I love camping and spending time with the family in the great outdoors. I am not an extremist like others that I know who hit the woods with nothing more than a bottle of water and a pack of beef jerky, but I do enjoy spending time with the family soaking in what nature has to offer.
To make life a bit easier for your next trip or even your first trip, I have written some tips and suggestions that will make your stay in the wilderness an enjoyable one.
Where you going?
Before you ever do anything you have to pick a campground to go to. First find out who is going and with that information you can decide what campground is good for you. For example if it is going to be all adults maybe you want to pick one where it is not so “kid friendly”. On the other hand if there are a lot of kids, then you better pick one that has activities for the kids, other wise they will get bored quickly. If you are new to camping, roughing it may not be the way to go. Pick a campground that has working restrooms and showers. You can go one step further and go to a campground that offers electrical outlets and running water directly on your site and you do not have to be in an RV or pop up to use them.
Tent, Cabin or RV
Now that you know where you are going, what are the sleeping arrangements? I have done all three (tent, cabin, RV) and each has their pros and cons. I enjoy tent camping the most as it really (well almost really) gives you the sense of being outdoors. The two main worries of tent camping are remembering to bring the tent and making sure you properly waterproofed it. If you decide to stay in a cabin, plan on paying more for your site. In the campground where I stay they have both tent and cabin options. The cabins are twice as more costly. If you choose an RV, pop-up, class-A, 5th wheel or any of the other variety of towables then you will need a vehicle to tow it in (if it is a towable) and you must also know how to maneuver it on the road. Along with that the campground must accommodate the one you are bringing. Although most do, you better call ahead and make sure. Some campgrounds are too small for a lot of the bigger class A RVs.
Make Your List
Ok so you know where you are going, what your accommodations will be, now you just need to know what to bring. I recommend making a list of everything you might need. LL Bean has an excellent list you can start with that can be found at here. Make a menu for your meals ahead of time so you will know what to buy and what cooking utensils you will need to bring. Check, re-check and triple check that list before you head out. Chances are your campground has a store of some kind to pick up the odds and ends but don't leave it for chance. Overpack if you have to as a just in case, but once you are there, if you don't have it, you don't have it.
Hopefully you will enjoy camping as much as my family does. These are just a few of the tips and ideas you can use to plan your trip and make it an easier one.
