When it comes to camping trips, forward-thinking planning helps you get the most out of your adventures. A common misunderstanding about camping is that you are bound to have an unpleasant outdoor experience by leaving the comfort of your home.
But you know what has a higher chance of being unpleasant? A poorly planned camping trip. We’ve listed for you the six most basic and essential steps on how to plan a camping trip the right way.
What You’ll Need for a Camping Trip
Here is a list of the five most helpful camping essentials you should carry on your camping trips to ensure a smooth and pleasant experience.
- Camping tent
- Camping sleeping bag
- Camping first aid kit
- Camping flashlight
- Camping pocket knife
How to Plan a Camping Trip in 6 Steps
Step 1: Decide When You Want To Go
One of the essential steps to planning a camping trip. Indeed, the result of a camping trip depends significantly upon the weather. Since you’ll be sleeping outside, the season and the weather will have a significant impact on your camping trip. Based on the dates you choose, you might need different camping gear, need to reserve a campsite sooner, and it could eliminate some possible locations based on the weather.
If you’re new to the world of camping, we suggest you pick a time when the weather is the mildest, which means for many places, this will be the summertime as winter camping can be dangerous without regarding the basic rules. Summertime will be suitable for beginner campers or people who can’t take the cold.
To find a suitable weekend or weekday that works best for all – your teammates or your family. With your dates nailed down, it’s time to move ahead.
Step 2: What Type of Camping You Want To Do
The next step is to decide what type of camping it will be. This decision is essential as it will dictate how to plan a camping trip that is ideal for you and the gear you will need to bring along. The five types of camping are:
Tent Camping
This is what comes to mind when you think of camping. You build your tent and sleep out in the woods. The ideal camping option.
RV Camping
This requires you to rent a full RV which is a more significant investment. For people who enjoy value the comfort and luxury of their home but still wish to be out in nature, it’s an excellent option for you.
Sleeping Under The Stars
This is pretty bold as it requires you to sleep without a tent right under the stars. If the weather forecast is looking good and you feel confident you can survive the night, go right ahead!
Primitive Camping
Areas that are not designated campgrounds fall under primitive camping. You need extra preparation for this as you will have to plan for every aspect of your needs.
Campground Camping
Most convenient and famous, this type of camping allows families to have a few extra conveniences—no stress about setting up your tent or electricity and air conditioning.
Step 3: Finding A Camping Location
Backcountry or state park? Near or far? At the same time, you’re thinking about when you should also keep in mind where you wish to go. From thick forests to ocean-carved cliffs, the United States has such a diverse landscape to explore.
While the options are endless, If you have kids with you, you might want to prefer staying close to home. However, if you go camping with your friends, you all can decide mutually. Choose wisely.
Step 4: Arrange Your Camping Gear
You are nothing without your camping gear so pack accordingly. The following areas of consideration are the essentials you’ll need.
Shelter and sleeping
- Camping tent, camping trailer, RV
- Sleeping bag or pads
- Pillows
- Rain protection (tent rainfly, ground trap, etc.)
Kitchen and food prep
- Stove
- Coolers
- Cooking utensils
- Tash bags
Safety and protection
- Bug repellent
- Sunblock
- Essential medicines
- First aid box
Clothing
- Weather-appropriate clothing (shorts, sweatshirts, etc.)
- Footwear
- Raingear
- Swimwear
Step 5: Plan Out Activities
Now it’s time to plan out the real fun. It gets more accessible and more organized when you plan out the list of activities you wish to do with your family or teammates. Knowing what you’ll be doing will give you a better understanding of how to plan a camping trip and ensure what type of gear you’ll need.
A few activities to enjoy while camping:
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Playing frisbee
- Cards
- Reading
- Mountain Hiking
- Boating
- Paragliding
Deciding upon the activities will allow you to make a more accurate checklist, and this way, you won’t forget anything.
Step 6: Create A Checklist
Now that all the challenging work is done, you simply need to review the previous steps by putting them in a list. You can choose to write it down on paper or make a word or excel sheet. This will ensure that you don’t forget all the essentials for your camping trip.
We suggest planning your checklist so that it gets easier to reuse it for future camping trips. A list will make the process a lot easier, and you can always make additions based on the previous trip experience.
Our Final Thoughts
Camping is one of the best ways to release your tension while getting the most out of nature. These steps to planning a camping trip will make all the difference. While there is no format for a good camping trip, knowing how to plan a camping trip will make you more organized and guarantee a successful trip.
