What should I pack for my Eurocamp family holiday?

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One thing that I’ve been asked a few times by Frugal Mum followers is ‘What do I need to pack for a Eurocamp holiday?’ When it comes to packing, things can get a bit tricky, especially if you’re trying to keep the luggage light and avoid the common pitfalls of overpacking. (Which is never easy for a self-catering holiday!) There are also certain extra items I think are handy – which are specific to Eurocamp holidays – that I’ve discovered along the way. So, here’s a comprehensive guide on what to pack for your Eurocamp family holiday, ensuring you have everything you need without overstuffing the car or your suitcases. Let’s dive in!

What will I need to pack for my Eurocamp holiday?

Obviously you’ll need to start by packing your usual holiday items such as clothes, sunglasses, toiletries and medication etc. After this think about the extra items that are handy for all self-catering holidays, such as:

Handwash
Bin bags
Toilet rolls (though there will be one to get you started)
Kitchen roll
A tea-towel for drying up
Your favourite tea bags / coffee
A swimming bag (also remembering that you’ll usually need swimming caps in Italy, and speedos for males in France)
Hairdryer
2 sets of towels – one for showering and one for the pool/beach (unless you added it on / it’s included with your Eurocamp accommodation type)
Bed linen (unless you added it on / it’s included with your Eurocamp accommodation)
European plug adapters and an extension cable

All of the Eurocamp holiday homes that we’ve stayed in have had a basic welcome kit which is really handy – it contains things washing up liquid, a sponge, a cloth and cleaning liquid – so these are things that you won’t need to pack. One holiday home that we stayed in also came with dishwasher tablets – but pack these just in case if your accommodation has a dishwasher. If we’re travelling for a long period of time we also bring extra fairy liquid, as the pots in the packs are pretty small, and obviously one toilet roll won’t cut it! 😂

These extras are also handy for a Eurocamp holiday:

Over the years, on our Eurocamp road trips, I’ve found there are a few things that are Eurocamp holiday specific when it comes to what to pack. We’ve actually stayed at 15 Eurocamp holiday parks since 2020 and these are the extra things that you might want to pack based on our experiences:

A kettle: The kettles in the classic and comfort holiday homes are often metal hob kettles – sometimes covered in limescale and unappealing – so I would advise bringing one if you’re travelling by car, or you can squeeze it into your suitcase. (To be on the safe side, we always pack our fab little travel kettle from Amazon!) All of the Comfort XL, and higher ranges of Eurocamp holiday accommodation, have a normal electric kettle provided.
A cooking tray: There are always plenty of saucepans but for some reason a few of the ovens we’ve had have only had one small cooking tray! For self-catering accommodation in holiday homes made for 4-6 people this seems crazy. So, if you can, pack an extra cooking tray just in case!
Entertainment: Only the Ultimate holiday homes and some higher Premium accommodation options (like the Premium Exclusive) come with TVs, so make sure that you have some movies saved on a laptop or tablet for when you want to relax. Bring playing cards, board games, books and colouring etc for the kids too. (Though we’ve typically found that you can borrow some bits from the Eurocamp reception as well.)
Eye masks: In the past, we’d found that the quality of the window coverings could be hit and miss, so I have always packed some extra bin bags and sellotape, as well as eye masks, as we all like it to be dark. Having said that, we stayed at 7 different campsites this year and every accommodation had bug screens and blackout blinds / curtains – I don’t know if this is now standard but it was fantastic! (This was a mix of Comfort, Comfort XL, Premium and Premium Exclusive accommodation types.)
Pillows: Usually they’ll just be one pillow per person – though there might also be some on any spare beds – so we like to take some extra pillows if we have space.
Bikes: Many Eurocamp sites have bike rental areas but, if you have a bike rack and you’re travelling by car, you might want to bring your own to save money.
Picnic items: Bring a cool bag rucksack and refillable water bottles so you can pack up snacks, drinks and picnics for days out. We take ours everywhere when we’re exploring and it saves us a small fortune – I never go anywhere without a flask of coffee either!
Laundry bits: I always decant some laundry detergent into a small bottle – Eurocamp accommodation comes with a drying rack, and they have laundry rooms on the campsites, so it’s great in case you need to wash out some undies! I also bring pegs too.
Reusable shopping bags: If you’re looking to do a full shop at a local supermarket, it’s handy to bring some shopping bags with you so you don’t have to purchase any whilst you’re there. I also pack some food bits in the car to bring with us as well – especially as my son and I have a gluten-free diet and I think we typically have a better range of options (which are far more readily available) in our UK supermarkets than those we’ve visited in Europe.

Make a first aid kit

We’ve found that getting hold of things like suncream, and medical bits in Europe can be really expensive in their local pharmacies – so take plenty with you and make a mini first aid kit to avoid having to spend a fortune on things we can get in our UK supermarkets very cheaply. Don’t forget to pack bug bracelets too, particularly if you’re staying near a lake. I make up a kit with:

Antiseptic cream
Plasters
Insect repellent / bracelets
Anti-histamine
Travel sickness tablets
Paracetamol (plus liquid paracetamol if you have small children)
Ibuprofen
Suncream
After sun / Aloe Vera

Remember your important documents

You’ll need to print your Eurocamp travel voucher – which will come through via email a few weeks before you travel – these are the papers you’ll give in to the reception area when you check in. As well as this, remember to have all the usual important documents with you, including:

Passports for everyone in the family (check expiration dates well in advance – you need at least 6 months for European travel).
Travel insurance details – vital in case of emergencies.
Driving license and car documents if you’re driving (including European breakdown cover).
Currency and travel money cards – while many places accept cards, it’s handy to have some local currency.
GHIC cards for healthcare in Europe.

I keep all of these things in a family passport organiser from Amazon – it’s large enough to hold it all and stops me panicking I’ll misplace something! Don’t forget to consider travel requirements if you’re driving too. For example, a vignette for Swiss roads, an emissions sticker for Paris, a toll machine for France etc. Details for specific country requirements can be found on the Eurocamp website. And, check out my Ultimate Family Holiday Packing Guide – with free printable checklist too!

Don’t forget road trip essentials

There are also items that you must carry in your car if you’re driving in Europe (things like high-vis jackets). So, if you are travelling to your Eurocamp holiday by car, make sure you check out my road trip packing guide for more info – and you can buy a ready-made EU driving kit from Amazon with everything you need. I’ve also listed all of the things you’ll want to chuck in the car to make road-tripping with the kids across Europe as pain free as possible, so take a look at my article: Family road trip essentials: 13 things to pack on a road trip with kids. Have a lovely holiday!