It was not that long ago that camping was the vacation of choice among families. Packing up the tent, the cooking utensils and the car full of food and heading off to a natural spot to enjoy lots of fresh air, non-electronic games and sometimes a spot of fishing. If this is not a treat you have yet enjoyed, read on for some great ideas for your next camping trip.
While a campfire gives off enough light in the general area around it, you want to be sure you take along a flashlight on your camping trip if you plan to venture outside of the campfire's glow. This is a definite safety precaution you don't want to ignore. It can be quite dark out there in the woods at nighttime.
Make sure that you avoid any venomous plants. A good way to do this is to stop at the ranger station and ask what kinds of poisonous plants are in the area so you can identify them if you come into contact with them on the trail. Never eat anything while hiking on the trail if you do not know it is edible.
Before you head out on your long-awaited camping trip, make sure the area where you plan to camp doesn't require a camping permit. If you happen to camp in a place that does require one and you didn't get one, then you could be facing quite a hefty ticket or fine from a local forest ranger.
Purchase a multi-use tool to store with your camping gear. This tool should include an axe, hammer and saw. The multi-use tool will come in handy when you are searching for firewood, clearing a trail and setting up your tent. When purchasing a multi-use tool, get one of the good quality one for years of enjoyment.
Try out your tent before going camping by testing it out at home. That will help you make sure your tent has all the pieces and you know how to properly set it up. You don't want to waste time at your destination, so this will make you well prepared.
While camping seems synonymous with a campfire, that campfire doesn't necessarily have to be made from wood. In fact, it might be safer and easier to use a portable campfire unit powered by propane. For the most part, these units are permitted unless there is a fire ban in place. Marshmallows taste just as good from these units as they do over an open, wood-burning fire, too.
Choose your campsite carefully. The location in which you're camping can make all the difference. Do plenty of research before you make any plans. What is the weather like? Does the campsite have specific rules? How crowded will the campsite be? Poor planning can make for a miserable camping experience.
Do not take anything that belongs in nature with you when you leave. Have fun and take pictures, but when you are loading up the car, make sure rocks, glamping tent supplier pinecones and other objects remain where they are. This is one of the unspoken rules of camping. Everyone should have the same opportunity to enjoy these things.
Giving yourself enough time to enjoy your camping trip is key. Plan out your trip far in advance and get a couple of days off from work if possible. You want to enjoy yourself camping for at least a few days, that way you feel like you got the full experience out of it.
A large number of camping related injuries are due directly to carelessness with fire, so be sure to use fire with caution. First, make sure that fires are permissible in the area of your camp site. Set a ring of stones around the fire to keep it contained. Never leave children unsupervised near an open fire.
One thing that many people forget to pack for their camping trips is the Sun-block. Even if you tan very well, there is no excuse not to protect you from the sun. In the short term, you will end up with a horrible burn, but in the long run it can give you serious problems with cancer.
When camping out, you're going to have bugs. Some of them are fine, and some of them; you don't want them around you. To limit the amount of bugs you must deal with, keep your campsite clean. Bees and ants are attracted to sugary soda cans and messes, so dispose of your trash immediately.
A simple camping tip everyone should know is to build shelter during daylight. It is very hard to set up a tent when it's dark. You should pack a flashlight or make a fire while it is still light. It is simply much easier to do this while the sun is still out so that you are all set whenever it gets dark.
When camping, many people wake up in the morning, only to find out they they have left items out that are now wet. This is because of the morning dew, which can hardly be avoided. If the weather conditions are right, dew is inevitable, so make sure you put things away.
Camping is hard work, but it's also very much fun. Once you figure out what you're doing, the rewards are numerous. You get to experience nature and the outdoors; picnics are always fun, and you get a chance to sleep under the stars. Nothing beats some of the experiences you can have camping.
When you are packing your clothing for a camping trip, remember that it is best to dress in layers. This way, you can add or remove clothing to make you more comfortable. Take along a rain coat that you can put on top of every other layer to keep you dry if it rains.
It may sound silly to be reminded of this, but always make sure you take toilet paper on a camping trip. When camping at a facility without public bathrooms, you will need to do your business outside. You definitely don't want to depend on leaves for cleaning yourself, because they could have been in contact with poison ivy.
So the next time you have some vacation days to enjoy, make sure you give air conditioning and cable television a big miss. Instead choose to enjoy seeing the natural beauty of the world around us. Camping does not have to mean discomfort, but it can mean a whole lot of family fun!
