Camping is without a doubt a great way to refresh oneself and take a break from life’s daily hustles. If you are a camping newbie, you’re probably asking yourself where to start off. This is our camping for beginners article. Here you’re going to get tips and advice on how to start off camping and the best ways to make your camping experience an unforgettable experience.
Selecting the Right Campsite
Keeping in mind that it is your first time to go camping, picking the right place is very important. You don’t want to pick a place that is too far away from home. This is because you might be left stranded and in trouble just in case of any hitches like illness and injuries during your camp.
Instead, pick a site that is not too far away from home. Somewhere where you can interact with the locals and even show you how things are done where you will need help. If you are going with kids for example, you may want to choose a camp site that has a playground and entertainment on the premises.
Other things to consider before picking your camping site includes things like nearby attractions, bathroom facilities and whether pets are allowed in the camp site or not.
What to Carry
Bringing everything that you’ll need for your first camp is very important. Failure to carry some items may just ruin your camping experience. Take your time to create a list of things that you’ll need. If you don’t want to create a list yourself, use our camping supplies list here.
- You will need to include equipment like tents, knives, water, hand sanitizers and sleeping bags. Of all the items mentioned above, a tent and sleeping bag are among the most important of all, since these will keep you sheltered from the environment specially when night falls.
- Before you leave for the campsite, make sure you learn how to pitch your tent as well as how to take it down. This will help speed things up once you get there. Make sure you bring a tent that will provide enough space for your group and their belongings. You can look for help from those who have gone camping before on how to choose the best tents before buying one. As a guide always buy a tent that’s built to hold more people that those in your party.
- Good sleeping bags are also important as it will help insulate you from the cold. Along with a sleeping pad these should help you get a good night’s sleep and rest.
Read Up
For me one of the best ways to learn about something is to read up on the topic. As a beginner camper, I remember reading anything I could get my hands on.
While it was fun, I don’t recommend it because I spent a lot of time on it and there were a lot of erroneous information, specially on the web.
If you had to pick a few select books to get started with camping these are what I would recommend:
- Basic Essentials Camping (Basic Essentials Series)
- Camping For Dummies
- Camping Made Easy (Made Easy Series)
Plan for the Unexpected
Camping trips may not always go the way you plan. Especially for a camping novice, things might just turn around and go badly. Plan for every situation you may think of. Don’t go camping without extra clothes or food. In case of any emergency, these extra necessities will come in handy.
Who knows what will happen, your food may get ruined by the weather or you might find yourselves stuck for a few extra nights than expected. Don’t forget to learn how to cook. Even a few simple recipes will go a long way in keeping your stomachs full and warm.
Illness and injuries may also occur during your camping trip. This makes it is very important to take all precautions and be prepared for anything. Do make sure to bring a first aid kit on all your camping adventures whether beginner or experienced. Failure to do so may leave you vulnerable to problems that might ruin your whole experience.
Relax and Have Fun
This is the reason why you went for camping in the first place. Do not approach your camping holiday like a military operation. Just in case you forget anything, look for ways to amend the situation and make it well again.
There are a number of ways to have fun during your camp including games and leisure activities like fishing or bird watching. Make sure to make a list of things to do before leaving for the camp just so you don’t miss out on anything.
You can also try mountain hiking, fishing, cooking outside and many other random things that may come up. Just make sure that you have fun and make your camping experience an unforgettable one.
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