So, as you may have guessed, our upcoming trip involves car camping!
Last year a few of you asked, “What is car camping?”
Car camping is basically camping while having your car right nearby. You load up the car with everything you need [and usually more], and drive to your location. When you arrive at your destination, choose a campground or state or national park you want to stay at, find out if they have spots available, and you’re ready. Then you set up the tent and any gear you need, and when you want to move on, you load up the car again and head to the next place.
Steve and I decided a few weeks ago that our summer vacation would again be a camping trip in Quebec. We booked a rental car, have a tentative route planned, have a few campsites picked out, and are in the midst of packing and planning.
I thought it’d be fun to share with you some of the tips I’ve picked up from our camping trips. I’m no expert or anything, but I am pretty addicted to camping. After craving it since our last trip, I’ve been putting together a bunch of ideas if you get the urge to go camping too.
How to Prepare for a Car Camping Trip:
Air everything out a few days in advance. We made sure to prop up the tent for a day or two, checking for any tears or holes, and letting it air out after being in the basement all winter. We did the same with our sleeping gear and camping pads. By the time we leave, it will be fresh and dry.
Determine how to load up your vehicle. We like to keep our luggage in the back seat so our clothes are easy to access, and we pack all of the camping gear in the trunk. Last year we used a few cardboard boxes to hold the food, dishware, garbage bags, matches, flashlights, and other gear, which worked really well for us.
Decide how you want to handle meals on the road. On all of our car camping trips, Steve and I like to stick to no-cook meals. Rather than bringing a camp stove and pots and pans, we stick to easy meals for breakfast and lunch, and usually go out for dinner. It makes it easier for us, since we don’t always want to carry extra equipment, and while sandwiches can get tiring, it’s fun to prepare meals for camping.
Decide if you want to bring your own food, buy along the way, or a little bit of both. Last year for our trip to Quebec, we packed up a box full of non-perishables, like salsa, peanut butter, food bars, cookies, trail mix, chips, and crackers. It was really helpful to have some foods on hand in case we had trouble finding grocery stores. But it was also fun to find food along the way, like the maple-flavored beans you see below.
Be flexible. On our trip last year, Steve and I had a few ideas in mind – a day hike, a kayaking venture, and a few sites to check out. But when we drove through one national park and saw they had whale watching tours, we talked about whether it was worth the money and time. We decided it was, saw some incredible whales, and had a blast. It’s worth it to try unexpected things while camping, or on any trip. I mean, how else would I have gotten this sweet photo?
Happy camping!
+++
For more camping tips, check out these posts:
Do you like to go camping? If so, do you have any other tips to add?
So, as you may have guessed, our upcoming trip involves car camping!
Last year a few of you asked, “What is car camping?”
Car camping is basically camping while having your car right nearby. You load up the car with everything you need [and usually more], and drive to your location. When you arrive at your destination, choose a campground or state or national park you want to stay at, find out if they have spots available, and you’re ready. Then you set up the tent and any gear you need, and when you want to move on, you load up the car again and head to the next place.
Steve and I decided a few weeks ago that our summer vacation would again be a camping trip in Quebec. We booked a rental car, have a tentative route planned, have a few campsites picked out, and are in the midst of packing and planning.
I thought it’d be fun to share with you some of the tips I’ve picked up from our camping trips. I’m no expert or anything, but I am pretty addicted to camping. After craving it since our last trip, I’ve been putting together a bunch of ideas if you get the urge to go camping too.
How to Prepare for a Car Camping Trip:
Air everything out a few days in advance. We made sure to prop up the tent for a day or two, checking for any tears or holes, and letting it air out after being in the basement all winter. We did the same with our sleeping gear and camping pads. By the time we leave, it will be fresh and dry.
Determine how to load up your vehicle. We like to keep our luggage in the back seat so our clothes are easy to access, and we pack all of the camping gear in the trunk. Last year we used a few cardboard boxes to hold the food, dishware, garbage bags, matches, flashlights, and other gear, which worked really well for us.
Decide how you want to handle meals on the road. On all of our car camping trips, Steve and I like to stick to no-cook meals. Rather than bringing a camp stove and pots and pans, we stick to easy meals for breakfast and lunch, and usually go out for dinner. It makes it easier for us, since we don’t always want to carry extra equipment, and while sandwiches can get tiring, it’s fun to prepare meals for camping.
Decide if you want to bring your own food, buy along the way, or a little bit of both. Last year for our trip to Quebec, we packed up a box full of non-perishables, like salsa, peanut butter, food bars, cookies, trail mix, chips, and crackers. It was really helpful to have some foods on hand in case we had trouble finding grocery stores. But it was also fun to find food along the way, like the maple-flavored beans you see below.
Be flexible. On our trip last year, Steve and I had a few ideas in mind – a day hike, a kayaking venture, and a few sites to check out. But when we drove through one national park and saw they had whale watching tours, we talked about whether it was worth the money and time. We decided it was, saw some incredible whales, and had a blast. It’s worth it to try unexpected things while camping, or on any trip. I mean, how else would I have gotten this sweet photo?
Happy camping!
+++
For more camping tips, check out these posts:
Do you like to go camping? If so, do you have any other tips to add?