Camping Vacation Tips

With vacation time quickly approaching, many families are looking to get away cheaply. Camping is probably the cheapest way to vacation with your family. It is great fun, fresh air and a time for you and your family to spend time together. However, as in most vacations, there is a right way and a wrong way to go camping. Here is a basic camping primer for those who have not ventured outside to the great outdoors.

1. Get the Right Size Tent for Camping
When shopping for a tent to take with you camping, make sure you have one big enough to sleep everyone going on vacation with you. The box the tent comes in will have a recommendation on how many people can sleep in it. Always buy the next size up as that recommendation is usually for small people crammed into a small tent.

Verify before you leave to go camping that all the parts to the tent are accounted for. Essential pieces that are missing are hard to replace when your trying to setup your tent in the wilderness.

2. The Right Sleeping Bags for Camping
It is important that everyone has a sleeping bag, no sharing bags as that gets old quickly. Make sure that everyone brings a pad to put under the sleeping bag to add comfort and insulate them from the cold ground. For added comfort have everyone bring a small pillow as well.

3. The Right Light for Camping
Make sure that you have a lantern and all the supplies to keep it lit. If it is battery operated, have extra batteries. If it is a propane lantern, have extra propane tanks for it. Many campers prefer battery operated lanterns, propane lanterns are not safe to take inside of a tent. It is also a good idea to make sure you have a couple of flashlights as well for that middle of the night bathroom trips.

4. Cooking Supplies for Camping
Camping usually involves cooking in the great outdoors, so be prepared. Make sure you have a cooking stove and some basic cooking supplies, like a pot, a skillet, a spoon, plastic dishes, utensils, and cups. You don't have to go to a camping store to get many of these supplies. Your local grocery store will have the basics. Propane stoves work well when camping, but make sure you have plenty of fuel. Carry matches to light the stove.
5. Food Supplies for Camping
There are two ways to go about food when you go camping. Some people want the fresh food to go with the fresh air of camping. While some want the convenience of just popping open a can and put it into a pot for meals. Either way, remember that you are outside camping and there are many animals such as raccoons, squirrels, and blue jays that love to be pests. Make sure that you store your food inside of the car when you go camping or these pests will make a meal out of yours.

Make sure you get a good cooler to store your food in while camping. Use block ice instead of bagged cubed ice. It will last longer and keep your food fresher. Drain the water out everyday to keep your food fresh and make sure to keep the lid on tight when not using it. Store it inside your car as well, to keep the pests out of your food.