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Great Family Camping Trips
by Valerie Giles
A wonderful way to invest in your family’s treasure trove of memories is
by spending time in the great outdoors. Camping trips can be an
excellent tradition that your family will look forward to and in time,
look back upon with fond memories.
Whether you plan to camp at the same place every year or seek out new
places doesn’t matter as camping is always filled with new adventures.
Your family might have a favorite place you go to every year mixed with
a new spot you select together for another weekend or extended holiday
during the year. There are so many national parks to explore; your
options really are quite limitless.
Camping doesn’t have to be an overly expensive expenditure. Again this
all depends on how you’ll be camping. Camping in a tent carries a
completely different dynamic than camping in a fully equipped camper.
Camping in a tent is also relatively inexpensive. Perhaps the camper is
something you’ll decide to invest in after a few years of tent camping,
then again there are some who prefer to only go tent camping. There’s
something to be said about the rustic quality of sleeping in a tent, you
can hike to far off remote spots where you couldn’t get to with a camper
in tow.
Regardless of how you’ll be camping you’ll want to have the proper
camping gear and accessories. First off you want to have the best tent
and sleeping bags you can possibly afford. As your tent will be your
home away from home for your trip and your sleeping bag will keep you
warm and covered for those long nights under the stars (there are tents
available that have mesh roofs for star gazing, of coarse if it starts
to rain, you can just cover it up with your tent fly), you’ll want to be
sure that both these items keep you appropriately covered so to speak.
Next you’ll want to have proper camp accessories; a trustworthy camp
stove, a lantern, flashlights, a first aid kit, tarp, cooking and eating
utensils, a little axe (for chopping firewood, also doubles as a hammer
for hammering in tent pegs), some rope (for clothes lines and securing
tarp), and cooler.
Along with your sleeping bag you’ll want to remember comfy pillows
(unless your backpacking then you might want a convenient inflatable
pillow) and very importantly a good sleep pad. An uncomfortable sleep
experience on hard ground may steer you off tent camping altogether, so
come prepared, a good sleeping pad is worth its weight in gold. A good
idea to help you remember all these items is the camping check list.
It’s a good idea to store your camp gear in some plastic containers.
This way it’s all in one place (with your camp list included), so when
it’s time to pack up and go camping you can go through the containers
making any necessary additions needed. It’s very important to check that
all your equipment is properly maintained and cared for; there is
nothing worse than getting to your destination and finding that your
camp stove is not working.
You’ll also want to be sure that your camp fuel supply is replenished
and you have extra batteries (for flashlights, lanterns or radios).
One of the best things about the whole camping experience is the food.
Now depending on where you’re camping and what time of year it is, if
you’re lucky you’ll be able to do some of your cooking around the
campfire. During dry seasons there may be fire restrictions due to
forest fire concerns, if that’s the case you’ll do all your cooking atop
your camping stove. Every meal always seems to taste a bit better when
you’re camping, it might have something to do with all the fresh air, or
maybe all the fun activity builds up you’re appetite, either way you’ll
want to bring along some family favorites. For dinner maybe some
grilling of the families select choices, accompanied by some corn on the
cob and potatoes wrapped in tin foil cooked on the coals with a nice
salad and later for dessert smores (marshmallow and a slice of chocolate
sandwiched between two graham wafers), add to that some hot chocolate
before bed and that’s a night of food to dream of.
The activities (or lack of activities) will also make your camping trip
one to remember. Hiking, kayaking, cycling and sailing might be on your
agenda. Most parks offer excellent groomed hiking trails. Research in
advance the area you will be visiting to know what activities will be
available, you may be able to rent a kayak and take a lesson at the same
time. Many areas also offer great bike trails that the family can cycle
on together. A late night walk is among favorite suggestions; you can
check out the stars and just listen to the silence. Bring along a book
you’ve wanted to read or some magazines.
Games are another excellent pastime, a deck of cards or a board game
might be some fun. Of course you can always bring along some baseball
gloves and a ball for a game of catch. Soccer balls, badminton rackets
and a net or volleyball and net all make for a fun day at the park.
If your family has little one’s you’ll be presented with a whole new
challenge. Depending on the ages of your babies or toddlers you’ll want
to pack some extra conveniences. There are excellent baby back carriers
available allowing you to hike all sorts of terrain with baby in tow
while keeping your back feeling comfortable, as well there are a
numerous variety of baby strollers to select from which are great for
using on trails.
For toddlers you may want to bring a playpen to keep baby safe. You can
never bring too many toys; the more your child has to keep them
entertained you can rest assure they will be more content.
Be prepared for weather changes by bringing along extra clothing. Most
likely you will be camping in the warmer spring, summer and fall months.
It’s wise to remember however that the evenings can often get quite
cool. Bring along heavy sweaters or extra jackets for added warmth, it
can never hurt to bring along a couple of extra blankets for comfort
beside the fire (or for use at a day picnic). Rainwear is another
excellent addition to your camping wardrobe. With good quality rain
jackets, hats, rain pants and boots you can take advantage of the rainy
weather and actually go out for a hike rather than staying inside the
tent or worse yet ending your camp trip all together.
Camping certainly has its challenges. Knowing what to bring and having
the proper equipment and accessories is the first hurtle. Once you
arrive at your destination and set up you want to keep everyone as
comfortable and happy as possible, whether it’s keeping the kids
occupied without the use of video games or cooking a surefire dinner.
Rest assured that after your first couple of trips when you find out
what everyone enjoys doing and you realize all you like to include on
your trip, you will certainly add camping to your families list of
favorite excursions and traditions. The wonderful thing about camping is
its always different, perhaps the site is different or the campground
you selected is unique to the last you stayed at, whatever the
difference is it always seems to be an adventure that the whole family
can enjoy.
About the author
Best Camping Supplies is a resources site owned and operated by Valerie
Giles. It features tents, campers, fishing gear, boats, kayaks and
outerwear, making your camping experience enjoyable. Everything for
camping enthusiasts at reasonable prices!
www.best-camping-supplies.com
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