Should we keep our favourite park-up spots a secret?

If you’ve spent a decent amount of time travelling in your caravan, chances are you’ve probably stumbled across a couple of amazing locations along the way. Whether that’s a peaceful lay-by, a deserted beach car park with some stunning views, a little-known forest parking spot or a great farmer’s field at a low price, there are lots of places out there that people rave about.

Discovering these kinds of spots can feel like striking gold. But then comes the question every caravanner faces:

Do you keep them to yourself… or do you share them with others?

It’s an interesting question. Some might argue that sharing contributes to a stronger caravanning community, while others might believe that secrecy is the only way to preserve a certain level of peace, privacy - and maybe future bookings if it gets really popular! So what’s the right thing to do? Let’s explore both sides of the argument below.

So, if we keep our favourite places a secret… what are the potential benefits to this?

There’s nothing worse than returning to your special quiet spot and finding five other motorhomes or caravans already parked up. Keeping it a secret helps preserve that rare sense of solitude, a better connection with nature, and - quite possibly - the absence of a stranger’s snoring just 10 feet away from you.

2. It avoids overcrowding

Once a great spot is shared on social media or it’s added to an app, it can quickly become a hotspot if the reviews are good. Before you know it you’ve rocked up at last year’s secret spot and have unwittingly now entered a mini festival site with generators humming and dogs barking all over the place.

3. If it’s more remote, it probably protects the environment

An increase in footfall often leads to some sort of environmental degradation, wherever we go. More people means more rubbish, more trampling, and potentially more fires and grey water, all of which can damage delicate habitats, especially in rural or coastal areas.

4. You might feel a real sense of escape

Some things in life, we just like to keep to ourselves. Whether that’s how many biscuits you get through each evening, or the receipt for those new fancy shoes in the wardrobe, it’s good to keep some bits of our lives private. In an era where literally everything is put on social media, it sounds quite nice to have some places to visit that just we, or just a select few, know about.

5.  It can help avoid any local backlash

When quiet areas become popular overnight, local residents can sometimes push back - and not unreasonably if there have been problems caused. This can lead to new restrictions or bans on overnight stays, and we’ve certainly seen more of these come into effect over the last couple of years. Fewer people means fewer problems, and hopefully less chance of spoiling it for everyone - most people follow the rules, but there are sometimes a minority that don’t.

Ok, so what about the possible downsides of keeping our favourite places secret?

Not everyone has the experience or confidence to find off-grid spots on their own. By not sharing, you may be unintentionally excluding those who’d benefit from a safe, beautiful place to park up, in just the right area that they need. And you’d want someone to pass on that sort of info to you, wouldn’t you? For solo travellers, or those unfamiliar with the area or those new to caravanning, finding a secure, legal place to park could be stressful. Your recommendation could save them from a night parked somewhere noisy or unsafe.

2. Maybe there’d be less community support in the long term 

The caravanning community often thrives on sharing, from tips on parking spots to where to find water. Without this sort of information from us all, there would be less interactions, and perhaps less help available. If you help people, they tend to reciprocate and also pay it forward. Additionally, think about the local communities too - sharing locations near shops, cafés or attractions also brings more visitors to those areas, and that can mean more income for local businesses, especially in rural spots that rely on tourism.

3. We might all run out of suitable backups

If your favourite place suddenly becomes unavailable, and you’ve not built up a list of alternatives, you might not know where to go in a hurry. Sharing and swapping info with others certainly helps to keep your options open.

4. There are missed opportunities to connect

There’s no doubt - some of the best travel experiences arise from talking to other people. If everyone kept their favourite places secret, those natural connections might never happen. There’s also something rewarding about knowing you’ve helped someone else find a place they’ll love - keeping it a secret means no one else gets to enjoy it.

So, what’s the right answer?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question; like many things in life, it’s a matter of balance and judgement, and personal choice. Some people opt for a ‘trusted circle’ approach, and just share their favourite spots with close friends or groups rather than posting about them publicly. Others choose to share only those spots that are well-equipped, already popular, or robust enough to handle more visitors without much impact.

If you are considering sharing with the wider public, then perhaps think about avoiding posting locations that are really small, in sensitive areas, or obviously not meant for large numbers. You could also include key information such as ‘no fires allowed’ and some important details such as the current cost for parking, and also make sure you know in advance that it’s definitely a spot that allows for overnight stays.

What do you tend to do about your favourite park-up spots?

Are you are secret holder or a secret sharer? Do let us know in the comments!