How to Plan a Successful Family Camping Trip-panergy

As a longtime scouter and camping enthusiast, I have made sure our family has done lots of camping together. Now, I know for some dads that a “fun camping experience” might be an oxymoron. But over the years, I have learned, mostly by trial and error, what works and what doesn't in a camping environment with kids. So, if you want to have a good family camping trip, here are some tried and true methods to make camping fun and rewarding.

Select the Right Site

The single most important choice you will make, and that will have the greatest chance to make or break your family camping experience, is the site you select. You may really like the idea of backpacking several miles into a remote location and setting up camp, but your kids (or your partner) may not be quite as into that idea as you are.

If you have some novice campers, choosing a campsite in an established campground at a state or national park might be a good idea. If you are OK with spending all your time at or near the campsite, then more remote might be good. Many families like to camp at night but spend their days exploring local towns or hiking several miles away—if that is the case with you, make sure your campground is closer to your activity destination. And if your family doesn't care that much for roughing it, pick a campground with running water and flushing toilets.

Make a Reservation

If you are not camping alongside a trail somewhere, make sure you get a camping reservation early. In most state and national parks with campgrounds, reservations are taken up to a year in advance. You can usually make an online reservation in established campgrounds. The national parks and now many state parks contracts with ReserveAmerica to handle online or telephone reservations. Some do not make reservations and are only available on a first-come, first-served basis. If that is the case, plan to arrive at your destination early enough to find a good site.

Come Prepared

Besides your campsite, the best predictor of family camping success is the level of your preparation. The Boy Scout motto of “Be Prepared” really has a place in the camping world. Your basic camping equipment for any outdoor experience should include at least the following:

• First aid kit — well stocked and replenished
• Tent with rain fly and ground cloth
• Sleeping bags with an appropriate rating for temperature
• Camping mattresses, cots or foam pads
• Rain Gear — especially light-weight ponchos for everyone
• Flashlights
• Extra batteries
• Outdoor portable fan
• Camping stove and fuel
• Camping lantern and fuel
• Camping cook set including can openers
• Water carriers
• Waterproof containers
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• Camping cooler

Storing all your camping gear and making it available on your campout is made much easier by bringing it in storage bins. In our family, we have three pre-labeled bins—one for camping gear, one for cooking equipment and supplies and one for food. They store efficiently in the back of the car and stow nicely under a picnic table at the campsite. And they keep wildlife out of your stuff when you aren't around.

Stay Dry

Nothing ruins the fun of a family camping trip more than if you or your kids get wet. And the rain just seems to be inevitable if you camp very much. In order to stay dry, you need to bring rain gear, have waterproof shoes, and keep your tent and sleeping bags dry.

• Always put a tarp under your tent—fold it so it matches the exact dimensions of the tent. If a big part of the tarp sticks out from the tent edge, it will collect rainwater and funnel it right under the floor of the tent.
• Make sure your tent has been seam-sealed in the last year or so. Seam sealer is available at most outdoor or sporting goods stores and will make a big difference in keeping water out.
• At night, keep all your sleeping bags in the middle of the tent, not touching the walls. Condensation on the walls of the tent at night can get sleeping bags wet, even without rain. Put your waterproof gear bags along the sides of the tent and the sleeping bags in the middle.
• If there is any hint of rain, get the rain fly up over the tent. And leave a couple of the windows zipped open just a little at the top to minimize in-tent condensation.