What's your best camping tips?

**lori121** · 06-04-2006, 09:23 PM

We would love to start camping. I would love to hear you favorite camping tips. Thanks in advance

**missymomof3** · 06-04-2006, 09:25 PM

My biggest tip? try to have/get firewood in adavnce. It's expensive to buy at a campground IF it is available! Oh, and don't forget the marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate for s'mores!

**lori121** · 06-04-2006, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by missymomof3

My biggest tip? try to have/get firewood in adavnce. It's expensive to buy at a campground IF it is available! Oh, and don't forget the marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate for s'mores!

MMM smores sound so good. Thanks for your help.

**Missy** · 06-04-2006, 11:49 PM

take a small box of dryer sheets. Why? In my experience, bugs tend to stay away from them. I stick a few in my sleeping bags, at the enterance of the tent/car doors, heck, i stick one in my bra, keeps em away from my face. i don't know if it works everywhere for all bugs, but i noticed it works while hiking and caming alike. Leaast it works on the colorado bugs

**Libby** · 06-05-2006, 12:34 AM

Oh wow, didnt know about the fabric dryer sheets to repel bugs....bf lives in bug territory and I feed them each weekend since spring sprang

Will have to keep that in mind, Muskol doesnt seem to work

Back on topic - tips for camping:

1 - pack your car according to space and use of items pulled out in a certain order - dont pack the tent first way in the back of the trunk forcing you to unpack the trunk to get to it - i mean what if its raining when you first get there? all your stuff will be soaked while yer fighting with the tent!

2 - plan your meals - my friend had a very large cooler/ice chest - we even went and bought ice every second day to keep things really cold. freeze your meat unless you're going to eat it the first or second day/night - so it can thaw by the end of your trip (not sure how long you're going)

3 - pack your cooler accordingly - dairy's together, condiments together (if they even need to be in the cooler - even after they've been opened), meat together and draw a diagram of your packing layout so you dont have the cooler open for 10 mins trying to remember where you packed things ALSO pack cooking utensils, dishes etc in the same bag or area so you know where the 'kitchen stuff is' at all times

4 - prepare/precut/prewash your meats/fruits and veggies so they are easy to use once you've pulled them out (some people season and portion out their meat and place them in ziplocs to be thrown out after) - not sure how you're 'camping' some people bring a fully loaded trailer version of their living room and call that camping and some people only bring a tent and matches and they call that camping - just depends on your style

5 - bring extra's - batteries, film for camera etc, flashlights, first aid kids, bug goop, sun goop AND TP

in case they run out, die or go missing. unscented baby wipes or antibacterial wipes come in handy as well. just bring them - you'll soon see why! (always have clean under garments!

) ALSO pack for all sorts of weather, may be dry and hot in day and cold damp evenings/nites and am's

AND LASTLY - MAKE THE MOST OUT OF WHAT YOU HAVE! Remember - have fun!

**ama** · 06-05-2006, 08:25 AM

I don't know what area you're in but for us -- it is illegal and high fines to transport firewood b/c of the Emerald Ash Borer. So my best advice is to buy wood from the area. The campgrounds we've been to so far this year sell for about $2 a bundle.

Have a checklist so you can TRY to not forget anything!

**lori121** · 06-05-2006, 08:38 AM

Love all the tips. I'm going to print them out that way I will have them.
We'll most likely camp when we go visit family in KY... We just love it there.

**Bups** · 06-05-2006, 09:07 AM

When we used to camp often - we had a camping box filled with non perisable kitchen type stuff we used each time. I.e., can opener, dishes, pots & pans, cutlery, dish pan, sponge & dish soup, tea & coffee, mugs, tea pot, wisk broom, plastic table cloth & clips, salt & pepper shakers, tin foil, water jug etc...

We just washed everything after we used it and it all went back into the box

We also had a travel first aid kit - don't forget the antihistamines, bug spray, bite/sting stop/wipes, bandaids, antibactirial soap, aspirins.

And another box for flash lights, lanterns, batteries, radio, fire starter, camp stove, sleeping bags, tents, air matresses, rain ponchos, plastic tarps etc..and anything else we would need the following trip.

Large rubbermaid type containers are good for this and rain proof.

That way we only had to repack our foods stuffs, and clothing/towels each trip.

Make a master list on the PC and check off everything as you pack it.

If you plan to go often, make a location in your basement/garage for camping gear, so that it is all together when you need it.

Bring your own garbage bags (some places supply them). Bring plastic bags for dirty/wet clothes.

Don't forget things like books, cards and games - if it rains and you end up under a tarp or in the car. (If you do have a rain tarp - you will also need extra tent poles and rope if you have them)

As for food - prep as much as you can from home - mix pasta & potato salads, pack in ziplock bags for easy cooler storage.

Bring just as much dry cereal in ziplock bags as you will need - instead of the whole box. Same goes for things like sour cream and yogurt - don't take the large containers - take small tupperware type containers or baggies.

