When I was growing up, my family and I would often go camping as a low-cost alternative to an out-of-state vacation. My parents did a great job of packing us up, getting us on the road and going somewhere regardless of how grand the location. Usually these places were nearby, but sometimes they were 3-5 hours outside of the DFW metroplex. Despite the location, I loved running around the trails with my brothers, fishing, and playing with the campfire. It doesn't matter how much money you have, camping is a great option for getting out of the weekly routine and doing so on a budget.
Why go outdoors at all?
According to Nature Scientific Reports, spending 2 or more hours per week in nature (especially green places) is good for your health and can increase your overall mood. Rather than sitting on your couch binge-watching Stranger Things (great show, by the way), why don't you take an hour break and go for a walk, take a bike ride, or skip it all together for a weekend camping trip? As our towns and cities spread and get progressively more urban with roads, cars, and concrete jungles, it's important to find somewhere semi-nearby to get away from it all.
With all of that being said, I don't know if you've heard, but camping is in! Despite the natural thought to assume everyone is on their phones, playing video games, and watching TV 99% of the time - there has actually been an uptick in the amount of people spending their time outdoors (running, biking, camping, etc). With more people going outside, you also have an amazing variety of outdoor stores like REI, Backwoods, Cabela's, and Academy to go looking for products to better fit your needs than ever before. When I was a kid, the extent of our camping supplies were mostly a tent, sleeping bag, and cooking utensils. Nowadays, you have all sorts of products to help provide a better experience, but there are also different types of camping you should know about.
Different types of camping
Let's break down the top 8 main types of camping so that you can decide what type of camping you want to do:
Tent Camping Probably the most common type of camping and the first thing that comes to mind when "camping" is said. With tent camping, you really just need a tent and a place to make this camping situation happen. If you're camping in a state or national park, you could be at a site with water and electricity, or you could find a more primitive spot to setup your tent. Either way, this is one of the cheaper and more common camping methods.
Backpacking Much like tent camping, backpacking uses either a lightweight tent or a hammock, but instead of parking your car and setting up the tent at a site, you are hiking multiple miles before setting up your sleeping situation. This type of camping can get a little more expensive because you focus on the weight of all things being carried and it can be quite addicting in attempt to minimize the overall weight of your bag. Backpacking can be a 10 mile overall hike in a couple of days or 40 miles over the span of a week depending on the backpacker.
Bike-packing Just like backpacking, a bike-packer will pack everything they need on their bicycle and/or backpack and ride long-distances to their site or sleeping situation. This one is obviously a bit more expensive because the same gear is needed plus a good bike with racks and bag attachments.
RV or Camper Camping RV's and campers can be extremely expensive and range anywhere from $5k to well over $1M depending on what you are looking to get and how much you plan on using it. The biggest benefit to having an RV or camper is that it's enclosed and generally has A/C and heating so weathering the elements is no issue. Another benefit is that they usually have a toilet, shower, and kitchen to make life even easier.
Car Camping But what if I don't want to tent camp and buy all of this extra stuff that I'll rarely use? EASY - Just pack some blankets, pillows, and food in your car and hit the road. With car camping, your only real limitation is where you are able to drive. If you're on the road and get tired, great pull over, lay the seats back, and take a nap. You can "camp" in a parking lot, at a state park, or find a remote location of your choosing.
Overlanding This is something that I am currently getting more into. Overlanding is a mixture between camping and off-roading. It's a lot like car camping, but with less stipulations because of the 4x4 capabilities. With overloading the truck, van or SUV will generally be rigged with racking systems, off-roading tools, jerry-cans, a rooftop tent, and a mounted awning. Once I get more into it, I'll post an overloading specific post in the future with my '94 Land Cruiser Prado.
Glamping Although it seems like a joke, glamping (glamorous camping) is kind of a cool option between a fancy airbnb and a camping site. People often think of a yurt being the go-to for clamping, but there are a ton of other options like tree-houses, cabins, tipi/teepees, and various tiny home type places. Basically, you get the camping feel and the outdoors with a more luxurious type location and sleep.
Backyard Camping Alright, so this is not exactly a "type", but it's still fun! If you or your family just want to be outside to be outside, why not just setup a tent in the backyard? I used to beg my parents to let us pop the tent up in the backyard and sleep outside (seems weird writing that out, but it's true). It's a fun project for the kids and it's a cool way for you to get acclimated to the camping life.
Packing done right!
With all of those type of camping options mentioned, let's talk about how you would pack with the more common option of tent camping. Understand that some of these packing tips will carry-over to other types of camping.
Whether you shop at REI for expensive outdoor gear or Walmart for low-price options, you just need to get out there! One of the first things you need to do before packing for a camping trip is to determine the weather and location of your destination. 30 degree packing is much different than 110 degree packing and then precipitation will change the way you prep as well. The next thing you must consider is your access to amenities like fire pit, grills, water, a lake, canoes, etc. Here are some "must bring" items along with some great stuff I bought and recommend from Amazon to make your life much easier.
Food - Keep it simple, get everyone involved when cooking, and prep what you can ahead of time at home - Hot dogs (on skewers over the fire), hamburgers (on the grill at your campsite), walking tacos, beans, chips/dip, coffee, and breakfast tacos
For the grill - Charcoal, lighter fluid, lighter, metal tongs, metal spatula, can opener, aluminum foil, cast-iron skillet and camping boil+brew french press (see below)
For sleeping - Sleeping bag, sleeping pad (for a better night sleep), pillow, camping lantern, and a tent (I recently got a 2-second tent from Quechua that I'd highly recommend - literally takes seconds to pop-up)
For the campfire - Chairs, skewers, firewood (you cannot gather firewood here), lighter fluid, lighter, and the Grubstick is great for hot dogs or s'mores (see below)
For the shower - Sandals, towel, and toiletries
Other - Don't forget your cooler filled with beverages! Also, your fishing gear, bike, canoe, backpacking gear, and hiking shoes if you plan on doing some outdoor activities.
Where to go
My usual go-to's when camping are National Parks and State Parks because they are generally very well taken care of and provide various amenities and activities, but there are also over 500 KOA Campground locations across the U.S. In addition, All of these options will have a lot of information online that you can use to better prepare for the trip - check out the National Parks website to see what I'm talking about or head over to my "A Beginner's Guide to National Parks" for more info. You can also do a quick search on Google Maps to see all campgrounds in your area to see what's available!
The Wrap-Up
However you want to travel, go outside, or do your thing is ultimately your decision. My goal is to make sure you know the options available and how easy it could be. For camping, the simplicity and cost-factor make it a no brainer for going out there and enjoying yourself away from the normal hustle and bustle. What's your favorite type of camping and what gear do you use? Let me know in the comments!
