Ultimate Checklist and Packing List for a Caravan Holiday

If you’re new to caravan life, you recently bought a caravan or you’re hiring one to test it out, then it’s a good idea to have a checklist of what to do before you leave and what to pack for your holiday.

Take it from the pros out there, the last thing you want to do on a caravanning holiday is go to the shops all the time because you forgot something or get stuck on the road because the battery isn’t working or a tyre is flat.

Checklist for the Caravan Before You Hit the Road

Image source: Trakmaster

Do yourself a favour and check over the caravan before you get on the road.

Here’s the caravan checklist:

• Battery – good condition and charging
• Tyres – good condition and pumped to correct pressure
• Brakes engage and release
• Jockey wheel – raised and secured or stowed away
• Water tank – full
• Gas bottles – turned off and secure, full
• Tow bar wiring and plug/socket – working and clean
• Fire alarm – check and replace the battery if needed
• Fire extinguisher/fire blanket – do you have one?
• Fridge – door securely closes and working
• All drawers and cupboards – close properly and stay closed
• Windows closed
• Toilet – working
• All interior gas and electrics are off
• Lights – work and have spare bulbs and tubes

For more information on repairs and checks read our article:

• 5 DIY Caravan Repairs and Checks For a Camping Trip

What to Pack for a Caravan Holiday

What’s different about a caravan holiday vs a camping holiday is that you bring along items that you wouldn’t have if you just used a tent. That might require a few extra items for the kitchen or the toilet/shower, but you won’t need a camping bed, sleeping bag and other gear like that—so it probably evens out.

So, if this is your first caravan holiday, what should you pack for the caravan itself?

Image source: Practical Caravan

Here is a list put together from research and, of course, our own experiences:

First, start with the kitchen.

• Dishwashing detergent, plug for sink, scrubs, tea towels
• Utensils for cooking (tongs, peeler, chopping board, spatula, etc.)
• Pots and pans
• Plates, cups, spoons, forks, knifes
• Coffeemaker
• Kettle (if you like tea)
• Food!

Bathroom

• Soap
• Towels (including hand towels)
• Toiletries
• Tissues
• Toilet paper

Other

• General cleaning spray, paper towels, wipes
• Garbage bags
• Camp chairs for sitting outside
• Any sporting equipment
• Umbrella, sun protection products, hats
• Chargers for devices
• Lights for exterior of caravan
• Extension cords
• Cards, boardgames, reading materials
• Lantern and batteries (if powered that way)

It’s a good idea to develop a list that suits your group whether it’s you and a partner, you and your family or you and your mates. You’ll probably forget something or realise you don’t need other things on the first trip, but as you go again and again, you’ll start to figure out exactly what works for your crew.

Important Packing Tip: First Aid Kit

Image source: Trip Savvy

The last thing you want to do when you’re enjoying a caravan holiday is track down a doctor or a pharmacy for a simple cut or for insect bites. Instead, pack a first aid kit that can help deal with anything minor that happens while out in nature, so you can get back to enjoying your holiday faster.

By the way, if you don’t want to track down all these items yourself, you could always purchase a fully packed, ready-to-go first aid kit by St John specifically for caravanning and camping. It’s one less thing to deal with preparing!

Essential items

• Personal medications
• Band-aids (various shapes and sizes)
• Roll bandages
• Sterile gauze
• Cotton swabs
• Adhesive tape
• Insect repellent and rapid itch cream
• Calamine lotion
• Aloe
• Antihistamine cream
• Antiseptic wipes
• Antiseptic cream
• Heat/cold pack
• Eye drops
• Aspirin/Panadol/Neurofen
• Tweezers
• Scissors
• Safety pins
• Anti-acids (Rennies/Quick-Eze)

Optional items (dependent on where and what type of camping you are doing)

• Bee sting kit
• Snake bite kit
• Betadine
• Wound dressings
• Waterproof matches
• Super glue

The optional items could be essentials if you’re heading to somewhere more remote, but if you’ll be at a holiday park (like Broken Head Holiday Park), then you likely won’t need to worry about more drastic measure items in your first aid kit.

However, if you’re the super cautious kind, then go ahead and pack up more stuff—if nothing else, it’ll make you feel better.

Stay in your caravan at Broken Head Holiday Park

Here at Broken Head Holiday Park, we’re fully prepared to support your caravan holiday with powered sites so you can set up and plan to stay however long you can. There’s so much to do in the Byron Bay Area that you will probably want to extend your stay!

So get packing! Use this list, add to it or delete what you don’t need, and book your stay so you, too, can experience the fun of a caravanning holiday to Byron Bay.