FTC Disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through some of the links in this article for more information, visit our Advertising Disclosure Page.

You can subscribe to the Everything About RVing YouTube Channel for some great videos about RVing

RVing Europe With 5 kids

It may seem impossible to RV Europe with 5 kids, but it’s way easier than you think

RVing Europe With 5 kids

By Donald Mena

It may seem impossible to RV Europe with 5 kids, but it’s way easier than you think. If parents are enthusiastic and ready for adventures, kids will follow. In fact, kids enjoy traveling and outdoor activities as much as their parents, if not more. 

Share This Page

Join the Good Sam Club Today!

Pacu and Ruben's family and their five children (4 boys and one girl, currently aged 4 to 11) shared their RV travel experiences. I am sure that anyone who doubts whether to go on a trip with a baby or two will look at their fears from a new perspective.

Pacu and Ruben discovered a new type of travel, very economical and, more importantly, fully adapted to five children's rhythm of life.

For the past four years, all seven of them have been traveling in an RV, having traveled around half of Spain and many other European countries. Their scooters have already been driven around Andorra, Portugal, France, Italy, Switzerland. "We love to accrue kilometers. We know the time of departure, but we never plan the day of return in advance. The longest journey so far was 23 days and 6.957 kilometers, (4.322 miles) " says Pacu.

Good Sam Roadside Assistance
Sign and Drive Coverage with Good Sam Roadside Assistance! Plans Starting at $49.95! Shop Now!

How is it possible to travel almost 7,000 km (4,350 miles) with children? The formula for this family's success is based on the RV they travel in and sleep in. This, in addition to the obvious reduction in the cost of accommodating a large family, means the freedom to get lost at any time in your favorite atmospheric town or on a wild beach while having everything you need at hand.

Even before their marriage, Pacu and Ruben had enjoyed travel, hiking, and going on pilgrimages. When the children appeared, the family tried to catch last-minute tours, discounted tickets, but the price difference between two and three children was economically unaffordable. The very idea of going on vacation with the whole family began to recede into the realm of the impossible. The solution was found where no one expected it: after the birth of their fifth child, Pacu and Ruben bought an RV

New trip style

The first trip was an experimental one. "We decided to go not far away so that if something goes wrong, we can immediately return. Therefore, the first route was Madrid-Zaragoza, 350 km. (217 miles) We spent the whole day in Zaragoza and went to spend the night in a nearby village. At nine o'clock in the evening, we climbed into the RV and thought: "Now, for sure, no one will be able to sleep in a new place, we will be up all night, the children will whine...". Nothing like that! Until nine in the morning, everyone slept! From the first night on, everyone slept like groundhogs; this can be repeated. The trial trip, planned for a couple of days, was delayed by 20. To make it easier to sleep in the RV, Patchi and Ruben came up with a system of boards laid out across the folded back seats. Special supports support the boards. Mats are placed on the boards, and everyone sleeps in their sleeping bag. The windows are covered with curtains.

Life in boxes

The most challenging thing was to select from the vast amount of "necessary" luggage and to occupy a minimum of space. The luggage placement system is based on 12 small and four large boxes, and everything, absolutely everything, should be put into them. What doesn't fit stays home.

Four outfits are taken for each kid, and put in four small boxes – one box for one day. Four outfits of parents ' clothing (larger format) occupy two large boxes. Also, three pairs of shoes and warm clothes for each family member in the boxes allocated for this purpose.

As for food, everything you need for cooking also fits in boxes: a gas primus (propane bottle) (you can't light fires anywhere in Spain except in specially equipped areas, and primuses are allowed), a pot, a frying pan. " One of the most expensive components of travel is dining out. Therefore, we need to prepare our food from fresh and cheap products. We buy and cook vegetables, meat, fish every day. We love to try local products! " - explains Ruben.

Family vacations together

This form of travel has become a way for the family to visit places they would otherwise never have visited, much less all together. Their children have learned from their own experience that going to a restaurant shortens the vacation by one day; perhaps the system works correctly if children prefer to extend the trip to the maximum.

"This form of travel gives us great freedom. If we are tired on a certain day, we stop and rest. If the weather forecast does not suit us, we change the direction or turn into a campsite," says Ruben

So the family spent the night next to the Roman amphitheater in Extremadura, in an idyllic Provencal village where there was only one hotel – and that one with five stars, on a forest road among sheep flocks, on a deserted, quiet beach. Waking up and running on the sand in your pajamas is one of the pleasures that you can't get. "For us, the main thing is not the ultimate goal, but the experience of traveling together, enjoying and sharing experiences with the closest people," says Ruben.

About The Author

My name is Donald; I am a traveler, writer, and RV enthusiast. I love experiencing new routes with my girlfriend and always ready for new challenges. I am also a fan of WritingAPaper, where writing experts can help me do my essay, or I can pay someone to write my paper.

You might like these

Do you have any suggestions or comments on this topic? You can add them to this page by using the comments section located below.

LEARN HOW TO RUN 2 RV A/Cs ON A 30 AMP CONNECTION

Return To the RV Lifestyles Articles Page