One of my favorite travel tips about camping is that it is a much cheaper option than staying in your traditional hotel or even AirBNB, and it also opens up a lot more locations for traveling. I mentioned in my 1,610 mile road trip post that we spent less than $100 on 3 nights of camping! That was a lot of money for gas and other fun things along the trip.
Picking a campsite:
Make sure before you go that you know what is available at the campsite. Is there a bathroom? Is there a grill for cooking, or do you have to rely on the fire and cold food options? Will you have electricity, or do you need to remember your car charger or charging block for your phone?
Another thing you should do is plan out what you want to do during your camping trip. If you are staying at a dispersed site you have to bring in everything that you want to do, whereas at a state park or campground you can rent a canoe or buy firewood there.
Dispersed Camping:
This website is a good resource when researching for places to go dispersed camping. When you go dispersed camping make sure you are leaving the campsite just the way you found it. Bring trash bags for toilet paper, paper products, etc. This is the first campsite we stayed at in North Dakota, at Lake Audubon. At Lake Audubon there are many dispersed sites, but on holiday weekends you need to get there early to get a site.
Dispersed campsites are first come, first served, so make sure that you have a backup plan in case you show up and that spot is already taken.
Packing for a camping trip:
Pack the tent in the car last! I know this sounds obvious, but we like to set up the tent first thing when we get to our site, so packing it first means we don’t have to pull everything else out with nowhere to put it.
Pack an empty bag, could be a reusable bag, backpack, whatever you chose for your dirty clothes. That way if there are clothes that you don’t use they won’t’ end up smelling like smoke and needing washed.
We have a large tote that we keep the majority of our camping gear in, so that it’s one big airtight container to carry out. We sit it in the corner of our tent to weigh it down in case of strong wind. In the container we have:
A small rug to wipe our shoes/leave our shoes on to keep dirt out of the tent
Bug spray
Sunscreen
Lighter/matches
Silverware
Paper plates
Marshmallow sticks/grill tools for cooking
Multi-tool, you can use this to make your own marshmallow sticks or have a bottle opener handy
Towels
First Aid Kit
Toilet paper
Hand sanitizer
Salt & Pepper
Rope to tie up a clothesline
Air mattress and pump, we have a battery powered and manual one just in case
Flashlights
These are things we would almost definitely use during every camping trip.
Check the batteries in flashlights and air pump for mattress, pack extra in a supply tote.
Camping Meals:
When my husband and I go camping we almost always make foil packs for dinner. You can pre-cut your veggies and meats and keep them in ziploc containers until you are ready to use them. You can then place the foil packs on a grill or in the coals of the fire. This can also save you some money from having to eat out at every meal.
A cast iron pan isn’t just great for cooking at home. We use a cast iron while camping because it can go directly on the fire. You can make your pancake batter at home, put it into a squirt bottle, and have pancakes without needing a camping griddle. Just don’t forget the supplies to wash your dishes if you are staying for more than one night.
When you have your car at your campsite with you, that is the best place to store your food overnight so that no animals can get into it.
Building a Campfire:
I made fire starters out of some things that almost everyone already has around their house, and they make it very easy to start a fire. First you gather an egg carton, dryer lint, and candle wax. You fill the egg carton with the lint, and cover that with wax. You can also add essential oils like lavender and lemongrass to keep the bugs away. Make sure to store the fire starters in an airtight container so that they don’t get ruined if they get left in the rain. I also kept our matches in this container, and taped a piece of the striker to the inside of the lid so that can't get wet either.
In a lot of states it is required that you buy firewood at the location, so that you aren’t spreading pests from one place to another. Check out the state or park requirements before you go.
Camping with or without a bathroom:
Bring shower flip flops if a shower is available
Make sure you are bringing enough water for washing hands at the campsite
Pack toilet paper
Without a bathroom make sure you are following the leave no trace principle of properly discarding your waste
Camping with a dog
A few weeks back we took our dog camping with us for the first time. The first thing we did when we got to camp was set up a zip line through the campsite so Fred could explore and we could set up the rest of the site. All you need is a long rope, carabiner clip, leash, and harness.
Tie the rope between two trees, making sure your dog can't go too close to the fire
Attach the leash to the dogs harness
Attach the leash to the rope with the carabiner
We had a campsite with water, which came in handy for filling Fred's water dish, definitely something to consider when picking your site if your pooch is coming along. Also bring toys and long lasting treats with you to entertain your dog while sitting around the campfire. We brought an old blanket so Fred would have somewhere comfy to rest at the site as well. For Fred's food we had it in a dog food dry bag that was big enough to hold all of his food during the trip. The dry bag takes up a lot less space than bringing his whole bag of food along.
You can read the post Traveling with a Dog for more tips about bringing your dog with you.
I hope you found something in this post helpful for your next outdoor adventure. If you have another tip please share it in the comments!
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