Camping with the family is exciting and fun for so many different reasons. You and your loved ones remove yourselves from everyday activities to go on a new adventure with each other. You have a chance to bond and create some new memories. But there is a lot that goes into the preparation process first. Read this guide to planning the ultimate family camping trip.
Make It a Group Effort
Because it’s a family camping trip, everyone needs to be included in the planning. Sit down with your family and start talking about where you want to go for the camping trip and what days you want to travel. Including your kids when choosing the destination will get them more pumped for the trip.
You can’t plan what you want to do until you know where you’re going. Try to narrow it down to three locations and list the pros and cons for each. Whichever destination has the most votes is the winner.
Map Out the Route
Now that you’ve got a destination, you need to map out the route. Deciding how you will arrive and what vehicle you will arrive in makes the trip easier in the long run. Problems could arise during travel, so planning ahead is always smart.
Choose the safest and easiest route for you and your family, but make it fun too. Find fun things to do along the way, and make sure there is plenty of scenery for you all to enjoy. The fun doesn’t need to start at the campsite. It can begin on the way there.
Test Out the Gear
We can’t stress enough how important it is to test out your gear before arriving at the campsite. There are too many stories of people making it to their destination and not knowing how to set up their tent. Buy supplies and gear that you know will last the entire trip.
While you’re shopping, ask specific questions about the gear. Make sure you ask about the life expectancy of your rooftop tent because you’ll want to get more than one trip out of everything you purchase. Test out the mattress, camping stove and fuel, and headlamps.
Plan Activities and Snacks
There is more to camping than just arriving at the site. You and your family should plan for some activities to do while you’re there. Once you choose a location, see what activities you can do.
Depending on the weather, you might want to hike, swim, or canoe. Naturally, roasting marshmallows and telling stories are on the list, but there are things you need to do during the day too. And of course, you need to bring plenty of food, snacks, and water for everyone. Plan your meals ahead of time and bring non-perishable snacks for the kids to munch on.
Planning the ultimate family camping trip is going to make you all so excited you won’t be able to contain yourselves.