You can precook pasta and just reheat in boiling water on the camp stove.

Just because you are camping doesn't mean you have to eat burgers and dogs - unless you want to of course.

Fried chicken made at home and served cold. Have potatoes prewrapped in tin foil - just toss in the coals (make sure you allow enough time and have long tongs to get them out).

If you take bottled water - freeze them as use them as cooler packs in coolers.

We always had two coolers, one for the food and one for drinks that got opened often - you don't want the food cooler opened often.

If you search the net - I am sure you will find predifined camping lists - just modify for your own uses - I don't think I would have been able to do it all without a list.

Happy camping.

Kim

**Darlene** · 06-05-2006, 09:54 AM

As you get older that ground gets harder, try to buy a nice mattress pad if you can.
Bring extra tp. where you stay might run out and you don't want to be left uh....without.

**pkellyc** · 06-05-2006, 10:30 AM

The more you haul the more comfortable you will be. It's just a fact of life when camping.
In addition to all the other tips here are a few more.

If your tenting inflatable mattresses are a wonderful thing to have.

I also like to bring lawn chairs. Picnic tables have no back support and can get really uncomfortable to sit on.

Freeze your meat before taking it.

For extended periods of time bring tarps to put over your tent and a tarp for over your table. There is nothing worse than rain when camping. We learned this the hard way, as we bailed the water out of our "waterproof" tent. The tarps will also give you shade if you happen to get a field site.

Keep your food in your vehicle. Food draws wildlife like a magnet, everything from racoons to bears. If your backpacking keep it in a tree that is not too close to your tents.

The same with your garbage. We had skunks in Cape Cod that would just come and sit next to us just like they were house cats.

Which brings me to my next tip. Never feed the animals. We had a seagull that the kids had been feeding earlier in the day, swoop down steal chicken right off the grill.

Bring your own wood only if your camping in you own state. Otherwise you could be bringing insects and tree disease to where ever your going to. I know it is illegal to do so in some places. PA state parks for example.

Block ice is better than cubes it will last longer. Better yet freeze clean soda bottles full of water and as they defrost you can drink it, or use it for cleaning up.

I say go for it. My girls just love camping and some of our best memories are of our camping trips.

**Valerie in WA** · 06-05-2006, 11:39 AM

Camping food....

Hamburger helper. Pre-cook the meat at home (so you don't have to worry about food poisoning) and freeze.
Cup o' soup (ramen and others) - just add boiling water.
Milk: If you will use one gallon, take a gallon jug HALF full of milk and freeze it. Right before you leave, pour fresh milk over the frozen and put it in your cooler. The icy milk will thaw slowly and help to keep the cooler cold and your milk fresh. If you'll use a half-gallon, freeze half of a half-gallon and so on...
Tortilla wraps: I make these up at home. I make some with ranch dressing, lunchmeat, & shredded cheese. I also make some with refried beans, a bit of taco meat & shredded cheese. Wrap, slice and wrap in saran. Then store in ziplocks. These will make quick lunches and stay fresh for up to three days.
Stew: Freeze homemade in a ziplock and heat. (Or use canned)

Here's my list of food ideas: Tea bags, Sugar, Hot chocolate, Milk, Juice boxes, Jiffy pop popcorn, Graham crackers, Hershey bar, Grilled cheese sandwiches, String cheese, Hard boiled eggs, Yogurt, Pudding, Ramen, Corn on the cob, Cereal, Muffins, Granola bars, Jerky, Ravioli, Chili, Hot dogs, Chips, Burgers/buns/ketchup, Potato/macaroni salad, Canned soup, Potatoes, Macaroni & cheese, Canned fruit, Applesauce, Marshmallows, Bottled water

**lori121** · 06-06-2006, 07:46 AM

WOW I just love your ideals. They all sound great.

**Libby** · 06-07-2006, 10:20 PM

Hrm....some people like using disposible everythings to make clean up easier. More convenient yes and more costly too and very environmentally unfriendly but if you're going for a short trip id go that route

Sorry Mother Earth

If you're going to a place that has 'comfort stations' bring shower flip flops to use in there b/c you dont want to step somewhere where you dont know who or whats beein there *shudders @ thought*

Shades, hat and a radio even? Something to break it up a bit? Or guitar if you are able to play - ROCK ON!!!! Disposible camera and treats are always fun too!

**missymomof3** · 06-08-2006, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by lori121

Love all the tips. I'm going to print them out that way I will have them.
We'll most likely camp when we go visit family in KY... We just love it there.

I am in KY also. We went camping memorial weekend at Rough River and the man in the site next to us had brought pallets, broken up bed rails, things of that nature to burn. We found out too late that the campground din't carry forewood so we had to go to the closest town to hunt it out. It ended up costing us an extra $25!

Where in KY will you be?