I mentioned in a previous post that our family really loves to go camping! Vacationing doesn't always have to mean expensive airline tickets or a resort on a far off island (although, I'm up for that too)!
I'll admit, it took my city-boy husband awhile to wrap his head around the idea. I on the other hand, grew up in Eastern Washington on a lake and we frequently went on weekend camping trips (with a lot of fishing)! Now, my grandma and grandpa had an RV, so it was a little more "deluxe" than simply tent camping. However, living in Orange County (where space is expensive!), having an RV isn't practical. We don't have a huge garage or land to store it on. So, we go tent camping! Which leads me to my first tip:
1. Buy the largest tent you can find! When we began camping as a family back in 2011, I found a 10-person tent made by Ozark Trails at Walmart. It has held up beautifully through 25+ camping trips, and we love it! It's currently out of stock, but this Ozark Trail 10-Person Family Tent
2. Air mattresses all the way. For each person! We fit three queen sized air mattresses and a toddler air mattress in our 10-person tent. This gives everyone their own space, and almost guarantees a good night's sleep! I find the Intex Classic Downy Airbed, Queen
3. Ambient lighting! I ADORE these little Coleman string lights
4. Book your camping spot EARLY! No one wants to pack up a car load of gear and drive a couple of hours, only to find the 5 "walk-up" spots are already taken. I book most of our camping trips on ReserveAmerica and Recreation.gov . If you have campgrounds that are managed within your county, you may want to check their website too! Here in Orange County, our local campgrounds can be booked through OC Parks. Now, when I say book "early", I mean, you should book a full 6 months in advance, and have your window opened and be signed in to your account by 8am when the reservations system goes live. I know it sounds like a lot of pressure, but enjoying the most private, luscious spot will make or break or experience.
5. Before booking campspot #53, take a look at at this website! I love this website! Simply type in the name of your campground, and it'll often give you a rundown of the facilities, and a photo of each and every campsite within the campground! I typically make a list of the "best spots", and then when the reservation system goes live, I have all my first choices in front of me so I can act quickly. There's not time to consult the campground map if you're hoping for that beachfront campsite for a weekend in July. Be prepared!
6. Invest in a dependable camp stove. I can't speak highly enough about the Coleman Classic Propane Stove
7. Take your French Press! I love my coffee in the morning! In fact, I have a hard time talking to anyone in my family until the first steaming mug has soaked into my bloodstream. My Bodum French Press
8. Ok, this is gonna get weird quickly. But trust me. You need to invest in a camp toilet. A few years ago we visited a gorgeous campground (actually, the one I featured last week in this post). And I realized I hadn't properly researched the meaning of "pit latrines". And it was just a big no thank you. The stink. The flies. The fact that my little 3 year old had no way to use the bathroom comfortably made me realize the need for the Stansport Camp Toilet
9. Rooftop Storage! It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive! Five years ago we invested in this Rooftop Bag
10. Some of my friends make fun of me, but I always take my makeup bag camping. But there are a few extras I throw in! I have to wash my face every night and morning, so I buy Neutrogena Cleansing Wipes
11. Once you get to your campsite, set up a little station that holds things to wash up and disinfect your hands quickly! First, a full sized bottle of antibacterial soap (90% of campground bathrooms do not have any soap inside). So, you'll want to grab it and take it with you each and every time you walk to the bathroom. Likewise, I keep a bottle of antibacterial gel, a container of antibacterial wipes, and a box of kleenex + a roll of paper towels available for easy access. I also keep emergency burn creams and bandaids out on the table for easy access in case of an emergency.
12. Invest in a decent cooler. This Coleman Cooler
13. Take a white noise sound machine! We have this Spa Relaxation Machine
I hope this post encourages you to plan a camping trip with your family! When we first started camping, we bought everything we needed for under $300. You don't need to buy the fanciest equipment with all the bells and whistles. We purchased most of our equipment from Amazon or Walmart/Target and it has held up great since our first family trip in 2011!
If you have any additional tips for things I may have forgotten, please comment below!
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