Car Camping 101: What to bring on your first family camping trip

Every summer I have friends reach out to me asking what to bring on their first family camping trip. Most folks don’t seem to know where to start. They may have even been camping before and the sheer thought of bringing kids makes it feel like a totally different beast (which it is…but not due to gear) Often times I find that they have over thought or over simplified their packing list. As a means to help others who find themselves in the same predicament , I have created a list below that can be used as a guide…not bible…to get things in order for their family adventure.

Feel free to comment below with any additional tips you may have as an experienced camper!

Where to go?

I always recommend starting out on the easier side of camping especially when going with the family. This basically means car camping at a developed campground.

Most state and national parks have developed campgrounds that offer bathrooms, showers (often coin operated) and may even have a convenience store on site.

Various types of camp sites are available for reservation including tent, RV sites with hook-ups and sometimes small cabin rentals.  Many privately owned campgrounds also offer a similar set up.

If you are looking for more comforts of home, many (not all) KOA sites offer wifi, game rooms, pancake breakfasts, pools, and on site laundry. It should also be mentioned that they offer discounts to Military, Fire and Police.

For an even more over the top experience look into the Yogi Bear Camping Resorts that have amenities such as splash pads, mini golf and jumping pillows.

To find the campground that is right for your family check:

• Reserve America
• Recreation.gov
• KOA
• Yogi Bear (heavily kid focused)

What Kind Of Gear Should We Bring?:

The answer to this question can really vary pending on what your family plans on doing and where you are going. Some questions to ask yourself first would be:

• What is the weather forecast?
• Will we go into town to eat or do we want to cook?
• What activities are we doing? What makes sense to bring for those activities?

Below is a “basic” outline of items to consider:

Sleeping

• Tent – If you do not own one, ask friends or check your local camping shop to see if they rent. (Many REI locations have a full rental shop or you can use Lower Gear, the self proclaimed Netflix of gear). If trip 1 goes well that is when you would consider buying your own tent. With that said the type of tent you buy is highly dependent upon the type of camping you do and how many folks are involved. see guide here
• Covers– Most folks use a sleeping bag but you can go the make shift route by folding a comforter/ blanket in half.
• Sleeping Pad– The ground is not soft. Some families bring air mattresses (car adapter pump or site with electric hook-ups required). I personally recommend sleeping pads. They are comfortable enough and low profile meaning they are easily pushed to the side when you need to get dressed or do whatever else inside the tent.
• Pillow– I usually fold up clothes and use them as a pillow but if you need a real one be sure to bring it. There are lots of Inflatable pillows on the market as well, which can be more comfortable than the stuffed shirt method.

Cooking

• 2-Burner Stove (And Fuel)– Many sites offer fire pits that have a grill that folds over the fire. However the grill is not always a guarantee. Not to mention that cooking over an open fire becomes less majestic when you don’t know how to regulate heat, Suzzy wants to roast ‘mallows and Timmy wants to watch anything and everything burn. * Please note: when selecting fuel, insure that you have a canister that is compatible with your stove as there are multiple thread tips on the market. 
• Cookware and Table sets – You need to cook with something and you have to eat off something. Pro tip:  A cutting board and decent knife is nice to have if you plan on chopping or slicing anything!
• Cooler- fill with ice/ cold packs to keep food fresh and drinks cold
• Foil– great for steaming veggies 

If you’re not ready to buy camp cookware pack up a pot and pan you don’t love and pick up some disposable plates and utensils.

Personal/other

• Pocket Knife
• Camp Chairs
• That Garmin that you forgot about when you got a smartphone– not only will this save your phone’s battery life from lack of use but actual GPS units work off satellites rather than cell towers, so you are much less likely to loose your signal in rural areas.
• Toiletries 
• Towels– you will need to dry off more than once, I assure you. Pack Towels are great because they don’t take up a lot of room and dry very fast!
• Shoes– sturdy shoes for hiking and flip flops for showers, hanging around camp, and post swim walking.
• First-aid Kit– someone is going to get hurt…and you can probably guess which family member it is.
• Portable charger – useful if you will need to charge your phone and don’t have an electric hook up at your campsite (must charge before you leave home!).
• Bug Spray/ other means to repel the buzzies
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Camera
• Lights!– The sun will set which means so will your lighting. It’s the ultimate mood lighting! Even at developed camp sites you will each need a source of light to direct at your desired point of view.

