Entertaining in a campervan – Top gadgets for the best night in!
Campervans are perfect for getting ‘away from it all’ and can be quickly and easily packed with all of the essentials for a great adventure. Although space is at a premium there are some fantastic, affordable and compact gadgets available for entertaining whilst you’re on your travels that you can enjoy yourself or with the many friends that you’ll meet on journey. Below are some gadgets to make hosting the perfect evening in your campervan with friends and family.
Movie night
Mini projectors
It goes without saying there’s nothing like a trip to the cinema to enjoy a film on the big screen. However, why not bring that magic to your motorhome or campervan movie night? Mini projectors can be very reasonably priced and provide the ultimate watching experience whilst also being compact enough to not take up too much room when out on the road. They are easy to link with mobile and tablet devices with streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime. They also work with portable DVD players and laptops too.
It’s worth doing some research to find what will work best for you. A simple projector set up in your campervan doesn’t need to be as technologically advanced, or costly as a full home cinema. Home projectors often have to project over long distances and onto large screens. This means that they require a high number of ‘lumens’, to generate a bright and crisp image. The projector to screen distance in a campervan is very short and the screen size won’t be particularly large. This means that it’s relatively inexpensive to get yourself kitted out with a perfect projector for your campervan cinema experience.
Power
Finding a projector that has an internal battery is ideal. Many projector batteries can last a few hours. To save draining the battery you can use a portable charger or power bank, running a USB cable between the two. These can be picked up cheaply in many high-street shops as well as online and means you can run the projector for hours, making it suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
Sound
Sound quality can sometimes be an issue depending on the projector. There are however plenty of very affordable Bluetooth speakers to help with this. When shopping around it may be worth looking for a speaker that is both waterproof and shock proof to save any accidents.
Listening through headphones is always an option but be sure to get a splitter cable so that more than one person can enjoy the campervan cinema experience. This is also a good choice to keep any other campers happy if your movie night is outside.
Projection Screen
Before you get too carried away with picking a suitable film, plan where you are going to have the screen. Small pop-up screens can be found with a quick online search. They can fold down to a pocketsize making them ideal for travelling. Measure the dimensions beforehand, so that you know what will work best for you and your campervan. Alternatively, a budget friendly option is to use an old bedsheet cut down to size. Use small hooks to hang your screen internally from the roof, or you can attach it to the sliding door if you’re planning to be outside. Some campervan owners project their movies directly onto the campervan window black outs.
Top Tips:
- Wait till its evening/darker to enhance the viewing experience
- Bring a few blankets and throws to cosy up, especially if you’re enjoying your campervan movie night outside under the stars
- Buy classic cinema snacks such as popcorn, chocolate and pick ‘n’ mix sweets
Music
Speakers
A speaker isn’t just good for a movie night, sticking on some music is always great to set the mood for the evening. Music provides the perfect backing whilst you cook or maybe even enjoy a glass of wine. You won’t need to worry about having a big sound system, a small portable Bluetooth speaker will be ideal.
As always shop around and find what will fit best with your vehicle and lifestyle. If you want something that won’t take up any table space and will even be good on the go, some Bluetooth speakers even come with a built-in carabiner clip.
Top Tips:
- Get everyone to write down 3 songs that:
- Makes them smile
- Reminds them of when they were younger
- They love at the moment
- Put all of the song tracks into a mug and take turns pulling them out and listening to each other’s favourites. This is great if you’re struggling to know what songs to play.
- Be aware of your surroundings, no one likes a noisy neighbour!
Food
Food is arguably the most important ingredient for entertaining in your campervan. Although, with limited space to prepare and cook it can be a bit tricky. There are some great gadgets that can help assist along the way. Keep an eye out for multi-purpose kitchen utensils – it’s all about space saving solutions to make the most of what you have. A sandwich toaster grill pan will never go a miss in a camper kitchen and can be a staple for quick and easy meals on the road.
Despite the British weather not always being in our favour, us Brits love a BBQ and that shouldn’t stop whilst on our staycations. There are some fantastic portable, reusable BBQs available. Whether you choose the convenience of gas, or the unique flavour of charcoal, you’ll be able to enjoy some really tasty, barbecued burgers, sausages and much much more wherever you travel in your campervan.
Top Tips:
- Whether you’re intending to have a BBQ at your campsite or on the beach, always be sure to check if it’s permissible.
- If you’re BBQing on the campsite, position the BBQ well away from vehicles or awnings just in case you experience ‘flare ups’.
Get the right campervan insurance for your adventures
Whether you’re a weekend adventurer, or you take your campervan on longer hauls further afield to Europe, make sure you arrange specialist campervan insurance. We’ve been meeting the insurance needs of campervan owners for well over 30 years.
With a Trustpilot Trustscore of 4.9 based on over 3400 reviews, whether you own a brand new VW California or classic Splitty, our unrivalled range of insurance policies provide the perfect choice for you and your campervan. Call us today on 0208 9840 666 to speak to one of our team of friendly campervan insurance experts, or click here to get an online quote.
Disclaimer: At the date of publication all information within this article was factually accurate. However, changes in circumstances over time may impact the accuracy of the information.
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We’re a family run business with over 30 years' experience in the provision of specialist motorhome and campervan insurance. With a wealth of awards under our belt, we pride ourselves on providing a friendly and professional service, offering you the most comprehensive cover money can buy - starting from just £220!
We’re a family run business with over 30 years' experience in the provision of specialist motorhome and campervan insurance. With a wealth of awards under our belt, we pride ourselves on providing a friendly and professional service, offering you the most comprehensive cover money can buy - starting from just £200!
