For The Ultimate Camping Experience
Whilst many lockdown restrictions might be gradually easing up now, for those who’ve canceled their travel plans or were planning on taking their usual holiday trips abroad, it’s implausible that air travel overseas will be back to normal any time soon. More and more people are looking for camping, or ‘glamping’ this year, with so many travel websites reporting a tremendous increase in campsite bookings.
Camping is one of my most favorite activities to do. There is something undeniably peaceful about going out into the wilderness and exploring the mountain ranges, open spaces, and incredible wildlife.
In selecting a favorite place to pitch a tent, my friends and I always have a tough time due to the huge list to choose from. I don’t know where to start or have forgotten camping basics. That’s where this Ultimate ‘HOW TO PLAN’ Guide comes in to answer all of those questions and much more — to prepare you for your next camping trip.
Choosing the Right Location
The United States has such a diverse landscape to explore, from the Pacific coastline’s ocean-carved mountains to the Midwest’s expansive plains to the beautiful lush green forests in Utah. Perhaps all you want is to camp near a pleasant waterfall. Or maybe your tribe is planning to have a taco and beer night, in which case, camping near a city can be fun.
While you can have endless options, you might also consider picking a campsite with the best view and that is safe. There’s often a lot of information available on the travel or camping websites. So do your research well before you pick your campsite.
Decide Time of the Year You Want to Camp
Planning to go camping in cold weather? Winter camping is definitely not for everyone and can be costly as you have to buy everything that will up your cold protection game, especially during night time. But colder weather also means no crawling insects or bugs and no sunburn which could make a good camping experience for some people.
If you like autumn and really looking forward to enjoying the wonderful scenery and beautiful fall colors, then fall is your season. Beautiful sunset colors make fall a picturesque time to go camping. Both the northern and southern parts of the USA are known for their array of seasonal hues. There are several places to go for a charming fall camping trip.
But if you are like me, who can’t handle cold, then summer is the best camping season for you. The weather is nice and warm, and you can plan lots of outdoor activities. You can stay up all night comfortably around a fire in just a t-shirt and shorts. While summer is the most favorite time for camping, there is a bigger number of crowds. If you plan to go camping during summer, make sure you reserve your campsite early enough. I know some campgrounds want you to reserve your site a year in advance.
Don’t Forget to Bring the Shelter
Always carry a good shelter (tent) to protect you from wind, rain, and crawling bugs. The right camping shelter /tent can make a huge difference in your overall camping experience. Lousy or small tents are definitely one of the top reasons for a bad night’s sleep.
When buying a tent, find a balance of quality to affordability and interior space to ease-of-use. Personally, I’ll try to find a tent that is best-equipped to handle stormy weather, has large vestibules, and has extra-thick poles. Your tent should also qualify to be the quickest, easiest, and most intuitive tents to pitch and pack up. A good tent will always provide great weather protection, affordability, spaciousness, and practicality.
You Need to Stay Hydrated
It’s crucial to stay hydrated when you are outside for so long, and so you need to carry tons of water, whether that’s a huge container like this 6-gallon water container or easy to carry 4-gallon water container. When deciding how much water to carry, many people need about a half-liter every hour during a normal day in moderate temperatures. It is better to carry more than that depending on factors like the outside temperature, level of exertion, altitude, or an emergency.
Choose the right camping buddies
Arguing with friends or your camping companion doesn’t have to be inevitable on a trip. For me, it’s always so important to choose the right group of people who will get along with each other and whose company I really enjoy. Your travel buddy or your camping tribe can be low-maintenance and laidback personalities that can promote a stress-free fun trip, so when selecting your camping group, it’s always better to be with personalities who you already know.
Last but not least, Just Have Fun!
Fresh air, enchanting scenery, and unplugging for a while is always good for the soul.