A few recommendations:

Lantern – This water resistant lantern is rechargeable (with USB and car adapter) and also accepts x3 D batteries(not included) and has 2 detachable flashlights. Lanterns are great for dinner tables and walking groups to the facilities.

Headlamps– There are way more models than you will ever wish to view on the market. If you are doing casual camping keep it casual, you don’t have to spend a ton when you are just starting off.  This head lamp comes in an array of colors which helps designate which belongs to each member of the family!

Solar Inflatable lights – These are by far one of my favorite lights to have. Toss them on the dash when you are driving (solar panels up) and by time you get to camp they are more than ready to go. They pack down to basically nothing and can be used around camp or in the tent.

Camp Clean-up

Be sure to bring the necessities to keep your space clean not only for the next guest but to keep the animals away at night:

• Trash Bag (not recommended to leave out at night, can be stored in car though best to make a trip to the dumpster)
• Grocery bags (can be used as mini trash bags, store dirty clothes, and a million other things other the sun)
• Biodegradable soap and a sponge to clean up the cookware. (I like to use Dr. Bronner’s soap because I can also use it to shower. comes in many scents, I love the lavender!)
• Paper towels or a dish cloth 

What kind of clothes should I pack?

This is where the “what is the weather forecast for where I am headed” question comes into play. Always, Always, Always pack layers! Temperatures can drop drastically at night. When car camping you have the luxury of not having to worry about how heavy your bag is…Load it up. Better to have extra than need more, just remember everyone’s stuff must fit in the car.

Consider:

• Swim suits
• Long Johns (base layers) great as PJs in on cooler nights or layering on colder days
• Extra socks 
• High socks to help guard from ticks while hiking
• Bandanas and Hats
• Long sleeves, pants and a hoodie for the night time
• Flip Flops that can get wet- great if using showers, and nice for camp shoes after hikes
• Rain Jacket or poncho

What did I not think about?!

There are lots of other things you could bring. Think hard and assess your family’s day to day needs

• Medicines/ Prescriptions
• Refillable water bottles
• Day pack for hikes/ excursions
• Games to keep the kids busy- Uno, Playing cards, Bocci, ladder ball to name a few options
• Quarters- Remember those coin operated showers we talked about? Can also come in handy if you find yourself in town needing to pay a parking meter

Wait! What Do We Eat!?

So you got your cooking gear covered…but what are you going to put on it? Try to keep things simple but remember that simple does not have to be boring. You will see a recipe following these ideas.

Things to consider:

• 2.5 gallon jug of water (or more pending on # of people. Not all campsites have spickets with potable water)
• Snacks (granola bars, trail mix, fruit leathers, jerky)
• Cheese, sausage and crackers (stores fine in a cooler)
• Drinks (avoid glass containers if possible)
• Burgers
• Hot dogs
• Meat and veggie kabobs (cooked over campfire rather than 2 burner stove)
• Oatmeal
• Eggs
• Pancake Mix (check directions for an add water only mix)
• Bread
• PB&J
• Banana, Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwiches are a fav. hiking snack of ours
• And of course…Marshmallows, Hersey’s chocolate and graham crackers for s’mores

One of our absolute favorite car camp recipes:

Campsite Stir Fry

What you need:

• Sliced Chicken breast or chicken tenders (judge amount on # of people)
• Asian Salad or Stir Fry kit (1 bag is good for 2 average adults) *Several brands make one with a Ginger based dressing which is our go to choice
• Boil in bag rice (1 bag is good for 2 average adults)
• Seasoning for chicken

How to make it:

• Fill a pot with water and drop in your boil in bag rice
• Season both sides of your chicken and toss in a pan to cook on both sides

• Move chicken to a cutting board or plate
• In the same pan you just cooked the chicken pour in your salad or stir fry mix to cook it down (about 5 minutes pending on what is in the mix you bought)
• While the veggies cook down cut up the chicken (don’t forget to monitor and stir veggies)
• Remove and drain the cook in bag rice and set aside
• Once veggies are all done, stir in chicken and ginger dressing

Put it together:

• Base of rice, topped with chicken veggie mix. bon appétit!

So there it is in a large nutshell! A crash course in what to bring on your first car camping trip. Be sure to let us know how your trip goes and share your own tips in the comments below!