A Guide To Inexpensive Family Camping
If you are looking for a fun summer activity to do with your family this year, why not consider camping. Taking your family to a camping trip can lead to amazing memories that you will cherish for years to come, and it’s a fairly inexpensive trip to plan.
Here is a guide to inexpensive family camping.
Seek Out Your Camping Oasis
The first step to planning your camping trip is to find a campsite. Sites can be anywhere and there might even be some close to your home. Depending on what you are looking for, there are national parks, state parks and privately owned sites that you can rent from. Tent sites are your most cost-effective and require the least amount of equipment to purchase.
Find a Tent
If you are taking your family camping, you’re going to need some shelter. The biggest bang for your buck is going to be buying a tent, and this is something you can probably use for years. Tents are not terribly expensive, and you can often find discount coupons to take to the store with you when you purchase. Buying a decent tent will take you on many camping trips for years to come.
A Sleeping Surface
Now that you have a tent, you need to consider getting a sleeping bag and ground cover to sleep on. Depending on the time of year, and the average outdoor temperatures, you may not need an overly expensive sleeping bag. Also, buy yourself some foam pads to place on the ground to sleep on top of to help ensure a good night’s rest.
Accessories
Now that you have your shelter and sleeping surfaces settled, it’s time to find your camping accessories. Raid your garage for your folding chairs to use while sitting by the fire. Gather a few boxes of matches and some old newspaper to use as fire starter. Go through the basement and take out your mismatched dishes and cutlery as you don’t want to bring your best stuff. Put together some old pots and pans as well to prepare your food in over the fire (or if you are feeling really fancy, you can buy a portable camping stove that runs on propane). After that is settled, search the internet for some great camping recipes that are easy to prepare and require minimal ingredients and spices. Purchase yourself a decent cooler to keep your cold items cool for your trip, and ensure it has a good lock on it to keep out the wildlife.
Camping is a great way to have a family adventure this summer. It is very cost effective and you can often drive straight up to your campsite. With a few basic items, your camping trip can come to a reality without breaking the bank. Buy yourself a decent tent you can use for years to come. Add to that a good sleeping surface and sleeping bag to keep you warm at night. Once you have those items, raid your garage and basement for your discarded dishware, pots and pans to complete your camping kit. Most of all, enjoy all the memories you are going to make as a family this summer.