Caravanclub: The Complete Guide

Search "caravanclub" and you are almost certainly looking for the organisation now known as the Caravan and Motorhome Club, long called simply The Caravan Club. It is one of the biggest names in UK touring, and its sites, savings and services shape how a lot of people caravan. This complete guide explains what it is, what membership actually gives you, and whether it is worth joining in 2026.

What is the "caravanclub"?

The organisation most people mean by "caravanclub" is the Caravan and Motorhome Club. It was established in 1907 as The Caravan Club of Great Britain and Ireland and adopted its current name in February 2017, reflecting that its members now include motorhomers and campervanners as well as caravanners. According to its Wikipedia entry, the club represents "nearly one million members" and is headquartered in East Grinstead, West Sussex. You can confirm these details on the Wikipedia page for the Caravan and Motorhome Club.

The official home of the club online is still reached through the caravanclub web address, which now serves the Caravan and Motorhome Club. If you want to see current membership terms and site listings, go straight to the official Caravan and Motorhome Club website rather than relying on second-hand figures.

The two kinds of club site

The heart of membership is access to places to stay, and these come in two flavours that suit very different moods.

• Club campsites: Larger, well-serviced sites with facilities such as hardstanding pitches, hook-ups, wardens and amenity blocks. The club operates well over a hundred of these across the UK.
• Certificated Locations (CLs): Small, often five-pitch sites on farms, pub gardens and private land, exclusive to members. There are thousands of them, and they are the club's not-so-secret weapon for quiet, characterful stops.

Many members use the big sites for family holidays and the CLs for peaceful one-nighters between destinations. If you are still mapping out where to pitch, our roundups of caravan parks near you and our caravan sites guide pair well with club membership.

What membership actually gives you

Beyond the sites, the club bundles a set of services aimed at making touring cheaper and less stressful. For a newcomer, that bundle is part of the appeal: instead of assembling insurance, breakdown cover and a booking system separately, you get them under one roof with staff who understand towing outfits. Whether that convenience is worth paying for depends on how much you value one-stop simplicity over shopping each service around, but it is a genuine benefit for people who would rather not manage five providers.

1. Pitch savings: Members pay less per night on club campsite pitches than non-members, which is the core value proposition.
2. Insurance: Caravan, motorhome, car and travel cover arranged through the club.
3. Breakdown cover: Dedicated recovery designed around towing outfits and motorhomes.
4. Overseas help: Booking of European sites and ferry or tunnel crossings, plus organised tours further afield.
5. Advice and community: Technical guidance, a members' magazine, and events such as rallies.

None of these are unique to one club, but having them under one membership is convenient, and the pitch savings alone can offset the fee for frequent tourers.

Caravan and Motorhome Club versus the other big club

The UK has a second major membership body, and newcomers often confuse the two. Both run networks of large sites and small member-only locations, both offer insurance and cover, and both compete on price and coverage. Rather than assume one is best, compare their site maps against where you actually travel and check current member pitch rates. Our guide to the Caravan and Camping Club covers the alternative so you can weigh them side by side.

It is worth remembering the honest framing: a club is a network and a set of services, not a magic discount. The value is real but conditional on how you tour.

Getting the most from membership

Members who feel they get their money's worth tend to do a few things well:

• They book popular club sites early for school holidays and bank holiday weekends.
• They lean on CLs for cheap, quiet stopovers on long journeys.
• They use the member discounts and partner savings, not just the pitches.
• They match insurance and breakdown cover to their outfit rather than buying blind.

Touring also means thinking about the rest of the year. When the caravan is not in use, our guide to finding caravan storage near you helps you keep it secure, and if you are new to the whole pursuit, our caravanning guide covers the fundamentals.

Common misconceptions worth clearing up

A few myths follow the club around, and clearing them up helps you judge it fairly.

• "You can only stay on club sites." Not true. Membership adds a network; you are still free to use any independent site, pub stopover or farm pitch you like.
• "CLs are basic and grim." Many are simple, but plenty sit in beautiful spots with a tap and a chemical disposal point, and their peace is exactly the appeal.
• "The savings are automatic." The member pitch discount is real, but you only capture it by actually staying on club sites, so occasional campers may not reach break-even.
• "It is only for caravans." The 2017 rename reflects that motorhome and campervan owners are a large and welcome part of the membership.

Seeing the club as one good option among several, rather than a compulsory badge, is the healthiest way to approach it. It competes for your money on price, coverage and service like any other provider.

Is it worth joining in 2026?

If you tour several times a year, the combination of member pitch savings, thousands of CLs and bundled services usually adds up to good value. If you camp only occasionally, or you mostly use non-club sites, the fee is harder to justify and you may prefer to pay as you go. The smart move is to price your real travel first, then let the break-even sum, not the brochure, make the decision. Either way, the club remains a central institution in UK touring, and understanding what it offers helps you camp more cheaply whether or not you carry the card. Even non-members benefit from knowing how the site network and Certificated Locations work, because the same booking habits, early reservations, quiet mid-week stopovers and good insurance cover, save money on any site you choose.

Frequently asked questions

What is the caravan club?

The caravan club refers to the Caravan and Motorhome Club, founded in 1907 as The Caravan Club and renamed in 2017. It is a UK membership organisation with close to a million members that runs a large network of campsites and small member-only Certificated Locations, and offers insurance, breakdown cover and overseas travel help.

What do you get for Caravan and Motorhome Club membership?

Membership gives access to the club's campsites and thousands of Certificated Locations, reduced per-night pitch fees for members, insurance and breakdown options, help booking European sites and crossings, and technical advice. The pitch savings are the core benefit, with the extra services adding convenience.

Is Caravan Club membership worth it?

It depends on how often you tour. Divide the annual fee by the per-night member saving to see how many club nights it takes to break even. Frequent tourers usually find it good value, while occasional campers or those who mainly use non-club sites may prefer to pay as they go.

What are Certificated Locations?

Certificated Locations, or CLs, are small member-only sites, often around five pitches, set on farms, pub gardens and private land. There are thousands across the UK, and they are prized for quiet, characterful and inexpensive overnight stops between larger destinations.

Is the Caravan and Motorhome Club the same as the caravanclub?

Yes. "Caravanclub" is the older name and web address for what is now the Caravan and Motorhome Club, which adopted its current name in 2017 to reflect its motorhome and campervan members. The same organisation runs the sites and services under the updated name.