Top 5 Camping Tips

In my last post I shared my Top 5 Barbecuing Tips and since then I went on my first ever camping trip with kids. My experience was enlightening, so I thought I’d share my Top 5 Camping Tips (some I had to learn the hard way). Since one experience does not make me an expert, I also crowdsourced and verified my tips with some of my avid camper friends.  

1.      Prep. Prepare as much as you can at home before you leave. Washing and cutting vegetables and fruit can save a lot of time and make things easier when you have limited space camping. A friend who has a camper even preps some slow cooker meals so her family can come back to a hot meal after being out exploring all day. 

2.      Keep it simple. This one, was not my forte. You’ve likely gathered that I like to cook? Well, I decided I wanted to make balsamic marinated flank steak with chimichurri for all of the families camping and, although tasty, it required a lot of same day prep, chopping, and space. Lesson learned, a dish that requires 8 hours to marinate and more than 10 ingredients is not camping food. By keeping things simple, you can spend more time enjoying your family and friends (and eating marshmallows). 

3.      Let go. This was also difficult for me – like when my son wanted to wear the same dirty t-shirt three days in a row. I pleaded and then tried to assert my mommy muscles (‘because I said so’ and the like) but to no end. He wore that t-shirt every day and you know what? No one noticed and he was happy. It’s going to be messy, the kids will get dirty, and things won’t go as planned so just go with it. 

4.      Plan for rain. I knew it was going to happen, the forecast said so but even as the droplets were falling I thought I could will away the rain. Having a rainy-day plan is key – drive to a near-by attraction or check to see if your campground has indoor activities. Even better, plan to embrace the rain. Let the kids jump in puddles and deal with the muddy fallout later.  

5.      Make a list, pack, and then repack. I found a list online and then modified it to fit our personal needs. I found that I overdid the packing in some areas (food, kitchen gadgets) and under packed in other respects (warm clothes for nighttime) that’s why I recommend gathering all your items to pack, going through the potential scenarios in your head, and then add or remove items as necessary.  

Natasha