Campervan Hire in Bristol

Campervan road trips from Bristol

Bristol is ideally located for anyone looking to explore the best of the south-west. For a short trip, drive your campervan south to Dorset and spend your day at the Jurassic Coast, famous for its geological marvels like Durdle Door or Lulworth Cove. By night, Lulworth Castle projects classic movies onto a big screen on its 17th-century stone walls, offering one of the coolest outdoor cinema experiences you could imagine. If you’re heading north, make sure to spend some time in the Cotswolds. Visit Warwick Castle or climb Cleave Hill for the most incredible views. The Cotswolds Water Park and Wildlife Park also offer great family entertainment. For the real adventurers, walk The Cotswolds Way or The Gloucestershire Way. Alternatively, you could take a short campervan or motorhome trip west from Bristol across the border into Wales. Cardiff is just an hour, while the great landscapes of the Brecon Beacons and the Wye Valley are also within easy campervan-driving distance and are great for a weekend of outdoor fun, hiking, mountain biking or canoeing. Slightly further south of Cardiff, the lovely coastal town of Penarth is the perfect destination if you’re looking to spend some time by the sea.

Parking a campervan in Bristol

Before you head elsewhere, you might plan to spend some campervan time in Bristol itself. Like any major city, it’s tough to find free, convenient places to camp overnight and you should read local parking and street parking signs carefully before parking up somewhere for a long period of time. There are no designated campervan parking areas in Bristol centre itself, but there are plenty of caravan and holiday parks within easy reach of the city. For the best independent campsites, however, it’s worth travelling that little bit further into the countryside around the city. If you’re headed north be sure to stop off at Cotswold Meadow Camping, a sociable camping and glamping on the edge of the Cotswolds, within easy reach of Bristol. Everything you need is within walking distance of the site. There’s the market town of Chipping Sodbury, a mile and a half across the common, where there are plenty of shops, eateries and no less than eight pubs. For a southbound stop off be sure to call in at Nettwood Country Breaks. The views over the Chew Valley are worth admission alone, but with first-rate facilities and the friendliest of owners, Nettwood ticks all boxes. With easy access to the Mendips; expansive lakeside vistas; woodland walks around East Harptree as well as the famous caverns of Cheddar Gorge and Wookey Hole nearby, Nettwood has plenty to offer.

This to do in Bristol on your campervan trip

Bristol itself has plenty to keep you busy. The city has a famously eclectic music and arts scene. Arnolfini is a harbourside, contemporary arts centre which presents visual arts, performance, film, music and events. Of course, you can’t enjoy art in Bristol without a glimpse of some of Banksy’s original street art pieces too. Find out where his graffiti works are and spend the day visiting them all and exploring Bristol along the way. It’s worth also including a wander down Gloucester Road, the longest road of independent shops in the UK. Gloucester Road is still considered within Bristol city centre, so it’s not possible to park a campervan or motorhome here without a permit but there are regular pay-and-display car parks nearby. There are plenty of wide-open spaces to enjoy too such as Leigh Woods National Nature Reserve and The Downs. The beautiful Berkeley Castle dates back to 1117 and still remains the home of the Berkeley family. Here, special events are hosted on bank holidays and during school holidays. There’s a festival to suit everyone in Bristol, from the Bristol Harbour Festival and the Bristol Festival of Ideas to the must-see Balloon Fiesta. If your holiday coincides with one of these events, you’d be daft not to purchase a ticket.

What you’ll need to hire a campervan in Bristol

The most important item to bring with you to the campervan rental is, of course, your driving license. Each vehicle hirer will have slightly different rules on who is eligible to hire a van so it is worth checking online beforehand. In some cases it will be based on the number of years you’ve had your driver’s license or there could be a minimum age for the driver. In addition to your driver’s license, generally the basic requirements needed to hire a campervan will be at least two proofs of address and a clean driving record. You should also find out from your campervan hirer whether they will request your DVLA code on your behalf or if you must acquire this yourself online. More information about what's needed to hire a campervan can be found here.

Which campervan rental is best for me?

There's a great variety of campervans and motorhomes out there and it's not always easy to decide what vehicle is right for you. Small campervans, such as modern Volkswagens, are perfect for couples, since they're compact and easy to drive and feel much like a large car – particularly handy when making your way through Bristol or on the smaller country lanes in the Cotswolds and south-west. For families, campervans and motorhomes make the journey part of the adventure itself instead of just a vehicle to get you to your destination. For families with older children or those concerned about comfort, a motorhome might be a better option as they offer far more space and will often feature more functional facilities, such as having a shower onboard and table and seating space for the whole family to sit comfortably. You should think about what style of holiday you are going on and what facilities and vehicle size best suit your needs. If you’re all about style, consider a vintage VW. Want to reduce your footprint? Why not consider an electric vehicle?