Camping vacations offer a great way to bring families together. In 2010, at least 40 million people took at least one camping trip. There were at least 515 million outings. In 2013, American campers spent nearly 617 million days on camping vacations. While tent camping remains the most popular choice for most campers, according to a recent survey, 86% of all campers stay in a tent, this is not the only option available today. Family camping resorts, for example, are becoming more and more popular.
10 Tips for a More Enjoyable Family Camping Vacation:
- Enjoy baths in the wild. If you do go the tent camping route, you can make your own bathtub. Dig a small hole. Put down a groundsheet. Heat water and add it to the hotel and you have a bathtub! Even if you are not at one of the family camping resorts, this will make your camping trip feel more luxurious.
- Light up your space with a gallon milk jug and lantern. Bring along an empty mill jug. Fill it with water. Attach a lantern to the outside with the light facing inward. When you turn it on, you will have a great lamp that will light up a large section of your campground.
- Keep bugs away naturally. Most insects, including ticks and mosquitoes, hate tea tree oil. Get a spray bottle and fill it with water. Add drops of tea tree oil. Spray that on your clothes and items. If you do get a tick on your, put a few drops of the oil on the tick.
- Meals do not have to be boring on a family camping adventure. Take Tic Tac boxes and fill them with your favorite spices. This will keep the spices usable and are easy to take with you. Canned curry can also be a great way to improve the taste of your food.
- Sleep like a professional on your camping trip. if you are going to be staying in a tent, get some foam floor tiles to put under your sleeping bag. It will make your experience feel a lot more comfortable.
- Bring campfire starters with you. These do not have to be expensive. Take cardboard egg carton and fill them with charcoal bricks or drier lint. Place it on your fire and light and you have a great tire.
- Use ammonia to keep animals away from your garbage. You want to take everything out that you brought in. You also want to avoid attracting bears and other animals to your campsite and garbage. Spray your garbage bags with ammonia and that should keep those animals far away.
- Protect your toilet paper by putting it in an empty coffee canister. Any kind of cylindrical container will do. This will keep it dry and from being crushed in your other belongings.
- Make delicious cone desserts. Take ice cream cones. Fill them with chocolate, marshmallows and whatever else you like. Wrap in tin foil and roast over your fire. You can also add peanut butter, bananas, strawberries, nuts, anything you think tastes good. Yum!.
- Even the best planned trips can be destroyed by weather. Talk to the people at your campground or other area experts about what the attractions are in the area. There may be some awesome museum or someplace else that you can visit when it rains. You can also bring some games with you. Check out your local dollar store to see what activities you can bring with you to keep everyone occupied if the weather gets bad.
Many of us have great memories from our childhood camping trips. A lot has changed since then and, for many campers today,”camping” is no longer synonymous with “roughing it.” If your family would not enjoy sleeping in a tent, you can rent an RV or camping cabin. Family camping resorts are popping up all over the country and they offer a wide range of accommodations and activities.
Family camping resorts may also offer you a wider array of things to do. If you are taking a trip with a lot of people, this may be a good way to find something for everyone.