Coach holidays are a great way to create lifetime experiences, whether you travel as a solo traveller, with a group or your partner. They are a great way of exploring locations around the UK that you would not usually think of and having a great time.
With many coach holidays much of the planning is done for you such as pick up points, excursions, how you move around each location such as by cruise ship, ferry, rail or primarily by coach:
Pack the bulk of your clothes in a medium-size suitcase
As you may be moving around a lot making multiple drop offs and transferring between travel types hauling a huge bag is not advisable and can be very stressful. Take a medium size suitcase with wheels and maybe a backpack for the quick detours and excursions, if you have any planned. This will help maintain your energy levels and will make the experience all the more convenient and stress-free.
As mentioned by taking a backpack you can place all your essentials in there such as chargers, travel documentation passports, and money. This will make it easier to jump off the coach for stop offs or excursions, keeping the backpack light is the ultimate plan so you can leave your suitcase behind when you do not need it.
Pack Comfortable Clothes & Shoes
Taking the right clothing is key to making your experience that much better, depending on the time of year and your chosen location be sensible and wear the appropriate clothing based on the weather.
We would always advise you take good comfortable footwear if you plan on walking on your coach holiday.
However, while travelling wear comfortable trousers, t-shirt, jumper, and trainers/shoes. Travelling in style is not always the most comfortable way when you are going to be moving around a lot.
If you are going somewhere very warm, t-shirts, shorts, swimwear, and flip-flops are great to take. If you have decided to go somewhere such as Lapland for a day trip, you will need warm trousers, jumpers, and boots.
If you know, it is likely to be raining on your trip away, take a few spare socks and a good waterproof jacket or coat to avoid getting soaked through.
Take Plenty of water and snacks
As you will be spending quite a bit of time travelling take plenty of filling meals and liquids to keep you hydrated.
Some coach tours can last around 8-12 hours so be sure to have enough food with you to eat every few hours and a drink so that you do not feel sluggish on arrival. Be aware that snacks will need to be suitable for the coach tour and easily eaten, and you will not have the facilities to keep your food cold or warm.
Take a warm blanket that can be rolled up and stored
Travelling between locations can be very tiring, take a good warm blanket, a nice neck pillow and earplugs to drown out the external sounds. This will help you sleep comfortably with a lower risk of being woken up as you travel. Getting enough sleep during your coach tour is key to keeping everything stress free.
Load your Phone or Tablet up with entertainment
Travelling on a coach tour for hours with no entertainment but the scenery around you, may not be what appeals to you.
Our advice is to prepare your entertainment before you travel and have films, series and music pre-downloaded on your devices so that you if you are unable to get a signal you still have your Phone or Tablet packed full of entertainment.
Loose Change & Cash
Taking loose change with you to ensure you have a little cash available for the stops you will be making, this will ensure you have a little spare change to buy items on the way for souvenirs or presents on the way.
Be sure not to take to much as you can always get more cash out on the way. We would recommend having around £20-£30 with you and keep this topped up in case you end up at a location that does not take card payments.
Take a Local Language Dictionary
If you travel to Europe for your coach holiday its great to be able to speak a little of the local language. Not all countries within Europe speak English, if at all, if you pick up a few necessary words such as “hello”, “goodbye” and “thank you.”
Take a small Umbrella
Make sure to take a small umbrella with you in your backpack just in case there is a rainy day, it makes travelling that much more convenient especially if you are in a location that is particularly cold and raining.
Take Reading Material with You
If you get bored of watching movies or playing games on your phone or tablet, taking reading material or perhaps a device that you can read from is a great alternative to passing the time as you move between locations on your coach holiday. With so many cheap options available to buy it’s a no-brainer as a backup.
Take your charger or portable USB charging device
If you are on a particularly long journey, make sure to take your charging plugs or taking a USB portable charger will take the hassle out of keeping all your entertainment devices fully charged, so you are not left to occupy yourself.
USB portable charges can be purchased from as little as £20. If you get one with a large internally battery, you will be able to charge your devices multiple times.
Bring Toothpaste, Toothbrush, and Deodorant
When you wake up from your sleep, you may want to refresh yourself at the next available pit stop of the hotel. Toothbrushes and toothpaste do not always come as standard at locations you may stay at so grab a small toothbrush and tube of toothpaste to take the worry away.
A few other items that you may want to consider are wet wipes, deodorant and maybe perfume/aftershave to keep you feeling and smelling fresh.
When is the Best Time to Book a Coach Holiday?
We would always recommend booking a coach holiday out of season. Coach Holidays are typically cheaper when booked out of season including hotels that you may plan to stay at, while not possible for all, it generally keeps the overall cost of the Coach tour down by booking out of season/off-season.