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What is a Camping Vacation?
We might be familiar with the old-fashioned idea of packing up a camper and heading into the wilderness, especially because the premise offers so many opportunity for laughs in movies like “RV.” But when was the last time you actually thought this might be a good idea for you and your family and really considered trying a camping vacation?
Simply put, a camping vacation is what you make it – there are no set rules that make your camping trek any more or less legitimate than anyone else’s. All you have to do is have a plan of action, a plot of land to set up shop, and come prepared to enjoy the wilderness to the highest extent.
Here are some quick tips to preparing your next camping vacation, as well as how to get started today:
1. First, be a scout.
A good camping vacation starts with the idea of scouting – finding the right destination for your family to enjoy. You’ll want to consider a number of variables during this phase, and come up with as many different potential spots as possible. For example, if you have small children, a place with easy accommodations not too far from the campsite might be ideal. If your kids are older, they might embrace the challenge of a more “rustic” experience (of course, they’ll have to bring their cell phones with them). Know what you’re getting into ahead of time.
2. Decide what to bring with you.
If you’ve never been camping before, it can be a bit difficult to know what to bring with you, and it’s tempting to go a little overboard. Dropping a big chunk of change on an RV that you might not necessarily need isn’t the way to go.
Mentally run yourself through a typical day as you see it, and imagine the type of supplies you’ll need. Soaps that double as shampoos are great because they carry less weight. Tents that set themselves up will also take a lot of the edge of nature off. And don’t be afraid to splurge on a gizmo or two if you think it will really help you enjoy your experience.
3. Have fun.
This is an obvious one, but you don’t want to force anyone into a camping trip if they’re determined to have a bad time. Instead, make sure everyone in your family is okay with a camping trip, and ask them for their input. If they love water sports, make sure to go near a lake. You might even consider renting a cabin in the woods – it’s not quite “camping,” but it can be a lot more comfortable for city slickers.
Photo Credits: oskarlin
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Outdoor Activities for the Camping Trip
You’ve already got the family set up on your camping site – a fire going to prepare lunch, two tents raised, more firewood for later, and a cooler full of cold drinks waiting to be consumed. So far, so good, right? There’s just one problem.
What do you do now?
Sometimes, the fun of a great camping trip can be dampened when you’re looking for activities to fill the hours. Instead of going into the woods to find adventure, you’ve discovered that all you’ve found is a campsite. So how do you have some fun while you’re out there, without taking away from the rustic experience of being away from civilization? Here are some suggestions for some fun, natural activities to enjoy outdoors.
-Fishing.
Fishing is one of the most popular activities for camping, particularly as you can do it anywhere you have a good source of water. Fishing can kill the time when you’re waiting for a meal to heat, or it can be turned into a long afternoon trip if you decide to rent a boat or a canoe. Of course, this all depends on whether or not you’ve got access to water.
-Hiking.
Hiking can usually be done anywhere you have a camp site – all you need are some basic supplies (including a first-aid kit, and perhaps some navigational tools) and you can go explore. Many people find this a serene way to pass the time, while kids might find it to be a good way to seek adventure and look for wildlife.
-Photography.
Hiking can be blended with photography if you bring a camera along. For any visually-oriented members of your family, this is a great way to pass the time while directly enjoying the sights of nature. You could also buy disposable cameras and send your children on a mission to find the best pictures possible while they wait for dinner.
-Paddling/kayaking/rafting.
If you’ve chosen a campsite with access to a water site, you’re in luck – lakes and slow rivers can be great for kayaking while whitewater rafting sites are great places to go and camp. These can often turn into day-long activities, so make sure you stock up on sunscreen and have plenty of water available to drink.
These are just a few of the options available to you when you go camping. The key is to prepare for the “downtime” that inevitably comes when you can’t instantly turn on a television set. A few simple purchases or some wise campsite choosing will help you fill the time easily – and wish you had more to spend!
Photo Credits: Rick McCharles
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How to Stay Fresh While Camping
The words “fresh” and “camping” usually don’t go together, least of all in our imaginations. But if you plan ahead and have a good source of water, you should have no problem staying fresh and clean even on an extended camping trip. To do so, you’ll need a little foresight, preparation, and of course you’ll need to be armed with knowledge. That’s why this article will explain how to stay washed up even while camping.
Find a fresh water source.
Whether you’re near a large lake or a clean stream of water, setting up camp near a fresh water source will be crucial to staying fresh and clean. If you have bathrooms and showers nearby on your campsite, then it’s needless to say that you’ll have no problem staying clean. But when you’re opting for the more rustic experience, you’ll need to use the lay of the land itself. Be sure to set up camp not far – but not too close to – a fresh water source.
With your fresh water source, you should be able to wash yourself and your hair. It’s often a good idea to bring a two-in-one soap and shampoo bottle that is easy to carry – this means simply bringing one bottle with you to the “shower.” There’s nothing quite like changing into some dry clothes after a good wash when you’re out camping to make you feel at home.Maintain consistent bathroom habits.
If you’ve built a successful campsite, you should have a nearby bathroom that’s out of site and out of…smell. Try to keep your bathroom habits localized to this one bathroom area, and be sure to bury your waste. This means you’ll want to find an area where the soil is relatively soft for a quick burial.
Definitely bring toilet paper. There’s nothing that can upset an otherwise fresh and clean-feeling day like the absence of toilet paper. It’s light and you’ll probably only need to bring one roll, depending on how many people it’s for. Even if you want to have a very rustic experience, having toilet paper will make everything else seem much more pleasant.
Keep up with your usual routine.
It’s very comforting when you can stick to your usual hygiene routine out in the woods, including your shower, shave, and teeth-brushing. The closer you can stick with your usual routine, the better you should feel. Try to prepare in advance so that you can do this, such as by bringing a travel pack of shaving and toothbrushing equipment.
Photo Credits: UNC – CFC – USFK
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Your Campsite Blueprint: How to Set Up Camp
Setting up a camping area isn’t only about finding a relatively flat space to plop all of your equipment down in. Instead, you should be careful to keep the right sections separate – such as fire and shelter – and understand why you need to design a campsite that will work for you better practically. Here’s how to set up a camp that you probably won’t need to adjust.
Section 1: The Tent Area.
Your tent area should be generally higher than the rest of your campground, since this will allow any water flow that should come in to move away from your tents and not get your gear wet. Try to find a relatively flat area that is higher than surrounding areas for your tent, and try to scout out this part of your location first. A lot of your surrounding tent area should depend on where your tents are so that your campsite isn’t too large.
Section 2: The Fire Area.
Once you’ve set up your tents, take a time to examine the prevailing winds. Moisten your finger or toss some grass in the air if you’re not sure. Why do you want to know the winds? Because when you build your fire, you’re going to want the smoke to blow away from your campsite and not into your tents. Keep your fire at least thirty feet away from the tents, and once you have a fire spot, you can set up a few surrounding metal or plastic chairs.
Section 3: The Bathroom Area.
Of course, a “bathroom” is a loose term when you’re talking about the outdoors, but if you’re going for the rustic experience, you’re going to need a place to, for lack of a better phrase, dump your waste. This should be out of sight and far from the campsite, hopefully behind some trees or a large rock for the sake of privacy. Be sure that the soil will allow for relatively easy burial, and be sure to stick with the same general area – you don’t want to spread this kind of thing out.
Section 4: The Shower and Bath Area.
Of course, a “shower and bath” is a bit of an exaggeration, but if you can, try to set up camp near a clean water source that will allow you to stay clean without straying too far from camp. Having a stream nearby is often better than buying your own water – just make sure that the water is fresh and clean.
Photo Credits: Smoobs
