How Not to Pack for an Irish Campervan Road Trip (With Kids, In a VW)

Jun 4, 2025
3 min read

packing for campervan road trip in ireland

Let me tell you something about packing for an Irish campervan road trip with kids: it's a bit like trying to fit a trampoline, a slow cooker, and a small zoo into a shoebox. While it’s moving. In the rain.

We drive a beloved VW campervan. She’s vintage, charming, and full of character—by which I mean: storage space is an abstract concept. But every year, we squeeze ourselves in like a family of optimistic sardines and set off into the Irish wilderness for “a simple break away.”

Spoiler: It’s never simple. But it is always hilarious.

Step 1: The List (That We Ignore Immediately)

I start every trip with a very organised list titled: “Essentials Only.” It contains noble, minimalist things like:

Four sets of clothes each
One pair of wellies per child
Toothbrushes
Charger cables
Tea bags (non-negotiable)

By the time we’ve actually finished packing, the van contains:

A full-size scooter
A remote-control dinosaur
A glitter craft set (??)
18 mismatched socks
Three chargers for devices we didn’t even bring

Also, someone inevitably forgets underwear. Usually my partner. Sometimes me.

Step 2: The Shoe Situation

Packing shoes for Ireland is a dark art. You need:

Wellies (for puddles)
Trainers (for walking)
Flip flops (for campsite showers)
Crocs (kids only, by law)
Hiking boots (which no one wears but still take up half the boot)

These are then carefully wedged behind the driver’s seat like a game of high-stakes Jenga. When we hit a bump, they all launch themselves forward like enthusiastic dogs.

Step 3: Rain Gear (or “How Many Coats Is Too Many?”)

Look, it’s Ireland. If you’re not layering like a crazy thing, you’re doing it wrong.

Packing involves a complex system of:

Waterproofs
Fleece layers
Emergency ponchos
Spare waterproofs for when the first set gets soaked from the inside
A towel that lives in the front cab just to dry the inside of the windscreen every 12 minutes

By the time we leave, the van smells like a damp outdoor shop.

Step 4: Food – But Only Beige Food

Kids don’t eat vegetables on the road. It’s a rule of nature. So we pack:

Pasta
Cereal bars
Crackers
Crisps
Chocolate buttons (our official currency when negotiations break down)

We always forget the one thing we need. Once, it was coffee. Once, it was gas for the stove. Once, it was cutlery. That was a week of eating spaghetti with toothbrush handles. Character-building.

Step 5: The "Just in Case" Box

Every family has one. Ours includes:

A mini hot water bottle
Uno (vital)
Baby wipes (even though our kids are in school now)
Spare batteries (but not the size we need)
Random wires we’re too afraid to throw away

It’s the least useful and most important box in the van.

Final Step: Acceptance

Eventually, you slam the sliding door shut, hear something fall off the shelf inside, and shout, “We’ll sort it on the road!” You won't. But that’s fine.

Packing for an Irish campervan road trip is never perfect. You will forget things. You will bring too many of the wrong things. And yet—you’ll make memories your kids will talk about for years.

Especially the time we drove all the way to Donegal and realised we’d forgotten the sleeping bags. We all slept in our coats under beach towels. And honestly? It was one of the best nights we’ve ever had.