewpoint that wasn’t even on your original itinerary.
A festival simply gives you a reason to set off.
From Hampshire, you can reach a huge variety of destinations across southern England, Wales and beyond, and our motorhomes and campervans are designed to make the journey part of the experience.
Whether you are planning a festival weekend, a family adventure, a romantic escape or your first European road trip, hiring a campervan gives you the freedom to travel at your own pace.
Ready to Discover Somewhere New?
If you have never tried campervan travel before, why not make this the year you give it a go?
Choose an event. Pick a destination. Find a campsite. Then let the road take care of the rest.
With 365 Camper Hire, you can hire a modern, well-equipped campervan or motorhome from our base in Fleet, Hampshire, and start your adventure from there.
We are always happy to offer honest advice about choosing the right vehicle for your trip, planning your route and making the most of your time away.
Your next adventure could be somewhere you’ve never been before.
Explore our campervan and motorhome hire range and start planning your next road trip with 365 Camper Hire.
