Camping trip looks very easy and enjoyable in the commercials
The reality is that bug bites, cold nights, rain and unwanted animal guests can ruin a camping trip. As somebody new to camping you may not want to ever go again after experiencing an uncomfortable trip.
More experienced campers know how to plan ahead to avoid any of the potential hazards that can ruin an outing.
8 Essential Tips for a Camping Trip for a Newbie
Take some advice from those that have been there before and learned from their mistakes. Armed with some practical tips, you can salvage a situation that could otherwise turn into a disaster.
1. Test your gear
If you have some space in your yard then set up your tent exactly as you would if you were out at the campsite. Then try to do a stress test.
Pull at the stakes to see if the wind could blow the tent down. Pour some water over the top and check for leaks. You really don’t want to end up sleeping in your car if your tent doesn’t hold up to the conditions!
Then check other things like your lantern, camp stove or hammock.
2. Pen down a Checklist and Then Use It Watchfully
Chances are that the first time campers may forget a lot of things at home while packing the various items needed for the planned camping. Better you make a checklist wisely and follow it vigilantly at the time of packing.
You should also keep checking the list time and again to filter the unwanted items off the list. Similarly, you may also add a few essentials you had forgotten before. Besides, occasionally broken down or worn out items must also be replaced timely and sensibly. In the end, you will have a truly befitting checklist for your first camping trip.
3. Plan some rainy day activities
This bit of advice is especially helpful if you are trying on surviving a camping trip with kids.
Read also: Traveling With Young Children Made Easy with Just 6 Tips
If you have planned your trip well in advance, then you may not be thinking about the possibility of rain. Make sure you bring lots of board games and maybe even a charged tablet with movies downloaded.
If it does rain, getting stuck inside a tent is much worse than at home if you don’t have anything to pass the time.
4. Stay close to home
You may find out that you just are not cut out for camping even when things go without a hitch. If you choose a campsite in your area, then you can quickly make it home if you decide to pull up stakes.
Chalk it up as a learning experience while comfortably lying in your own bed once you get home.
5. Know the campsite rules
Before you pack for your trip, call the campsite or check their website for the ground rules. You can save yourself a lot of headaches by knowing what you can and cannot do before you get there.
For example, what if your campsite doesn’t allow pets. You don’t want to find that out when you get there with your doggo.
Also, make sure you are up to date on camping etiquette. In addition to explicit rules laid out by the campsite, there are some unwritten rules to follow to make sure you are not making things uncomfortable for your neighbors at the next pitch.
6. Focus on Planning Your Meals
This is the area that can never be compromised. More than quite often, new campers do not plan their meals well before they depart. They tend to stop on the way at some mart and buy some snacks and drinks for their meals. It always proves panic and hectic and they have to compromise a lot on this crucial issue on many occasions afterward.
Try to be a smart camper and sensibly plan your meals well before your time of departure. Better you decide what kind and how much quantity of everything you thought is required. Make a list and buy them from a good grocery store. Usually, there are two kinds of food items.
- Perishable food. For example, fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh juices and dairy products, meat items, etc.
- Non-perishable food. For example, Eggs, bakery items, biscuits, and slice cakes, packed snacks, and beverages including soft and cold drinks, etc.
You may also carry several homemade cookies, snacks, and fries to enjoy on the way to your destination. Pack them carefully and enjoy eating them with relish throughout your camping trip.
Always remember to pack the required cooking utensils to make cooking easy going for you. Having all the raw material to cook but no cooking arrangements will be a very torture-some situation. Also, be very much particular about the amount of pure drinking water you carry along. Water shortage at any stage of your trip will be lethal.
7. Manage to Bring Appropriate Outfits
Another key factor regarding camping for the first time is the question of what to wear and what to carry along. But, I think it is a simple game if you take it logically.
Actually, you are not the one who will decide on your clothing material. These are the climate, the weather and the season of that area that guide and bound you on what to wear and take along and what not to. Your role is confined just to deciding the color, style, trend, and size of the outfit as per your choice.
You must collect reliable information about the season, the climate and the expected weather conditions of that particular area during your stay over there. Then it will be quite easy for you to decide what to wear and what to take along in spare.
You must carry at least:
- A rain suit.
- A swimming suit.
- A sweater.
- A jacket.
Always remember there are no laundry facilities available at the campground and you will have to select the whole stuff accordingly.
8. Choose a site that has phone coverage
You may be looking for a break from civilization, but for your first time camping, it is wise to be connected wirelessly.
If you plan to do some hiking around the site, having the ability to call in an emergency could prove to be a literal lifesaver.