All shapes and sizes

Caravan parks come in all shapes and sizes, from the Caravan Club's many CLs (Certificated Location) with a maximum of 5 touring caravans or motorhomes, to the big holiday parks with 500 holiday homes and more!

Use our parks directory to help you choose. Parks are 'searchable' and can be sorted according to location, number of pitches, pitch fees, number of holiday homes (owned / for rent), and their tourism awards.

Club Sites

The Caravan Club www.caravanclub.co.uk and Camping and Caravanning Club www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk have a full range of caravan parks, either owned by the club or managed under licence. They are graded according to facilities, location and price. Many people prefer to use only club sites as they are assured of set levels of quality and provision, unlike the pot luck of choosing a small independent park from a handbook.

Groups

There are several commercial groups of caravan parks. These are grouped by location, common interest, common ownership, and include:
Best of British www.bob.org.uk
British Holidays www.british-holidays.co.uk
Bourne Leisure www.bourneleisuregroup.co.uk
Countryside Discovery www.countryside-discovery.co.uk
Flower of May www.flowerofmay.com
Forestry Holidays www.forestholidays.co.uk
GB Holiday Parks Ltd www.bgholidayparks.co.uk
Haven Holidays www.haven-holidays.co.uk
John Fowler Holidays www.johnfowlerholidays.com
Lakeland Leisure Estates www.lakelandleisureestates.co.uk
Parkdean Holidays www.parkdean.com
Park Holidays www.parkholidaysuk.com
Park Resorts www.park-resorts.com
Shorefield Holidays Ltd www.shorefield.co.uk
South Lakeland Caravans www.southlakeland-caravans.co.uk
Surf Bay Leisure www.surfbayleisure.co.uk
Thornley Leisure www.thornleyleisure.co.uk
Weststar Holidays www.weststarholidays.co.uk
Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parcs www.woolacombe-bay.co.uk

All mod cons

Caravan parks which offer touring pitches will generally offer as basic a heated toilet block with hot showers, electricity hook-up points near every pitch, and fresh/waste water points at convenient intervals. There will usually be some sort of play area for children, which should be RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) inspected.
Some sites offer hard standings, ideal for all year round use.
Bigger holiday parks are likely to offer swimming pools, various games facilities, kids clubs, snack bar, restaurant, licensed bar and regular daytime and evening entertainments.
Dogs are welcome on most parks, although there may be a charge, and a limit on how many.
Of course, all this reflects the price you will have to pay. A five-van CL (Caravan Club's 'Certificated Location') site may charge as little as £3.00 to £5.00 a night, while a big holiday park in a popular resort may charge over £20.00 per pitch per night in summer.

Holiday home in the country

Modern caravan holiday homes (statics) have all the luxuries of home, with central heating, mains electricity and full plumbing for the bathroom. There is great appeal in the idea of having a home from home to escape to for weekends and summer breaks, with no worries that a chosen park being fully booked.
There are many bargains to be had in pre-owned holiday homes, as well as super new models available from £15,000 upwards.
The annual rental to keep a holiday home obviously depends on the location of the park and the facilities available on-site. Typically this would be £700 to £1,500 p.a. plus rates and electricity.
Beware, however, of certain conditions which may apply:

1. The park owner may insist you buy one of his used or new caravans, and not accept one you buy privately, so limiting your choice of park.
2. There will be a one-off 'siting' fee of around £500 to pay - even if you are buying a caravan already on a pitch!
3. Most parks insist on either a percentage (typically 10%) commission if you sell your holiday home, or may even reserve the right to buy it from you, at a price determined by the park owner.

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ON-SITE FACILITIES
Most parks offer a range of basic facilities. These are usually represented as symbols in parks directories, some more self-explicit that others!

Beach nearby
Club house
Cycle hire
Disables facilities
Dogs allowed
Serviced pitches
Electric hook-ups
Fishing nearby
Shop on site
Games room
Gas available
Golf nearby
Horse riding nearby
Indoor pool
Laundrette
Dogs not allowed
Outdoor pool
Parking available
Telephone on-site
Play area
Restaurant
Sailing
Showers
Tennis nearby
Tent pitches
Tourer pitches
Water point(s)