Americans love camping. More than 40 million people went camping in the United States in 2014. That is 14% of the population of the entire country. Not only that but most of the people who go camping say that they expect to go again. More than 99% of people who have gone camping report that they would be either “likely” or “very likely” to take another camping trip, according to the 2014 American Camping Report. There are things you can do to make your family camping trip better. To finding campgrounds with a pool to planning your meals in advance, here are some ways to better enjoy your camping trip.
- Do a trial run. If you are going to take young children camping and they have never gone before, you should try a trial run in the back yard. If you have a pool and you have been looking at campgrounds with a pool, this makes it even better. Take your tent, pitch in the back yard and spend a night or two there. It is a good idea to introduce kids to camping when they are young. It has been estimated that 85% of people who like going camping had their first experience with it before they were 15. This is a good way to get them used to the idea of sleeping in a new place and in a tent. If there are problems, you are close enough to home to deal with them.
- Plan activities for the whole family. Young kids may not be into the long hikes that your older kids might enjoy but they should still be encouraged to do their thing. When you are looking at campgrounds, find one that has a number of activities. Most people who enjoy camping do like to engage in a number of different activities. Look at campgrounds with a pool. See what the hiking is like. There may be fishing. You have a lot of options for your family vacation so take advantage of all that the local camping sites have to offer.
- Plan your meals in advance. One thing you can do to make your trip easier is plan your meals before you go. You can make some of it a lot easier by doing some of the preparation even before you go. You can chop your vegetables, precook your potatoes and bring foods for all of your meals and snacks. Bring lots of water, too. When you are out and about in the wild, it is very easy to get dehydrated. Also, hungry people are not happy people so keep that in mind when you are planning any family camping vacations.
- Consider cabin camping. Tent camping may be the most popular kind of camping but it is not the only way to go. Just as you may look at campgrounds with a pool rather than only go to those with lakes and rivers, you can opt for a cabin. These come in just about every level of luxury so you can go with a basic structure that will keep you dry or you can find camp resorts where the cabins are totally decked out with all of the amenities of home. Not everyone loves the idea of sleeping in a sleeping bag on the ground.
- Remember to bring things to do if it rains. No matter how well you plan your trip and how careful you are about the weather, rain happens. You can take that time and make it fun. The first thing you should do is check with the staff at the campground and see if there are any indoor sights you should see or things they suggest people do. Another thing you can do is bring lots of games and activities so you can make that time a good time to bond with your family. Some families make up their own trivia games about their family to see who knows who the best. Have fun with it. It is just a good idea to have something for your young children to do.
Many adults have fond memories of the camping they did as kids. These tips can help you make the most of camping trips.