Think caravan parks are only for caravanners? While that market is clearly catered for, today’s parks are incredibly varied and suitable for just about any kind of traveller.
Getting on top of industry lingo and some basic research will help you pick the right park for your needs and budget. If it has ‘caravan park’ in the title, you can expect a clean, tidy and competitively priced spot with communal cooking, toileting and showering facilities and minimal glitz usually offered as standard. A traditional caravan park, in other words.
But there is also a growing number of ‘holiday parks’ and ‘resort parks’. The former typically have pools, playground facilities and other family-friendly facilities for a more enjoyable in-park experience. The latter boast onsite dining, activities and other amenities for those seeking a more bunkered-down escape.
Be where you want to be
Australia’s network of parks covers every corner of the country, from Cradle Mountain to Coober Pedy, Rottnest Island to the Great Ocean Road, Hervey Bay to Broken Hill, Darwin to Alice Springs.
Whatever your preferred holiday destination or activities – from lazing on the beach, exploring nature and boating to cycling, golfing and four-wheel driving – you’ve got a good chance of finding a park right where you want it.
Stay how you want to stay
Your typical park offers a range of accommodation options, from unpowered caravan and camp sites for experienced off-the-gridders with their own caravans or tents, to powered and ensuite sites for those seeking a little more amenity.
Many parks will have a variety of caravan and camp-site locations within the facility, sometimes with million-dollar beach/lakeside or riverfront views.
Don’t have a roof over your head at hand? That’s no problem because most parks will have other options. At the lower end of the market, it might be modest ensuite or non-ensuite cottages or cabins. More generally, you can expect a range of dwellings covering different sleeping capacities, locations within the park and price points – these tend to be grouped using established accommodation norms, with ‘superior’ or ‘deluxe’ cabins offering a higher level of amenity than ‘standard’ alternatives.
Some parks are pet-friendly; others ramp it up with sprawling, executive-level digs in the best spots on the property. Some even offer glamping options.
Do what you want to do
Find a park that puts you where you want to be for your chosen day activities and you might not want (or need) much beyond a spot to lay your head for the nights.
A good resort park, contrastingly, allows guests to stay fed, watered, pampered and thoroughly entertained without ever leaving the facility, offering attractions such as mini-golf courses, tennis courts, bike hire and waterparks for the kids and spas, bars, gyms and conference facilities for Mum and Dad. Some waterside parks even allow you to pull your boat or jetski right up to your site.
G’day Parks is Australia’s leading community of independent caravan and holiday parks with a network of more than 280 parks spread far and wide around the country under the Discovery Parks and G’day Parks brands, giving travellers more choice and freedom. To find the right one for your next holiday go to gdayparks.com.au.