This country is filled with a multitude of stunning nature reserves and national parks, yet every year more people opt out of communing with nature and opt into sterile hotels. It is time to get back to basics and a fun-filled camping trip is just the way to go. Read on for tips and hints on how to have a great time in the great outdoors.
Bring a large trash bag for dirtied laundry, and keep it in a central location, suitable for everyone in your party. Let them pack their clothing individually, as this makes it much easier to find than if you pile it all in a community storage box or bag. Toss in a dryer sheet to any bag you want smelling fresh.
Always take a fully stocked first-aid kit when you venture out on a camping trip. You can put together your own kit with bandages, gauze pads, tweezers, scissors, anti bacteria cream and antiseptic wipes in a sturdy container. You can also buy one of the many excellent ready-made kits to save time.
Bring a plastic garbage bag and put all of you family's dirty laundry in it. This keeps the items from mixing in with your clean clothing. It also makes things convenient for you when you return home. You can simply dump out the bag in your washing machine and begin working on it all immediately.
You can make tasty meals even when you are camping. You do not necessarily need to eat just franks and beans or hamburgers. Pack a box with herbs and spices, olive oil, brown sugar or whatever else you like. You can fix meals that have flavor even when you are "roughing" it.
If you are going camping with your pets or children, you need to take a few extra precautions. Try to teach your kids the basics of camping safety. They need to know what to do if they get lost and should each have a small survival kit. Make sure you have leashes for any pets and make sure they are current with all vaccinations.
If you've brought the kids along, feed them a "jungle" breakfast. Pack breakfasts of cereal, juice and fruit in bags and hide them somewhere on the campsite. Then your kids can go out searching for their own breakfast. This is a great alternative way to keep your kids happy while camping.
As a courtesy to other campers, don't leave your lighting on overnight, if you are close to others. Pack a timer that you can attach to your lights that will automatically shut them off after a certain time. Leaving lights on overnight old canvas tent is a popular complaint among most American campers!
A handy tool that will make your life easier when camping, is duct tape. Its multipurpose properties aren't only useful at home, they can be used in the wild too. It can be used to repair holes in air mattresses. It can also be used on your tarp or tent. Prior to heading off on a long nature hike, place some tape on your heels to avoid blistering. You can also use it to bandage injuries.
When you have a campfire, be certain that someone is monitoring it at all times. Summer's weather and dry campsites can be potentially hazardous conditions for fires in unwanted areas. Take turns watching the flames, and be sure to keep a bucket of water and dirt handy to put out any fires.
If you are on a camping trip and forgot the bowls for stew, make your own from large plastic soda bottles that have been emptied. Just rinse the bottle and cut down the plastic to the depth you need. Lightly sand the edges to smooth out any rough spots and prepare to scoop up dinner!
While it is not a good idea to be wasteful, make sure to bring more food and water than you think you need. You do not want to get out intro the middle of the woods and run out of supplies. bringing more than enough will ensure you do not run across this issue.
Prepare for camping by packing smart. List all of the supplies that you need so that you are not missing anything while on the trip. That is essential if you are going far away to a remote site and unable to get first aid items and other necessary things.
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.
Watch your children at all times. Cars often travel through campsites, and little kids are prone to getting lost. It doesn't take more than a minute for something unexpected to happen.
One tip that is very useful to anyone who is planning to go camping is to practice finding as well as purifying water prior to your camping trip. You don't want to start this process when you are already thirsty as it could lead to a very dangerous situation.
Always check the weather forecast before you go camping so that you know what kind of clothing you will need. You could be very cold if a front blow through, and you did not pack jackets and blankets. In addition, consider packing some rain ponchos in case any storm's blow through.
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 there you have it. A camping trip can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. Once you have purchased or borrowed the minimum camping basics, the country is your oyster and you are only limited by the amount of time you have and how far you can travel. Enjoy!
