Are you ready to shed the belief that camping is not for you? I do understand your concerns. Sleeping on the ground outside with no AC can be a very intimidating position, especially for a beginner camper. But we guarantee it is worth overcoming.
Camping is an ideal gateway to explore the great outdoors, get some fresh air, and spend time with your family and friends. Camping for beginners can be a little challenging, but here are some tips to make first-time camping fun, memorable and stress-free.
Camping in the woods reconnects you with nature and things that matter the most to you while enjoying a simple life.
We are not saying that you have to forget all the sense of comfort and cleanliness to camp properly. With the right camping essentials and camp system, it is pretty easy to transform your camping site into an oasis of joy away from home.
In this beginner guide to camping, we will provide you with a specific motivation on where you should camp, what tent to buy, the type of sleeping bags you need, along with some helpful tips, meal planning recommendations, and packing tips.
Where Should I Camp?
There are numerous places you can camp. From national parks to RV parks, possibilities are endless. The chances of human enthusiasm for camping are limitless. However, you will need to make a reservation for a camping ground in advance. The article, “How To Find A Good Campsite”, has great information to help you decide.
Where can I camp? It goes into more detail about places that offer camping and the terms and conditions of those lands.
You can check where to camp on a state recreational site covering public lands and the nationwide camping site. To find private land campsites, you can use sites like Hipcamp.com.
If the above booking reservation method doesn’t work for you, you can try camping grounds that are open on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Although there are no reservations needed, we highly recommend checking with the campgrounds to get some basic information on the best time to show up.
In addition to this, avoid camping grounds with no facilities and no toilets unless you want to meet your inner feral animal. Most beginner campers are comfortable with developed camps; therefore, look for campgrounds with flushing toilets and running water.
Also, it would be a great idea to check how the running tap water is treated, which helps add complexity to avoid health risks.
What Tent Should I Buy?
A beginner camper choosing a tent that suits your future adventure is more likely the first decision you will need to make than the second main thing to becoming a camper.
When choosing a tent, consider how many people and pets will be sleeping inside on most nights. As a result, it will be easy for you to determine the size of the tent.
Larger tents with a cabin style are ideal for comfort, and they offer the ability to stand inside. The only downfall is that they do take considerable space during travel, and they have limited versatility away from most camping grounds.
But whatever you decide to buy, we highly recommend investing in a quality tent made by a well-branded manufacturer. Usually, cheap tents tend to puncture easily and have weak seam properties and zipping components.
Before purchasing a tent, check out an overview of the top-rated tents and brands; this will help you decide which is the right product for you.
What Kind Of Sleeping Bags Do I Need
If you are looking to apply the 80% rule while camping, this is an ideal place to do so. When choosing a sleeping bag, you should pick the one with a temperature rating that matches where you will be camping most of your time.
Do not purchase a sleeping bag with a zero Fahrenheit cold weather rating while you are anticipating a winter trip. You will wind up being miserably hot on most of your summer trips in the spring, summer, and fall.
However, as your experience grows, you will have several sleeping bags that are better suited for the different environments, thus ensuring you enjoy a good night’s sleep.
Additionally, while buying a sleeping bag, consider things like the material it’s made from and the number of people sleeping inside it. If you are a couple, consider buying a sleeping bag for two or those designed for couples.
Just don’t forget to throw a blanket in the car. From personal experience, it is very important whether you are camping alone or with your family and friends.
What Kind Of Meals Should I Plan?
Planning camping meals can be a very doubtful task for both beginner campers and pro campers. Planning meals is one of the ways to save money and create memorable moments. The time spent cooking and eating together is never wasted.
For most of your meals, options are limited by the size and the number of clothes that you bring with you. For this reason, I highly recommend you do proper research on the best stove if you are planning to step up to the camp chef role.
Planning
Although it sounds obvious, the way you begin planning determines the number of meals you will make together. Keep in mind that any plans to eat go to your meal planning.
From personal experience, a weekend trip that is from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon consists of two breakfasts, two snacks or lunch options, and two suppers.
If I am alone, I prefer eating in a local restaurant; this helps me reduce my meal preparation while getting to know more about the area. However, if I bring my family along, we prefer cooking as a way to save money.
Cooking
I highly recommend you make it simple by carrying a one-sided pot or a saucepan that will give you numerous meal options, especially beginner campers.
If you are planning to cook over the fire, ensure you know how to make a campfire, supervise it, and extinguish it.
The article, “What Food Should I Bring For 3 Days of Camping”, has great tips for a weekend getaway.
What Else Should I Bring Camping?
When you are camping for the first time, there are several important things that most beginners forget to bring with them. These include:
Toiletries
Whether you plan to camp in your RV cabin or tent, you will need your everyday essentials to keep you clean and refreshed after a long day outside.
While packing for your camping bag, ensure you add a toothbrush, toothpaste, toilet paper, towel, contact lens, face wash solution, soap, along with other stuff you may need depending on your gender.
Extras
We also advise taking the following extras with you
- Camping knife
- First aid kit
- Flashlight
- Matchboxes or lighters.
Some of these extras are imported, especially when you decide to have fun in the camp.
Luxuries
From my experience, I recommend you carry the following luxuries
- Storage bins
- Tent fans for those hot summers
- Camp pillow
- Camp chairs
- Power bank to charge your phone
- Your favorite book
Wrapping It Up
Camping for beginners can be enjoyable and memorable if you can utilize the above tips to get it right. And if something doesn’t go the way you think, it just adds to the adventure and the story you can tell.
We still laugh at the time I pulled the raft out from under my dad and left him on a sandbar. Wasn’t my intention, but had to work hard to get back upstream to get him.
