The perception that people have of camping is boredom mixed with insect bites and camp food. This isn’t correct. By taking the time to properly plan, you can avoid nasty bugs, eat well and have a wonderful time. Continue reading to learn the best way to plan your next trip.
Keep in mind that you, your family, and everything you take with you is probably going to be dirty. If you prepare yourself for this ahead of time, it won’t stress you out as much when it happens. Have fun on your trip and don’t worry about getting messy; it happens. Things will be normal again once you are home.
Let all of your family members have a chance to contribute to picking a campsite. This will make everyone feel invested. The U.S. has dozens of great camping options. If necessary, select a few locations yourself, then let the family decide among your choices.
Make sure that you know how to set up your tent before going on your trip. This helps you learn to put up your tent and make sure there aren’t missing pieces. This also helps you not to be frustrated when you’re trying to pitch your tent.
Try to combine a camping experience with a swimming experience of some kind. Many people miss a nice warm shower while camping. You’ll feel much cleaner by swimming in cool water. Therefore, you aren’t going to miss your home shower as much.
Dryer Lint
Dryer lint can be used as kindling for starting your campfire. Begin collecting dryer lint a few weeks before your trip. Simply hang a plastic bag near the dryer and stash the lint in the bag as it collects. Your kindling will be ready for you to grab on the way out the door for your trip.
Even in a remote site where you plan on roughing it, you can enhance your camping trip with a small piece of luxury. It can be something as simple as your favorite pillow or coffee creamer. Such little luxuries will really pick up your spirits!
Before the sun goes down, make sure that you have your camp completely set up. If you are in an RV, park it safely. If you are in a tent, you need to find some flat, high ground. This should be done before nightfall as is it much more difficult to navigate when it is dark. By setting up camp during the daylight, you can avoid the frustration associated with setting up camp.
Always understand what dangers are associated with a new place. There may be spiders or bears that could pose a threat to your safety. Each camping spot poses its own dangers.
Remember to bring along wilderness-friendly activities. Card games, fishing poles, and a list for a scavenger hunt are all great activities. If you are going camping with children, you need to make sure that you bring a lot of things to keep them entertained during the trip.
Bringing everything you need for your trip is important. If you forget a key item, it can destroy the vacation. Creating a checklist of all the things you need can help you. Some must have items include a tent, sleeping bags, a couple of tarps, food and water, a knife and fire starting supplies.
If you put some thought in ahead of time, you will not have to worry about drained batteries in your flashlight while you are at a camp out. You can easily turn on the flashlight while searching through bags and equipment. Keep the batteries for the flashlight in backwards. This prevents the flashlight from coming on and will ensure it is ready for use when needed.
Use an orange peel mosquito repellant. This is especially helpful if you forget bug spray, but have oranges on hand, or can borrow them from someone at your camping trip. Rub the white, pithy insides of the orange skin over your skin. This should keep you free from mosquitoes and other pesky insects of the woods for hours.
Be mindful of where exactly you put up your camp. You need to avoid setting up your camping site close to wasp’s nests and other insect breeding grounds. Granted, even if you are cautious, you should still protect yourself from insects using long garments to keep them off of your skin. Insect repellent will also help to keep the insects away.
Learn how to use a compass and read a map before your trip. Even if you are returning to a campsite you know well, the area could have changed and you could become lost. Your skill using a compass and a map can be a lifesaver one day.
When you are camping, clothing layers are ideal. Outdoor weather is subject to rapid and extreme change. It may be chilly one moment and sweltering the next. Also, as soon as night time begins to fall, temperatures can plummet. Layering helps you to adjust how you’re dressed and stay comfortable.
Always have lots of activities in mind to encompass the whole trip. There is more to camping than fires and smores. Use your creativity and plan activities that all family members can enjoy. Take younger and older children into consideration when you are planning.
You must bring at least one first aid kit. The kit should contain anything that you will need in case of an accident. A first aid kit should include bandages, wound dressing, splints, aspirin and a snake bite kit. Accidents can occur, so safety is utterly important.
You can now see that camping can be a lot of fun. Apply the ideas presented here as a roadmap to planning your next time in the great outdoors. Following these guidelines will help you to prevent issues that may take away from the enjoyment of your trip, so use them the best you can.