Who knew that planning a family holiday could be such a headache? From worrying about fines for taking a child out of school during term time to news of possible delays impacting air travel this summer, you could be forgiven for ditching the idea and planning some fun family activities at home instead.
That was my approach until Eurocamp invited us to review their offering. A popular choice with families looking for affordable European holidays, Eurocamp is a British company that works with partner campsites, resorts and holiday villages to provide family-friendly camping experiences in countries throughout Europe, including France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Croatia. There are currently more than 400 parcs to choose from, and each one has different facilities spanning everything from waterparks and outdoor swimming pools to kids' clubs and on-site sports activities. Accommodation ranges from traditional camping pitches to holiday homes, lodges and chalets.
In this article, I'll cover five reasons to consider a Eurocamp adventure of your own, along with some honest details of our first Eurocamp family holiday, plus helpful tips for planning a holiday to a Eurocamp destination. I'll also answer the ultimate question: is Eurocamp worth it for families?
Why choose a Eurocamp family holiday?
The short answer is 'because you won't regret it' but here are five reasons...
1. They're budget-friendly
Family holidays can be astronomically expensive, which can come as a nasty shock the first time you tot up what it would cost to take the kids away. But Eurocamp is brilliant because it's an affordable way to plan a European family holiday without needing a second mortgage to pay for it. Compared to the cost of a hotel or holiday cottage, a Eurocamp holiday is a budget-friendly option but with plenty of perks thrown in. What's more, Eurocamp runs regular special offers as well as discounts for booking early and last-minute deals.
2. The family-friendly facilities are next-level
Eurocamp excels at creating truly family-friendly holiday destinations, with facilities to cater for all age groups, from baby and toddler equipment available to use free of charge, to kids' clubs and entertainment for teens - and everything in between. From zipwires and zorbing to archery and minigolf, there's almost every activity you can think of on offer, depending on the parc you choose. We stayed at La Rive because we'd heard such good things about the pool facilities and we weren't disappointed. A lakeside parc with direct beach access in south-west France, it has a water playground, four water slides and a giant water bucket that only the brave stand under.
3. Choice of locations and holiday types
Eurocamp has a camping holiday location to suit every kind of holiday-maker. From beachside settings to city parcs and from Northern France to the South of Italy, you'll be hard-pressed to come up with a camping holiday that Eurocamp can't deliver. Head to the holiday types part of the website to filter your options tothings like baby and toddler holidays or teenager-friendly holidays.
4. Flexibility
One of the most appealing aspects of a Eurocamp holiday is how much flexibility it offers. With hundreds of parcs to choose from, you can select your location based on your preferred mode of transport, if you wish. You'll find campsites situated within easy travelling distance of major European airports, train stations and ferry ports, but also plenty of campsites tucked well off the beaten track. However you want to get there, whatever type of holiday you want, and whichever location you fancy, you can make it happen.
That flexibility carries through to the accommodation too, with options covering every kind of self-catering from basic tent pitches through to holiday homes and lodges. There are also holiday homes to suit different budgets but I recommend spending as much as you can to secure maximum space and comfort.
5. The memories
Perhaps it's just me but I agonise over booking family holidays. I've had enough slightly disastrous minibreaks with toddlers in tow to know that a difficult family holiday experience is worse than not getting away at all, so I worry about wasting money on a holiday that doesn't live up to expectations. The stakes are so high and the pressure is on for everyone to have a magical time but, as we all know, family life isn't perfect and no holiday is without its Instagram-vs-reality moments.
But the memories we made during our week at Eurocamp have become woven into the fabric of our family story and we recall them often. The day we spent at the waterpark and the kids talked me into joining them on the slides and rapids. Sibling rivalries and difficult age gap dynamics washed away and I didn't even give a moment's thought to what I looked like in my swimsuit - we were too focused on having fun together. Evening barbecues and playing cards on our deck. Even squabbles over who sat where in our hire car and a heated moment where someone threw a shoe at a sibling have become immortalised for us as Eurocamp memories that we treasure.
Top tips for happy Eurocampers
- Book early: Eurocamp destinations get booked up way in advance. During our holiday, we met families who return to the same Eurocamp site every single year and re-book as soon as they get home. So for the best availability and the widest choice of destinations, book in advance. Booking is open now for summer 2025.
- Do your research: We learned the hard way that the on-site shop at our Eurocamp destination was astronomically expensive and we regretted not stocking up on groceries at a local supermarket on our way to the parc. You can find this kind of information out in advance by scrutinising Eurocamp reviews before you go.
- Get out and explore: It's easy to forget that there's a world to explore outside your parc because Eurocamp destinations tend to be packed with so many fabulous facilities. But it's well worth taking some time to venture beyond the campsite to soak up the local area.
Is Eurocamp worth it?
I spent so many hours trawling the internet in search of an answer to this question before I finally took the plunge and booked our first Eurocamp family holiday two summers ago. Honestly? I regret wasting all that time. I wish I had just gone for it years ago. By the time we discovered Eurocamp my kids were 8, 15 and 17 and although it was the perfect holiday for that stage of our family life, I feel quite sad about all the years we could have been enjoying Eurocamp holidays when the kids were younger.
Eurocamp reviews - a final tip
I can't stress this highly enough: soak up the customer reviews of each Eurocamp parc you're considering before you book. There are customer reviews on each parc page on the Eurocamp website and they're immeasurably helpful for whittling down your options and working out which facilities and services matter to you. As Eurocamp works with third-party campsites, the facilities from one campsite to another can vary wildly so don't book without checking what Eurocamp customers have to say about specific locations.
Looking for more family-friendly travel inspiration? Check out 5 reasons to book a road trip for your family summer holiday and 6 of the best holiday ideas for families with teens or see if you can guess the most popular holiday destinations kids want to visit in 2024
