I've often been asked why I tow instead of owning a motor caravan. The reasons I've always given are:
1. When you've reached your destination and you then want to tour around you can leave everything as is in the caravan. With a motor home you have to pack everything securely and if you leave the pitch you'll need to make sure that it's still free when you return
2. If you don't want to leave the pitch you'll need another mode of transport for touring, maybe even for shopping. Bikes at least, if not, a motor scooter.
3. As a rule of thumb, the purchase price of a motor home of comparable size and standard is about 3 times that of a caravan, not to mention the additional fixed costs for insurance, servicing, etc. (You still need a car when not touring but you'd have that anyway when towing)
4. Motor homes are sometimes covered by additional traffic restrictions like where you can go and park, especially on the Continent.
5. If you're not intending to stay on put at one location for any length of time - and with a motor home you probably won't be - you can forget about putting up an awning so you won't have the advantage of being able to extend living space, if necessary.
Maybe there are more reasons but that's enough for me. No thanks, I'll stick to towing.
As an ex-caravanner and now a motorhome owner for the past 2 years I would like to put a few points over which add a different view to the posting above.
1. The bit about having to pack up all the time before moving off - you find that, having very limited space in either a caravan or a motorhome anyway encourages you to be tidy, and you tend not to leave things out after use anyway, so there is very limited "putting away" to do. Also we have a little sign which says "Motorhome using this pitch" which we stake into the grass if we are out for the day.
2. There have been very few times I have needed an extra mode of transport when reaching a site - We have found motorhome's have encouraged us to be a little less lazy, as we will walk to "the shops" or to the "pub/restaurant down the road" - if you have children, these such walks are brilliant for spending "quality time" with the kids.
On another positive note - we travel with another family who are caravanners, and you can guarantee if we are all going out for the day we all go in our Motorhome, not many cars will get a family of 8, prams, rucksacks, picnic boxes and cold beer in the fridge as well as an in built loo!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3. Price - Cant argue with this one - yes motorhomes are more expensive - but its the best ever way Ive spent my pennies!!
4. Again, a good comment on the parking - yes a little more difficult to park in cities, however park and rides are a great idea, we always expect to park a little further away from where we are would have in the car but again this encourages you to see a bit more of the town, get more exercise etc.
5.Awnings - Well how many of you have nearly had a divorce whilst putting up the awning? this is definately one I do not miss - at the end of the day what do you use an awning for - somewhere to keep your shoes.
Within 5 mins of arriving on site we have the wine open, the kids are off on their bikes, and the barbeque is lit - whilst the people with awnings are still playing "The Krypton Factor" with the awning Poles!!
I am not anti-caravanning in the slightest - we spent 15 great years caravanning, but give me a Motorhome any day.