Touring gives us a great chance to head to campsites ideally situated for indulging our passions and hobbies. In this guide, we’ve rounded up our pick of the best attractions to head to for car enthusiasts, with sites including Silverstone, Goodwood Festival of Speed, and the British Motor Museum.
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Haynes Motor Museum
This family-friendly Somerset museum hosts 17 exhibition areas of veteran, vintage and classic cars and motorcycles. The outdoor play area for children has mini-diggers, an interactive garage and ride-on cars. If you have your own classic car to show off, or you just want to chat to fellow fans, Haynes runs a Breakfast Club every month, where enthusiasts can get together and share their interest over a breakfast bap.
Stay at: Halfway Caravan & Camping Park
Lakeland Motor Museum
Just a few miles from the southern tip of Lake Windermere is this shrine to classic cars and motorbikes, with thousands of vehicles, memorabilia and exhibits. The historic Campbell Bluebird display has a collection of full-sized replicas of the vehicles used by Sir Donald Campbell to break world speed records. Lakeland Motor Museum is full of interesting displays, and don’t miss the immersive Memory Lane experience.
Stay at: Black Beck
Silverstone
You don’t have to wait for F1 to start to have a reason to visit Silverstone! The iconic site is home to a museum packed with exciting exhibits. Interactive displays draw you into the famous track’s history, revealing who built it and how the corners got their names.
You’ll find out what happens on a race day and see the tech behind the cars. Head to the Heritage Track Trail to walk the original grand prix circuit and learn about the new one.
Stay at: Cosgrove Park
Brooklands Museum
The fascinating Brooklands Museum in Weybridge charts the history of motor racing, with plenty of interesting vehicles. The site hosted the British Grand Prix in 1926 and 1927, and has memorabilia dating from the 1920s to the present.
The ‘Fastest on Earth’ exhibition houses some of the best cars and motorcycles to have raced there. There are surviving sections of the original 1907 track, and a hangar housing amazing aircraft.
Stay at: Chertsey Camping and Caravanning Club Site
Goodwood Festival of Speed
Goodwood Festival of Speed celebrates of speed takes place every June at Goodwood House near Chichester, against the stunning backdrop of the South Downs National Park. Over four days, the festival offers a host of attractions, including the latest F1 cars, meet-and-greets with motorsports legends and immersive experiences in tech and motoring.
Settle in to watch supercars tear up the Hill, Goodwood Park’s very own circuit. There are also various spectacular ‘action areas’ scattered across the whole site, exhibiting everything from rally cars to air displays.
Stay at: Rowan Park Club Campsite
Jaguar Factory Tour
Jaguars have long been considered one of the world’s top luxury sports cars, and feature in stylish cinema hits, from the James Bond films to The Italian Job. The famous factory at Castle Bromwich, in the West Midlands, offers an insight into how these iconic cars are brought to life. Join the expert staff on a guided tour, with pit stops at the world’s largest aluminium press and to see the fleet of robots that are used to build the vehicles.
You’ll be able to see some of Jaguar’s most iconic models and get the inside scoop on how they’re put together.
Stay at: Kingsbury Water Park C&CC Site
Coventry Transport Museum
Right in the city centre, Coventry Transport Museum hosts more than 600 bikes, cars and motorcycles. A great place for all ages, with plenty to see and learn about the cars and the historic city itself. This modern museum is laid out to show visitors how motoring has changed over the years, with interesting displays and interactive exhibits.
It’s home to two record-breaking racing cars, along with classic buses and a splendid fire engine. Also on site is Esquires Coffee, serving food, drinks and afternoon tea.
Stay at: Somers Wood Caravan Park
National Motor Museum
A must-visit for Top Gear fans, this iconic motor museum is home to ‘World of Top Gear’, an exhibition of some of the TV show’s most memorable moments and vehicles. As well as a century-spanning collection of over 200 cars and motorcycles, you can also see the National Motor Museum’s ever-evolving ‘On Screen Cars’ exhibition, including Mr Bean’s Mini and Ron Weasley’s flying Ford.
Hop on Beaulieu’s monorail, the oldest in England, to enjoy a serene tour of this fascinating site from above. Tickets include entry into Beaulieu Abbey and the Palace House and Gardens.
Stay at: Lytton Lawn Touring Park
British Motor Museum
A motoring utopia, the British Motor Museum is a Warwick site that has over 400 classic cars on show in a modern, colourful museum. The engaging and informative exhibits explore the fascinating history behind sports cars, Jaguar, Land Rover and more, while the Collections Centre houses 250 vehicles from the reserve collections of two motoring heritage trusts.
Children can get stuck into the interactive activities and learn about the ins and outs of the cars on show. And for movie enthusiasts, the ‘Film & TV Cars’ exhibit houses Skyfall’s Land Rover and a replica of that famous time-travelling DeLorean.
Stay at: Harbury Fields Farm Caravan Park
Caffeine & Machine
If you’re looking for something a little different, you’ll find it at this unique café/bar and motorsports haven. Located just outside Stratford-upon-Avon, the quirky country pub runs a diverse events programme on weekdays and weekends, celebrating every kind of car.
Gearheads from far and wide flock to Caffeine & Machine for themed nights or meetings of car lovers, where anyone can bring their vehicle to be admired. The Emporium is an ever-changing gallery and merchandise centre, while the Roadhouse is home to a licensed bar and café serving hearty local food and drink.
Stay at: Riverside Caravan Park
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